Just a twinkle* in my eye

While all the children were taking a nap, (Yes, you read that right...ALL THE CHILDREN...AT THE SAME TIME!!!!), I was uploading some photos to Facebook of some recent crafts I had completed (And it reminded me of something...).

The hat Felix asked me to make that Hejjo used to sop up spilled glue two days after it's inaugural wear. Sigh.
Lina's Easter dress. A little sewing, a little Spray Adhesive, and a lot of prayer.

Used to be a king sized sheet. $.95 and some thread and elastic and it became my Easter skirt. It'll do (and no, I didn't have to use the *whole* sheet).

A cloth diaper soaker and matching hat for Kacio. He wore this a lot, and pooped on it every time...which means he likes it, obviously.


Now, before anyone starts thinking that I have any REAL talent, well... stop thinking that...because I don't. I have enough skill to run a straight seam and a zig- zag stitch to make simple skirts for a 2 year old and washcloths for babies bums. That's the extent of my talent with sewing. If I were forced to provide clothing for my children in the winter because we could only afford yarn (which is absurd, yarn is so expensive these days) and some knitting needles (see previous parenthesized comment) then their heads would stay warm and their bodies, well, their bodies would have to make due with being wrapped up like a spool in a really really long scarf, or a tube like structure, with arm and leg holes (if they're lucky), because that's about the extent of my prowess with knitting. None of my creations come with functional buttons or zippers (I have been known to glue buttons to Velcro to make it *look* like it works). Elastic and I have a very flexible relationship and me and Velcro,well, there's no separating us. (Awesome sauce.) BUT...

...that doesn't mean that I don't love it all very much. I do. I love it all very much. I love fabric stores, even the really cruddy ones that only carry curtain fabric (boring), and the really expensive ones that carry patterns that are so unique and beautiful that I could never do them justice (expensive!!!). I love yarn stores. The beautiful balls of color all nestled together just sitting there tempting you to squish them. And the wide array of knitting accessories that of course, you must have, "just in case." I have a lot, of both, yarn and fabric, and everything in between. I try really hard to use them but, more often than not, I fail at making something that can actually be used or cherished (who am I kidding, half the time I have to explain to Martin what it is I've actually made). But that's OK. I don't have to be good at it to love it ( Just ask my kids). ;)

So, I have a dream. A real one, not a fantasy one. Meaning I could totally see myself following this idea to fruition. A little while ago I shared a link to the cookie place in Krakow. And there is another place similar to this, it sells cupcakes. Both are prime examples of the phenomenon that is sweeping my home town of Austin at the moment. Taking simple foods, products, or what have you, and setting up little boutique type shops. Calling it "gourmet", or "one of a kind," or whatever will get people in the door. You give it a catchy name like "eat" (for a little hole in the wall diner), or "side of chopsticks" (Chinese wares with "to go" food if you're in the mood)...totally made these up, see I can do it too, they're not that clever. Anyway, little places like this where someone likes something, has an interest in something and starts a little business. They are not getting rich but they are getting by, and more importantly, they are enjoying themselves. So...

(at the risk of t being stolen!)

My idea. A little knitting and sewing shop. Called "knit and sew" (Oh, I forgot to mention that another prerequisite for one of these shops is that the name and sign have to be all lower case, type face letters. So it would literally look just like that..."knit and sew"). Just a shop that has lots of fun, new!, fabrics and beautiful, luxurious, yarns. It doesn't have to *have* everything. It doesn't have to *be* everything. It can host classes every once in a while and demonstrations. It can have meeting times for groups working on certain projects that want to share their work, etc. Whatever...the details will be hammered out later... but the idea is that it would be a little hole in the wall, warm and welcoming, that would cater to people like me. People who knit and sew and craft because they want to, because they enjoy it, because they can't help themselves, and NOT because they *have* to. It would be awesome. And it would be in Poland (preferably in one of the up and coming areas with young people and foreigners...like me...).

Poland would be perfect for something like this. It's not as trendy there to be able to knit and sew cute little baby clothes or fancy sweaters, or make your own handbags, etc. But I think it will be. Of course it will. The more free time and free money people have the more they turn towards these types of hobbies. And Poland is moving rapidly in that direction. Martin thinks that a lot of people there may not care about a shop like this because their mothers and grandmothers sew and knit and they could simply learn from them, do these things with them. But I don't think that's true. Martin isn't an expert on crafting in Poland (neither am I, for the record) but I don't see a lot of these skills being passed on, and I don't see any sewing or craft stores when we go visit (of course they have shops where you can buy notions and fabric, but I'm talking about the fun stuff, the exciting stuff, the beautiful stuff), never any of those places that call out to you to just jump in and visit and see what's going on...with a welcoming look and a warm interior and friendly people encouraging you to try something new...

Martin and I have talked about this more than once, seriously (we have also talked seriously about opening up a Texas themed bar, but that's another post altogether...ooh exciting!!!). And I strongly believe that if I wanted to, I could do it. I really could. It would take hard work and a lot of time (and some money, but that's just details ;) ) but I really think I could do it. Of course, there is not telling what the future holds, what we will encounter in Poland, what will happen with the kids, and school and all that. One thing at a time, blah, blah, blah... but wouldn't it be awesome? Really awesome?!!

I think it would.