Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Storytelling #1

1.    Where did your creative spark begin-can you trace the path/timeline that got you to where you are today?


My creative spark began when I was just little girl. Watching my mom sew on her machine. She used to make our clothes! And they were super cute. And of course, there was the dolphin stuffed toy from home-ec.  Then, sometime in high school, I decided to make a dress for myself. That was the beginning of the end for me! I wore that dress, and one other, as much as I could without seeming wierd. 
Then, I went on a quilt binge. I made 3 quilts in a matter of a few weeks, after my mom taught me how to use her machine, of course. I made a few pillows, some graduation presents for some senior friends of mine (i think they were mini-pillows with their names embroidered on?), and a few other small projects.  After that, I took a little break from sewing until my sister in law decided we should do a craft fair table together at college. We each sewed a boatload of tote bags and I had a blast. I think after that, I just decided that rather than buying stuff that I knew was easy to make, I'd just make it and save the money! 
At first, it was an economical issue, and now, it's just plain fun for me. Even therapeutic. I love creating something out of a piece of fabric.  Once I began to see that I could make something from nothing, I realized that maybe I could also do other kinds of projects! That's where the spraypainting, decor stuff came in. 
And now, I'm obsessed. 
And I'm convinced that it's the Lord's gift to me. A way to sort of work towards being the woman in Proverbs 31 who works with her hands and helps provide for her household. This creativity that I can't really ignore, even if I wanted to. When I get the urge to make something, I can't run from it! It's like my machine sits there on my table, grinning, waiting, saying 'Come on. You know you wanna.'


:)


That said, how much do you LOVE this?!
from Cakies.  I'm pretty convinced now that all of my kids need their own patchwork quilt.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi jenny! I remember sewing creepy faced dolls at grandmas when we were too small to be using needles :) haha and then watching mom make our easter dresses. I was inspired by both of them because I saw that they could look at something and recreate it out of nothing and I thought it was magic. That is where I got my start too! Now i do it for the joy of it, but also to have clothes that actually fit the notorious family ghetto booty. I do it to save money but also bc....i mean c'mon....you can't buy stuff as cool as we can make, lets be honest. also, thanks for directing me to proverbs verse :) loveyou...see i do read your blog

Lora said...

i just commented on that blog this morning about that very picture! :) it's so awesome.

cory said...

And I'm pretty sure I need that bed.

From Snowflakes To Hotcakes said...

I totally remember your dolphin! Mine was a seal, I think. And Ms. G. flicking our backs if we slouched at our desk and saying, "I'm not MRS. G. That's my mom!" And that quilt reminds me of one of the ones mom made one of us. One of the cool things the Good Lord did with me and Handsome is that we both have childhood quilts that we saved to use when/if we have children. Mine was made by mom with bits of old clothes that I wore when i was little, and his was made by a relative, but is meaningful b/c of the pattern used. I love quilts! and I remember some of your first sewing projects - someone wasn't a fan of measuring or following a pattern, as I recall... :-) You totally rule now!

jenn said...

@Kris, YES!
@Laurel, i still haven't used a pattern since high school but it's about to change! i have a few lined up...yay!

Mary / Touch of Heaven said...

You've come a looooong way since your first patchwork "skirt"!. And you'll be hasppy to know "mr. pillow" lives!, he just has a new coat. haha. love ya, mom