Monday, February 13, 2012

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

And now I have that song stuck in my head: thanks, self!!

The post title was meant to be a lesson in contrast: most people work a
set schedule, jobbing all week and then hanging out on the weekend doing the other things they love, exercising, visiting, etc... I operate in an open schedule that sometimes results in heavy work on 'off-peak' times like the weekend, like the wee small hours of the morning (though not so much with this babe-manufacturing)

when the inspiration hits hot and heavy for design, I simply hold on to my hat and navigate a suddenly desperate scene: I am hungry for time,
no amount will satisfy.

Days fly, nights are simply nourishment for the power I need to finish a task...

I burn with it.

These last few days in particular have been so
feverish that I rose up a dry husk this morning, hand stitched a few pieces
and then went back to bed for a few hours
to counter the depletion.


It may sound stark or imbalanced, but on the contrary it is what makes a maker feel alive, these times of richness.

The lucky part of these designs I conceived of late is their meditative aspect:
the gorgeous monotony of hand-stitching,
the measured hammering of a mandala...

there is peace in the work, balance and joy in the design, a symmetry I normally eschew
in favor of natural chaos.

May I ask a word of advice from the mamas among you?

That drive you got right before the arrival of the new life
to clean out drawers
and make the house spotless
to organize all things
and feather the nest to perfection:

did you succeed? Or was it just a stressor you let go of
in order to keep yourself sane?
Is there a happy medium?

All advice appreciated!

xoxox,
A

13 comments:

veee said...

let it flow, sunny....corner by corner, shelf by shelf, underwear drawer by sock drawer...drink it in, baby (not the actual baby, but YOU)...fully enjoy sorting and cleaning at your own pace in your own time...sing, meditate, sweep, scrub, and wash... then sit back and enjoy what you have done without a single blathering of "if only..."

Allisunny S. said...

Veeee,

Wise words from a soul I so adore: thank you :)

xoxox
A

mairedodd said...

nesting is amazing... no, i did not get everything done... that is for sure... i think that you can be really tired during pregnancy - esp. the first and third trimesters... this just lets you feel like you are getting something done... preparing your home in the details for the little one that is due to arrive...
i am really thrilled that you have your work to channel into... and i hope that you will keep something you have made... it is imbued with a special energy you will never again have... even when you experience pregnancy again, there is something about the first time that is different...
that is one lap full of baby you showed in flickr - such a beautiful thing isn't it? nature is miraculous... life is a gift...
i end up working during weekends as well... almost every single one... and during dinner time and every other time...
gorgeous bags...

Sierra Keylin said...

I don't know a thing about nesting, what I do know is that I love your vision, the work of your hands, and the words and thoughts you put on the screen before me. Also, I think that boy is one lucky soul to have you as is mamma!

bonddi said...

I completely remodeled my home in the few months before my first was born...just kidding. I didn't get the big nesting urge, just made sure I had all the stuff for the baby, I was too tired to do much more than sit and watch TV and read and sleep. Love your latest creations!

Farm and Field said...

I love your work more and more every time I see it. Be well.

Heather King said...

Beautiful work!!!!!

Nesting...I loved it but I never did finish all I wanted to finish. I think it really doesn't matter though. For me anyway, when the babe arrived, the house never seemed to stay that clean or organized ever again ;)

And again stunning work!!!!

jordan said...

LOOOOVE that clutch. And i think my nesting was a little successful, but mostly rested around cooking in my case. And i found it more relaxing than stressful - it's all about listening to your body and not doing more than you can! you look beautiful.
xo

Valerie Brown said...

I don't know the answer to the nesting question - but I do know this: that clutch is just beautiful!

Buffalo Lucy said...

Beautiful work as always.

Regarding the nesting, I don't remember feeling that things were left undone. But I do remember the feverish "doing" in the weeks before my babe arrived (she's 9 now). I think I just let myself do the things that I felt I had to do while keeping in mind that these were the last few weeks that I was going to get to sleep and rest on my own schedule (although I wasn't sleeping very well anymore at that point anyway).

My partner carried my younger daughter, who's only 3 so I remember that one better. We were moving and remodeling and my beautiful wife was finishing and defending her dissertation in the months before baby arrived! It was crazy. But we took every advantage of those maternal instincts to wrap things up and get things done. In the end, we didn't finish it all (the house is STILL a work in progress) but we felt good about what we did do and I don't remember a single moment of "if only we'd finished..."

I think, no matter how much you get done or don't, it will all feel just right once your boy is in your arms. <3

SEVEN13JEWELRYDESIGN said...

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Ah-MA-ZING!!!

Allisunny S. said...

Ah the advice is perfect here, the comments from those with and without babes just wonderful: thank you for taking the time to offer up good energy :)

xoxox,
Allison

Unknown said...

I'm 21 weeks now and it's hitting me already. Each time I get acupuncture I think of new solutions to streamline what we have, how we live, organizing, giving things away. I'm sure it won't all be done (and we're trying to move as well) but if I can have a semblance of order and some really beautiful things that catch my eye each day (bright flowers), I'm happy.