on sewing and old photographs

On sewing...I didn't mean to imply that I don't enjoy sewing yesterday because I love to sew. It's just that here it is a lot of setup, stop and go and take down. As I work in my bedroom, I need to unhook the computer, set up the sewing machine, pull out the ironing board etc. and then all the normal stuff- clean up etc. and I don't have much room to work in. I cut on the bed or if it's a small project I cut on the floor. I could use the dining room table but it's too near Little M's room and since I only work when he is sleeping it's not going to happen.
Knitting on the other hand is just pick up the needles and go. If I get a call, I can knit while I'm talking. I can't really sew when on the phone although I did finish up a seam while on the phone with my oldest friend Bridget last week. She was kind enough not to notice or not to say anything.
Since having Little M, I'm super conscious of using my time to it's fullest and I get very serious about my crafting during my free time.
Okay, enough chit chat. Here in the photograph we have evidence of my Mom sewing. My Mom is not crafty. I've had this photo for a while and I pulled it out the other day. I had only remembered that she was ironing in the photo. So, when I reviewed the photos again the other day I noticed that there was what appears to be a basted skirt on that table and sewing notions. Since my Mom was here yesterday I showed it to her and she got all excited because she kind of forgot about it. She hardly ever made anything and barely remembers making this but, she said anytime she ever did make something it looked handmade. I told her that is the charm in it but, I don't think she bought it. She did say that she was in her Aunt Janet's basement so I suppose she had something to do with encouraging the craftiness.

On old photographs:

Last night at Mackey Blue after I had set up and got settled in I promptly got Karen's tin container full of 100's of old photographs and set to looking through every single one of them. When I was about 3/4 of the way through I sort of got this eerie feeling that I was sort of re-working work. What I mean is before making the decision to stay home with Little M, I was a freelance photography editor working at all sorts of magazines. I did a stint as a prop stylist too and before that I worked at an archival stock photography place. As I was going through all the photos memories started swirling in and I was enjoying the old familiar feeling of the photo paper, the smells of the dust and chemicals although in reality they really aren't that appealing. Little giggles emerged here and there: the photo of a really bad makeshift operating room where they actually were performing a surgery (possibly army?) that looked very unprofessional, the photo of an old woman cleaning her snow covered car all dressed up while standing next to her was a very funny snow-woman who looked like her and seemed to have kohl eyeliner on and a fancy hat like hers, the man whose friend/brother is being held on his shoulders with silly grins on their faces. Old family photos have such distinct charm whether their inhabitants be bored, poking fun at each other, getting married, being playful..I always feel a little sad though that the extended relatives don't get to share in these memories.