Back to what I love

What a week it's been, guys! After the sale last week I've been drowning in a sea of inquiries about the pieces remaining. I have every available piece posted on Craigslist, Etsy, and here on the blog. After trying my best to answer around 70 emails between Monday and Tuesday, I decided to close my computer on Wednesday and treat myself to some paint therapy.

Sweet French country accent table - so much storage!

 Everything changed. All my anxiety about responding to the magnitude of emails. My frustration about what didn't sell. My discouragement. It all got swept away, brush stroke, by brush stroke. That's love, guys.:)

SOLD

My first and foremost day, (and night), job is being the best Momma I can possibly be to our three little ones. And that doesn't leave a whole lot of extra time! (And I still fall short of what my kids deserve every day - so grateful for Jesus' generous grace and my children's forgiving hearts). So, when I do have open time, (when the kids are napping), I prefer to use that part of my day to paint rather than work on business related matters. But, the truth is - that isn't reality. My beloved pieces won't sell themselves, at least not literally. This line of work needs to be a balance of business and creativity. And since I am the only person running this business, I have to work just as hard at selling my pieces as creating them. Selling is hard. It's time consuming. It can be discouraging. But, as a wise gal who also does this line of work recently reminded me, you gotta have faith. I'm currently harboring 9 amazing pieces in our garage until the right people come along to claim them, one by one. I have faith that this will happen. Maybe not this week, maybe not next week, but I have faith that they will sell. They always do at some point in time. I will continue advertising my pieces, responding to inquiries and setting appointments, but there will be no more worrying about it. It's too heavy a load for me to bear and I don't need that. Who does?! In the mean time, I've got some projects lined up for our own home that excite me beyond measure. What's new? :)

"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not yet seen" Hebrews 11:1

I try to be pretty open and honest about my business, (for better or worse), and myself. So far I've received nothing but support and encouragement and for that I am so grateful. 

And thanks to you for reading!

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.

Imagination to reality

We are days away from the May 4 sale and just last night Matt and I cleared out all the toys and some lawn equipment from the garage so I can begin setting up the space as a showroom. As I uncovered finished pieces that have been hiding under the protection of sheets and plastic, I looked around at the products of my labor and just felt incredible.

First peek of this 7-drawer dresser in a custom mixed soft green, homemade leather drawer pulls from an old belt

Completing any task these days feels like an accomplishment. My three dear young ones, (3, 3, and 2), are on my heels all day, except when they are asleep. I tried to sneak in a shower recently while they seemed occupied watching Doc McStuffins, only to see all three of their faces as they pulled the shower curtain aside, holding a plastic teapot in front of me, asking if we could have a tea party. In the shower.

Being patient during yet another run to Home Depot, (with a stop to the playground promised afterward)

This attention intensive phase of life is a true adventure, to say the least. Creating in our garage is less about having an outlet from all things 'Mommy', and more about the desire to simply be creative. Our home is filled with 3 very wild imaginations. In the transition from kid to adult I'd forgotten how much fun it is to imagine and use the creative part of my brain. I am so grateful to have these precious kids reminding me how to imagine. Each piece of furniture that I makeover is a physical extension of me and my imagination.

My vision of what the ordinary tv tray table could be

My style is rustic

with a bit of sparkle.

Unique,

and detailed.

 I believe that small pieces have as much impact as large.

And that not everyone wants to fill their home with white, cream, and grey;

-though I use a lot of those, too, (and they never get old)

I can see myself in each piece - my imagination, style and work. And it just makes sense.

*Which is refreshing, because sometimes toddlers are quite hard to understand! :)

~Every piece in this post will be available this Saturday, May 4~

10am - 2pm

Herndon, VA 

-email me at chelseasgarage@gmail.com for the address! I'd love to see you there!

Please see the previous post for more photos of available pieces.

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.