Really and Truly

I really and truly enjoy what I do.  Though I've always been artistic and was raised by an artist, I ended up as a Social Worker for many years.  I worked the front lines in crisis response as a victim's advocate along side the major crimes unit of the police.  I remember spending many lunches in downtown Calgary visiting with my good friend Tanya.  At the time, Tanya was 'between jobs'.  I met her in a health food store while shopping and we fast became friends.  She told me she went to sewing school and got a job on an assembly line sewing things in a factory-like setting.  My jaw dropped.  'WOW - you mean you got paid to sew!?'

I looked at her with stars in my eyes, like I had just landed a lucky leprechaun.  

Though she shook her head at me and told me how much she hated it, I couldn't imagine a better job.  Paid to sew!? ... I was young, and I had never heard of that type of job.

unnamed, work in progress ready for hand stitching

Somehow I ended up where I am now - sewing the prairies.  I feel pretty lucky.  I am so happy that I feel I've found an artistic medium that suits me.  I'm so grateful that my work is going places.  I love to say, "I'm going to work" and then I sit down with a needle and thread, or I drive out some country road with camera in hand, chasing and capturing natural beauties to stitch.

detail of Autumn at Cranberry Flats, 2012

I'm grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way.  Blogging it has opened SO many doors.  I'm honored when my work affects people enough to cause them to react and love something I've made.  I like that I can still make a living while bringing some happy into someone's life.  It's not crisis response work, but it's all related I suppose.  Am I talking in circles?  Well, mostly I want to say thank you - that you keep coming back, for supporting me in my endeavors, for your reactions and interest in my creations, and for your company via comments along the way.

Flooded Prairie, 2012 (private collection)

So there you go.  I really and truly enjoy what I do.  If this is mid-life-crisis, I'd say it's turning out pretty well.  Linking to Friday Felicities  ...because I like it there!  : )