Hello to my long-standing readers and welcome to all you newbies! I’m Karen DeBonis—author, essayist, and creative dabbler.
You haven’t heard from me in a few months because I’ve been indulging my creative obsession, and I don’t mean writing.
To sit down and produce this newsletter, I had to bargain with myself: If I write for 20 minutes this morning, I can sew all afternoon. If I finish a first draft, I can tackle the project involving contact paper. After I hit “publish,” I can head to my local fiber arts thrifting store in pursuit of the perfect red and fuchsia fabrics.
For me, writing always feels high-stakes. Words matter. There are good ways and bad ways to string them together. They can be a joy to read or a bore. Yet my thoughts don’t gel easily, and my mind wanders. Writing takes discipline, and many writers, including me, lament all the ways we procrastinate.
A beautiful sentence, a finished essay, and a published book (!) give me tremendous satisfaction, but the path to get there is tedious and laborious and rarely fun.
However, my yearning to create something tangible using my hands is omnipresent, and the very thought of it feels urgently joyful.
It’s why GROWTH— Make it Personal is taking a back seat while I get my hands dirty with Low-Stakes Creating. I don’t know where this diversion will take me, or how long it will last, but I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Thank you!
You know the joke that goes like this?
I was driving down the street when a lamppost jumped out and hit my car.
Here’s my version:
I was passing the spare bedroom when a spool of thread wrapped itself around my neck and pulled me to my sewing machine.
Quickly, before that thread attacks me again, I want to share some joy:
In December 2023, my husband, Michael, gave me a sewing machine for Christmas; my old machine hadn’t worked in about ten years. As soon as I got the machine set up, I felt desperate to sew. I found an upholstery fabric swatch and some yellow trim and made a thin, lightweight card holder for my purse.
I didn’t overthink it. I didn’t try to hide or finish the seams. It took about 15 minutes to make.
And thus, the low-stakes monster, i.e., me, was born!
I had more upholstery swatches, so I made another purse organizer, this one for makeup. To create a unique but complementary flap, I made a leaf with veins. And I finally used the snap pliers I’d been intimidated by. It was super easy.
The back doesn’t match the front, but they coordinate, which I like even better.
Not all low-stakes creating requires a needle and fabric.
My new-ish neighbor, a talented young woman, suggested we get together occasionally to work on crafts. As an introvert, I’ve always been a solo creator, but I’ve been trying to push myself out of my insular bubble, so I said yes.
For our Christmas craft, I suggested we make pomander balls—oranges or other fruit pierced with cloves. Over 55 years ago, I’d made such a gift for my grandmother. After she died, the pomander ball made its way back to me, and it’s been hanging in my closet ever since. Despite looking like a shrunken head, it’s still fragrant.
I wonder how long these will last? Another 55 years?
Higher stakes—nine feet, to be exact.
Last summer, I sewed lined drapes for my brother-in-law’s recently restored Victorian house. Five windows in all—ten curtain panels—each nine feet tall!
Then, of course, I had to make curtain tie-backs and matching throw pillows.
Dining room drapes for my BIL are next. As soon as I hit send on this post, I’ll hurry up to the sewing room to get started. Only two windows there. Phew.
These projects are only the top of the creative iceberg, but I’ll stop here for now.
Sew much to do; so little time.
Thanks for reading along and indulging my escape from this chaotic world. If you liked this escape, please subscribe for free, now and always.
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If you have a creative project you’d like to share, feel free to drop a photo and/or short description in the comments. I’d love to see what you’re up to!
And if you click on the ❤️ at the bottom of the page, I will be forever grateful.
~Karen