May reflections
a love note to Flora the cat 🐈⬛
In the middle of May, a stray cat followed us home. For a while, we lived with her, trying to figure out where she’d come from and if anyone was looking for her. We started calling her “Flora” (and Blue Moon, Nettles, Portal Cat, etc), and Josh made her little toys out of string and dowels. When she threw up after her vaccine appointment, I regretted ever having felt irritated by her. All I wanted was for her to feel better. On the day we took her to the shelter, I cried like a baby. Not because it was the wrong thing to do, no — because it was the right thing to do. While I felt so sad to temporarily confine her, it was a relief to know they would find her loving humans who would cherish her for the long term. I’m proud of myself for knowing my needs and boundaries (even in the face of so much guilt and shame — why couldn’t I just take care of this cat?). I’m grateful for the trust my partner put in me to assert my desires (and to not read into it as an edict on the future- maybe not right now, but maybe someday). I am proud that we took in this cat, loved her (and gosh, did we love her), and did everything we could to help her live a long and healthy life.
Around the time Flora started following us on our nightly walk around the block, we also made our yearly pilgrimage to Brimfield. We woke up at 4:30am to arrive by sunrise, and made our bleary-eyed way through the fields. We never find what we’re looking for at Brimfield, but I’m starting to see that as its magic. The right things find you if you’re paying attention. We came home with postcards of 1800s Greenfield, fabric, trims, and a spectacular glass beaded purse. Josh also wandered off and secretly bought me an abstract silver brooch I’d been eyeing earlier in the day :,)
Flora found us exactly one year after I left a job that burnt me out. A meaningless detail, perhaps, but I think it speaks to something deeper. One year ago, I took a big leap towards meeting my needs, clarifying my desires, and honoring my boundaries. I stopped muscling through things just because I could. I started making space for my own desires instead of shrinking them to seem flexible. I’ve had enough practice since then to discern my desires from expectations (my own and those of others), and I keep practicing. I’m grateful Flora found us when she did, and whoever becomes her long term home is a very lucky family.
working on
I finished my upholstered Victorian chair! After working on it for so many weeks, it’s hard to see it with the fresh eyes I feel it deserves, but I’m pleased to have finished it, and it’s very comfortable to sit on :) I’m working on a matching ottoman as well because there was a crumbling one up for grabs at the upholstery school.
I also finished my wool-stuffed cotton oilskin vest (finally)! This is another one of those projects where the critical part of my brain says, “well, that’s just a vest…?” & I struggle to give it the credit it deserves. It was many years in the making and involved procuring a sheep’s fleece and processing it by hand to create wool batting & then self-drafting a vest pattern. Was it worth it?! Hard to say, but I did learn a lot!
We painted the built-in unit our friend Nick made for us! Now I need to either upholster the top or sew cushions that can be removed — I’m undecided on which to choose — upholstering feels more durable (and less prone to shifting around) but cushions would be easier to change up if we got tired of the fabric choice. What do you think I should do?
My dear friends Nicole & Christian celebrated their 15th anniversary this month! I had the best time celebrating with them. As a nod toward Nicole’s love of horses, I made this throw pillow replica of a penny square from a 1911 patchwork we found at Brimfield a few years ago (see? Brimfield working its unpredictable magic once again).
what I wore in May
I didn’t manage to get clear pics of the outfit, but I wore my wedding suit that Cara Marie Piazza overdyed with our dried wedding flowers, to Christian & Nicole’s party! At the last minute, I sewed up a little navy bra top like the one I made for my wedding, out of scraps from a dress I made in 2023.
What I made for two very different weddings
I like a creative brief, especially when it comes to dressing myself (it’s part of why packing for travel is so appealing to me). But there’s nothing quite like a wedding invitation to strike fear into the hearts of us DIY/natural fiber folk.
yard update
We installed shade cloths! They’re working! The pergola area is 100% nicer to sit & eat lunch in :) We got all our seeds and starts in the ground (and in pots) before the end of May! Hard to know what will flower/fruit/etc, but crossing fingers for many bouquets of flowers :)
reading
The Vacationers - Emma Straub — Easy listening while I sewed!
Tart - Slutty Chef — I listened to this after learning it was narrated by Charly Clive (Katie in the show “Rooster”, which is the only show I’ve watched recently), but this was not nearly as juicy as it could (should?) have been, given that it was written anonymously, lol.
American Fantasy - Emma Straub — I hate to say it, but I didn’t like this one! Maybe you will if you really like boy bands? Or cruises? Idk, she kinda lost me with this.
Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke — I was expecting to read this buzzy book like 1 year after it came out, but the interlibrary loan gods were on my side! I tore through it and had many thoughts which I promptly voice memo-ed to friends who had already finished it. A book written for exactly my demographic.
A Year in Creative Practice - Jacqueline Suskin — I typically keep this on my beside table and I find myself referencing it most at seasonal inflection points, so I was really drawn to it around the equinox. I find this text so relevant no matter when I pick it up. It’s reassuring, concrete, and compassionate. One of those I’d recommend to anyone looking to cultivate more care & curiosity around their creative practice.
The Prince and the Dressmaker — Jen Wang — Extremely touching genderqueer YA graphic novel, highly recommend :,)
That’s all from me for now! I’d love to know, what are you growing/reading/making/wearing?
The blue vest is incredible! So impressive to make your own puffer vest and manage to avoid synthetics
Love you Ani! Write down two you your book recommendations. Been loving Megan Nesmith's substack Cry It Out and she's given some good book recs too! Just finished Lily King's newest novel Heart the Lover and i loved it.