It's Personal.

Driving around the other day, I had some deep thoughts as I was listening to a mixed CD my loving lil' sister made me.  As the charming, unpolished notes of various indie-sounding musicians calmed me and the rain fell gently, I started thinking about how much beauty there is in the imperfection of humanity.  What is it, I asked myself, that makes you look for the places in the painting where you can clearly see the brush strokes - the work of the artists hand? What is it that makes husbands think their wives look beautiful first thing in the morning with no makeup and messy hair? 

 

My mind traveled on to AMEN Handmade, and how we love things to look worn, flawed, one of a kind.  There's also a major uprising going on right now (ucc) of young crafters (renegade) and artists (capsule) who share the same feeling, selling wobbly, almost childlike drawings, and lopsided craft-monsters, funky felted purses where you can see the stitching, and clothing with raw edges exposed.  EXPOSED.  That's the key word, I think.  There's something in all of these experiences that lets you into the secret little world of the person who made it.  Somehow you feel that you've gotten to see a glimpse of their honest soul - the inmost part of their creative heart, and that..... that is something precious.  More precious than ever in this world quick notes and backward glances, top eight friends and wall-to-walls.  

Last weekend at the poorly attended Paso Robles Digital Film Festival, Ann and I were lucky enough to get situated next to a man with a positive attitude.  A silversmithing storyteller.  

And, he told us a good one as we were about to pack up and go home.  In the story of the "Cracked Pot", a water carrier took water in two jugs back to his master's house time after time.  One perfect pot, and one cracked.  The cracked one was very ashamed of it's flaw, and always apologizing, until the water carrier helped it to see that it was watering flowers all along the roadside each time it was carried, and that the flowers were known throughout the land for their beauty.

Maybe the parts of us that are different are ready to be shared, and maybe what the world sees as awkward or flawed is actually just the intricate and beautiful work of the master's hand?

So, I am not sure why I am writing this (or crying about it), but I know there is something in all of us that longs to connect... to really know and be known.  I will end with this verse, which has been a particular treasure to me of late:

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  1 Cor 13:12

The Adventure Begins

This weekend has been a whirlwind of excitement, fun, and learning. We have done two craft shows in the last two days, and really enjoyed making our booth beautiful, meeting kindred spirits and crafty characters, and sharing our creations with people who love and appreciate them. Here are some photos of the cuteness.

Also, you can now purchase our products on Etsy! Click here to go to our etsy store. Happy shopping!

My Two Hams

I have been so busy taking care of animals and getting ready for our first craft fair, which is this Saturday, that I have hardly taken any welcome home pictures of Erik!  So here is one of him shaving his head, and looking like Friar Tuck!  Both Elliot and I are really happy to have him back.  Our lives are so much more fun with him here. 

The other pictures of Elliot are him pretending he is s snowman, and he is using a piece of fettuccini as a "snow mouth."  He is really into pretending.  He likes to be a baby fish, a blue morpho butterfly, a giant rabbit, a chinchilla, a dinosaur... what else?.... so many different things.  So when he has pasta with parmesean cheese, he always pretends the cheese is snow, and the last couple times, he has done the snow mouth thing, and pretended he is a snowman.  So cute, and creative!

Getaway

We were so blessed to have a little weekend getaway last weekend with our dearest friends, who are really much more like family.  Gary and Leslie invited us to join them and the rest of the family who could make it for a weekend in Avila!  We stayed at a beautiful condo right across from the beach.  It was amazing!  The whole glass wall of the livingroom opened onto a balcony overlooking the ocean.  It was so great to get to spend some time with Gary, Leslie, Annie, Beau,  Dustin (he is getting so big, and cuter and cuter all the time)!  Gary's son Tim was there, with his wife Mo, and son Carter, who is about a year younger than Elliot.  So it was really fun visiting with them, and seeing Carter and Elliot play together.  Mimosas were plentiful, as was love and good company!  Time seems to fly by when you have a kid, so it just felt so good to be with everyone.  Elliot had a great time playing on the beach, and I had fun wine tasting with Annie, Beau, and Gary, and playing Texas Hold'em, which I seem to be getting pretty good at!  :)  We walked on the peer, and looked around in stores, took the boys on the swings, and went to Avila valley barn!  Such a great time, and a much-needed breath of fresh air for me!