(This post has been updated from it’s original posting date to include additional information)
Did you know that May is a month to celebrate sewing? Me-Made May was launched in 2010 on the blog So Zo, What Do You Know? and has been gathering attention every year since.
It began as a personal sewing challenge encouraging makers and sewists to set aside the month of May to get creative by styling and wearing their handmade garments instead of making or buying more. Over the years, it has grown into many things for many people.
Many will post photos of their creations on instagram #memademay, but it’s really is an individual challenge. Each person is encouraged to set their own intentions for the month.
Here’s one of my sewing machines. She’s Swedish. Her name is Ingrid.
I name things. Of course I named my kids, and dogs and cats… and many, many goldfish (I was a kindergarten teacher and didn’t have the best track record with classroom pets) But I also name plants and inanimate objects. Is that weird?
The naming of plants:
Spike, the agave that followed us from the Midwest to Arizona.
Here’s Noelle, the Christmas cactus and her off shoot Jingles
Not all of my plants have names. Plants come and go. They die or get eaten by bugs or maybe you forget to water them. But I have a few favorites. Spike the agave has a special place in my heart. Ed brought him home from the greenhouse at the high school where he taught biology. When we moved to the desert, Spike thrived. Spike was the subject of my first ever published story, catapulting me to status of “Published Author”. (Ha, ha) I still have the check framed and hanging in my office.
Noelle was a gift from a student many years ago. She loves it here in by sunny window . She’s fickle, sometimes blooming at Christmas, but other times she blooms at Thanksgiving, or Valentine’s day or this year, she did a small bloom season at Easter.
One could argure that plants are living things and derserve to be named. But what about inanimate objects?
The naming of sewing machines…
You met Ingrid at the start of this blog post. I also have Kendra, my first sewing machine, a 1970s Sears Kenmore gifted to my at my college graduation. Then there’s Joyce a 1990s model Kenmore I inherited from my mother. I got the idea of naming my sewing machines from a visit to a vintage sewing maching booth at an antique mall in Indiana. The owner of the booth had names and personalities for each of her machines. I wanted to bring them all home! (I didn’t, but I went home and named all of mine.)
I recently purchased a new laptop named Dash. Dash is shiny, sleek, and fast, and helped me finish the first draft of my second book. I think we are going to make a great team.
And cars? Many people name their vehicles, but I don’t. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been a car person. As long my ride is dependable and gets me where I’m going I’m ok with it. Besides cars already come with names. We have “The Saturn” and “The Honda.” No need to elaborate.
Characters all around us.
This vintage swizzle stick is the main character in my story featured in the Desert Leaf Magazine
I used to think my tendency to name things was weird, but then I read something that one of my favorite authors wrote. I can’t recall which one it was, but she names things too. She said that it’s common for authors to attach names and personalities to things because we see characters all around us.
Characters all around us. I like this idea! The world is full of characters–people, plants, and yes, even inantamite objects, and as authors we have the privilege of creating their stories and bringing them out into the world. In fact, it’s our job.
Why can’t a vintage swizzle stick come to life and complain that its new owner is a teetotaler? And imagine a cantankerous agave inspiriring a couple from the Midwest to move to the desert?
How dull life would be without the storytellers of the world. Now go out, find YOUR characters, write their story, then find a way to send it out into the world! I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Threads of Thought
Ok, come on. I know you do it too.
I’d love to hear some of your names for things.
Write your comments in the box below and while you’re at it, be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already done so!
Joy, the potted plant recommends Debra’s book. A cozy, quick read sure to make you smile!
The thought came to me during my critique group meeting last week. I’d been plodding along with my travel memoir, wititng it “bird by bird” (as Anne Lamott says in her book by the same title), or “city by city” as was my case. I would finish a chapter every 2-3 weeks and had it close to the end. One more section to go, but I was dragging my feet. It could have easily been one of those manuscripts that ends up in a drawer or computer and never gets completed. During that meeting, I knew I wanted to see it through.
“I’m going to finish my rough draft .” I said to my writing friends. Somehow saying it out loud helped me to commit to the project. I cleared my schedule for the week (easier to do when you are retired), put on some comfy yoga pants and a tee shirt, put my phone in the other room , and told Ed not to disturb me. Except for food. I estimated around 12,000 words to finish. Can I do that in five days? Not likely, but I plan to make a significant dent in it! Here’s my 5 day progress in diary form. Wish me luck! Ready, set write!
Monday
Ed surprised me by moving his office chair into my studio to use for the week, replacing the old wooden one I usually use. Nice upgrade! I put my phone in the other room (good move by the way) and shut my door. I was afraid I would sit here all morning with no words in my head, but I’d already started an interesting chapter on Celafu (where disaster strikes) and I had lots of thoughts on how to finish it. By lunch time I’d written 1,132 words and by early afternoon I’d finished the chapter and had logged in a total of 2,208. Not bad for a first day! I treated myself to a trip to Frost Gelato Shop. (It’s research. The word gelato had appeared in my story.) Goodbye Cefalu. Tomorrow we are on to Venice!
Tuesday
Now I know why it’s called a rough draft. Today’s writing is slow going. Most of it is rough. Ok, maybe all of it. I struggled most of the morning trying to find the “theme” or the “point” of this piece, but I just kept writing.
Took a break at lunch and then it came to me. 1,704 words for today. Stephen King says he writes 2,000 a day. (I’m currently reading his book “ON Writing”) But I’m not Stephen King. I’m happy to have gotten as far as I did. That brings my two day total to 3,912.
Wednesday
Ugggh. I had a hard time sleeping last night. I woke up twice with words running through my brain. “What if I said it this way?” “I could move this part over to here.” “What about this?” Yikes. Anyway…I was finally able to go back to sleep, but then slept later than usual. Ed and I went on a nice long walk this morning (otherwise I’d be developing a chair-shaped butt) then, I worked steadily until we went out for lunch. (no starving artist here) A nice break.
Finished up this afternoon. with 1,718 words today. 5,630 total . I was able to write a fun section on “masquarade.” It’s interesting. Sometimes, I don’t know exactly where Im going until I start getting words on the page. Often it comes together in ways I wasn’t expecting.
A total of 5,630 words so far.
I had fun trying to capture this trio in words! (FYI Saw these guys on a bridge in Venice. Does that look like a slinky on his head and around his neck? That’s how I described it. What would you say?)
A couple of Tylenol and I’m back in business. My theme song for today is “Unstoppable” by Sia. I’m surprised how fast time goes by when I’m writing. I almost worked through lunch. Ed had to come and remind me to eat. But I’m proud of myself. I’m a witer and for this week my writing is taking priority. Yay me! 2,103 words today… 7,733 total. Unstoppable.
Friday
Got an early start and am powering through today. I finished my chapter on Murano, and after lunch I wrote the last chapter. The very last chapter, and I’m IN LOVE with my ending (Though Stephen King says “kill your darlings”– what does he know? He hasn’t even read my ending) I cheered when I typed the final period. 10,379 words in five days!
I’m searching for the word to describe what I’m feeling right now. Stephen King says he does it for the BUZZ. This is often associated with being intoxicated (Full disclosure: I did celebrate with a limoncello spritz after I turned off the computer, I don’t recommend drinking and typing) But the word has a broader meaning.” a heightened mood characterized by feelings of euphoria, elation, and well-being.” That’s my word. Though is project is far from finished–there will still be the next draft, and the next, and the final editing– right now, I’m buzzed.
Threads of thought
What challenges have you faced in your writing or in other situations?
What word would you use to describe the feeling you get when you accomplish a goal you’d set for yourself?
Oh, and most importantly…how would you describe the “slinky” on the Masquerade Man in the picture? (this would be a big help to me-might even put me in “best seller” category)
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave you comments in the box below.
Here’s my first published book! A fun read! Take a look!
This morning I spent several hours working on a blog post. Will I increase views or subscribers by posting each week? Maybe a few. Will I make tons of money or sell hundreds books for my efforts. Not likely. SO WHY AM I SPENDING MY TIME WITH THIS???
Because I enjoy it! It is fun to put together a story with words and pictures. I learned a new way to upload photos today. I remembered a story about my grandma and a hill of daffodils. Someone said that you know you are passionate about something when you are doing it and you lose all sense of time.
That’s what happens when I write!
(I drew a big heart here, right on my journal page, with a bright red marker. Because I love my markers. Its a kindergarten thing. Remember when we used to call them Magic Markers but now they are just markers? How did they lose their magic? That’s a story for another time…)
Writing vs Publishing
Publish it
Was I excited when my story appeared in the Oro Valley Writer’s Forum Anthology? When I first sold my first story to a local magazine, didn’t I go to the newstand and pick up a dozen copies to give to friends and family? Did I celebrate when I published my first book on Amazon, and don’t I check to each morning to see if that little sales graph has gone up overnight?
Yes, yes, and yes. I’ll be honest with you, the allure of publishing is a huge motivating factor. There is nothing like holding your published book in your hand or seeing your words in a magazine article.
But my friends, I’m here to tell you that there is more to writing than that. Much more.
This time of year, I’m obsessed with them. Maybe it goes back to my Midwestern roots. I spent most of my life in southern Indiana where winters are cold, drizzly, and gray. During winter, the glorious decidous trees of autumn are bare and stark, the luxurious green lawns of summer are brown and muddy and cabin fever rages. It was the worst time of year for those of us in the teaching profession. The period between winter break and spring break seemed to go on forever. Indoor recess had lost it’s charm, students were restless, and teachers were weary.
The Little House in the Woods
When my husband and I moved our family to a house in the woods, the kids and I planted daffodil bulbs on the hillside behind the house. Each dormant bulb held the promise that spring would come. We couldn’t wait to see the first green shoots springing up form under the leaf mulch in the woods. When the hillside burst into bloom, we knew winter days would soon be gone. Each year, I would gather a large boquet and bring it inside.
Josie’s Favorite
Daffodils were my grandmother’s favorite flower. She called them jonquils. I like to call them that too, though purists say ” While regionally jonquils may be called daffodils, this is botanically inaccurate. They are both in the Narcissus family, however there are slight differences. “
So what’s in a name? My grandmother’s name was Josephine Marie. She prefered to go by Marie, but allowed Gandpa to call her Josie . “..a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”
(Those of you who are really paying attention will note that Grandma is standing in front of tulips,not daffodils or jonquils or roses… but you get the idea.)
Daffodils in the Desert
Now I live in the Southwest. There is an abundance of wildflowers blooming in the desert this spring, but sadly, no daffodils grow here. I went to Trader Joe’s to get some. I didn’t find them with the fresh flowers and was about give up when I spotted some bunches of spindly little stems in pre-bloom stage bound together with a rubber band and stacked in a wooden box. With no water. Orphans. I had to bring them home. As per the directions on the tag, I snipped off a half and inch from each stem and put them into some water.
I wasn’t expecting much, but by the next morning…
….my kitchen counter was glowing with yellow blooms! I know they are short-lived, but for now I am enjoying the burst of spring, the reminders of Grandma, my Indiana home, and the end of winter.
But I think it’s deeper than that. Perhaps , for me, these bright yellow blooms bursting from dormant bulbs and spindly stalks give me hope and courage. Their blooms are fleeting. Their message lingers.
Have a joyous spring my friends!
Threads of Thought
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“A smart, highly entertaining memoir.”-Arizona Daily Star
