Me Made May 2020

I put a note in my dayplanner this year, prompting me to come up with my Me Made May 2020 challenge.  I’ve botched the last couple rounds with May somehow creeping up on me in the fantastic rush of spring.

One of our little fruit trees looks gorgeous right now. 

“I, Beth, aka BLD-in-MT pledge to wear at least one handmade garment per day throughout May 2020.  I will also finish one new garment this month.”

Ginger is a watchful sewing supervisor. 

I have a couple of things in mind in regard to the new me-made item.  My patchwork, recycled t-shirt dress—currently in progress, maybe. Or I have never made a top or shorts for myself. That might be a swell learning experience.

I recently re-configured my sewing space downstairs, butting my large table up against my sewing desk in the center of the room for better light. An unexpected consequence is that now Johnny can get up on my sewing table, too. Twice the supervisors making sure I am on task.  Johnny’s back legs don’t work the best so she could never make the leap up onto the table like Ginger. Now she just makes a few quick hops from the floor to the chair to the sewing desk to the table!

For a good while there I was really rocking a solid Me-Made wardrobe.  I’d made more than a dozen versions of My Dress alone.  Then some of my girlfriends gave me a bunch of leggings and stretchy knit dresses and tops and…I’ve basically been a one-trick-feels-like-jammies-pony ever since.  I also am officially a pants-wearer again.  I think it is official because people no longer comment on it when I wear pants.  “Whoa!  You’re wearing pants!”  My pants have become normalized again.  Both factors have contributed to a decline in my dress-wearing.  Which, since I typically only sew dresses, has likewise curtailed the homemade nature of my wardrobe.  So it goes.  It’s not like anyone is keeping track except me.

Before the plants moved into the greenhouse it was our hammock swinging, book reading backyard clubhouse. 

I have made a few stretchy knit garments since back in 2015 when that was part of my MMM objective.  I’ll probably rock the heck out of them this month.  Spring is already feeling like summer so heaven knows it is dress season…and I am certainly well prepared there.

I can’t believe it is May.

My St. Patty’s Day outfit, which is me-made. 

That also means it is my birthday month.  I’ve dreamed up a bunch of ways to celebrate it, as is my tradition, though they’re rather different things this year.  No bowling alley party, say, but inviting folks to come donate blood with me, for example.  Other ideas include: Digital drinks with the girls.  Cake every week.  Kayaking Lake Elmo.  Camping with Matt.  A Thai take-away picnic with my godsister.  Simpson’s trivia via Zoom.  My sister, Lisa, is already spoiling me with little care packages.  Matt started my birthday month by coming up with another Coconut Water With Espresso from Lucky’s, which closed down on February 12th. I know there’s a stash somewhere in my house but I don’t know where!

For so many reasons I am looking forward to a fantastic month ahead.

A Zoom Simpson’s Trivia night with my sisters and their kids from March. 

Matt and I are continuing to lay low as our state begins reopening bars, restaurants, and shops.  We’re not going crazy at home, I guess, and have no compelling reason to be the first guinea pigs.  I realize not everyone can have this luxury (notably we’re both still getting a paycheck, have no kids, really enjoy each other’s company, are able to do a big shop and then not go back for weeks, etc.) and I know a lot of people don’t want to stay home, even if they can.

I have mixed feelings about that, but long ago learned to stop trying to run other people’s lives. The mixed feelings come in because all of our lives are so interconnected.

On Sunday we got contact-less takeaway from Fancy Sushi and had a keen picnic in the sun. 

Regardless, it seems that operations at our favorite breweries and music venues are still going to be so altered, if they reopen now—half capacity, socially distant,  no ordering at the bar, etc.—that it won’t be the same vibe that I’m missing right now anyways.  Same with hanging with our friends without hugs.  Matt admits that working for the health department skews him cautious. I have an autoimmune condition so I skew cautious, too.  We’re not in a rush.  We’re gonna give it a few weeks yet.  See how our fair state fares.

Queen Ginger of the Bedroom Curtain Cape. 

Even if it IS my birthday month.