My name is Anne. I am a recently single Mom. I've got six kids, all grown, but several still living at home.
I was a full-time Mom while my kids were younger, but went back to work part time as an Occupational Therapist a few years ago. Now my life is pouring through a funnel. Bigger house to smaller. Farm animals to just dogs and cats. And just recently I was able to add chickens back in (yay!) Six kids at home to edging towards empty nest.
And so now I'm starting to get back to doing what I love, which is to create. Sometimes that means I'm sewing up some pillows, sometimes it's me painting a sign on some barn wood from my barn that I've cleaned up and cut, and sanded down to what it is I'm looking for. Or I'm turning a piece that I've found at a thrift shop or yard sale over in my hands and in my mind, trying to figure out exactly what it's supposed to be. Which is kind of like parenting, now that I think of it. Trying to find the beauty and the voice and the spirit of the materials before me.
So now for some fun bullet points...
Hates
Getting stuck creatively.
Driving at night in the rain.
Rejection.
Cooking.
Cooking.
Cooking.
Loves
Thrifting.
Creating.
Dogs, cats, horses, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, chickens, bunnies. All of which I've had, but currently only dogs and cats. And chickens.
That rustic farmhouse thing.
Rain. Snow. Sunny days. Fall. The beach. The mountains. Farmstands.
Solitude.
Reading.
My friends. My family. Laughing.
Coffee. Wine. Waffles.
One of my biggest loves? Hearing that people like what I've created. Getting positive feedback on something I've written or painted or just put together in my own style, it just doesn't get much better than that. Unless maybe there's a paycheck involved.
So I hope that I can pique your interest. I would love for you to return, or maybe add me to your blog list, or subscribe. Because this blog will be a journey. It will be an awakening. And it would be great to have you here cheering me on as I figure it all out.
Love the way you think and create, Anne. Can't wait to follow you on your journey.
ReplyDeleteThanks, GG! So glad to have you here.
DeleteI love your creations - I could see them working well in a small bungalow on the beach somewhere. I like the style. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you Chuck! That's what I'm going for, so it makes me very happy that that is what you see. Thanks again!
DeleteWow, so much change going on for you! Sounds like you have decided to embrace it rather than hide from it and so I say bravo for you! I was once a single mother after 20 years of marriage and I know the struggles you face, but also remember how great it was to be my own person again. Will be cheering you on Anne.
ReplyDeleteYes, for me, we separated at about 26 years of marriage. Very, very difficult, but now I love my life! It's a far cry from perfect, but I'm so much happier than I was. Thanks for being my cheerleader!
DeleteMy goodness! How on earth do you find time to create with so much to do at home?
ReplyDeleteKeep at it! :)
Thanks, Zefi! Active hands make for a sane mind. That's all I can think of, lol! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteHi Anne, Thank you for sharing so much about you with on this about section. I too hate cleaning poop, ha, ha! I came to say hello, you stopped by my blog today and I wanted to say thank you! I'm looking forward to poking around and getting to know even more about your ever evolving life. Sounds like a lot of big changes but it looks like your embracing things, I'm happy for you, thanks for inviting me over!
ReplyDeleteThat's it, right there, Carmen: embracing things. That's exactly what I'm doing, and I love it! So glad to have you here "poking around". Come on over anytime!
ReplyDeleteAm so happy for you Anne to hear you are on your feet and enjoying your life. Great lessons for your kids to see how their Mom handles hard situations. Not easy to pick yourself up and move on.
ReplyDeleteAltho I have been married to hubs for almost 48 yrs, have had to learn much about myself and how to not let him run over me, to be my own person. After way I was raised that's not easy but I keep working on it. He doesn't like it when I assert myself but that's his problem as his behavior caused me to stand up for myself. That's why my generation is called "sandwich generation". We're stuck between new ways/ideas and old and some people won't get their minds into new ways, in my case, hubs.
One thing that helped me was living in San Diego, CA. Not long before we moved away from S.D. in 1992 there were all kinds of seminars, lectures, whatever they called them, on how women can learn who they are, how to know their rights as women. Boy did I ever learn a lot. Was sure what I needed to get a backbone. I was 50 by then so it really opened my eyes.
Am 76 now so hope you won't feel am too old to understand your generation. I have 4 kids, oldest and youngest are "girls", 56 and 46. Two "boys" in middle, 53 and 52. I was divorced for couple years then married hubs. Yeah he tookme on with 3 small children.
Is that your shop in photo on sidebar? Oxford Odds and Ends? If so would love to be able to spend time browsing. What general area do you live in? I live about 18 miles west of Grand Junction, CO out in rural area.
Loved seeing some of your projects, look forward to seeing many more. Hope to get to know each other. Hope you have wonderful weekend
Wow. Thanks so much for your wonderful letter, your words of encouragement, and the warm advice from someone who has been through it. I LOVE that you started going to lectures and classes to learn more about yourself and your rights and how to assert yourself. I've had a similar path for my second "coming of age" period in my life. I'm much happier now than I have been in a long time. As for where my shop is, I'm afraid I'm across the country from you on the east coast. PA. Amish country. If you're ever out this way, you MUST give me a shout and we can do some visitin'! If you'd like a better way to reach me, you can email me at birdsong.bits@yahoo.com, or private message me on my Facebook page: Birdsong Bits and Pieces. Hope to chat with you again!
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