Forging Ahead
There have been many adventures in the She-Shed of late but the most exciting one is opening an Etsy shop. I had been thinking about it for a long time. Finally, one of my old friends, Julie, listened to all my ‘what if’ questions, and told me flat out to “Get over your fear of failure.” Real friends tell you the truth.
So now, I’ve built my Etsy Shop, www.gsstl.etsy.com, but will they come? For advice I reached out to another old friend, Doug, who has a very successful metallurgy business and Etsy shop called Lost & Forged. His input has been invaluable.
Doug transforms old metal objects, like silverware, into beautiful jewelry and works of art. It’s really cool and right up my alley! As you know, I’ve been known to frequent thrift stores and dive in a dumpster or two. I once bought a fur coat at Goodwill for $100 and relined it. Yes, that happened and I still wear it.
The very act of transforming the old into new, the ordinary into extraordinary, is my passion. I wasn’t necessarily lost in life but I do feel like I’ve found my “true” self. I didn’t even have to search very hard. I looked within, at my God-given talents, and to my friends and family for feedback and support. Sometimes, the things we seek are literally right in front of us. And in my case, my phone is usually in my hand as I look for it, but I digress…
Look around your house, your mind, your heart. Are you missing something? Are you yearning to forge ahead, to upcycle your life into a new direction? Trust me, as your friend I’ll tell you the truth: Stop worrying and just go for it! You might be surprised at the new creation that is already within the old you.
Please visit my Etsy shop: www.gsstl.etsy.com for fabulous, embroidered gifts. While you’re online, do yourself a favor and check out Doug’s work at www.lostandforged.com. And last but not least, the talented Julie writes the www.machineembroiderygeek.com blog and has two Etsy shops, www.MEmbroiderygeek.etsy.com and www.modpatcheyepatch.etsy.com.
See you on Etsy!
