Accomplish

I'm slowly but surely on a good track to have a career that I actually enjoy. I am not the type of person to just settle for working in a cubicle; I've done it before, and I don't feel human and it just doesn't leave me feeling happy at the end of the day.

I have recently started working for a local shop, in St. John's, called Salty Teacup. The owners are a wonderful couple who just opened their shop in April of 2010. They sell a lot of cute art pieces from local artist, and sell original and upcycled clothing. I have been given some upcycled assignments from Karen, the owner, and I have really enjoyed making things that will actually be sold in a local store. That is something new for me. I think it is a great start, considering it was after my first term as an apparel design student that I started working for her.

**a lace dress that I upcycled for Salty Teacup**

One thing on my list of things to accomplish is to sell something I have created to a stranger. I have sold things to family and friends, and I have heard from close ones that they enjoy my work, but I want that from a stranger. They don't know me as a person, they just see something that I have made, and they either love it, like it, or hate it. Knowing that someone just looks at something that I have done and wants to pay me for it, is something that I haven't truly experienced since moving to Portland, until now.. :)

I dropped off some more work at Salty Teacup, and Karen was thrilled to tell me that she had placed a skirt that I had upcycled on the floor and it sold within that business day. It was a hideous 80s skirt that was then created into a tiered skirt with a few layers and tuille, and then I added some white lace to the all black skirt. It was cute, and I am glad that someone bought it. So I have accomplished that on my list...$10 saved for selling something to a stranger.

I am also going vegan for January. No dairy, no eggs, no honey...and like always no meat, which hasn't been difficult for the last eight years. On February 1st, that item will be accomplished. I think I will eat less dairy and eggs, and I don't eat honey unless it is baked into something, I use Agave nectar at my apartment for in tea or when baking something that calls for honey.

So this year may have started off lonely, sad, and even physically sick, but I am starting to accomplish things..which in turn fills my mind and helps me get through the sad lonely days.

peace.love.

beth