Endings are Also Beginnings

The store I sold in 2022 was a lifestyle store which had a wide range of inventory - clothing, jewelry, gifts, home decor, etc. . But home Decor and design has always been my passion. Home furnishings and gift markets were way more appealing to me than the apparel markets.   Since selling my store, I took some time off - from everything.   It can be challenging to know what to do with your days when you find yourself with free time and no rules on how to spend it.  (Grandbabies are a blast, but as much as I'd like to, I can't spend all my time playing).   Slowly, in 2023, I started taking on more volunteer projects - the main one being updating 3 mission houses owned by my church.  When I finished that big project, I once again found myself processing and praying over my next focus.   I have always known that eventually I would go back to creating full time, but it's really hard to stick to a schedule when you don't have a schedule. 

I had a huge box of new pastels that I had never attempted to use. (Creatives are notorious for buying supplies that just sit - waiting for inspiration to hit).  One day I opened that box and just started experimenting.  I hated those first pieces I did.  I decided pastels were not for me.  I stored them away again and started doing value studies in watercolor and loved the result.  I did tons of value studies.  Then one day I saw a pastel painting that I loved.  I gave pastels another shot.  The piece didn't end up looking at all what I set out to do, but I loved it! From then on, I was hooked.  I still do watercolors and (my all time favorite) oil paintings, but there's something about working with a medium that gives you vibrant, true to pigment colors and rich texture.  Pastels are messy, but there's nothing like them when it comes to creating paintings that are soothing and calm.

People ask me all the time if I miss owning my store.  I miss only the people, which is odd because some days, that was the worst part - rude, inconsiderate customers.  Those aren't the people I'm talking about.  I miss the staff that I loved (and still love) like family, the customers who became friends and the beautiful souls who came through that door and oohed and aahhed and lifted me up by praising my creativity.  The only thing I had left lacking from my store is how to channel my creativity now.  I'm glad I gave pastels another shot.  I've found my new creative focus -art.  Endings really are beginnings.

See below for some shots of my store in its heyday!