Pixiegenné

Meg Rooks makes things. She is a mother, a librarian, and a crafty genius. She likes thrift stores and photography and old children's books, and she turns them into something uniquely Meg.

Can you tell us about some of the things on your board?

I'm obsessed with old children's books and children's book illustrators so there is a good representation of those up there.

Then there are artists that inspire me --- my good friend Jen Judd-McGee, Betsy Thompson, Lisa Congdon...

Then there are lots of old and new pictures of my family. I'm very nostalgic.

How often do you change your board?

I'm always adding things to the board and taking things down, so it's always changing.

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

Right now I'm really into illustrators from the 1960s and 70s. I love love love Brian Wildsmith, Leo Lionni, and Trina Schart Hyman. I am also a big fan of earlier folk illustrators like Esphyr Slobodkina and Lois Lenski.

And I've always been a big fan of patchwork and collage. I like a whole bunch of seemingly unrelated stuff jumbled together in an aesthetically pleasing way.

What's your favorite color?

I don't have a favorite color but I do enjoy a lot of color and usually like it peppered with some black.

What do you do to "refill the well"?

I rarely stick to one craft for any length of time --- I definitely get sick of making the same things over and over again. So I go back and forth between crafts. And since most of my work relies heavily on thrifted materials, a good haul from the thrift store or a flea market can be an excellent shot of inspiration.

How do you come up with your next idea?

I shamelessly steal other people's ideas. Craft blogs, magazines, etc. I'm pretty brazen. Just kidding (sort of :)). Really, though, these are usually jumping-off points for my own ideas.

What craft blogs, websites, and/or books do you enjoy?

There are way too many to list --- I wouldn't know where to start. I will say that I really enjoy older craft books (60s and 70s). I find them very inspiring (and often amusing).

How long have you been making your art? How did you start?

I've always envied and been intimidated by crafty/creative/artistic people. It wasn't until I had children and began staying home with them full-time that I got enough of an itch to try making things myself. I think arts and crafts are appealing to a lot of moms because the day-to-day work of mothering doesn't offer up a lot of tangible results, if that makes sense. I think I felt that way, at least. Anyway, I started off with decoupage and knitting and have since started sewing and rug hooking a little and am always wanting to try something new.

What is your background?

I have a B.A. in history and an M.L.S. in library science.

What's your day job?
I'm a librarian at a school for deaf children 20 hours a week.

Tell us a little bit about your blog and your business.

It's small. I have an etsy shop that I opened about a year and a half ago. I started a blog a little over a year ago to help promote the shop. Now I blog a lot but don't update the shop very often. I'm gearing up to do a show or two this fall. The craft business is definitely a side thing that I love and do when I have the time/motivation.

How do you balance mothering and your creative pursuits?

Oy. That's been a tough one lately. I just started working my library job more, which has really cut into my kid-free craft time. Basically my craft time is after the kids go to bed, when I can peel my lazy butt off the couch. :)

Where does your training come from?

I'm mostly self-taught but would love to go back and take classes now (especially photography, illustration, painting...).

What other talents do you possess that we might not know about?

I can dance an irish jig and reel.

Do you listen to music while you work?

Yes, always and almost all kinds. Frequently, though, I'm listening to my daughter play the piano.

Which of your projects are you the most proud of, and why?

I'm really proud of a rug I hooked for a friend a few years ago and a sweater I knit. Both were first major projects (rug hooking and knitting) and both just gave me a really satisfied sense of accomplishment.

What are some of your current projects?

I just started a new hooked rug that I'm pretty psyched about. And I'm getting back into decoupage and thinking about trying out some different materials. We'll see how that goes.

Is there something new you want to try?

Yes --- there is no end to new things I want to try.

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