Holidays!

Feeling a little optimistic this morning!

I have taken some photos and done some etsy listing! Mixing up the look a bit to feel a little more " homespun" ...never thought that word would creep back into my vocabulary... thought it was replaced by " industrial " "mid century modern" " schoolhouse" " warehouse chic"... but, alas... it has returned...for the holidays!

I will be back to my regularly scheduled program after the first of the year, as far as photos are concerned!

I am hoping to be able to spend a little more time working on my etsy shop this holiday and with a little help from my husband, will be tidying up my shipping area as well!

Working on the Christmas " theme " for this year! Something hand made, I am thinking... and painted too!

oxo

martha

Food for the Soul!

The leaves are dropping and the smell of burning leaves hovers in the air...

This morning was the first morning I have not had to get up and rush to my new "job".

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't enjoy my new position, It is just that I miss being my creative self.

Several months ago the little shop I managed, JB Winterberry in downtown Wheaton, Il closed it's doors after an 8 1/2 year run! It was a charming spot and full of beautiful vintage finds, home decor and wonderful friends and customers.

After its close, I somehow found a position in a local resale shop as assistant manager.

Yesterday a former JB customer arrived and said... your soul is not being nurtured here.

She went on to say... I miss your creative talents! The truth of the matter is ... so do I!

I loved the idea of working part time and taking time to paint my paintings. Having a little space in a local antiques mall ( Lil' red schoolhouse antiques) and tending to my Etsy shop. I had even been approached by the blog editor on Etsy ( Mary) to do a "quit your day job" feature! Much to my dismay, our family needed the additional income and more so... the benefits!

I took on the position of assistant manager in charge of shuffling other folks belongings around a tightly packed space.

I love helping others, I love the volunteers...but wish my creative side was being put to better use!

This morning as I awoke, I realized I finally had a Saturday ahead of me, without spending it a work (a Sunday, Monday and Tuesday too) All in a row!

I began paging through blog entries of friends and friends of friends... and realized that I missed that so much!

I read Jenniferrizzo.com's entries, Chippy Shabby's travels and Anne Marie's Nada farms updates!

I long to spend a day in the country shopping for antiques with friends or visiting my sister, helping out an old friend with a move, sprucing up my little space at the antiques mall... taking photos for my etsy sites or maybe even making space for my car in the garage before winter!

How inspiring to read the blogs of these creative women! They give me hope that sometime in my life, I might be able to regenerate my creative side! The side that has been lacking as of late!

xo