Meraki for Maria, a poem

Meraki (pronounced may-rah-kee; Greek): Doing something with soul, creativity, or love. It’s when you put something of yourself into what you’re doing.


Meraki for Maria

Do you know that I wake up every morning
and the first thing I think is
this can't go on?

Arthritis in my thumb will take me down, or
no one will want
what I make —
my house will crumble, my friends
avert their eyes as I
fail —
slowly or quickly,
I'm not sure which.

Your joy at what I do, today,
is everything and enough.
And my thanks to you too
— that's part of it —
and also, all we really have.

today in the studio ... vintage buttons on scrappy cuffs

Today I dipped into my little suitcase of vintage buttons to add the perfect finishing touch to this batch of scrappy cuffs.  In my head this suitcase is a bottomless pit, I hope my head is correct. The cuffs are made from linen scraps, of which I have a 5.3 lifetime supply, and they're freeform sewn in layers, with stuffed parts and wavy things and colored threads and frayed edges. So far everyone who has come through the door has grabbed them off my work table and made an oooh! noise, so that's good. Also, turquoise bangs:

more yay!

"Helen.....Helen.....HELEN!!!! I got my Magic Mermaid PJ dress today and I LOVE IT SO!!! It's got alllllllllll the BEST greens in it (my favorite color) and it fits like you made it especially for me. I haven't been this excited and felt so beautiful/sexy in a dress in a while! Thank you, thank you so much for doing what you do and you do it soooo well! LOVE you.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!! xox Maria"