And so it begins....

Internet, I used to be a florist. This ended for me the Tuesday before Halloween, when, after working a perfectly normal Monday, my boss called to tell me that he was shutting us down. This was a little traumatic to me because I actually really *loved* my job, and was planning on staying there forever.

You see, I was the weddings and events coordinator for a small, independent, modern, high end floral shoppe. We didn't do silks, use plastic vases, or do teleflora orders. I was the only full time employee, and got to do the daily ordering for the shoppe, deciding what ribbon, flowers and vases we would use, besides personally handling weddings, from consulting the brides to estimating their costs, to their orders and finally the build and delivery. Divine, but stressful, and I didn't know anything before I started, only that I wanted this job the way you only want things you can't have. I felt like I had gotten dumped that Tuesday.

During my search for another full time job, I started picking up crafting again, determined that this unexpected downtime wouldn't be marked with depression and anxiety and inactivity. I decided to starting adding new things to my etsy shop, started having daylight hours to photograph, and sold a few things, for the first time in over a year.

Eventually, I got a part time job to tide over the bills, but the longer I was away from steady employment and a steady paycheck, the less and less I cared about going back to work full time. I haven't been so happy in years, you guys. I love not being at the same place every day, doing the same thing at the same time. I love that I can stay up late and then sleep in, forsaking an alarm clock. I love not wearing a uniform to work, or being on my feet all day, or having to smile when I'm tired and grumpy at folks who often don't return the favor. I love that I finally have time to do all the things that I want to do, instead of rushing home from work to cook and clean and catch up with friends and family and at the very last of all of that, sometimes I would have time to make the things that I dreampt of making. I'm not permanently frazzled, my house is clean, and I have time to make things. And that, my friends, is what I discover to be most important to me.

So here's the thing. I want to do this for a job, instead. I don't plan on it being easy, but I know that if worst comes to very worst, I can always go back to another florist, or find a job waiting tables. There are jobs out there, but I don't want them. I want this job. The way you want things you can't have, but the thing is, I found out before that sometimes fate gives you things that you don't deserve on merit, but that you will break your bones and work yourself bare for.

Wish me luck, and viva la etsy!
CH
design/labor for
tickledwhimsy.etsy.com