Imagine That... 2 Years and Counting.

Some people celebrate March 17 as St. Patrick's Day. I totally respect your day ~ may the road rise up to meet you.

Me? I celebrate my anniversary. Oh no, not of my marriage, but of the start of my little business. At the time March 17 was just a random choice of days to open my Etsy shop; now I find it an easy anniversary date to remember. You know like getting married on Valentine's Day so you'll never forget your wedding anniversary. ;-)

So today I celebrate 2 years of sketching, designing, sewing, photographing, writing, posting, promoting, selling, tagging, shipping ~ and then starting it all over the next day. Two years ago my challenge was to see if I could actually sell something online. I never imagined that two years later I would have my products in fabulous shops on the East Coast, West Coast and my adopted hometown of Denver. I never imagined I would be joining artistic organizations and actually stepping out of my Hello Kitty pajamas and into some fancy go-to-meeting clothes (I wore heels, people!) to promote my products. I never imagined I would actually design my own lines with my own original ideas. I never imagined I would actually make a couple of bucks.

I didn't imagine that two years later I would still wake up in the middle of the night with ideas and quietly sneak up to my studio to start sketching before I forgot them. I didn't imagine that I would still wake up each morning and after walking my dog and making my peppermint hot chocolate I would walk upstairs to my studio and dive in - every single day - to create something whimsical. And never tire of it!!

But what I really never imagined is that in this little endeavor I would find myself. I didn't go to college. Well I put in a couple of years at a community college; but I always felt like I really missed out on something not going to a four year school. You know - lesser than... I married young. I worked many years as a secretary/administrative assistant/office manager ~ and mind you, I was pretty good at it. But I was never fulfilled in my work; never truly happy with how I spent 8 of my 24 hours in the day. So it took me a long time to find my calling ~ which is ironic because I am doing almost the same thing I was doing as a teenager. But at the ripe ol' age of 56 I finally embrace each day with joy and cannot wait to see what waits around the bend.

Which, by the way, may lie in a city I really love. Mums the word until all is finalized, but I can't wait to [hopefully] make an exciting announcement soon!

Thank you to my family and friends for all their encouragement and support ~ especially my charming husband who has totally taken over the kitchen and cooking. Dinner is so yesterday.

And omysweetgoodness ~ thank you to all my fabulous customers, many of whom keep coming back and have become friends as well. No way would I be here without you.

Maaaaawah! Kisses all around! Here's to Year #3!!!