‘Oh, you are so gifted!!! You truly have the Midas touch!’ Is something I hear often. I have learned to nod and smile politely, but deep down I can only think how much I would rather have bought it in a store. I always say it’s not a gift, it a necessity born out of greed. I see so many beautiful things I would like to have, but I simply don’t have the money to buy it. So if I really, really want something, I try to create it myself, with the means that are within my reach.

I strongly set my mind to it, and 90% of the time, it turns out great. So every furniture in our house, except for the piano, is homemade, upholstered, painted, or sown. Even some of my clothes are self-made. But that is something I really hate to do. Sow my own clothes. Necessary when I want a nice dress for a wedding party, but there it ends. I just don’t have the girls thing with clothes or shoes. Even if we have some money to spare, and I see something nice in a store, the first thing that comes to mind is; ‘do I really need it?’ So more than often I just put it back. I own three pair of shoes, two pants, and a couple of shirts and cardigans. More than enough for me.

And it’s not that I don’t fancy pretty clothes, quite the opposite. I have a very strong opinion on what I like and don’t like. I just can’t get myself to spend so much money on it. On the other hand, the question; ‘do I really need it?’ , never pops to mind when I am in an art supply store, or I see bolts of fabric, or wallpaper, paint, or dog related things I really like. Then I can totally get lost in my greedy need to have.

So when Ramon took me to a favourite clothing store of mine here in IJmuiden, where they had a stock sale from last year’s items, I tried on two things I liked, only because Ramon pushed me to do so. When the saleswoman asked if I had seen the shoes that totally had my name on it, on the way to the fitting room, I deeply wrinkled my eyebrows….

No, off course I didn’t see the shoes. I am not here to buy shoes. I am not here to buy clothes either, in my opinion, but that’s another matter. So naturally, Ramon made me fit the gorgeous shoes, and I loved them instantly. The saleswoman is starting to get to know me, so off course the shoes were also on sale. I didn’t like the clothes I tried on, so we bought the shoes after Ramon and the saleswoman convinced me to.

Yes….I am truly that bad…..

My eyes had already seen other beautiful items of the new arrivals, but also saw the price tag on them. Which I pointed out to Ramon when he showed me a beautiful  jacket he thought I would like.

‘ €300,00. Hmmm, yes that’s a bit much. But let me take a picture of it, so I remember which one you liked.’ Again, I wrinkled my eyebrows and rolled my eyes, but kissed him for being so sweet, because he really did make a picture of it.

 

 

I clearly liked the jacket very much, because it stayed with me. So I went through Ramon’s closet, and saw an old jacket of his, he once got from his brother. He never got to wear it, because it’s too small. So with a little tweaking here and there, I could probably make it fit on me. And then I would have a lovely jacket to use as an overcoat this spring. I got my scissors and started cutting. I used my own printed design fabric to add some details, just like the jacket from the store. And there you have it, the Midas touch….

 

 

And even though I would love to just have bought the jacket we saw in the store, I would never have a jacket with Kuzco, Maya, and Malha on it.