I am back and could not stay away for too long!

Back in the beginning of February, I announced that my business was on a permanent hiatus until I hit retirement, in 5 - 10 years.

I couldn’t be gone that long. My true center of life is creating. I worked extremely hard at a corporate job for 6 months and this Friday will be my last day. I felt like I was in boot-camp and I was away from home almost 12 hours each day. It was an exciting time to commute by bus into Bellevue every day. I enjoyed what I did for a while but the job was so taxing on my body, spirit and creativity.

I’ve had special orders from some of my customers during this “hiatus” of mine, but beginning on Saturday, 15th September, I will be back.

I’ll be preparing for my two shows in the beginning of October, the first and second weekends. My first show will be in Bend, Oregon and the second will be in Sedona, Arizona. I will not rush back home, hopefully, but head east towards New Mexico and check that out. I spent a very short time in New Mexico years ago. Essentially, visiting only one museum in Santa Fe and then continuing on, driving and driving, moving along to the next place.

Over these months, I have contemplated why my business has not done well. I can blame it partially on the pandemic and financial responsibilities that came up in the past. When I first started my jewelry business full-time, I was in a relationship where I only had to pay half of all of the mortgage and bills. This helped tremendously.

I look forward to this journey ahead of me, again, and don’t know how long I can continue in my present circumstances. I live in an expensive area, my condo mortgage is due every month and my HOA dues have almost doubled in 8 years. Utilities have gone up as well as grocery prices and everything else.

I may have to move away from my condo. I have considered this possibility often in the past years. Moving to another state that is closer to the art shows I attend every year. Closer to the center of the United States. Moving into a place where I can afford to live comfortably without the high overhead costs of living in the Pacific Northwest.

Stay tuned to find out what I may do in the future. I don’t even know…

September 8, 2024

My Website is back up!

Hello Everyone!

My website is back up and running after a 5-month hiatus. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Everey day seems to be passing by so quickly, especially with this new job I have at Amazon.

Next week, on Wednesday, my RAV4 will be packed and ready for a drive over to Bozeman, Montana for the Sweet Pea Festival which takes place the first Friday-Sunday of every August. This will be their 47th year.

I am excited that my sister, Kathy will be joining me over the weekend. She will be flying in and we will meet in Butte. This is the city where my Mother was born.

Since I shut down my website in February, I found a full-time job which takes me into Bellevue, which is only about 22 miles away but I take the bus from the Park & Ride near my condo. Every day on the bus, I’ve been writing my Morning Pages which I’ve been doing now for ages. Since I have so much time on the bus during my commute, I try to take care of the things I can do on the bus.

I keep on trying to make comebacks over the years, and then get kicked back into a “regular” job. Its fine, I cannot complain since being a jewelry artist is my dream job right now and I feel so grateful that I have been able to travel all over the western United States and visit so many beautiful places and meet some new friends along the way.

No shows are scheduled for me in September. I am waitlisted for Mill Valley in California, but I am not holding my breath on receiving a phone call that I have been called from the waitlist. This has never happened. This is a show I heard about many years ago and I have applied several times over the years and never have attended.

That’s fine because I will have two art shows in October, the first one is in Bend, Oregon. The Bend Fall Festival.

After Bend, I’ll head southwest towards Sedona, Arizona! YES!! This is my favorite place in Arizona. This is a very spiritual place for me and as soon as I drive into Sedona City Limits, I can feel myself relax and know that I am in the right place. Plenty of hiking and visual beauty surrounds this gem just north of Phoenix.

Hope to see you at one of the shows! Be Safe and Be Healthy.

Susie

27 June 2024