Life Changes

There comes a time in your life that you "need" more. I'm not talking about material possessions but more of a purpose. I've spent 26 years being a mom and working various jobs. I even had a few of my own small business ventures. In 2006 I started lampworking and a few months later, I started a business knowing NOTHING about the glass business. I started importing glass from Germany and within the states. I started from nothing and I am proud to say, turned this into a very well known company. I'm in awe on how many people know who I am. It just blows me away.
But sometimes we come to a point in our life where we want more. Don't get me wrong. I love what I do and every single customer is pretty much a friend of mine. We can talk about tons of things. All of them have gotten me through some rough times and have made me laugh in the midst of a storm. For them, I am grateful for their support.

This economy has hurt many of them which makes me sad. Even the big glass companies are hurting so much that they are offering sales that I just cannot compete with. It's frustrating. I love my glass distributor and all the girls in the office but I still don't have to agree with some of their business practices. I understand cutbacks, sales, layoffs and such but to undercut your own vendors is just wrong to me. We spend tens of thousands of dollars with them through the year and it just doesn't make sense. It has sucked the joy out of lampworking, jewelry making and anything else that has to do with the art. That shouldn't happen.

As it gets worse, I've had time to think about life. I need more out of it. I want to give back to my community and to make a difference in someone's life. That to me is what life is about. That's what brings a person joy:-) Something I don't have right now. In fact, I feel like someone is just sucking my creativity out of me and I don't enjoy doing what I loved just a year ago. That will have to be something I work on this year. It also doesn't help when your stuff that your proud of, worked hard making isn't selling either. Again, the economy has taken a toll.

So for now, I've taken a part time job, I have started the process of volunteering at my hospital and have also applied for employment at my hospital. It's time to give back! I hope it's the beginning of a new chapter in my life and something that will make me smile again.

Flame Kissed Glass will still be open. I'm not ready to give it up but need to supplement it with something positive if that makes sense. It might just be what the dr. ordered.

I hope you'll follow me on this journey of finding myself again. Like alot of mom's out there, It's finding yourself after your kids don't need you anymore.

I thank all my customers for their business and the fact that they keep coming back. I promise you that I will do my best in maintaining the customer service that you are accustomed to. Please be patient with me for a little while, as I figure out how all this fits in.
I love you all!!!!

Insomnia

I really hate those nights where you just can't feel the peace you need to fall asleep. Here it is almost 2:30am and I'm restless. Maybe it would be a good time to torch? Knowing me, I'd probably then fall asleep as I was in the middle of melting glass and that wouldn't be a good thing. Instead, after 2 hours of fighting to fall asleep, I decided to come here and write.

Did you know that typing does wonders for an anxious mind? Anxiety needs all your focus. If you don't give it all, you can't be anxious. Have you ever noticed that you can't laugh when your crying, you can't be angry when you're in pain, you can't be anxious during those times either. You can't share two emotions at once. Alot of people that have anxiety have a rubber band around their wrist. Why? So when they start getting anxious feelings they can snap it. The pain from that shifts the mind to it and off of the anxiety. Sometime that is all a person needs to "Snap out of it" so to speak. Typing is the same way. Your mind is focusing on writing and concentrating on the keys you press so it distracts your mind from the anxiety.

When you really think about it, this is what life is. Distractions! Everyone does something else so they don't have to  think about the things they really don't want to. A bad thought enters the mind and off you go to do something to keep your mind busy. Some people count, some clean house, and me, well I just type. Like I said, sometimes it's all you need.

Now I am going to try and sleep again :-)

Is It Fall Yet?

I'm still waiting for the fall to sneak up on us in a delightful way. I know I'm dreaming but it would be nice to see some cooler weather for a few days and give us all a break. I've been trying to torch at night when it's cooler outside. Doesn't seem to help much. I can jump in the shower and then while my hair is still damp, hop on the torch. It helps for a little while.

I've been distracted alot lately. Family things going on here and there and I just feel overwhelmed with it all. I really could use a vacation but as you know I don't go many places anymore. Hard to go to a peaceful destination when you can't drive there.
But were working on it. In fact, I'm out the door to talk all these things out. Here's a bead set that I made though. Hope you like it. It's on ebay too!
Autumn Rainbow