People Are Just Really Nice #3: Kim Schlinke

Now, in case some of y'all think I'm getting all Pollyanna on you here and maybe need to be reminded that not everyone is fabulous and that there are some real jerks loose in the world, don't worry. I know as well as anyone else that there are plenty of self-centered, greedy, snarky, hateful, trouble-making jerks out there. Remember: I was a substitute teacher for 16 years. I can vouch that it can start really, really young. I've had other jobs where the people I spent 8 hours a day with weren't exactly what you'd call saints. Or even maybe "humans."

But I can also vouch for the fact that there are wonderful people everywhere. Not just people who love you because they have to, like, you know, because they live in the same house and are related to you by blood and stuff. No! There are also lots of other really nice Random People You Don't Know, like the heavily tattooed kid who was out doing lawn work in the neighborhood the other day, and when we walked by and said, "Hi, how are you doing?" instead of mumbling "[hi]" like you might expect from a teenager having to work out in the broiling sun, he looked up and grinned and said, "I'm doin' great, and how are y'all doing this morning?" It just makes you feel good about the world, you know?

I meet a lot of those people.

Kim, who lives in Austin and makes costumes (and I'm sorry, but I couldn't find any other links to show more; I wish I could, because I'd love to see more of her work), read my post  about The Jacket and asked if I'd like some more silk scraps to use for mending. Of course! My own scraps are kind of boring, seeing as how they come from 1) silk shirts from the thrift and 2) silk ties from the thrift. Nothing very exciting, for sure.

A box from Kim arrived today, and oh, my! These are gorgeous:

Thank you, Kim! You're fabulous! XO