Shortly after we got married, our friend Jack gave us an old brick with an inscription that wished the couple “a Happy Home.” We hung it on the porch when we moved into the second Bedlam Farm.

I took a picture of it a few weeks ago. Maria loved the photo, so she remembered that she loved it when she saw the brick from 1877  hanging on the porch. She sketched it over the summer, and I took a picture last month.

A few weeks ago, she decided to make a “Happy Home” series of potholders, which she began working on today. She was excited and wanted to explain its actual, consequential, and earnest meaning—it was news to me.

She asked me to make a video today, and we both got emotional. Maria has turned the humble potholder into real art with real meaning. From the beginning, she wanted to make real art affordable to almost everyone.

She has never moved away from that intent.

I was surprised and touched. At first, I thought she wanted to make something cheerful.  It is “happy,” but he also had something a lot more personal and meaningful in mind. It sure meant a lot to me. Come along and see it for yourselves. I bet it will have meaning for some of you as well.

Maria is a fantastic artist. She never stops showing me more than I can ever see, which is the mark of a real creative. She has more layers than a giant onion.

The first one is shown in the video. It’s not on sale yet, but Maria says if anyone wants to talk to her about it, they can contact her at [email protected].

She plans to make 10, 30 dollars plus $5 shipping.

When I entered her studio, Maria was holding one of her new potholders, and the dogs were first to celebrate. She explains that we are a “happy home,” and it was often painful getting there, which was the point. Happy home, everyone. If we did it, almost anyone could.