I am a native Cincinnatian. I live here with my husband, “Old Spice,” and our pup, Barry.
Once upon a time…
In my 20’s, I was a television news anchor. That was before a first marriage and four children quickly absorbed my life. I only mean that in the best way!
But children grow up…
As do we. Fast forward, and I was divorced at 50. I realized that it was my children I liked more than my husband.
So I left the nest…
When my last child left for college, so did I. As an empty nester, I was excited to finally do my “thing”. I made a bold move! I packed up the family house, purging, sorting, and donating in a frenzy. I told my grownup children it was time to come get their “stuff.” How long do we have to hold onto that high school English paper?
Life in the Big City.
I moved alone to Chicago. I envisioned a modern-day Mary Tyler Moore. The theme song ran in a loop in my head: “You can have the town! Why don’t you take it? You’re going to make it after all.” I even did a photoshoot with the beret. I moved to a one-bedroom apartment…no car…no carpool…and no children asking me, “What’s for dinner?” I was on my own.
Writing about it along the way.
Writing has always been my foremost passion. I gained momentum in Chicago writing a blog called The Stuff of Life. But eating cereal for dinner, and trying to find love with online dating in a big city, made me homesick. I missed my children who were living all over the country. I missed having a table where we could all gather. I had only 4 chairs. I missed having the holidays and celebrations. I missed my mother’s dishes packed away in boxes. I missed all the memories I had collected and stored along the way.
My heart pulled me back to Cincinnati.
I married a man I should have considered years ago. He is smart and kind and he makes me laugh. In my blog, I called him “Old Spice.” Genuine, original, old school. The man still holds the elevator door. I chose well. Back in Cincinnati again, life was seemingly calm and happy.
With COVID came sadness, sickness, paralysis, isolation.
THEN… it was that moment none of us will ever forget. COVID. Like many of us, I felt paralyzed. During those very long months, I couldn’t find the words to write. Nothing at all made sense. Friends and family were sick. I had no words. I needed to find something creative to do while I was quarantined with “Old Spice” and Barry the dog. I longed for anyone to just drive by and wave hello.
Mostly, I longed for my family. I wanted to set a gorgeous table… celebrate a holiday… make a real dinner. I wanted to bring my family back together again, healthy.
That’s when the crafting started.
I am and will always be a creative spirit. I inherited that honestly from talented women before me.
So, in those very long days in my pajamas, I got busy. Along with the creative talents of a best friend, we started crafting.
Me in my basement; She in her attic. We FaceTimed our daily creations.
For me, it was “Decoupage”. It was a craft my mom taught me years ago when she used old school ModgePodge and beautiful papers. In fact, one day I came home in the fourth grade to find our kitchen counters had been transformed with “Life” magazine covers.
On sleepless nights, with tablet in hand, I ordered magnificent papers from all over the world. My friend in her attic liked shells and I liked paper. Together, we combined our talents and dreamed of bringing our families back together. We used oyster shells to create one-of-a-kind creations. Napkin rings became my lost words.
Grown up children can be very helpful.
My four children have helped me put this all together, laughing at me along the way. They thought I was nuts. But they rooted me on and helped me create this Paper Circus. They too wanted napkin rings, and the dishes I couldn’t give away 10 years ago. I guess I wasn’t so nuts after all. Mostly, they wanted to bring our family back together. They now send me many pictures of their own tables…splurging on fresh flowers and real napkins. I love watching them create their own stories. It makes a mother proud.
I love beautiful “stuff.” I love one-of-a-kind. I love entertaining and cooking…
And carrying on the traditions taught best by my mom and grandmother. I come from a long line of collectors, creative, talented and imaginative women. After all, I still have my grandmother’s beaded trees she carried on her lap on a Pan Am flight from Hong Kong in 1962. They were very good teachers.
Finding Great Joy…
In sanding, glueing and imagining the conversations, connections, and life milestones that happen around so many of our tables.
As I turn 60 this year, I am going to hold onto all of my china for now. I need it to set the biggest table filled with love… and beauty… old dishes, new napkin rings and memories yet to come.
Let Paper Circus Design help you Dress Up Your Table.
I present to you Paper Circus Design… created in my basement with love, time and a new way to find my words. Thank you for following along. We just never know where life will lead us.