Making has always been a big part of my life. As the daughter of two self-proclaimed DIY-ers, I was trained from an early age how to view the world creatively and to enjoy the process. If I mess up, at least I learned something, amiright?
Over the past year, I’ve gone through a lot of huge changes. My husband received an amazing job offer in another state, and after a lot of stressful nights deliberating, I decided to quit my job of 6 years at a place I LOVED, pack up our lives and our 1 year old daughter, and move to another state in a matter of just 3 short weeks. Just like that, I went from being a retail manager within miles of my family and dearest friends to being a stay at home mom at a place where I knew no one and had no way of connecting with new people outside of my baby. Needless to say, it was a journey of personal growth and self discovery.
But what I learned about myself over the past year is just how much I missed and sincerely NEEDED a creative outlet in my life in order to be truly happy. Before, I had a full-time job and used my spare time to connect with my family or turn off my brain by staring mindlessly at my phone or the TV. Because I now have more time for myself, I’ve picked a lot of the hobbies I used to enjoy but had forgotten about and filed under “not enough time for” in my head.
And you know what? I have never been happier. I started to crochet again, making things like hats and scarves for myself and my daughter. I’ve started painting and drawing, gaining joy from a beautiful art form that allowed me to unwind and create work I was proud of. I’ve been able to share a creative lifestyle with my daughter and see how much she’s fallen in LOVE with making, how much it builds her self esteem, and how it’s helped us connect on a deeper level. And most recently, I’ve started sewing. Seeing my daughter play with toys I have made and feeling comfortable in my own custom pajama pants has been truly rewarding.
I’ve learned that I am happiest and have the best self-image when I feel I am being productive and consistently learning something new. So, I’ve decided to start this blog as a way to share my creative journey and track my progress. I also love the idea of this being a platform where I can share my work with like-minded people and consistently gain new information from the community and share my learnings.
I’ve got some big goals for this next year, and some changes on the horizon. My husband, Franco, and I just bought our first house, and I am itching to get in there and make it our first real home! I can’t wait to show it’s transformation here!
I’m also taking part in Seamwork Magazine’s Design Your Wardrobe challenge. After having my daughter, Mirah, two years ago, my body has never really gone back to “normal”. After many countless hours staring at my closet only to find that none of my clothes really fit (and the ones that do aren’t really my style anymore) I’ve realized just how sick I am of fighting with my clothes. To me, clothing should be a way to express on the outside who you are and how you feel on the inside. This year, I’m thrilled to get acquainted with my new “normal” body and find my style again through learning to sew garments. I’m looking forward to sharing this journey the most!
I’m also picking up crochet again and looking to step my game up. In conjunction with this, I want to learn to knit. Soooo…I guess your could say I’ll have my hands full in 2019. But in the words of the eternally wise Alanis Morissette:
I recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone. I certainly do.
My name is Caley, and making things makes me happy. Welcome to Happy Makes Me!
