About

This mingled yarn weaves together the different strands of my life, from everyday triumphs and disasters in parenting, gardening and housework through the more creative aspects of my life: textile arts and writing.

What am I?

A writer . . . . writing is the grand, overarching obsession of my life. I need to write. I have to write. There are so many stories I want to tell, I don’t feel I’ll ever have time to catch them all. But I’ll do my damndest to achieve it. I have had a couple of articles and a handful of short stories published. I am hopeful that I can make a living eventually! Here is my writing site: LeilaCoyle.com 

A textile artist . . . I am making a living (just about) off commissioned pieces – I work in recycling/upcycling preloved fabrics and other textiles into new, beautiful, everyday objects. I take William Morris’ maxim “have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful” as my motto. I like to experiment with different textures and techniques in patchwork, applique, embroidery and quilting, and create everything from lavender-stuffed sleep pillows to full-size counterpanes – all from existing garments – baby clothes, wedding dresses and other special items. Magpie’s Laundry is the name of my venture.

A parent . . . I have three children, who are simultaneously adorable and maddening. They are what makes life coherent and fascinating. Having them has been the catalyst to re-examining my life and setting myself onto a path of actively trying to achieve ’self-actualisation’, in Maslow’s terms. In my terms, they are what drives me to try to de-compartmentalise the different parts of my life and take a holistic approach so everything is an integrated continuum of contented activity.

A thinker . . . across the board – politics, economics, philosophy, spirituality. I have Aspergers, and with it comes a deep need to systematise and rationalise everything into a grand, ordered network. I don’t *do* chaos – which can be challenging when I live in the midst of a trio of whirling dervishes! This is where my commentaries and articles come from . . .

Lucky! I constantly feel priveleged to live the life I do, and am working to live as mindfully and peacefully as I can, both within my own skin and within the environment I and my family inhabit.

I am Ellsea. This is my blog.