I wrote this in the afterglow of Christmas, and saved it privately, unsure of whether it was worth sharing. But I reread it tonight, and I do think it worth sharing. I still feel the truth of everything I wrote that night. Much love!
It’s Christmas night. Actually, it’s the wee hours of what we call Boxing Day in Canada, “the day after Christmas” back home in the States. Either way. It’s the day reserved for holiday hangovers of several varieties. My “holiday hangover” has been a long time coming. I’ve been going full tilt for several months now, trying to figure out how to handle success. And while tasting success comes with a high, it’s also a bit messy. I’ve learned quite a few things this year: 1. Planning ahead is always a good thing. So is flexibility. 2. Losing sleep negatively affects creativity and productivity, no matter what “they say”. Also, exercise is important, even when it’s not urgent. 3. Always be gracious. 4. Multitasking is the bane of productivity. 5. Collaboration totally rocks. 6. Every idea has its time, and if a great one lands on you, just to flutter away to someone else, be grateful that you were noticed by the universe. Your turn will come again. 7. Always be yourself. Full stop. Not a unicorn, or a mermaid, or any other funny thing on a T shirt. There’s more to you than you might think. Tonight, I took some time to search YouTube for some dyeing inspiration, and stumbled on Hue Loco, by a girl named Nicole. I fell in love with her authenticity, her ability to just chat with friends virtually about things that excite and inspire her. And it got me thinking about what I really want to say just right out of my head and heart. I want to say “thank you” with all my heart to every person who is a part of my life. I have a wonderful, growing tribe of artisans, both locally and abroad. I’m not even kidding when I tell you I’m grateful every single day to have found “my people.” And I want to gush about all the ideas I have in my head and in production. Some are far on the horizon of reality, but they’re so fun to mold and shape in my mind! And it never fails, when I talk with a friend about an idea, it grows and morphs and gets closer to reality right here, right now. I want to tell you how much it means to me and to my family when you purchase from my shop; the hope it infuses into my life. I’ve seen memes going around about how a small business owner does a happy dance when you order from them, and I can tell you, it’s true. The struggle is real, my friends, just as I know it is for you, and every purchase breathes hope into me for a brighter future for my daughters. I want nothing more than to be able to fund their childhood and their future education while being at home to raise them. That dream is becoming a reality, slowly but surely, and it’s fueled by hope. So, my friends, that’s what I really want to say. I have lots of photos for future posts about the dyeing, spinning and making process. They’re going to be really fun. And I have some exciting plans for creative collaboration with other designers, photographers and bloggers in the new year. I can’t wait to share those things with you, too.Along the lines of personal growth and just being yourself, by BFF Sarah McDugal wrote an amazing book about living in alignment with your values, and shedding the masks we all tend to hide behind. Want to read it? Find it here: www.livewithoneface.com
