The Art of the Journey

I sit here looking at my precious child, working with my hands to create something and thinking about each of you. I am reminded of a quote by Arnold Toynbee that says, “The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.” These words keep running through my head and honestly, I am struggling to truly articulate how it is resonating in my heart, but I will do my best to lay it out for you I am sitting across the room from my beautiful daughter as she naps peacefully and I work on a pattern/kit/design for you guys that I am so excited about. (Here’s a hint, it’s using our chiffon ribbon AND our Yak wool. Ahhh!)  

Blurring the line:

I think that not only is blurring that line the “supreme accomplishment”, but in my world and in my heart, it’s also the greatest reward I could ever earn or be given. I have the privilege to blur the line every day between work, play and mom life. When I really sit down and think about it, I am immeasurably humbled that I am blessed to have all three of those aspects in my life.

My mind is always going a million miles a minute but there are certain things that linger in the back. Included are our artisans that we work with. We all have a story. I don’t know all of your stories and there are parts of my story that you don’t know either, but somehow, in someway, we are all connected. You see, I interact with my domestic employees on a daily basis and I get to interact with each of you on the interwebs, but unless I am face to face, I don’t get to interact with my artisans. I don’t get to hear how their families are doing and what is new in each of their lives. But, what little I do get to know and hear is truly one of my greatest rewards at the end of each day.

We are starting a new series where we are going to take some time and get to know some of the artisans, the items they craft and also learn about some of their needs and how by working together we can help meet them. Before we embark on this journey into the stories and lives of the women around the world, I want you to grab something in your home that is handmade. Hold it tight and think about the journey it has been on. From the material it was made with, the hands that crafted it, packed it, handled it, shipped it, sold it, gave it… all the way to this very moment. Just think about it.