Just breathe

Well, I really don't have time to be blogging, but....I find writing therapeutic when I don't have energy to paint, and no one has bought me an adult colouring book yet, so I will write.....Its December, so you can probably relate....a few too many items on your "to do" list and a lot of wishes and expectations of what this month and and Christmas will bring.  This is our first Christmas season in our shop and we are feeling all sorts of things from excitement, to wishfulness,rushed and tired to joy, to pressure, then creative and fun the next minute and then the next overflowing with.... gratitude!....

We wish we had more hours in the day...we struggle to find the balance of priorities between keeping our shop pretty and stocked with clothing and treasures, and dreaming for the future,  yet paying all our bills and balancing our budget.... hosting workshops for you-our lovely customers- at times that work for as many of you as we can,  and our top priority, caring for our children. We have 6 of them, plus 2 international students, who all come with their own schedules for music concerts, sports tournaments, youth groups, school functions and food....and they seem to need to eat..(.quite regularly;)...and this requires time for us to grocery shop and cook....who wants to be doing that when they could be painting snowflakes on pallet wood?

  But  we are overflowing with gratitude every day for YOU!  Many of you come in and exclaim how much you love things we have curated, you "like" our photos, some of you have ordered online... from Pittsburgh, Illinois, Florida, Ontario and emailed, shared your stories with us. Things we love fill your homes, are worn to your parties or workplaces or will fill your child's stocking...what an honour for us! You are patient with our newbie mistakes, when stock of Grace and Lace runs out or when the parking is tight and the puddles are deep. You make us laugh and keep us inspired to find things that speak to us, and hopefully to you and reflect our Island-ish values.

Tomorrow night is our first Christmas open house, we can't wait to have time, in the evening, to simply mingle, laugh and enjoy a few moments of this season together.  As we get deeper into the crazy days of December, driving in miserable weather, planning gatherings with in laws, stretching our dollars to get that much wished for item....lets take time to breathe our island air, put on a pair of rubber boots and a cozy sweater and walk at Neck Point, even in the rain, enjoy the  fleeting moments with children or grandparents,, take time to do something that makes us feel centered, remember why we do Christmas....remember to love the people we call our "loved ones" and to be loved in return.  Thank you for being a part of our Island-ish journey that we hope has many more adventures in the years to come.