hello two thousand sixteen!

happy new year!!    

I can't believe I've made it this far! When I first opened the shop, I was so excited but also so unsure of what the future would hold. I was confident in myself that with enough hard work, love and support that being successful wouldn't be too far out of reach. But I guess a part of me, in the back of my mind, still wondered if it was all really that feasible. Can I really do this long-term or is this just an exciting little journey I can enjoy for a while? Where will boxwood really be a year from now? just a happy memory? I think there is always a little tiny bit of doubt in the back of every small business owner's mind. I guess the key (it is for me anyway) is to continue to believe in yourself and your work... to constantly pat yourself on the back and give yourself encouragement through the hard days... to remind yourself how lucky you are to live out your dreams.

A lot has changed in the year though... none of which I have shared here. I opened the store at the beginning of February and spent nearly all my time there. I hosted some art openings, held a few fun classes, even a birthday party! But in the spring, an interesting opportunity presented itself. Anytime I visit my parents at home in Chattanooga, we always go down to the farmer's market on Sundays. Its always been my favorite weekend tradition... they have the best food trucks, flowers, music, activities, so many vendors you could spend hours there. I can't tell you how many times I've walked through that market wishing I could have a booth of my own. So finally, I applied for a space. I was accepted and started traveling to Chattanooga most weekends for the arts market at the aquarium on Saturdays and the big farmer's market on Sundays. I couldn't have been happier! I loved spending so much time outdoors and meeting so many people and making new friends with all the other vendors... I loved the community. I started to realize that as much as I enjoyed the shop, I was spending most of my days inside alone... sure, people would come in and I've made a few really dear friends from people just "stopping by to browse"... but I found I was so much happier at the farmer's market.

I know it sounds strange to trade in a beautiful brick and mortar for a 10x10ft pop up tent, but I'm so thankful I did. I decided in July that since I was packing up most of my shop to take for my booth and spending my busiest days, the weekend, closed and in another city that maybe I ought to consider closing the store permanently. I felt bad having to leave a sign on the locked door apologizing for any inconvenience... my hours became so unpredictable... I knew my priorities were shifting and I didn't want to give my sweet little shop a bad reputation because its owner was always off being a gypsy. I had a tough decision to make. I didn't have the means to hire any help, and since I was enjoying the markets so much, that as hard as it was imagining closing the store after such a short time, it was the right thing to do. I loved the store, I really did. I enjoyed being there and creating in that space, and I miss it all the time.... but I couldn't be any happier with my decision. I have the freedom now to travel anywhere, anytime, for any event. I've done markets and events all over Tennessee and even a few in Georgia and North Carolina! I spend most weekends in my spot at the farmer's market, but occasionally I'll spend a weekend at a music festival or an arts and crafts fair (or even once at a storytelling and junior YODELING competition)! Doing farmer's markets and events like that are so much fun and are always interesting, but having a job that depends so heavily on the weather isn't always easy, and wasn't something I worried so much about at the store! My new lifestyle has its own challenges, (like now, in the winter when the market is closed until April!) but I had a very successful first season and I'm counting down the days til we open back up! (only 107 more!)

But the most difficult part for me through everything this past year has been learning to balance my time. I spend the majority of it making things and being creative (which yes, is arguably the most important part since without the things I make I wouldn't have a business at all) but I've struggled to make the time for proper bookkeeping, keeping up with my etsy shop (its empty now, I know, I suck), making any posts on here at all, I forget I even have a facebook.... which are all vital to the health of my business! So my goals going into my second year are to work on balancing my time, to devote serious effort to having well kept books and records, to load up my etsy shop (especially for this winter break!), to make posts here more regularly and to try and remember I have a facebook page!

I suppose having your own business is always going to be an ongoing process of learning, adapting, overcoming and growing... it will always have its ups and downs... but boy, am I lucky to have it all.

I just thought I'd share a little bit of the journey from this past year and take a moment to thank you all for your continued support going into 2016... I can't wait to see what this year holds!!