Life Happens

 So here I am again, after too long a period of time! I was doing OK for a minute or two and then "life" happened. It is said that, "Life happens when you are making other plans" 
and that seems to be the case for me! Does it happen to you too? I know it does!

 

This time it was and is all good things. I am happy to say that I was given an opportunity to join the Create Here Now project which is part of the CT Arts Initiative. This wonderful initiative takes old, empty buildings in cities all across the state of CT and negotiates with owners to provide space to local artists and artisans at a reduced rate. I learned about this project from a dear friend of mine.

The door to my space before-I am decorating this week and will post that photo in my next blog. 

I decided the last week in Sept. that I would join the project and open my studio on November 1. The whole thing was pretty spur of the moment in all honesty. I am usually one to ponder and think and then think some more and ponder but I really jumped into this, almost without a second thought. Truthfully, the thought was there but I ignored it and took a leap of faith!

A baby wood duck takes his own leap of faith!

 This might not seem like a big undertaking but you must realize that the building I moved into was sort of closed up for several years and had "issues." What do I mean by sort of? Well, there were open windows and the pigeons "came home to roost" leaving a most foul mess in their wake! On top of that issue there were others including a lot of dirt and scum, floors that needed sanding and staining and sealing and walls that needed painting. The windows were no gems either and once I finally got those cleaned up as best I could, they had to be winterized. I am still doing small jobs a little at a time but was able to make my self imposed Nov. 1 deadline and have my opening!

Here is what the space looked like before I began painting and doing the other "tough" work but after I had cleaned the pigeon messes. I worked for a week to get it looking this "good"!

 

Here is after I painted the walls a light rose pink. The floor was supposed to be "mahoghany" but it looks more eggplant to me!

I am hoping to catch up with the blog more over the next few weeks. I know I am far far behind and hope you will all bare with me during this phase. I am not saying it will never happen again, because life has a way of "happening" to the best of us and I will not make a commitment I cannot keep, however, I will do my best to catch up and maybe even get a little ahead so I will be a little more predictable in my posting. 

Below you will see some of the "after."

The after! A Goodwill dresser is painted and used for storage and display

Two lighted cabinets display many of the necklaces and some circlets and an old trunk that I found on the side of the road holds various leftover paint plus a few other odds and ends inside while displaying jewelry on top

Another Goodwill find was this cute love seat where I do a lot of my jewelry making & customers can come and sit a bit. The trunk here was one that belonged to my dad. I  added legs, covered it with wall paper & painted to spruce it up. It is now used as a work/coffee "table"

My new "wall o' bead and findings."