There's a thought I have in my head that I've been trying to flesh out in the last few days that I wanted to share with you. Quite a few people in this world, myself included, seem to be living very much apart from others, stuck inside their own heads. I don't mean we're all off in la-la land, daydreaming about winning the lottery, or that sexy coworker, or whatever it is people fantasize about. What I mean is, we all seem to have created a little bubble around ourselves, and regardless of what interactions we have with other people, we tend to stay within the confines of our barriers. We think we know our neighbors, our coworkers, even our own family members, but how much of our "knowledge" is what they really are, and how much of it is based on nothing more than conjecture on our part?
I'll try to clarify with an example. I have been married to my husband for eight years. Before that, we dated for two years, and before that we were classmates and friends for about a year. That makes approximately eleven years that I have interacted with this man on some level or another, yet he continually eludes me when I try to pin him down. I was completely taken by surprise when he told me that he cried the day our daughter was born, because he was proud of me. I never in a lifetime would have expected him to feel that way, let alone shed a tear over it. Another time, I mentioned how in tune he seemed to be with his body. He replied, "Must be the meditation." I then said, "You meditate?!" I have lived with this man for eight years,
and I did not know this. I guess I assumed just because I'd never walked in on him in the lotus position, it was something he didn't do. And these are just two examples of hundreds of times I've been taken aback by the depth and complexity of my own husband.
Why? Why didn't I know this about the man that provides for me, that sleeps next to me each night, that helped me create my precious little girl? Much to my dismay, it's because I'm too wrapped up in my own little world to truly see him for what he is. I take him for granted. In my mind, he's the guy who's going through a phase with his crazy, mountain man facial hair; he's the guy who always wants to share what he did on the toilet that day (much to my chagrin); he's the guy who seems to think sexist jokes are a turn-on for me; he's the guy who nods when I talk about my craft projects, but doesn't really care. I paint a two-dimensional picture in my head of what he is, and I imagine that this image is all-encompassing. I'm so wrapped up in my own thoughts, hopes, fears, and ambitions that I actually
forget that he is also a human being with thoughts, hopes, fears, and ambitions all his own. It is bad enough that I would dehumanize any person that way, let alone my own husband. Yet I do it over and over again.
I am not the only one. Since I noticed this behavior in myself, I have also observed it in others - people stripping away at the layers of others, and leaving a flimsy, paper-doll effigy in their stead. I wouldn't believe it an exaggeration to say that everyone has done this to someone they know. Why? Part of it is in our nature, I believe. Our brains desire to make sense of the world, and as such, we draw conclusions and make sweeping generalizations about those around us, just so we can file them away in the "understood" category of our minds. What ends up happening in our scramble to understand is that we shed the bits information our brains deem unimportant to the larger picture. We then fill in the blanks with things from our own experiences and preconceived notions. So when Amy knocks at our door, our brain registers that it's "Amy, the crazy vegan," instead of "Amy, the girl who's passionate about preventing cruelty to animals and supporting local economies, so she carefully researched agribusiness corruption; veganism; and local farmers specializing in vegan-friendly produce so that she can better uphold her principles." See? That second-part is a mouthful, but it makes Amy more interesting, even to the point where you may not agree with her, but at least you respect her choices.
So how do we fix this problem of glossing over the people we interact with? Practice. We can pull ourselves out of the bubbles of our own minds if we practice sympathy on a regular basis. We should start seeing people as people again, not as puppets in the plays of our lives. Let's think about how we would feel if others were treating us the way we've been treating them. And let's give them a break, for crying out loud! People make mistakes. Instead of picking them apart, let's let it go. Perhaps the next time we slip up, others will be more forgiving as well.
I'll make a few important side notes about my process. I used Marglobe tomatoes, which (for me at least) are small. Peeling and seeding them was no picnic. The couple of beefsteak tomatoes I used were much easier, because one alone made almost a cup of diced tomatoes. Also, I don't know if there's a trick to this, but I just grabbed the skin of the raw tomato and pulled it off. Not that it was difficult, but I'm sure there's got to be a less tedious way to peel tomatoes. Maybe some more experienced cooks out there can tell me a way.
Another reason it took me so long to prepare my tomatoes was because I removed just about every seed possible. I'm saving my seeds to grow new plants next season. This is my first time doing this, and I hope it works. I'll let you know how it goes. IMPORTANT: If you are going to save seeds, remember to only use heirloom or open-pollinated plant varieties. This guarantees that you will have the same plant quality from year to year. Also, it is actually ILLEGAL to save seeds from patented plant varieties, and some corporations go for the throat if they catch you saving their seeds. Best to be safe than sorry! Besides, saving heirlooms/open-pollinated seeds ensures plant diversity, and makes sure that some great plant varieties aren't lost to the generations to come.
Anyway, I followed the directions and cooked up my salsa. Half the recipe made enough for one and a half pints (plus a scoop or two for taste-testing). I did not actually water-bath can my salsa, because my intent was for it to go straight into the fridge for eating. So all I did was put on my lid, screw down the ring, and turn the jar of hot salsa over to heat up the seal on the lid and get it to stick (a little trick my mom-in-law showed me). Let it be known right now though, if you want your salsa to be shelf stable, you absolutely must process your salsa in a boiling water bath like the instructions say! Don't go get botulism and then blame me!
This is a quilted fabric diamond. I made one for each of the diamond-shaped windows in the doors of our home. They help keep out the heat during these scorching summer months. I'm not a great sewer, so I was surprised how fast and easy these were to make. Also, I'm going to brag a bit - I made my own bias tape for the edges. I know all there is to it is cutting and creasing, but I was pretty proud of myself for having done it. That's project number one.
The second project I've completed recently is my living room curtains. I sewed them myself and added the design myself. I wish they had a little more gather to them, but once I get some better light/heat blocking fabric up behind the blinds, I'll be able to open them up and give them the slightly more full look I was hoping for. I've been toying with the idea of making some burlap shades to go with them to complete the rustic/handmade/import look. Take a closer look at the stamping:
This was done with a set of stamps called "Alfresco" that I got from a friend a few years ago. She sells Close to My Heart scrapbooking supplies, and this was one of the stamp designs they offered. I like this so much I've been mulling over how else I can use my stamps to dress up fabrics around my house.
The one other project I've been working on, I finished last night. My mom recently gave me some of her old cast iron skillets. She can't use them anymore because her wrists are too weak from carpal tunnel syndrome and the subsequent surgery, so she gave them to me, and I happily accepted. In with those skillets was an old, rusty pizza tin. I knew that I didn't care to use it for pizza (I have wonderful stoneware for that), so I spray painted it blue, and hand painted a sun with some bright acrylic paints. I then took a paint pen and wrote a quote by Walt Whitman: "Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind." I like it. It's bright, cheery, primitive and fun. I was going to use it as a wall hanging outside until I had a stroke of genius. 
Instead, I'm going to attach it to a wooden spool my mom gave me (she works as a seamstress at a flag-making factory, so she gets to bring home all kinds of cool stuff that would otherwise be thrown out). I'll then put it outside between my two Adirondack chairs to use as a table for drinks or whatever. I just need some heavy-duty sealer for the spool, since it is thin, unfinished plywood. 
Today I did a little project that was good for the environment. The home my husband and I are currently renting is a single-wide, early nineties model mobile home. I don't know how much you guys know about mobile homes, but they're notorious for not exactly being the most energy-efficient homes on the planet, and the older they are, the worse they are about their wastefulness. So it goes with our home. The closets, although they are on exterior walls, don't seem to be insulated at all, and there's a very noticeable temperature difference when you open the doors. There's also a very large gap between the bottom of the closet doors and the floor. When I say large, I'm talking, like, four inches or so. So yeah, all that summer heat is just billowing from the closets into the bedrooms, and our poor AC is having enough of a time trying to keep up with the NC summer. (We're not even in the hottest part of the year yet, yikes!) I figured I'd help out our AC and, hopefully, the utility bill by making a draft blocker. This will help year-round to keep things an even temperature. These are pretty eco-friendly projects in general, but mine is extra green because of what it's made of. You can tell from the picture that it's denim. This is actually a pant leg from one of my old pairs of jeans that got a hole in a place that's not stylish. The cool thing is I stuffed it with packing peanuts that I had from a package that was mailed to me two Christmases ago. I hate styrofoam, and throwing it in the trash makes me cry because I know it will just sit in a landfill for eons (or however long it takes to finally break down). So yeah, hooray for no styrofoam in landfills! Styrofoam has pretty good insulation properties, so I'm sure it will help my draft blocker do its job well. That's my environmentally good deed for the day. Did you do anything good for the Earth today? If so, I'd love to hear about it!
Remember the canvas I decoupaged with green tissue paper? I finally decided what I wanted to do with it, and so I'm posting a picture of the finished product. I will be posting this for sale on Etsy when I open my shop again. It needs a couple more coats of sealer, but other than that, it's ready to go. I wanted to keep it for myself, but I really don't have the wall space in our new house for it, and it doesn't really match the current decor either. Our place is a rental, so I have to work with what I'm given. I hope this piece finds a home with someone who loves it. 
Another of the projects I've finished is on display in my home. This sign means "welcome" in Gaelic, and since both my husband and I have a little Irish in us, I thought it would be a fun way to greet visitors. I might also sell things like this on Etsy if I can find some more slate plaques. Even if I can't, I may make them out of wood, but I just think the stone has a nice touch to it. 
