The Evolution of My Tiny Shop

  This little shop of mine has been my " happy place " since 2016; when I think about it I can't believe how fast time has gone by. And when I look back its hard to believe how much the shop has evolved. It always makes me stop and think; how/when did all of these changes happen? I have always thought that having a business was like having a child, and this little baby of mine is blossoming into a colorful toddler!! You know how with a child you often find yourself wondering how it grew to be so big? Or how much you have changed right along with them? Four year later now,  and there have been so many changes in the shop. It started out with me having a teeny-tiny area for my things as one of the vendors. Then the owner left, and I stepped in to take care of the shop. It slowly went from having vendors, to having artisans instead. Just like that it turned into a whole new environment to shop in. The shop soon grew with all of the artisans and their beautiful creations. All the while more and more of my painted pieces made it onto the floor, right along with the paint I used to create them with!  But if I was to have paint, then I was going to need accessories to go with it. And if you ever read " If you Give a Mouse a Cookie " then you know exactly what I am talking about!!

  Then the pandemic swept through, and I believe that was the catalyst for the most change in my shop. By the time I re-opened ( I was closed for almost three months ) Most of the artisans were no longer a part of the shop. Now more of MY art is on display than ever before !! From my blended painted furniture to the new artsy wall, the store is now more of my happy place then ever before!  The shop has grown with new products like clothing, jewelry, organic facial products, and even shoes!! In short it is filled with more of the things that I love and created.I think the shop was wonderful the way it was before, but it wasn't quite right. Just not entirely who I am.

   Things in the shop are things that make me happy and that make me smile, and I hope it does the same for those who walk through its doors. My mother said to me just the other day " Andrea, do you know how far you've come, just how much this store has changed? It looks like a boutique now!". I don't think I had thought about that or even noticed the changes until she mentioned it to me. But now I can see it!! Just like with my children, there are moments where I just have to sit back and look to appreciate the changes that they have gone through. And I can't wait to see what happens next!!