First finished Project

My baby finished her first crocheted afghan. It took only three weeks. Most of the work took place in three days. I'm so proud of her. Actually finishing something this large. I never finished my afghans that I started in high school. She's on to the next thing.

Mom & Me Crafting Vortex

As you know I have been ramping up the crafting getting ready to teach my summer workshops.  I've been crocheting, collaging, painting, writing , etc. etc!  School is out for my youngest and she is at home bored stiff.  She's going to be helping me out this summer, so she can't go to camp.  She has organized and reorganized her makeup boxes and trays.  Gone through numerous hairstyle changes and downloaded and read a couple of books already.

My oldest who is a full-fledge adult and working full time came to visit us and took her little sis to Katy Perry's summer concert.  My treat for both of them and she was helping me out.  She and I used to go to her boy band concerts in middle and high school, but since my health issues I can't go with Samantha, for now.  Luckily, even with the thirteen year age gap my daughters are becoming close friends.

While visiting Courtney asked me to teach her how to crochet.  She already knows how to knit but since her best friend and I crochet she wanted to learn.  I was teaching her how to crochet and it reminded me a little bit of teaching her how to drive her Barbie Corvette up our hill.  (Smile).   Her little sister chimed in and started crocheting like a fiend.  I forgot that I had taught her (my craft buddy) a few years ago.  Courtney was perplexed that Samantha remembered and was going so fast.

Now, both my daughters have a lot in common, both are sassy, snarky, smart, intuitive, confident and have a wicked wit and sense of humor.  They also are very loving, generous, considerate and creative.  Samantha is an artist through and through.  Courtney is a prolific writer and very tech savvy.  I wouldn't call them crafters though.  They like traditional, non frilly, conservative clothing and decor with a label.  They do not like my 'Artsiphartsi' style.  Courtney loves Lily Pulitzer and Vera Bradley. Samantha is all glam and MAC.

Courtney texted me the next day after work and sent me a picture of yarn and needles in a shopping basket.  She was in the craft store buying supplies to make a afghan.  Hold up!  what's going on here is this my daughter?  Then Samantha asked me for yarn and began crocheting.  Like a Fiend, up all night and using up every bit of extra neon yarn that I had.  Next, she wanted to tie dye tees.  Now I have two craft buddies.  I can't believe their color choices.  (A little Crafty Diva influence?)

After all these years we are crafting again. I guess the family that 'crafts together, stays together.'

My Craft Buddy

My Craft Buddy is gone:  just a few short years ago I couldn't craft in peace.  I had a little craft buddy who wanted to learn every craft that I did.  I could count on her to quickly capture the new technique and make it her own.  She began knitting at age 2 mastered it by age 5, channeling ancient potters at age 31/2 and sewing, weaving, drawing by third grade.  We loved sick days and snow days, the perfect time for mom & me crafting.

 She was marketing and demonstrating for me at craft shows.  Now she is gone.  She's moved on to creating flawless makeup and hair selfies, dying and styling her own hair and her friends hair, turning my kitchen into a beauty salon, and frequenting the MAC counter for 'just one more lipstick, please!'  She has perfected the perfect eye liner and lashes, she's the go to girl for getting a makeover.  Sometimes I can get her to reluctantly model my knitwear designs.  It must be 'selfie' style though.  She can't stand my 'itchy' yarn and bright colors.

 But, last night she came back for a minute.  We had terrible storms and I was working on my neon granny throw to calm my nerves.  When she came into my room I was surprised to hear 'Mom, wow, how long have you been working on that I love it!'  I realized then that my Craft Buddy hadn't gone anywhere she just moved on to a new phase.  Which I call 21st century 'Glam Crafting'.  (Also, she's been influenced by Watching too much Bravo.)

Mom and Me Time

There are many roles that I have taken on in this lifetime, daughter, sister, student, entrepreneur, artist, wife and mother.  The one role that I feel is truly my life purpose is that of a mother.  I have been a single mother for the past fifteen years.  There are a lot of challenges involved, lack of sleep, lack of help, lack of energy, lack of time, lack of support you can go on and on and on with the lack song.  There is one thing that you have an abundance of and that is Love!  Love from your children and Love for your children.  There are many times that I wanted peace and quiet to be left alone.  But, the kids continue to push the boundaries and insist that their presence be known. Finally,  I stop whatever I thought was important and cave into the hugs and kisses and the 'I love you mommy's'.  They make the 'lack song' go away and my heart sings a new song of 'Love and Joy.'

For most of my life I have been using journaling and intuitive collage to express myself.  Here is a collage that I made that represents 'motherhood' to me.

For throwback Thursday here is a picture taken during my first year of single motherhood about 15 years ago.  P.S.  my two youngest children were born around valentines day.  How about that for Love!