It's kind of a special day...
Six months ago today I started this blog. OK - not exactly momentous... but I did want to mark the day in some way. I've truly enjoyed working on this blog. It's opened up (or should I say... kept open) a creative side of me which is important, and which I sometimes feel is lacking in my day-to-day life.
I used to make candles for a living. Yes, you read that correctly. For four years I was a full-time candlemaker. Hand-poured pillar candles were my specialty. I sold them online, at arts & craft festivals, and in some shops and spas. I was living in South Florida at the time, so my biggest account was actually a customer in the Bahamas. I would drop off approximately 1,400 pounds of hand-poured pillar candles at the port of Miami each time he ordered, my hands bruised and dyed blue, completely and utterly exhausted after weeks of work. And it was a lot of work. A lot. But I was able to use my imagination and creativity (almost) every day. For a living.
Eventually though, I became completely burned out by it. I ended up going back to the "business" world about five years ago, and I now spend my days at my computer working on PowerPoint, Excel and Word - instead of stirring melted wax all day, and playing with colors and scent.
Don't get me wrong, I really do love my life now. I work with some amazing clients, and I learn something new every single day. I am very fulfilled both personally and professionally.
And honestly, I don't miss candlemaking a bit - the stress of getting orders out, and the frustration I felt when a candle didn't come out perfectly after hours of work... it was all a bit much after a while. (In hindsight, I've come to the realization that my perfectionism did not meld well with that type of work. I was nearly driven insane. :)
But - I DO miss being creative, and making beautiful things with my own two hands on a daily basis.
So that's why this blog has become important to me. It's a great reminder that I need to stay creative - find interesting projects to do and actually finish them. (Easier said than done!) Also that I need to stop and appreciate the beautiful things around me... be it some pretty flowers, a sunset, or just a long walk with Patrick.
Speaking of Patrick... I wanted to share this snap my hubby took on Sunday. We went for a long, early evening walk with him. We kind of had a lazy weekend, so the poor pup was going a bit stir crazy. He was so excited to be out and about.
I just love how the shot turned out... so much movement - like you can actually see Patrick trotting along with a smile on his face and his tail wagging. :)
