unusually productive with crafting lately.
For me, when I am sewing or doing needle work, I can “escape” reality. I become so focused on what I am doing that there is just no more room in my brain for thinking about the stresses of everyday life. I guess you could say it’s rather “Zen” for me. One site I visited recently described “Zen” as: something that places great importance on moment-by-moment awareness and ‘seeing deeply into the nature of things’ by direct experience.
I rather like that. Moment-by-moment awareness, although not really practical in everyday life, is a wonderful thing to explore in your down time. I feel it is necessary…like my crafting is necessary to my sanity!
We recently had some disturbing, life altering news. My Husband, the sole provider for our family of 6, has been laid off. Not due to anything wrong he did…in fact, his present and last supervising bosses both tried to get upper management to keep him.
“Sorry,” they said, “it’s just a matter of numbers.” Numbers. We are all just numbers.
Living in Michigan has been a scary proposition for many in the automotive and engineering fields lately. Closing plants, dwindling jobs…outsourcing. My Husband is an engineer. With a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering. Who said a better education will make you more successful in life? We are now in the company of a lot of well educated, jobless families. I worried about them, how they feed their children, themselves. Now I worry about us. We were just barely making all the bills that come with a house, a car, children… as it was.
So, are you nice and depressed now? Enough pity party for me…I think I need to go craft something. I’m sorry to be such a downer, I just really needed to get that all off my chest so I can move on.
This post was actually supposed to be about my needlework hero, Susan Elliot from Plays With Needles, but I think I’ll save that post for tomorrow.
Here a few pictures of what I have accomplished in the last few days. I have also supplied links to the tutorials! They were great stash busters.
First up is a pillow that I made based on Calamity Jane’s pincushion tutorial and the crochet button tutorial from Mademoiselle Chaos:
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| From My Art, My So Called Life |
Next up, two armchair caddies based on Helen’s pattern from Hugs & Kisses (I made mine slightly smaller and without embroidery):
A pillow case from a vintage sheet and the first part of the edging for a pillow case crochet along that Cassie over at You Go Girl! is hosting: 
And last but not least of my shares for today is a “Simple Party Clutch” offered by Elizabeth of Oh, Fransson! on the Sew, Mama Sew! blog (click here for tutorial):
Hopefully tomorrow I will have my originally planned post for you…and…pictures of my FINISHED (last night) tree!!!
7 comments:
Oh NO - yes, MI is so so bad right now! I'll pray for you guys. Someone called here, looking for donations, and I told them I'd love to but nobody is working - so he said, let me help you, go to www.indeed.com to look for a job. Seems like a neat site. But for me, after 18 years of being a sahm, my resume is awfully weak!
I'm glad you're getting some stress relief through crafting - it does that for me too. Your projects are wonderful. Keep up the crafting, you NEED it!
I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I will keep your family and husband's job search in my prayers.
I love the pillow!! Sewing and crafting is my stress reliever, so I know what you mean! I can't wait to see the tree!!!
I have been looking at your blog everyday since I heard the news and FINALLY you wrote about it. This is good for you-L. Sharing your thoughts with your friends, even your blog friends. I understand your fears but you two are resourceful and I will pray for you as well. Keep looking for your Zen in each day. It's worked for me so far. I love your crafts...good job! And I love you.
It is really getting harder and harder to read about alot of us just trying to keep our household going. We are Realtors and things have been just horrible for us.Just when you think things can't get any worse.... Surprise. We just sold a Mobile Home and the comission is 1680.00 not much but I am thankful. We all need to support each other.I will have to Share you Craft goodies with my readers maybe you will get some buyers! I love that pillow! Hugs, Diane
I love the pillow, Loralynn. I love the medallion in the middle of it. The colors are great, too!
Oh no! I really hate that for you guys. My husband went through lay offs twice and we just didn't know it he was going to be one of them but he wasn't but it still made us more aware of how we were spending money. We now put more in saving just in case.
Love all your crafts and hope it helps you not be depressed.
I will say a prayer for your family.
Oh Loralynn I am so sorry . We have been struggling since last January when my husbands pay got cut 40% - I have been home 10 years but have been trying to find something too that won't get eaten up by day care costs.((( Big Hugs))) I don't have any answers but your not alone . The pillow is GORGEOUS ! XO, Patty
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