{this photo is of the store right after we moved it to its new location. not everything in place yet, but you get the idea}

for a little over five years, i worked my butt off for my dream.  there were days when i would come home drained and totally not in love any more with the dream.  retail is a tough business, especially for small independent owners.  you are everything in the business: sales person, bookkeeper, buyer, manager, marketing dept., and yes, janitor.  i had two wonderful gals that worked for me who were one hundred percent loyal, capable, and fun to be around.  that doesn't often happen, and i know how blessed i was to have them. 

{i think this picture was taken the first day we were opened in our new location.  still working it out}

i opened the store in one location in austin, and moved it two years later to another location in hopes of taking the business to the level at which i had originally imagined.  the move, new location and customer base, brought a flood of new challenges and demands on my time.  during all of this, my husband was building our other business.  we came together each evening exhausted, but full of hope for each of our endeavors.  my son was also growing up during these years, entering middle school and becoming a young man.  times were tough for us for many reasons, and i began to lose sight of the fact that i had achieved my dream.  i began to resent it.  how it tied me down, required my constant attention, left me feeling spent.  what had happened to the blissful pictures i had painted in my day dreams?

{one of the ads i conceived, styled and shot. then put together by a talented graphic designer}

as the months wore on, circumstances beyond our control started to crash my party.  i lost my joy for the store, not because of the store itself or the work in running it, but due to the stress of outside forces.  the husband and i began to discuss letting it go.  it was always completely my decision.  he never insisted i do so.  in fact, he would have done anything to help me continue to make it work.  it quite simply had become a nightmare, no longer a dream. 

so, in march of 2007 i sold my store.  i let go of that dream.  it was at the time, a relief, but so bittersweet.  before opening the store, i truly had never felt that accomplished.  sure, i had graduated from college, become a mother and found the perfect man, but on a deeply personal level, just didn't feel like i had much to show for all my smarts.  the store changed all that.  i now had a tangible statement of success.  or so i thought.  when i let it go, i looked at it as yet another failure, something i just couldn't make work. 

but here is what i've come to realize over the last three years - i was a success.  i achieved my dream. i set my sights on something i wanted, and although it took years to get there, i got there!  and, my dream wasn't taken from me, i let it go voluntarily.   i stepped once again into the unknown, outside my comfort zone.  although i didn't know at the time, i was allowing myself to move forward towards my next dreams.  yes dreams, plural.  for so long i had one dream, to own a boutique.  today, i have many dreams for the life i want to live.  i am completely, with all of my heart grateful for the experience, for the dream that came true.  it is huge part of who i am today and taught me much about where i want to go. about how to achieve that next big dream. 

never give up on the dreams you have.  and once you achieve them, if they someday go away, know that it is the way it should be. that it only means there is now room for more dreams to come true. 

plus, i know his granny visits often, so this is a way to share with her.  she's proud too!

{images by wendy thompson}

when i think of spring, i think mostly of flowers.  and this chair fits nicely with the idea of spring, don't you think?  i'm not always a fan of floral upholstered furniture, as i think it can quickly become old to those that see it everyday.  however, the fabric on this chair with its shades of gray, make it a little less in your face botanical.

you know, it's funny that i feel this way about floral fabrics on furniture, but don't feel the same about flora artwork, pillows with floral prints, or wallpapers.  i'll have to give this one some more thought.  what about you, do you like floral upholstered furniture? 

{image: downtown20.net}

i had lunch with one of my best friends, and it is just what the doctor ordered.  thanks mary anna.   :)

then, on my way home i decided i wanted to spend more time outdoors so i stopped by lowes and picked up some plants for the garden and these cute little succulents.  i've been wanting to put together a little succulent pot for the past couple of weeks.  i found some online that you order in kit and assemble when you get them, but again, just hadn't gotten around to ordering.  while at lowes i came across their display of succulents and just went for it.  i'm very pleased how it turned out.  it now lives by the window in our office.  a little living green to keep me connected to nature while i toil away in autocad. 

{image: ann marie}

         {Mudpuppy}

then came this painting.  i'm drawn to all things geometric, graphic and color saturated.  so naturally, my eye jumped on this one.

        {Polymorphia}

and then, a painting by an artist who's work i've admired for a long time, leah giberson.  not only are the colors in this painting brilliant, but the subject, and airstream, is a dream of mine.  the husband and i have been searching for an old airstream to buy and refurbish so we can take off and see America. 

         {Leah Giberson}

if, like me, you haven't been exposed to supermarket, then go get exposed! (in a decent sort of way, of course).

source: japanesebath.com

this last one is my fave. so tailored, so sleek, so wonderful!  no matter the style, i think a sofa has to be curl up worthy. as in, curl up to watch your favorite movie or read a book worthy.  a new sofa isn't high on our list right now, so until then i'll just admire the one's above. 

{images: usona}

i hope everyone's weekend was wonderful. mine was. i had lunch on saturday with my niece katy which was so nice.  always happy to spend time with her.  i also went to half price books on saturday in hopes of finding some interior design books i want but that are not longer in print.  no such luck.  i did however, find three old MAD magazines from the 1970's with movie spoof covers - star wars, planet of the apes, and jaws.  do you remember this crazy, politically incorrect magazine? my brother jack loved it.

all three of the movies came out when i was a young kid and i remember them fondly.  my aunt bernice was visiting when jaws was new to the theaters and wanted to see it, so she took me with her.  {it scared the crap out of both of us!}  the three covers look great together, not only sharing a movie theme, but also in their similar colors. so, i decided they would look great framed and on one of my walls.  the hubby and i really like "art" of this nature.  we are toying with the idea of remodeling our laundry room (it needs it soooo badly) and this is where i want to hang these pictures.  how about you, do you like to use old magazine covers as artwork for your walls?

with inspiration like this from the likes of designers like stefan, the sky's the limit.  please visit stefan's website at www.theapt.com. 

{unfortunately, i don't have a websire for mr. starostin. i found these his work uploaded to a general design site, but no contact info was available for him. }