I absolutely adore everything about the Stitch Cafe (www.stitchcafe.com) It's well stocked, lovely to look at, and the people who own-run it have that extra little something that is so alluring. You know that you've stumbled into something really special when in the middle of the day on Wednesday, it's packed full of people (mostly women) of all ages, sitting round the table or on the sofa under the window, knitting away while engaged in friendly banter.
There is a separate building where they hold Artisan Workshops on all different sorts of crafts. That's where I participate in my ongoing Wednesday class taught by the immensely talented Shelly Neimerow. More on today's China Painting Class later.
There is one part of the visit, though, that I absolutely dread. Love, but dread all at the same time. And that is paying for my class. Not because it's expensive or anything because it's actually very reasonable. But there is a bowl of candy by the cash register. It is always well stocked. Well stocked with some of my favorite junk candies in the world!
Ok, I admit it. Even after losing and maintaining a 207
pound weight loss for a year-and-a-half (http://weightloss.LauraRSilverman.com), I am a food-acholic. You'd think after all this time, I'd have it more under control and in a sense, I do. I rarely bring any junk food into my home. I'm pretty good about ordering healthy meals when I dine out, asking the restaurant to eliminate fats and oils. But put me in front of a cookie, cake, or candy in a bowl and I turn into a Hoover Vaccum.
I start salivating several miles before I reach Stitch Cafe. I wonder what is on tap for the day. Hershey Kisses? Twix Bars? Nestle Crunch? My whole body goes a-quiver at the thought of the candy. And each week prior to today, I exclaim to whoever is helping me at the register, "You kill me!" as I take two to four pieces which are devoured either right there or during the brief walk to the back room. The candy is always gone by the time I reach Shelly.
This is a bad thing for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I guess I still have that hide it mentality, even as it is misapplied. I don't know why, but I am intensely uncomfortable about eating in front of Shelly. Probably because she is pretty-much perfect and what I would like to be if only it were possible. But also, in weeks past, she has brought in goodies of her own and because I might have devoured a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup between the main store and the workshop, I am not free to partake in her offerings. And I'd like to, if for no other reason than it denotes a social quality that I have yet to develop.
Food is bonding. I have a tough time bonding with anyone, and an even harder time asking for help when I need it. And when circumstances become so extreme that help is offered; even pushed upon me because I clearly can't go alone, I'm uncomfortable about accepting it and can't even look the people who are getting me by in the eye. So I figure it's probably important that I develop the skills necessary to bypass that bowl of candy if only for the symbolic nature of the act. Also for the ability to eat with the class.
So today before even leaving home, I decided that I was not going to eat candy. Prepared myself for the feat. And even took a Benefit Bar (basically candy itself although sold by my Weight Maintenance Group and purportedly more healthy) along with me to eat instead. And amazingly, when I had made the decision in advance that I absolutely was not going to take a piece, I didn't! I did snap a bunch of pictures of it, but that is non-caloric so it doesn't count.
And in the end, after not eating the candy, and feeling pretty good about it, I didn't even eat the Benefit Bar until hours later.
We're getting very close to the end of the China Painting unit. Shelly has decided to continue coming to Stitch Cafe on Wednesdays until the holidays overtake her. Yippee! I was afraid that it was going to end next week, but it may go for a couple more. We have agreed that we will resume Freeform Peyote Classes so that she can teach me more techniques.
In the meantime, we applied what I think is the end of the normal paint to the two pieces. Shelly took them home and will fire them, then next week, we'll be painting on gold paste and some kind of opalesence. A final firing, and they will be done.
I can hardly believe that this is my work although I freely admit that I would never have been able to do it without Shelly looking over my shoulder. And what has she been working on in the meantime?
Her own cabechons which will be represented in Tucson at the Bead & Gem Show that is coming up. Her talent is enormous, and her work is available. I wish her web site was operating so that I could direct you there. But if you're curious to see it or would like information on the pieces that you've seen pictured in my blog, you can email her at azreds.art@gmail.com
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Welcome to my blog. This is the first time I've published to blogspot. If you like what you read, you can see more of my pieces at my own web site at www.LauraRSilverman.com. I will be switching my blogging activity wholly to blogspot in the near future, but have been journaling my life over there for some months now.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by.
1 comment:
Just testing to see if this works.
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