Contributed by Nancy Monson
Time heals all wounds. But until time kicks in, what do you do while you’re waiting? How do you relieve stress and decompress from everyday pressures? How do you ease the pain, distract your mind, soothe your soul? If you’re like me (and a whole lot of celebrities, it seems), you craft.
I’ve been a crafter for as long as I can remember. I quilt. I sew. I collage. I paint. I make wreaths. I design note cards. I love to create something out of nothing and put my personal stamp on it. I love the process, and I love the product. The creative arts, my crafts, keep my hands, heart and mind busy, and sometimes I think they’re the only things that keep me sane. And I’m not alone. In fact, the creative arts have historically been used as unique forms of expression, communication and release. Now, in the twenty-first century, these arts have been elevated from mere crafts to important components of healing therapies for people with illnesses, both physical and psychological. Patients with cancer, for instance, are encouraged to paint, to visualize their bodies fighting off malignant cells and to pour their thoughts and emotions into journals.
But the best news is that you don’t have to be ill to benefit.
“We’re now finding that crafts are beneficial for healthy people, too,” says Gail McMeekin, M.S.W., author of the inspiring books The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women and The Power of Positive Choices. “Thanks to their ability to tune you into yourself and your feelings, crafts clearly have physical, psychological and spiritual powers.” Adds Diane Ericson, a California fabric artist, teacher and pattern designer, “Crafts are a way of valuing yourself and giving to yourself. They allow you to express what’s inside.”
This new series of articles, called “Passions,” is not a cheesy soap opera on day-time television. Rather, it explores what young successful professional women do when they are not working, and sheds some light on the hobbies and interests that they are passionate about.
French Soles, Helium Flat. Standing the test of time, French Soles are the original ballerina flat, and have been around in relatively the same form since 1978. Extremely comfortable, with a cushioned sole, the sides come up higher than your normal flat. This may provide additional support, or prove irritating to the ankle bone, depending on the shape of your foot. These shoes come in a virtually unlimited array of styles and colors, but we love the Helium model, with its Chanel look-alike quilting and adorable bow. This model comes in black, bronze, silver, gold, and brown, and is available in leather, suede and patent. Prices start from $225.
The Intrepid Woman Explorer series is designed to bring our readers a close-up and personal view of some activities and elements of business culture that have been historically male-dominated.