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progress has been made, my friends. this week, i have managed to rest some and get some significant projects around my apartment resolved. my new motto is: get rid of the stupid. i am looking at home projects with new eyes. if i haven't done anything with it in over six months, i have to either a) finish it, or b) get rid of it.
early in the week i finished a project that had been taking up space and sucking energy in my living room for two years. it feels so, so good to complete it! above is a photo of the piece finished. looks simple, i know. i had this concept after picking up these four cool 1950's door panels at a local salvage place. i would stain the wood dark to match my couch and suspend them from the ceiling to create an "entryway" in my apartment. it's always bothered me that my ground floor apartment, which opens up right onto the street (ok, four steps down) has no sense of transition from public to private space. the living & dining are all one big 14 x 22 ft room, so when someone comes to the door, boom! there is your life for all to see.
despite telling part of my life story on the internet, i am really quite a private person.
well, finally the light bulb went off on this project. i could skip staining the wood (i have several colors of wood in the room anyway) and just by getting a few hinge pins, the existing hinges would connect the panels into sets of two. wow, i was on a roll. a few brass straps screwed the two sets together in the middle and suddenly, like magic, i had a screen with ends that folded in and stood up by itself! immediately, the room became more cozy and each time i came in the front door, i smiled with the pleasure of seeing that screen.
finished is better than perfect. it's a stretch for me to embrace this, but it's also making me much, much happier. detoxing is wonderful for the spirit.
i then moved on to my office and a long day was spent at ikea, measuring and plotting. that is a story for another day, when i have fabulous "before" and "after" pictures to show.
the temperature outside has been hovering around 100 degrees the past few days here in portland. a creative combination of small air conditioner and fans is keeping me comfortable here inside. slowly, i have been recovering. fed by silence, good sleep and many hours laying on the couch. i'm reading a bit as well. a well rounded selection: some humor, some health and some spirituality. i'm preparing for a major body and spirit cleanse. i'll be writing more on that process as it unfolds.
today i felt energetic enough to start a bit of cleaning and organizing in my home office/painting studio. my hodge-podge of furniture isn't really serving the space well at all. i'm purging the extra pieces out and looking for more stylish space savers to suit my duel purposes.
before my move west, i lived in a small town where i could afford to own a house. an adorable three bedroom house, with a sun room, full basement and 2-stall garage. you can imagine the abundance of space this afforded for just me and my little dog. we spread out. i had a different room set up as a studio for many mediums. a metals space, a painting space, for a while a fiber studio. a bit of photography in the basement. all that for the price of a studio apartment in the portland rental market today!
yet, i am so grateful for the space i have now, to be honest. it's a glorious 800 square foot apartment and i have free storage in the basement. loads of closets, really. the only problem is the furniture i had in my former house didn't need to be compact or efficient. it only needed to look cool. and fit in my truck to take it home.
so i think it is time to say goodbye to a few things. and open the door to a few new possibilities, new ways to operate and organize.
i am ready to clear the clutter, to tighten up the edges. an apartment detox, i'm calling it.
oh my. what a time it was. so many layers, some so sweet and light, others bitter and hard to digest. this festival i attended as a craft vendor is like a concentrated version of life. from dramatic rain storms to bright sun, from softest hugs to the tightest emotional tension.
abundance is amplified. relationships are magnified, including the weak spots. it is intense to say the least.
the best part? my sales were wonderful. i am thrilled! and now my dry cup is refilled, i can breathe easier for a while. hopefully that while is long enough to really catch my breath, deeply heal my body and nurture my business in ways that will ensure strong growth.
let's put our positive intention there, shall we?
another best part? the wonderful women i connected with. such a sweet outpouring of love and support. i was shocked at the number of women that had been lurking here on this blog and other places where i have written about the turnip. they approached me with such soft energy, such a steady understanding and so much compassion. i felt my circle expand, stretch to into new places and hold me perfectly. wow. i am so thankful for the gift of those smiles, soft hugs and generous purchases. thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!
i feel the wheel turning, slowly gaining speed. there is a shift coming in me, in my broken body and hurting heart. healing. true healing is on the horizon. i can almost see it. i feel newly hopeful for that, even as i survey the wreckage of what this last few weeks has brought. my heel is worse, way worse. it's forcing me to rest. damn. there's that pesky silver lining. i am looking at it, appreciating it. my arms are aching, i want to write and write, but i know it's not the best choice for my body.
i'm taking a break from the studio, i have to. next week, all rest. i plan on doing some nesting in my apartment. maybe a trip to ikea, some simple items for some simple organizing.
i'm very glad to have this event behind me. and even more glad to have this future before me.
just the shortest of posts to say: i'm off to the woods for 8 days. the big craft fair i mentioned is upon me now, my plane takes off early sunday morning. so i must get to bed.
my internet was down for long periods this week, so i intended to write here, but was thwarted each time i tried, and now have simply run out of time.
but i will tell you all that i am much better than i was at my last post. your comments and encouragement was so heartening, thank-you. i am feeling calmer and happier in spirit, although the body is still failing me right and left. my heel is so more pain than it has been in a month, with all my rushing around getting ready. simply too many hours on my feet. it doesn't take much to make things worse in the area.
i'll be back next week and hopefully with lots of good stories from the event. fingers crossed for record sales and great weather.
til then~
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