Many years ago my brother railed at me for my seeming inability to face life in it’s naked, brutal reality. He accused me of making “silk purse’s out of sow’s ears”. He saw it as a character weakness and something I should at least be ashamed of, if I was unwilling to work to change into a more ‘realistic’ person.

I’ve mulled over this statement of his for at least twenty years. At first I was defensive about it, offering proof that I didn’t do it all the time and, even if I did, it didn’t make me a bad person. I would cite all the gritty reality I dealt with in my traveling lifestyle and all the difficult and challenging client situations acheter cialis europe. If that wasn’t evidence enough, I would reference all the thousands of hours I spent in support groups and personal growth programs, dealing with the wreckage of our past. I don’t think I ever convinced him that it was okay for me to be a porcine tailor.

Today I have a different take on this life orientation. I can admit, even proudly admit, that creating silk purses from sow’s ears is my life’s work. Today I call it living the “embellished life”. As I look around my home I see signs of the embellished life everywhere. I have transformed my 1950s ranch home into a rich sanctuary for me and anyone else who comes by. Every room is painted in bright primary colors, with rich metallic glazes sponged over. (A visitor once remarked that my decorating style could be characterized as “early Vatican”.) I am surrounded by Tibetan thankas, oriental rugs, brightly-colored IKEA furnishings and lots of books. I’ve opened up all the walls so light, air and energy flow freely.

Bright colors, lots of sunshine…and cats!

So, I suppose decorating my orthopedic shoes falls in that ‘silk purse’ category…silly but entertaining. I couldn’t stand looking down at my feet and seeing ugly black shoes that screamed “orthopedic’! Too many memories of the exact same shoes poking out from under black habits….not my idea of a ‘fashionista look!’

Zentangled SAS

And then there’s the challenge of having a basement studio in New England…dark and gloomy in the winter, cool and damp in the summer. I saw a marvelous studio in a magazine article where they had dug out the area around the basement door so they could have a patio. It was in California or the Pacific Northwest so they were able to have a slider and use it year round. I adapted the plan to my New England location and it’s worked out just as fabulously as I imagined!

Beautiful sunset and glorious grasses inspire me as I work in my studio