After I completed nurses training (and not art school) and found myself fully employed, my life moved in the direction of more and more responsibilty, having a car, getting an apartment, getting married, having children (and pets), our own house and working and working and working. I have a theory that before I was born and I was standing in line for everything I was getting in life, there must have been alot of glamorous advertising for the work end of things, my eyes must have lit up and I said, "I'd like an extra helping", and then they said, "for a minimal sacrifice of your time, would you like that super-sized?" and I said, "YES!". Despite all my working, I always had an economy crunch, so I am fully prepared for the economy crunch of the present day as far as coping skills. When everyone was in their hayday, I was scrounging for all bargains. I think it made me stronger and taught me many things for survival.
Before I had children I took a 10 week class in Stretch and Sew, a fun sewing technique for the new knit fabrics that were being made. (I have several wonderful patterns in my attic, and I still have my ball point needles, someday I will have time to create clothes for the pure fun of it!) I was able to use those skills in North Carolina where my son was born after I bought an inexpensive t-shirt and overall outfit; I figured out the pattern on paper and made him clothes real cheap. I made slip covers for my unattractive couch that 6 pillows, by just measuring and cutting and sewing, and I enjoyed the couch much better afterwards for a long time. When my son was Christened, I made his outfit. When my daughter was Christened, I crocheted a beautiful coat to wear over the dress and a matching hat. (I do not crochet, I am a passionate knitter, but if I need to crochet, I have to work extra hard to figure it out). Then on her First Communion, I sewed this beautiful dress for her using wedding gown fabric, I treasure this dress to this day! (And when I was getting myself ready, I couldn't find her and she was outside on her bicycle, in her dress, with her wreath of flowers and ribbons in the back, making circles saying, "This is Nunsense! This is Nunsense!" (the name of the play or movie that was out at the time). When expecting my son, I was able to make my maternity clothes and had learned how to alter pants by adding a stretchy panel to pants in Stretch and Sew. When I was expecting my daughter, I was in a worse crunch, so I told myself I was going to devote 2 solid weeks to sewing maternity clothes and that I did. I sewed from the time I got up to when I went to work for 3pm and I had a wardrobe done in 2 weeks. Whew, that was hard, but it was great when it was done! Then years later, I joined our local recycling volunteer group at our new transfer station for trash (it had been a landfill), and they needed someone to paint a sign for the dump with the recycling logo. I volunteered, but I had not painted since high school. I was given a square piece of wood and 2 cans of house paint, blue and white. I had so much fun, calling up all past experience of designing and creating. The sign was hung and nearly 20 years later, is still there. I shall have to take a picture of it and blog about it before it is taken down and trashed! Then, there was the sad Christmas that I lost my nursing job because the hospital closed, this was the beginning of the end of health care in the past, I've seen it all. I was broke to begin with working, but then I had no money before Christmas and it was a nightmare, but I went to the store, bought a $2 skein of yarn and started crocheting mittens so I could go to the family Christmas party with some gifts for the kids. So, yes, I did create, but out of pure necessity, under duress. But this is all good, I am strong, I am resourceful, I have skills that help me survive. I am glad for the path I was given, alot of good has come out of it, like a fantastically wonderful family who have good survival skills, too! My treasures! Thank you for listening/reading, this will help everyone understand why there is a reinvention going on.
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