A Crafter's Life

Perspective

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

The dictionary site merriam-webster.com has a fantastic definition of the word Perspective:

the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance

This is the perfect description of what I’ve attempted to do when my partner and I had to make the difficult decision last week to back out of our new house we were having built. So we cancelled the purchase just a couple weeks before closing.

The house was nearly complete and was quite lovely:

2020-03-12_17-22-06_538But due to the current financial crisis (and the hit we took in the stock market, etc.) and the global pandemic/its related uncertainty, it did not feel like the right time to buy the new house or to move, so we decided to stay where we are at for a couple more years.

So we’ve spent the past 5 days unpacking our boxes/containers and settling back into life at our house.

2020-03-27_11-18-11_723I was sad for a brief moment (just a couple tears, not an “ugly cry” or anything) of not getting the new house, but then here is where “perspective” really came in:

  • We already live in a nice neighborhood with neighbors we know and plenty of green spaces to walk about in (while keeping social distancing)
  • We are both employed and are doing great telecommuting together
  • We are both healthy and feel safe
  • Our current home is comfortable and we had fixed up/repaired anything needing repairing before we put it on the market (we took if off the market last week of course)
  • Mike the miniature schnauzer loves his current home

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Keeping “perspective” we realized that the bulleted items above are way more important than getting a brand new house.

In addition to unpacking over the past 5 days, we’ve been re-imaging how our home is decorated and reconfiguring layouts in various rooms. It has been a really fun way to spend our time (when not working at our jobs) when we have been housebound due to the statewide “stay at home” order.

One the big things I did was to unpack my sewing/crafting studio and reconfigure it!

Here is my studio in progress:

2020-03-27_11-17-41_4712020-03-27_11-17-49_0742020-03-27_11-17-59_0142020-03-27_11-18-33_293In my next post I will show you my unpacked and reconfigured studio (or perhaps I’ll have a guest blogger, the tierneycreates Beastie, give you a tour!). My partner built me a new design wall for it!

Postscript

In the suburban section of the Denver metro area in which I live, we are allowed to go outside for exercise during the “stay at home” order. Behind our home are walking trails and we can see families walking or bike riding through the day together. More than I’ve ever seen prior to the pandemic.

I think this pandemic is unbelievably horrible and I am sorry for all the lives and livelihoods lost. If there could be any silver linings in these dark days I think it would be how we seemed to have paused from our busy lives and perhaps shifted our perspectives to what really is important. It seems like many families are spending so much more time together and making the best of it.

2020-03-16_13-12-32_896

Today during a virtual/video conference call work meeting, our department leader asked what is the first thing we plan to do when the pandemic is over. Most people said go visit a family member or friend we had not seen in person and give them a big hug.

I’ll close this post with an image of the sidewalk art (by some of the kind hearted people of the Denver area) I discovered as I walked my dog the other day.

Remember this always:

2020-03-30_12-07-30_476

Feature Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

53 thoughts on “Perspective”

  1. And now you will be able to settle into your larger quilting projects, which I know have been on hold for quite a while.
    The pandemic is something like a wrecking ball on our societies, but maybe we will be able to build stronger, more caring communities out of the wreckage.

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    1. That is my hope too Anne – that our communities come out stronger and more caring. I am looking forward to time in my studio – thanks for your comments 🙂

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  2. What could have been anticlimactic or worse, you are making new by revisioning your decor. Sounds like the best way to deal with the circumstances. I’m glad you two are still working!

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  3. This pandemic has certainly brought changes for all. Good on you for making a difficult decision, and making the best of what you already have. By the way, I´m in awe of your fabric stash 🙂

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    1. Thanks Alice and my fabric stash is a little insane but I’ve been collecting since 1999 or so and people have given me a lot of fabric as they de-stashed 🙂

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  4. Good morning. I enjoyed your post as always. And you’re an inspiring lady. Thanks. And blessings to all reading your message. Bet

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  5. I think you took the right decision. We are stuck in our legal system having exchanged contracts but unable to complete the transaction and move. We are surrounded by half packed boxes, and today is sad because today is the day we should have moved onto the next phase of our life. But we are warm, dry and safe, we have food , we are both well and hopefully I will start to feel I can do something creative. Take care, x

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    1. I am so sorry to hear you are stuck in the legal system and hope you have a resolution. Glad you are warm, safe, etc. I hope working on something creative helps distract you from the huge frustration the delay on the next phase of your life…you take care too 🙂

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  8. While you’re re-establishing your craft room you might want to photo/video the contents as you put everything away. Then put that ‘file’ in a safety deposit box or similar holding area. This could be an invaluable record for insurance should anything ever happen to this or any other home you may have. I can see by your pictures that your craft room is like mine – full of items that should you ever have to purchase again would be very costly indeed. It’s also a helpful tool at tax time for establishing inventory if you sell (do you sell your quilts?) for small business claims.

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  9. Such a huge decision but you’ve put it into perspective. A new home is always exciting but the strain of the circumstances probably would’ve stolen your joy 🙂 I’m also trying to find a faint silver lining in all this…our country is so politically divided I’m hoping this ‘common enemy’ will help pull us back toward center 😉

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    1. I hope that also Sharon – they thing really brings us all together. On my daily walks, even though we are socially distant, everyone is so friendly and waving and saying hi. I am pretty peaceful now with the decision and hope to get real “pieceful” soon when I get settled in my new studio 🙂

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  11. So sorry about the house and all that now unnecessary packing and unpacking, but I love and so totally agree about Perspective. I am looking quite differently on what is really necessary. In spite of the (long list), we still have so many blessings! We may come out into a more loving world. We can hope!

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  13. You are so brave and SO smart. There is a silver lining in all this (no mass shootings lately, few campaign commercials, etc.) as we all have so many disappointments (I could not go to England to see my grandkids 😦 and my piano camp was cancelled). Small disappointments in comparison to the people losing family members that they cannot be with. I think we all need to say prayers for the world…..

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    1. Thanks so much Jamie for stopping by and I appreciate your comments. So sorry you could not travel to the UK to see your family, etc. I am saying prayers for the world everyday. Virtual hugs!

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  14. Wow! I commend you both. It is never easy to pull the trigger on something so big. The home is gorgeous which makes it all the more difficult. None the less, you are doing the right thing. Not to mention the fact that moving is one of the most stressful life changes. Your body becomes more vulnerable under stress. You can’t afford to get run down now, the consequences are to big. God has a different plan for you; I feel it.

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  15. Ugh, what a pain to have been mostly ready to go and have to make such an abrupt shift. But I like your positive spin of getting to redo your sewing room!

    I’m firmly resolved to not look at my financials and to just trust my financial advisor to keep shifting everything in the right way. Luckily, we had no major life switches planned for the near future. Stay healthy!!

    Oh, I loved the Rosie Effect, by the way, and gave it a mention on my blog this week. Thanks for the recommendation :))

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  20. What a decision, to forego the new house, but it just goes along with what I think most are discovering, making do and realizing blessings that had gone unnoticed. Very inspiring post. And your work is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks so much Laura and yes the timing was very close! I’m no longer sad I think I made the right decision and the new studio is coming together nicely! Thanks for stopping by 😀

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  22. I signed up again, as I realized that I hadn’t seen your blog in a long time. I am more than thrilled that you seem to be thriving in your new life. Love to you!

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