About Me
"Aviation" remains my second Family name. My Dad was a Captain, Mom was a Flight Attendant. They got married and lived happily ever after... Does that sound like a fairy tale, or what?
Since my birth, minute-made suitcases and ready-to-board airplanes were part of my lifestyle. I was only 5 years old when I decided that I wanted to fly. Back then --in the sixties--, in Belgium, pilot was still considered a profession reserved to men, but contacts with people were even more important to me.
Hence, I was going to become a Flight Attendant! So there!
After attending the well-renowned Hotel School in Namur (Belgium) for four years and spending a couple of months in Switzerland for my practical training, I started my career at Sabena --the former Belgian Airlines-- in 1980.
From junior Flight Attendant to Senior Cabin Crew Member (Senior Purser on "wide-body" aircraft), I enjoyed every single day of my walk of life. During the last years of my career as a member of the Cabin Crew Management, I combined my life in the air with complementary, more administrative functions. Communication Officer and Coach of a group of +/- 100 Flight Attendants, I also had to update some of our Cabin Crew Manuals.
Sabena's bankruptcy came in 2001, then I worked another year as In-Flight Manager for a brand new but short-lived Belgian company (VG Airlines) which, unfortunately, only lasted one year. In the wake of the 9-11 events, it became obvious that flying for a living would not be an option anymore.
Several temporary jobs in the administration gave me the opportunity to drastically improve my IT skills and in 2005, I was back to my first love: Aviation.
In charge of the Membership for several years at the European Business Aviation Association, I very much enjoyed taking care of our many Members. Later on, I was assigned other administrative tasks related to Human Resources and Finances. I learned a LOT during these years, but in my heart, I will always cherish the joys of being a Flight Attendant.
All this joyful, hectic and stressful life could only be balanced by calming, relaxing activities...
My beloved GrandMother "Amy" (short for "Bonne Mamy") taught me many things as far as sewing and embroidery were concerned. She understood very early that I loved arts and crafts. She even gave me the well-deserved nickname of "Marie-Chipote" ("Tinker-Quibble-Mary") which, in her mouth, was a term of endearment. She usually let me play with anything I wanted and provided me with whatever I would dream of to create my "masterpieces". From wooden clothespins and wallpaper to decorate cigar boxes, clay or salt dough to mould ashtrays that nobody would ever use, beads and pearls, glue, scissors and paper, fabrics and lace to design clothes for my doll, even yarn to knit impossible grey socks... She had it all.
I still don't enjoy knitting. Most probably because I don't master this art very well, but I quickly became the self-taught crocheter that I am today. Allow me the cheap pun: I was and still am hooked!
Amy also let me use her vintage "Singer" sewing machine. The wide pedal plate (on which I would sometimes sit) and the leather belt which spun the wheel were such great fun! Sadly, when I moved, I had to get rid of this relic, one of my most valuable ones. Unfortunately, I lack room in my current house and there wasn't anything else I could do about it.
Painting is another story... I never was what people call a gifted designer when it came to use a pencil or any other tool for what it's worth. Rounds were never round and my lines lacked the self-confidence I found in some of my friends' drawings. I was in awe when I looked at Sophie's scribbles and felt that I could never compete, so I did not even try, but definitely kept her as a role model... and BFF. 50 years later, I'm still a big fan of her ceramics and wax paintings.
Nevertheless, along the years, I also discovered how entertaining oil painting with toothpicks could be... You guessed it: I was bored to death at the time. Pregnant and grounded for a whole year, I "committed" a few miniatures. This kept me busy for weeks since, without any art studies background, I had to figure out all by myself which colours were made for each other and which ones would hurt the eye. It was a painful but most educational process.
Mind you, I still enjoy bright colours more than pastels and although I genuinely appreciate the artists' skills, a "classical-British-like-hunting-scene-in-an-autumnal-landscape" will NEVER thrill me... And yet...
Here I am with my 1001 works-in-progress...
I must say that at this point, I am delighted to find the time to focus a little bit more on my crafts. I am now retired and, despite several setbacks and delays due to life itself, I am starting to find my way between my paintbrushes, my needles, my pens, my keyboard and my hooks.
My Kids and Grand Kids also contribute to my inspiration, along with my Family, my volunteer work within a non-profit association, the A.H.A.B., internet, nature, food, shoes... Regardless, whatever comes to mind, ideas keep popping up, no matter what I do.
So many projects, so many possibilities, so many plans and... not enough time available after all. I will have to postpone several of them till after a month of Sundays...
Meanwhile, "Marie-Chipote" is still thriving, trying and probing, testing and scrutinizing, unravelling and frogging (rip it... rip it...). This is my never-ending story and I am happy to share it with you.
Artfully yours,
Christine M.A. Mairesse
