Creating Memories

My sons and I gathered around the material situated on our plush living room carpet, working hard to line up the corners, each of us a pair of scissors in our hand. I flashed back to a similar memory, 20 years earlier, my niece in the same place my sons were now in. In that memory, we were creating a blanket for my son, who was now helping me create for my grandmother, his great-grandmother. When my niece and I created the first one, I was a very pregnant first-time mom. I had tried to get pregnant for 5 years and although I was very sick – I was cherishing every event that I was able to complete to prepare for this baby. Excitement flowed through me, as I pictured my baby cuddled in this soft blanket. The blanket I created for Jacob, still sits on my couch today. Now this original creation is my beautiful dogs place of comfort when we, her family are not around. My son would have it no other way as he has a diagnosis of Asperger’s and his focus is in making his animals happy and comfortable.

Happiness for me is taking the time to create something that others can use. Something that when they use it they enjoy a feeling that they are loved. Our lives are so busy that I feel it is so important to take time to lay down, relax and release stress. I love to cuddle up on the couch with my kids or dogs and read a great book, watch my favorite movie, sip some tea and/or meditate. Theses are all things I do when I use my blanket creations.

I love creating crafts including making greeting cards, making pictures, and live plants decorations. By far the easiest and probably most utilized creations are my blankets. I spend time wandering the store looking for the design the matches the recipient’s favorite things. The blanket my sons and I created was one with pictures of different cats. My grandmother could be described as a very independent woman. My grandfather died in 1979 and my grandmother has spent years by herself. She first worked their dairy ranch, then moved 8 hours away from any family, moving to a coastal town. Her dream was to return to living by the ocean, she was born in Santa Cruz, CA. Although she was living by herself and still driving at 93 years old, I feared that she would be by herself when she needed us. Unfortunately, she fell and broke her hip and luckily had her emergency alarm with her and was able to get help. Now she is living in this beautiful home where she is well cared for, but without the independence she was used too and without her cats. At 96 years old her memory is declining rapidly and whether she remembers us or not depends on the moment she is in within her mind. She often reflects on times when my grandfather was alive. What do you buy for someone who doesn’t really need anything accept love and support in the last years of her life? Unable to get her a cat, we found a pattern that included her favorite animal, was soft and cozy and would keep her warm. I hoped that she would think of us when using it, but even if she does not know who we are, I hoped she would feel the love we poured into this project.

Inspired by an idea, knowing what someone's favorite things are, initiates a creativity in me that allows me to express myself and help others. In my business I spend all day on the phone and computer supporting others and I enjoy it thoroughly, but I need something that allows me to express my creative side. Picking out fabrics, holding those scissors and watching a piece of material transform into a creation, provides that necessary expression of creativity. When creating with others you also bond over the experience and it creates memories that cannot be replaced by material things.