I bought these place mats at the Crate and Barrel outlet in Texas when visiting my parents nearly two years ago. The hummingbird place mat in particular has been sitting on top of my sewing supply stash begging for a project. I knew I wanted to it be used just right and I am pleased as punch with how these turned out:
I needed a simple project that would make me feel like a success; something that didn’t require a pattern or too much thought. I wanted two gifts for a couple girlfriends and voila — without much toil, I was able to whip these up with supplies on hand. Plus, it makes my soul happy to reuse something — to take something destined for one use, marked down to pennies on the dollar and then with a bit of sass, turn it into something else entirely.
Not to get too loquacious about life, but our ability to take a situation and work through the potential “reworks” seems to either make or break us. I know so many who cannot apparently handle a speed bump on the way to work without lamenting about how annoying their days suddenly became. And then there are those who fight cancer quietly, with itchy wigs and bellies that are constantly nauseous, and do so with the best attitude they can muster — making the healthy shamed we haven’t been more grateful for the obvious. I hope today, whatever life hands you, whether it is exactly what you visualized and planned or something wildly off course, that you’ll find the way to find joy in the rework.
-k