What a short, strange trip this has been. I am an old pro at reading blogs. Writing a blog is very new for me. Thank you for being patient!
I am a workaholic. Back at my old job I frequently put in 80 hours a week and enjoyed the stress of working full time. After a few years, a marriage, and a child our family needed me to cut back on hours. My husband got a new job that required relocation and I jumped at the opportunity to be a full time mom. When my daughter turned school age there wasn’t a need for me to be home while she was gone so I got a part time job. I once again over three years started working more hours for more frustration. I needed to change and reduce the stress level again so I once again decided to stay home. But I was stagnate in life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, love my house, love my life but since I became a stay at home mom I felt I had lost my outlet for excess energy.
I decided to take a ceramics class at my local community college and found I wasn’t bad at throwing pottery. I was by no means good, but I liked having the title of “not bad”. I found it was a wonderful way to focus on just the movement and manipulation of the clay. I was able to forget about the stresses of life and just work with the clay and create something functional. I kept taking ceramics classes and pushing myself to go beyond the comfortable and strive for more artistic forms. I am still working to find that equilibrium of form and function; I enjoy the journey.
Soaping was something I watched on YouTube for years before I thought, “I can do that”. Soaping looked like another outlet for my increasing creativity. I started with what I thought was an easy project that turned out amazingly bad! Even though the final product wasn’t what I intended to make I loved the process. There is a science, chemistry, to soap making that I find familiar and soothing. I was hooked. Soon, I had a kitchen full of bars of soap and pottery. My amazing husband gently reminded me that my habit was taking over the house and I needed to stop or we would be drowning in clay and suds! What a way to go!
The Hubby suggested that maybe I could start selling some of my creations. So, I dove head first into the sales business. I had goals, tracking, sales, and a plan but no name. I stressed over a catchy name but the Hubby came to the rescue again. Since I was starting fresh in my creative life he came up with “Fresh Leaf Creations” and I was in love! Business has been steady and still fun! So I am bringing you along on my journey. Fasten your seat belts. Here we go!
Fresh Leaf Creations 