Dreams… A glimpse of my creative journey

WARNING: 

May Need a Cup Of Coffee.

I am a BIG dreamer so bear with me… this is long!! 

I write this to get some recent feelings out and maybe you will get to know me a little better at the same time.

Some great bloggers have recently had discussions about dreams and it got me thinking about my journey and where I’m at now…  well actually, I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time.

I not only dream of a creative place to hang my hat, but the creative career that would get me there.

My struggle has always been…

“what do I want to do/be when I grow up?”

 

BACKGROUND

I have always been an artist… pretty much since I could walk!

 

Apparently a self portrait in kindergarten… I guess I didn’t know that eyelashes went on your eye lids and not your pupils!

 

Thanks to mom for keeping these for me… humble beginnings! LOL!

And in elementary school, if there was an art contest… you bet I entered it!

But the actual dream of going to an exclusive art college and being a fine artist began to manifest itself when I was in high school.

I use to sit in my room for hours drawing/sketching famous people, models and fashion figures…

These are some of my drawings from my teen years.

Can you guess who the lady is on the left?

But due to financing,  I ended up at a local university in the early nineties (pre-internet) and a first year art student…

only to hear professors tell their students… be prepared that this may just be a hobby in life. 

Well…that scared me!  Why would I spend all this money and major in a hobby?

So I changed to another university (a big one),

changed my major

and graduated in business (retail concentration).

My only artistic accomplishment in college were these… along with some commissioned portraits:

       

Commissioned Calendar Covers

POST COLLEGE

JOBS:  The desire was to work in retail… but not management…

I wanted a more creative role… display/merchandising.

 

 

(some of my work)

Got that job… but it wasn’t enough to pay the bills (not even visual management)… I had to take a second job in a library.

Working in visual display/merchandising was a very creative time for me and I was blessed to have been surrounded with very talented, creative people.

This is one of them.

Kelly…

    (1999…  all I can say is what was I thinking with my bangs?? LOL!)

Kelly was/is a very talented and creative jewel.  She was our regional director and my creative mentor (one I will never forget)… I was honored when she chose me (along with the best of the best) to travel and set up new stores.

I still have this email she sent me when I left that job for another company…  it meant alot…

(obviously because I still have it)!

In fact, talk about dreams… I found out years later Kelly went on to be a host for a DIY Network Show “Material Girls”.

And then she and the other hosts wrote a book! 

I’m not surprised… so creative!

So, I eventually had to leave the field of display for a more financially fit (but not physically fit) job…a desk job (the beginning of weight gain.. lol)!  I took a full time job in the library and worked in the children’s department.

Here I am… dressed up as Cool Cat for our summer reading program. LOL!

And then life and marriage happened.

One day, however, I found my second dream job… A photo stylist for a new online store launched by TJX (parent company of TJ Maxx and HomeGoods).

They picked my city for a studio and shipping warehouse location.  I applied and I was hired as freelance.  And this time the pay was there!

But after a year and half and a new CEO who didn’t want to sell online, our studio and the website was shut down.

DREAM JOB OVER… 2005!

All that said… I feel like I have been lost ever since (career wise… and dream wise… I’m all over the place). 

A couple of years later, I thought I would try my hand at selling whimsical folk paintings online.  I started in 2007 (right before a bad economy).

        

It was exciting but it wasn’t very profitable to begin with and then we hit a recession… my sales dropped and I got discouraged.  Another failed attempt at following the dream to create.

Now, I am trying my hand at DIY creations mainly as a hobby and for some decor around my house…

But I gotta say… all these recent creations of mine and linky parties that I participate have brought back those wonderful feelings of when I worked with Kelly and all those creative people. 

A good feeling I haven’t felt in a long time!

 

Will my creations or my blog ever lead anywhere? 

I don’t know. 

What’s my dream? 

I have lots of them…

but overall,

  I just want to create…

(and get paid to do it)!

:)

Here are just a few of my “dreams” I’m going to share right now (gulp)…

1)  Work on a creative team for a magazine/book/website.

2)  Renovate and flip a house

3)  Sell my creations

4)  Create an inspirational blog full of creativity

OK… There you go! It’s out there.

I wrote ‘em down and made ‘em public!

I do, however,  remain in prayer knowing The Lord (The Ultimate Creator) has a plan for my life.  I trust He will reveal to me where He wants me to be and what He wants me to do at the right time.

So… this is my ongoing journey/story. 

Are you trying to pursue your dreams?

Where are you at in your journey?

P.S.

I just want to say thank you…

Thank you to all who visit my blog… it means so much to me! I love all your comments and feel so honored because you take the time to read my silly posts and look at my creations.

Thanks you so much!! :)