Merry & Mod at home

All those boys

I created, organized, and decorated my studio with the intention of fashioning a creative haven for myself. A place of creativity, inspiration, and prolific making. At the time, I envisioned a place for me to be solitary in my creativity, though I did add a chair and a small desk for visitors. Truth be told, I spend more time in this space with company than I do alone. 

On my favorite chilly winter days, the boys and I find ourselves secluded there together. Mama, can we make something in your studio? We sort through pipe cleaners and a stack of gold paper I've had for 20 years, play with copious amounts of tape and glue, string beads, twist small bits of wire, experiment with adding salt and sugar to wet watercolors, share a pot of tea. I keep scissors for small hands and a scrap basket full of fabric they can use without ever having to ask. In this space, they have created suits of armor, numerous paper cranes, blankets for baby dolls, glow in the dark bracelets for stuffed tigers, gifts for loved ones, and various medieval weaponry. 

There is a sense of calm and companionship that infuses these peaceful hours. After a rough-and-tumble morning, this unscheduled creative time is restorative and so refreshing. I love to share this space I love with my loved ones. I love to witness the creative process of their young, open minds. It only takes a bit of tape or a length of yarn to get started. Often, my personal creativity can seem elusive or - even worse - forced. But my boys approach time in the studio with the same loaded for bear attitude they bring to everything else in life. Let's get started and see what happens. 

Eventually, E will wander upstairs to see what we're up to. He sits down, asks the boys what they're making, joins us. He frequently compliments the relaxed and peaceful atmosphere I've cultivated. All those boys, crowded into my little pink room, making things together. It's heartwarming and inspiring, even if it only lasts an hour. 

Then there are the evenings, after the boys are in bed and the house is quiet, that we are both in the studio. Sharing a glass of wine, listening to soothing music, each with our own project. I love those times, too. 

 

 

 

pleasing loft and warmth

I wrote a long post about this cardigan and then discovered a week later that it never published and that all my edits were lost. Reflecting back, it's likely this loss is a good thing; perhaps my musings veered from rambling, to rushed, to dull. 

And this cardigan (or what my seven-year-old refers to as "the sweater you've been making since I was three") is far from dull. After abandoning a forsaken project, finding the best hood pattern, and adapting a pattern for wristwarmers, I created this cozy jacket. It only took me about nine months. The yarn is a sumptuous combination of silk and alpaca. I held two strands together to create the hood, giving the finished piece a pleasing loft and warmth about my shoulders. 

This sort of thrift store/crochet mash-up is right up my alley. Searching for just the right jacket, researching patterns, adapting ideas to fit my vision. Walking the very fine line of how much is too much and how much is just right? 

It's the perfect layering piece for tranisitional seasons. I finished it at the end Autumn, just as I was pulling out my down jacket and matching up my gloves. It's been waiting through the dark days of winter, hanging patiently in my closet. Now the days are longer and a little warmer. With a lightweight scarf, my favorite green cardigan will once again see the light of day.