it's been a journey

It really all started last summer with this: " May I ask who is the artist who did the heart piece? " comment on flickr under this photo. I also did a similar gold heart for my friend's wedding and they loved it. Like many people I thought that this might make a good hobby and I could sell a couple of pictures a week, enjoy myself and make a little money. Late October I stared selling on etsy. I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do or how I wanted to do it and played with paper a lot.

Then I joined a UK site Not On The High Street and sales stared to come in. I suddenly became really busy and excited before Christmas. A few people blogged about me and I felt really grateful and happy. Just before Valentines Holly from decor8 chose my shop fro her 'Etsy Take Five Tuesdays' and I was delighted what she said about my pictures " Don’t these look like something you’d find in some amazing London flat in Livingetc magazine or something? Love these."

Etsy shop was getting busier and busier and when I saw this photo on Design Sponge house tour I was almost ecstatic.

Just after that I was contacted by Real Simple editor and asked if I would like to contribute in their Summer Gift Guide. Great! But no one prepared me for full page spread and hundreds and hundreds of orders. Not such a long time ago I told you I just made picture no. 350, now its almost 800. I have two part time helpers, sleep little but I am still happy and excited. So why am I saying all this?

I doubted for a long time if what I was doing was worthy, almost asking why so many people like it so much? slowly growing in confidence and more in love in what I do. And I do feel proud.

Like everyone who works and brings a little child up together I feel often very guilty. But emails and notes from customers make it all worthwhile. I still remember one of the first one I received. ....

" I have just finished work, opened your parcel and had to email you straight away. Let me set the scene..... The parcel looked so inviting being huge and wrapped in brown paper with MY name on, So I put a xmas CD on, poured a glass of vintage port( i know its early but its Friday!)and took a deep breath and started cutting. You had wrapped them so well that each one felt like a separate gift. I LOVE THEM!! each one is equally as gorgeous as the last. My daughters adored them too and my eldest(8)declared "That is it Mummy, i am definitely going to be an artist, rather than a florist, as i want to make things as beautiful as these" what better accolade does a person need:) Thank you again for sharing your talent with us. "

I don't normally write too much about sarah & bendrix here but I felt it's time. Its now huge part of my life and this is in the end " few things from my life". I also realize my posts here are getting more and more random, so I have a plan. From now on I will be posting only on Tuesdays. It might be a one long post, few posts, but only once a week. About me, interesting people or places. Much better, one doze a week. Thank you for reading and see you on Tuesday!