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Finding joy in the unexpected
I used to think that if you wrote a blog you had to tell people everything about yourself. And I do mean literally EVERYTHING. But where would I start to tell a complete stranger about my life?
Would I tell you about the day I lost my first tooth? The night I got my first kiss? The afternoon I graduated high school? Or the morning I moved into my first apartment?
Well frankly, I don’t remember half of these and I’m sure you could care less about any of them. I will spare you the boring details and jump straight (not really but, well, the thought counts) to the point. Let me tell you about my eighth birthday.
Yes yes, I know. Why would you care? Bear with me for a minute here while I paint you the picture.
When I was eight years old I asked my grandparents for a sewing machine. I know…I was sort of a weird kid, because what sane eight year old girl would want to spend their free time sewing away? Well, I did. I loved that thing, and was attached to it nearly 24/7.
My then-best friend and I used to sew away any spare minute we got. We produced pants, shirts, dresses, you name it. And although today I have to admit the clothes we sewed were far from wearable (actually, they were downright UGLY!), we couldn’t have enjoyed those productive afternoons more if we had tried.
Sadly, somewhere along the way things started to happen. I’m talking about the sort of things we all know – growing up. At some point I became a teenager; a young woman that cared more about hanging out with boys and girlfriends than sewing more-or-less-wearable clothing.
During this time clubbing and parties were a vital part of my life. I milked every chance I got to dance the night away. One of my favorite nights of the year to spend at a club was…you might have guessed by now (or not, because I’ve been rambling forever)…ROSENMONTAG. The epitome of the German Karneval (a kind of Mardi Gras/Halloween type of holiday)!
What could be more fun? Dressing up in crazy costumes, meeting up with people you usually don’t hang out with, get drunker than you do the rest of the year, dance the night away to silly songs you wouldn’t normally get caught listening to, and then stumble home with your wig halfway down your back and your make-up smudged on your cheekbones.
Aaah, the good old times.
Well, I have to admit, while I might have spent more nights in clown shoes and neon scrubs than I care to admit, those times have passed, too. First the sewing machine disappeared in the back of my closet, than the fancy Karneval-costumes. Why?
Because once again I grew up. I grew up and out of a phase I used to love so much.
Striking an arc back to where my rambling started today:
Three years ago at this time of day I could’ve been seen scrambling around my apartment, desperately searching for something to turn into a costume that miraculously lasted long enough to make it through at least half of the night.
This year it’s different.
This year I’m a mom. Instead of spending my Karneval season in a club I spent the past few days (weeks actually) in front of my beloved sewing machine, that reappeared from the depths of my closet.
I honestly planned my son’s baby chicken costume for three consecutive weeks.
Funny how things change.
I haven’t been crafty for a long time now, but I immensely enjoyed producing something with my own two hands again. Plus, this time it’s even sort of wearable (or at least as wearable as a costume can be)!
Check out these pics. Adorable, right?
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While I got to admit that the sweater and tights were purchased, I did add the beak, wings, eyes, eggshell, and feathers myself. Maybe that’s not the most impressive costume craft you’ve ever seen but hey…for a girl that up until three years ago hadn’t sewn a single kids costume in her life? I think it turned out just fine.
- Yellow sweater - AWDis unisex sweater for kids
via amazon.com (11,45€) - orange tights - Haas Baby tights
via amazon.com (5,95€) - Buttons, feathers - available at any Home Depot or similar stores. (I just used stuff I had laying around)
- fabric for eggshell/beak- try etsy.com or Dawanda
When something starts we usually have no idea where it’s going to end. While we might not always have control over where certain aspects and events of our lives are going to lead, we have the power to control our attitude towards those inevitable changes.
I’m going to be honest with you. I never thought I’d be twenty-three years old and sewing a baby chicken costume for my 15 months old son when I was wishing for that sewing machine fourteen years ago. Seriously- this surprised the hell out of me!
But for the life of me I can’t find it in me to miss the noisy, sweaty, stinky nights in downtown clubs. I’ve had way more fun cutting, gluing, and sewing than I ever had dancing to Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi.
I’m going to be honest with you. I never thought I’d be twenty-three years old and sewing a baby chicken costume for my 15 months old son when I was wishing for that sewing machine fourteen years ago. Seriously- this surprised the hell out of me!
But for the life of me I can’t find it in me to miss the noisy, sweaty, stinky nights in downtown clubs. I’ve had way more fun cutting, gluing, and sewing than I ever had dancing to Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi.
I’ve always wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some stories don’t go the way we planned them out at first. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.
Mysterious Ambiguity.
Finding joy in the unexpected.
Sophia
