Mistakes

          In my professional life, I have experienced many actions (and inactions) over the years that  represent a mistake or an error.  As a nurse, I understood the gravity of a medication error.  As an attorney, I came to know the importance of the many legal, regulatory, ethical and professional requirements that contributed to high quality and safe health care.  Even in my personal life today, I still hear my dad say “read the damn instructions if you want to get it right” as I encounter yet another complexity in my world. 

            Yes, mistakes can be trouble, but they can also be incredible teachers, life lessons that make us better persons.  Here’s are two of my memorable examples. 

·      Mistaking an ingredient or a step from a recipe may be a kitchen breakthrough.  Case in point.  My  South Carolina shrimp and grits recipe remains one of the best ever today because I accidentally added double the andouille sausage to the pot in 1995 when we were celebrating Elliott’s 10^th birthday with friends. 

·      Turning on the light at the wrong time may be a darkroom breakthrough.  Case in point. I learned how to create an incredible solarization of an otherwise normal,  black and white photograph, taken of Carla Bley during a 1976 jazz concert that remains one of my favorites today. 

            In my healthcare design work, I have come to appreciate the value of “design thinking” which celebrates acts (and inactions) that allow us to fail early and often, in order to get a better result.  In my Wabi Creations work, in particular, I am the first to know when it’s time to send a prototype, or even a “third time’s a charm” work to the trash, even if it almost finished. 

            I do recall one Wabi Creations work that came out differently. 

            My law partner had a friend.  The friend was a mother to a beautiful daughter who was soon to be married.  The mother had a beautiful silk wedding dress from years ago that celebrated what seemed to be “millions” of little silk-fabric covered buttons down the back of the dress.  The mother asked me to make a handbag from the wedding dress fabric and buttons that her daughter could carry during the wedding celebration. 

            It took nerve for me to begin cutting the silk fabric, and to remove the silk-fabric buttons from the dress.  I was a wreck, but slowly I became clear in my resolve to design and assemble a beautiful handbag, the exterior of which would be “smocked” with a large number of the silk-covered buttons.  I was close to completing the handbag’s exterior and I had moved onto assembling the interior silk lining and pocket. 

            The wedding was now only a few days away so I needed to remain steady in my resolve.  Unfortunately, as I was hand-stitching the final interior seam, I suddenly noticed two tiny little blemishes in the silk fabric that were not present a moment ago.  The blemishes were red, they were blood stains, they were the end of the handbag, to be sure.  I screamed, I stomped the floor, and I flailed about the room in agony.  What was I to do now, at this late date, to get this important work right? 

            Today, I look back and smile as I remember that steady moment of resolve when I slowly opened my sewing box – today’s it is called my "parts department" – and I sifted and sorted through the many items in the box, hoping to find some miracle that might right this serious wrong.  Much to my delight, I uncovered a 2x3 paper card with two little red iron-on hearts attached that remained from a purchase I made at Joann’s years ago as part of some Valentine’s Day project.   I swiftly removed the two little red hearts and began to carefully adhere them to the silk fabric, completely covering the two little red blemishes to my wildest amazement. 

            Neither my law partner, the mother or the bride ever knew the full story.  I only recall the bride’s reported comment that she especially liked the two little red hearts, hidden deep inside the handbag, to celebrate my wedding day. 

          Today, I continue to celebrate my pledge, my creed, my brand, and the many life lessons that come from our mistakes. 

            Wabi.  Perfection through spontaneous imperfection.

The Ties That Bind Us Together

2007 was a good year.  I was a partner with my law firm, our kids were both in college and I was participating in two groups that were beginning to stoke the artistic flames in my heart.  One group met weekly and we shared our creative writing efforts after completing a 12-week “Artist’s Way” course that was introduced by Julia Cameron by way of a book published by the same name.  The second group – the Material Girls - was all about fabric, sewing and quilting.   I was a newcomer to this world and I did not view myself as a quilter, but I continued to show up as we shared our “show and tell” projects over a glass of wine once a month.  

            

It was the Material Girls who urged me on as I made one of my first handbags, using four of my husband’s retired silk neckties.  The silk fabrics were rich in color, the contrasting paisley, stripe and diamond patterns complex.  Although petite, the handbag sported all of the features of a designer bag – double-stitched fabric handles, snap closure, a delightful stack of designer buttons and a fussy decorator trim across the front pocket that added flair and dimension.  

            

In 2007, I had become interested in a new Indianapolis nonprofit – Trusted Mentors – who provided volunteer mentors to assist individuals and families who were either homeless or otherwise at risk of losing the roof over their head.   As part of their fundraising efforts, a Trusted Mentors’ postcard invitation came in  my mail the same week that I finished the silk tie handbag.  The postcard announced an upcoming fundraiser, a handbag competition, to raise funds for the nonprofit’s mentor volunteer programs and I decided to enter my handbag for consideration, complete with a catchy application title, “The Ties That Bind Us Together.”

            

The competition was held in the Indianapolis Arts Garden at Circle Center Mall, just a few blocks from my law firm’s offices.  It was a Tuesday and I arrived during my lunch hour, joined by my law partners – Deb, Linda and Betsy – and my most dear administrative assistant, Linda.  I was in my usual lawyering uniform – business suit, pearls and those infamous “travel buff” stockings and black heels.   The Arts Garden was all a buzz and the 20+ handbag entries were on display and doing their very best to generate votes, supported by money contributions, both from the crowd and through the nonprofit’s online portal.  The three handbags that raised the most money would be recognized as winners at 1:00 p.m., the close of the competition.

            

Much to my surprise (and true elation), “The Ties That Bind Us Together” handbag won first place and raised almost $1,000 in support of Trusted Mentors.  The woman who contributed the most money “votes” in support of my handbag took it home, never to be seen by me again, although this first Wabi Creations was featured in a 2009 edition of Haute Handbags in recognition of the nonprofit’s handbag competition. 

            

Thirteen years later, I have used thousands of my Wabi Creations’ sew-in labels to adorn my many handbags.  Although hundreds were never finished or ended in the trash, there are a wealth of totes, cross body bags, clutches and other sweet little creations like the “Ties That Bind”  handbag out in the world today, helping us to celebrate, yet again, the incredible beauty in our lives.  Blessings abound indeed.