Time to start a blog

After a long period of contemplation, I’ve decided it’s time to hop on the blog bandwagon and start one for Mama. Mama has been plugging along at a turtle’s pace for the last 4 years, largely due to a lack of time on my part. It has been a labor of love and an exercise in patience, which I liken to watching my garden grow. Small victories here and there, but ultimately it moves at the indeterminate pace dictated by nature. In this case, the nature of my life. Like many determined women, my efforts to HAVE IT ALL are constantly doing battle with Father Time. I have a demanding full-time job and a DIY house renovation forever in progress, along with a husband, 4 pets, and the many other things of life. So Mama has taken a backseat for some time. This has been a frequent source of frustration, because it’s one of my very favorite things. I recently watched an Iconoclasts episode with Madeleine Albright, a woman I admire greatly, and she made a comment that really stuck with me: “I believe women can have everything, just not all at once.”

As these words have rolled around in my head, I’ve summed it up as, it comes down to priorities at different stages in life. Where my life is right now, the job is a necessity. And given the state of the economy, I’m very happy to have it. Our house is great, and I’m very happy to have it too. And the people and the places and the things in life are all important as well. So it all comes down to: where does Mama fit in? It hasn’t. So I’m fitting it in. Mama is becoming a top priority, because it’s really important to me, and I’m really REALLY ready to move it to the next level. Whatever that may be.

One of the exciting developments of my “Make Way for Mama” phase is that I am signing a lease on a workshop space. Throughout my residence at the Beehive Co-op, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of other designers with whom I share a lot in common. One of my Beehive cohorts, Mary from Felted Heart, just bought a building and Mama is going to rent some space from her. Mary, who is a designer of beautiful childrens’ clothes, has been a huge supporter and one of my best customers, and I’m so excited to be joining forces with her. I’m hoping to move in sometime in July. More on this as it progresses.

Since the handmade aspect is a big part of the appeal of my products, it has become evident that sharing the behind the scenes could be beneficial to its success. As well as fun and therapeutic for me. Which means it’s time to make time for a blog. And this brings me full circle.