Inspiration

While I still plan to post my trip to NYC- I have a super cool experience to share- I wanted to post this picture of my inspiration.

This is my 96-year-old maternal grandmother, Geraldine,  making aprons a few weeks ago.  She hasn't been doing much crafting in the last 10 years but she has picked up the sewing needle a few times and this just amazes me.

This woman has created her entire life and like me, used all sorts of media.   I mentioned before that she is an excellent seamstress.  She made the bridesmaid's dresses for my wedding and dozens of gorgeous square dancing dresses that she wore over the years when she danced with my late grandpa.   She decorated amazing Fabrge- type eggs back when it was difficult at best to find supplies.  I recently asked her how in the world she found the eggs and the ephemera in the days before Hobby Lobby or Michael's.  She told me that the local craft store had the eggs and would order what she wanted.  I marvel at what type of glue she used since we have seen such an explosion of glues in the last few years.

She made many Christmas ornaments for me which I still have and put on my tree every year.  Grandma worked in ceramics, fabric, and needlepoint.   She also made beautiful ceramic items including Christmas trees (the kind with the plastic light pegs that go in the end of the branches and light from light bulb attached to the base).  She also made my mom a gorgeous antiqued gold Nativity Scene that looks better than most anything I have ever seen in a store including those that cost thousands of dollars.  Her work was always sophisticated and her ceramic work was no different.

I would love to see what she could have made if she access to the supplies and media we have today.  My grandfather made beautiful stained glass items and produced great things with wood in his wood shop.  The two of them together would really have produced spectacular projects if they had what is available in 2012.  Can you imagine what grandma could do with metal clays or what grandpa can do with different types of woods that are so really available, even at Home Depot, today?

Grandma will always be my inspiration and its does my heart good to see her working on a project at 96.  I have tried very hard to provide her lots of homemade decor for her room in the faculty where she lives.  I have sent her wreaths for each holiday and several banners.  I think it is about time I sent her something new.

Laters Baby…..