On To The Next Chapter

Lately I have been feeling the stresses of life. My children are growing and have become involved in their own interests, which I love, I work part time, I keep up the house (sort of) and I own a little business called Lil Britches Handmade Frames. I have of course also started blogging, which has been such an incredible experience that I enjoy so much, but something has to give!

Growing up I never REALLY knew what I wanted to be. I knew that I enjoyed playing sports, I was the only girl in a neighborhood of about 10 boys and made myself right at home with all their sports and antics! I was a full fledged tom-boy! People asked me what I went to college for and I would tell them to play volleyball! I concentrated on that for so long I never really gave anything else a thought. I loved art and loved being creative but never pursued that aspect much, until two years ago when my best friend started her own business.

She really inspired me to start a business of my own so I ventured out and created Lil Britches. I make custom children's frames and everyday frames that I sell at craft shows during the year as well as two locations in Michigan. I really enjoyed making the frames and never really thought about the 'business' side of it. After two years I am still in the (deep) red and now I am finding it hard to put aside time to make them. I don't like the feeling of "having" to do something. I started the business because I loved just making frames but now that time is precious and that feeling is there, I have become less interested in making them and to me that is not fair to the people that I am making them for. If my all my heart isn't into it, I don't want to do it.

So after reading different posts about friends and fellow bloggers who are feeling the same way about similar points in their life and reaching into my heart, I have decided to cut my losses and close my little business. I feel bad but at the same time I feel good. I have opened up my self to spend more time with the kids, that feeling of being rushed into making the frames is gone and I have a little more time to pursue other interests that I have been wanting to do.

I know that this isn't a life changing decision but a decision that has been weighing on my mind and heart for a while. I am so glad that I started the business because it gave me an awareness of myself that I didn't know I had, a source of self confidence that needed to come out, and another way to discover what is inside of me.

I look forward to whatever chapter opens up for me next and time to just spend doing things that I love without that little nagging feeling that I 'have' to go do something. I still have two more craft shows this year and will hopefully sell most of my inventory along with a couple of other projects that I have been working on. So, with the new year, hopefully a new chapter will open up and I will discover other things about myself.

Sorry this was long but I wanted to share with you, my friends, what has been on my mind and it feels good to just put it out there. So thank you if you stuck with this post to the end and thank you to my family and friends for all your support during this chapter in my life.

Weekend Warrior and Guest Post!!!!!

This weekend was a busy weekend for me, fun, but busy.

I started off Saturday morning at 5:30 am, NOT a time I get up at very well!

I spent the day at our local Art in The Park. We had to be there by 6:15 to set up. UGH!

It was a perfect day for it though and there were lots and LOTS of people! I should have taken more pictures of the lots and LOTS of people but I am not always thinking at these kind of things. People scare me and I begin to panic when they start coming up to my booth to look at my frames. I think it is a little frightening when you "put yourself out there" so to speak. But I got good feedback and I sold quite almost half of what I brought. I was very happy at the end of the day!

That would be my daughter hiding in the background! (I need more UMPH in my booth I think)

We were there util 5:00 pm and then went out to dinner with some friends. Needless to say I was in bed at about 9:30 that night! Sunday I did the normal Saturday thing, cleaned and grocery shopped. Thank goodness my hubby did the laundry Saturday or I would still be washing!!

Thanks babe!!

Here are a few of the frames that I brought with me!

Anyway....

I am VERY, VERY excited today because Maya from Completely Coastal and Daily Vitamin Sea graciously invited me to do a guest post on her Completely Coastal blog!

(Dancing.....dancing........)

She is so inspiring and has great ideas for the sea lover in all of us!!

So, check out her amazing blogs, she is the sweetest, and take a peak into my sea-inspired home!

Thank you, thank you again Maya!!!!

Wood Tool Box Reveal!

I just wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful comments you left about my 'finds' that I painted this weekend, it means so much to me to hear what you think!

I am trying to get ready for our Annual Art in the Park coming up this Saturday to sell some of my picture frames. So yesterday I started making some more to bring with me.

Here is a quick peek at my craft room.

We converted our attic into a bonus room and I claimed it as my room!!

It is in need of a change, but that will have to be a winter project.

My assistant (this is Bosco) destroying my inventory!

After about an 1/2 hour of gluing and sanding, I was getting antsy to start on my tool box that I purchased last weekend. I bought the paint and supplies yesterday before work, so I had this great idea that I could still make frames in between coats of paint on the tool box!

Here is the tool box as I purchased it. No cool paint-box this time, I couldn't find anything big enough (sorry honey). But at least I got it off the driveway!

I purchased the new "1 can is equal to 2 cans" primer and paint.

I have to say it worked AMAZING!! I only used 1 can!!

The paint color was Aqua and I think that I only used 3/4 of the can for this and it covered great!

Even covered my fingers!! Maybe I should have worn gloves?

I also purchased some rope that I thought would look great on the handle. It was pretty to easy to put on after I decided that a staple gun would be less messier than gluing it on.

It got a little tedious wrapping the rope, so I enlisted my daughter to help!

Finished up with the last staple AND..........

VIOLA!!!!!!

I am really happy with the way it turned it out!

Apparently everyone needs to be in a picture! She (this is Baja) jumped up as I was snapping pictures!

Now I have a great place to put all my magazines that are always scattered all over!

Needless to say, I did not work anymore on the frames. The tool box was just so much fun!!

Looky what else I did last weekend!!

This was a fun project as well! Layla from The Lettered Cottage made one for her mantel and I thought that it would be a great piece for above my bed!

It was so much fun doing projects again, I haven't really done any in a while. You are all so inspirational and really got my wheels-a-turning again!

Thank you!!

My First Blog!!

Hello everyone! Honestly this is all new to me and I am not sure what or where this is all going to go but, I am going to give it a try!

My goal is to share my vision and dreams of becoming a work-at-home mom. I starting selling on esty a little over a year ago. I started with my frames but have found that a little challenging so I moved onto jewelry. I fell in love with jewelry making in high school art (thank you Mrs. Boyce). My favorite was making rings out of wax mold. I however, cannot do that at this time, maybe some day. So, I am learning the art of wire wrapping and just designing my own pieces out of sterling silver, stones, beads, and whatever catches my eye.

My life is a little hectic with kids so my progress on my business is slow. I am, however, determined, little by little, to get this beast up and running and to become successful, in my own mind, at this craft.

Thank you for following me and I hope that I don't disappoint!