Worker Hands: A Weekend in the Nook
When I saw the weather forecast, I knew I was in for a cold weekend. An extreme mid-April cold front brought severe storms and plummeted our 70-degree spring into the 30s. I woke up to a thin layer of snow dusting the needles of my spruce trees and my new daffodil blooms drooping under the weight of the white powder. In that quiet, chilly light, I knew I was going to create something lovely.
Droopy Blooms: The morning after the snow, the droopy blooms remind me of why I wanted to create a meadow that stays vibrant regardless of the Wisconsin weather.
The ingredients were humble. A dark pair of discarded blue jeans from my sister and a faded pair thrifted from a local flea market. A pile of crisp muslin, scraps of brightly colored quilting cotton, a few lengths of textile ribbon, and some twine. I dug out old wood planks I’d been saving and random wood pieces I knew would eventually find their purpose. There were mostly empty containers of chalk paint and a blue vintage Mason jar filled with buttons—the kind of "clutter" that overflows in my Spruce Nook, waiting for the moment it’s finally called into service.
Nature’s Color Palette: The daffodils that inspired the vibrant centers of the Trellis Trio.
There’s something deeply meditative about digging into a project after a long week in the classroom. These particular flowers require a needle and thread; they demand a repetitive, rhythmic in-out weaving motion. By Saturday afternoon, I was wearing a bandage and a thimble on that specific spot on my index finger where the blunt end of the needle digs in. But as the physical sting sets in, my brain relaxes. I focus on the magic of breathing new life into unwanted textiles.
Upcycled Blue Jeans: Two pairs of discarded blue jeans revived in the form of denim petals, which are showcased in the Sunny Day Trio.
It isn’t a glamorous process, and it certainly isn't free of accidents. I knocked over an open bottle of wood glue, leaving a sticky puddle in its wake. My sanding block shaved off bits of wood and frayed fabric that now coat the floor. My art supply bins are currently a jumble, waiting to be "Tetrised" back into their homes so I can find my desk again.
Worker Hands: These hands make everything you see in my store.
My hands are covered in paint. My nails are jagged from working and washing one too many times. I am not one of those makers you see on YouTube with perfectly manicured, pristine hands. Mine are worker hands.
The hours fly by as I stay in the flow, forgetting about food, sleep, and other basics. The results of my effort? They are striking.
I look at the denim and cotton petals, nearly an inch tall, giving physical height to their mixed-media pieces. I see the bits of frayed sunny gingham and the jute twine that curves and softens the closer you look. I see layers of bright jewel tones built on a structured denim foundation.
Harvest Berry: A close-up view of a flower in the Meadow Bloom Trio.
The life of a maker isn't glamorous, but I will choose these long sessions in the Spruce Nook over most anything else. Because at the end of a cold, messy weekend, I have a garden that will never droop under a layer of spring snow.
Nature Inspired: The flowers in the Botanical Trellis Trio were inspired by the look of my white and peach daffodils.
The snow has melted, and the Spruce Nook is finally (mostly) tidy again. If you’d like to bring a piece of this everlasting garden into your own home, you can find all nine one-of-a-kind pieces in the shop.
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Don't forget—if you fall in love with more than one, you can buy any three pieces from the Botanical Wall Art collection and save $10 at checkout using code Botanical-Save-10.