I don't like to admit it, but the transition from teenagerhood to marriage and parenthood left an indelible mark on me. Factoring in all of these big like changes happening with momentous societal change: my first was born 2020, second born 2021, and third baby born 2024, and I have certainly come out on the other side a changed woman. One of these changes that took me a while to put my finger on is a certain distaste for the mass consumerism of modern culture. As a teenager I didn't bat an eye to department stores with massive turnover like Forever 21 and ⎯dare I say⎯ Target fashion & decor.
After having children, leaving the workforce, and finally regaining the energy to do things like department store shopping, etc, it just didn't have the appeal that it once did. I didn't have a taste for the decor they were offering, and I was longing for pieces that meant something. For a long time my answer was to peruse antique and thrift stores looking to fill my home with treasures from antiquity, and it is still one of my favorite past-times, but needlepoint design offered another solution.
I could create the timeless art that I wish to see in my home. I could use a skill that means something, put in my love and care, and come out on the other side with the exact piece that makes my house feel like a home. That is what is so special to me about needlepoint design. No matter the stage in life, your current taste, what you desire in your home and life, needlepoint can answer the call. It can be a testament to your favorite show, silly one-liners, or even beautiful art that inspires. It can be the piece that takes something from cold and heartless to warm and heartfelt. That is what needlepoint design has meant to me, and it has made this overtired, a little cynical mama oh-so-happy.