Sunday, July 3, 2011

Still a Happy Trash Picker


As a little girl, I regularly sat on the floor while my mom sewed. 
The floor was a magical spot, as it was covered with fabric and trim scraps. 
My sister and I crafted many purses, belts, and doll clothes in our younger years. 


Nowadays, I don't sit on the floor anymore, but I use the scraps from the floor in all my work. 
Tiny pieces of paper, fabric, trim, and even balls of discarded thread 
find their way into my collages and quilts. 


While I am scavenging the floors, my mind takes me back to being with my mom and my sister. 
I experience vivid memories of my mom's sewing machine humming away, 
an old western or Godzilla moving playing on the tiny black and white TV, 
and sweaty glasses of iced tea. 
Those little nuggets of memory make me happy. 
They connect me with my family and bring a sense of calm and confidence that I am in the right place.


Perhaps this is not the grand lesson my mom hoped to impart, but somehow 
I know that picking trash off the floor is what I am supposed to be doing.
Lesson from mom: Never underestimate the power of regular old life.

5 comments:

  1. This is beautiful, Jenny! So vibrant and colorful. And congrats again on the CPS calendar! I just saw it in my in-box and thought I'd stop by and see what you've been up to recently... =)

    ~Nikki

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  2. My dear, what kind of humungous groove have YOU got??
    I adore the house... and yes, every tiny scrap is precious.. the best stuff comes off the floor, dont you think?
    They kind of fall in such a way that says, "use me"
    ..thanks for your warm comment, you're not the only one to say, "write!"....

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  3. What a great life lesson you learned...the best times aren't always fancy or grand. Such neat memories of your childhood captured in your little house - and those colors! So inspiring.

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  4. Congrats on being a finalist, Jenny!

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  5. Thank-you, thank-you Jenny! I thought it was a bit odd that their list ended in the mid-S's but no, I hadn't seen the 4th column of finalists. I hope they make an effort to reach out and let the other folks know. Now I can start the week out on a high note! =)

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