The Tiniest Dumb Bedroom, Ever.

Okay, I know I should be writing about what has changed in the last few days since I made the jump to self-employed, and I will, I promise.  But first I just have to share a little home rehab I sucessfully conquered.  

So I have the tiniest bedroom, ever. Apparently back in 1925 people were A) very short, and B) equally tiny in circumference.  The upstairs of my bungalow boasts some claustrophobic 7-foot ceilings, and three very cozy bedrooms.  Since moving in last year I have struggled with what to do to make my space comforting (or at least bearable).  Infamous gray walls, typical white linens, crappy Berber carpet...ugh.  In fact, I was so blah about it, I didn't even bother to jazz up my bed in the below picture. Hello college dorm room! Ha.

In theory it would have made sense to keep the walls a light color since the rooms are lacking in, well, pretty much everything.  But for the past few months I've been obsessed with the combination of a dark, smokey green and yellow. (If you hop over to my Pinterest, you'll see what I mean.) 

So I went for it.  And I'm SO glad I did.

 

But here's the trick that I'm really excited about.  I wanted to transform the room out of its box shape.  ( I knew the dark walls would only accentuate the room's squareness.)  So I took the darker of the two greens and made the window wall stand out by painting the color up onto the ceiling into a peak, and also out onto the side walls at an angle.  This instantly tricks the eye to make the room feel bigger.  Kinda crazy how it works, actually.  Then I continued by painting a green just a few shades lighter on the side walls, and taking it up on to the ceiling 12 inches as well.  It no longer feels like a creepy closetbox, and instead reminds me of a cuddly winter cabin.  Too bad it's still 90 degrees outside. 

The linens gotta go, but since I'm on a budget, this will have to do for now...

 

Sink or Swim : I Quit My Day Job!

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified."

"Well then you're doing the right thing.  And you'll always kick yourself in the ass if you don't do it."

Such reassuring words couldn't have come at a better time.  In fact, I can't get enough of them here lately as the date approaches.  The date next Thursday when I'll get my final payroll check.  The date I've chosen to forfeit paid time off and employer health insurance.  The date where all my frivolous trips to Target, expensive cheeses, and daily bad habits will stop.

Starting tomorrow, I will be my own boss. 

The feeling I get saying those words is really hard to explain.  I think it's pretty much like when you're screaming, cussing, laughing hysterically, and drooling all at the same time on a roller coaster.  Terrified and excited.

It all started about month ago after meeting with Casey Templeton- a Richmond-based photographer ( and an amazing one at that! ) who offered me a part-time position.  I told him about my passion to grow my leather accessories business, Awl Snap, and I received the best response I could ask for:  he was willing to do anything he can to help me grow.  I would work part time helping him, and the rest of the time husslin' Awl Snap.

 My mind was made up as soon as I got back to my car after our interview.  I felt like something out in the cosmos chucked this opportunity at me and said "HERE YOU GO! Now are you going to wuss out, or roll with it!?"  Saying "yes" was the easy part because I felt it deep in all my guts.  It's all the stuff that comes after the decision that is the tough part:

What if I can't live off $100 bucks a week?  What if my marketing plans for Awl Snap don't work? What if  I lose a hand in a lawn-mowing accident?  What if I don't sell a damn thing for 9 months and I want to give up!?  What if my roof caves in, both my housemates move out, and I get cancer all at the same time?  What if I ultimately FAIL AT THE ONE THING I WANT MOST!? 

I had to shut that shit down quick.  I can recognize a black hole of self-doubt like a CHAMP.  I had to, and will forever have to stay focused, set, and motivated from here on out.  And I will have to rely hard on my amazingly supportive friends, family, and network of other Makers and entrepreneurs to really push myself.  And if I have to wear a life-jacket (or straight jacket) on occasion to keep moving forward, strap me in.

And with less than 8 hours left in my nine-to-five (of the last 6 years), and underneath a slight layer of anxiety... I'm finally starting to feel pretty damn excited.

Make it Official.

While my first stamp was a big fat fail (on my part), my new branding stamp is here, and I've been branding just about anything that can take a heat stamp: scrap leather, wood, my dogs (Just kiddin. Although cattle branding exists, so why not pup stamping? Just kidding again. Seriously. I would never do that.)

It's a bit of trial and error getting it exactly right, but we'll get there...oh, we WILL get there...