The Embarrassment of Honesty and the Gratification of Acceptance

Last night I had a friend over that is also a seamstress. She needed a favor and while I performed said sewing task, she began to look into my mess. It was horrible. There was stuff everywhere.

Now usually, I tell myself that my crafting, jewelry-making and sewing stuff everywhere is a sure sign that I am busy and a consummate professional. Whether or not the clients believe this bunk or are just too polite to call me the slob that I really am, no one knows.


With this guest, I had no excuse. Being a person who sewed full time and in addition a person who made a living from her craft, she (in my mind) could see through my excuses right into the compulsive packrat-ish center of my soul.

“Wow,” she exclaimed. “Neat!” she crooned, and “Oh, how fun,” she sang as she poked and plodded through the horrible pile of toys and goodies (otherwise known as sewing crap) that was heaped several feet high on my sewing table.


As time went by, and I began to talk to her over my shoulder, I felt better. I’d accustomed my self to the fact that she’d already seen my biggest faults and that there was nothing I could do about it now. Somehow, I felt like she knew; like she understood the need for a pile of fabric or the compulsion towards ribbon and bows. I really didn’t mind her exclaiming about my stash and discovering long lost treasures in my drawers.

In fact, I felt like a kindred spirit had entered my own little world. I’ve never had that feeling before. It was so strange. It was like I’d stepped out of the mirror, into my opposite world and I was talking to myself about all of my things that I loved so dear.


She then began to tidy up and organize. Normally, I would have been mortified. Anyone touching my baubles and treasures would have sent me over the edge. On top of that, anyone moving my lovely trinkets would have been verbally decapitated. But she, being my mirror self, didn’t phase me at all. I just knew that I’d be able to find whatever I needed when she was through...and I was right. So, she cleaned and I sewed, and the world was centered and good.

Funny, I’ve only ever met this person once before in my entire life...but I like her...maybe there is a fairygod mother.

Ever had that feeling before?

Promise to Inventory & The Lack of Stuff in My Shop

I've promised myself and several other people that I'll create an inventory of items that I have for sale and items that I still have to make. My husband has volunteered to help me with this. Is this an adventure that he should join me on? I'm afraid that he'll want to throw away things that I want to keep or that he'll decide that I never need to shop again or start another project again. I was very excited that he was interested in helping me...but the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe I'll keep my mess to myself.

On another note; I've brought great numbers of people to Etsy to check out my shop. I've found out that most people are shopping at Etsy...just not my shop. One dear friend was even honest enough with me to tell me that my shop seemed a bit empty. This is all understandable, because Etsy isn't my full time job. It's also understandable because all of my products are made with the utmost care and therefore take a while to create. So with the fact that I'm only "creating" my art in my spare time and that each piece takes a while to finish...I can see how the shop would look empty.

Has anyone else ever noticed that your loved ones tend to eat up all your profits? DD wants the retro girls bag and some earrings too. If DD gets something, SDS will want something too.