Say what?!?

Last week someone said something to me that I still can't get over.

Here's how the conversation went:

Her: How's the house coming along?
Me: Hoping it's ready in time for the move-out in 2 weeks! Totally overwhelming!
Her: Well. I'm just SOOOOOOO happy for you! (overexcited beyond words happy) 
Me: Really??? Why????
Her: Cause your house was so so so so so so so so............................... (feels bad telling you)
Me: Gross??
Her: Well yah, I just didn't want to tell you, but now that you've said it - well your house was really gross and totally needed to be redone.
Me: OH. Thanks.

I've decided that people just don't think before they speak.
She wasn't trying to be mean.
I know that.
I think she thought that because she was my friend it was OK.
But listen.
No one can ever insult your home, kids, or hubs except you.
Ain't that the truth.

Look, truth be told
My house was gross.
Totally needed to get redone.
And I would still be living in that mess had Hashem (G-D) not decided that my life needed a makeover.

But there was a cost.
There's always a cost.
A lot of suffering went around this year
Not going to bore you all with the details
But just know that my family and company took a lot of hits.

I'm telling you this story because I feel bad.
I know that many people can't afford to redo their homes.
I know many people wish they could have brand new kitchens.
Redone bathrooms and freshly painted bedrooms.
I get it, because that was me for the past 12 years.

I know what it's like living on a budget.
Trying to live within a means that is non-existent.

I have been feeling very torn.
Wanting to show you all the construction pictures
And not wanting to show you at all.
I would never want someone to think that I am bragging.
No one wants to see pictures of your brand new kitchen when they're living in a tiny apartment.

But here's the deal.
This is what I do.
I'm a.......
Colorist
Designer
Artist

I want to take you on my journey.

I want to show you all
The decisions I made - And why I made them.
Budget friendly decorating ideas
Color palette painting concepts
And so much more.

With the utmost sensitivity.

This all happened to me for a reason
So I am going to embrace it.
And hope that if you love what I've done
Perhaps you'll choose me to help you when the times is right.


Till next time!
Abbey

Closed For Repairs Part 2

I know I've been pretty quite lately.
Seems like my life is one big tornado cloud.
Family, work, camp, kids all pulling me in a hundred different directions.

Yah, I'm tired.
Moving in 2 weeks and tons to get through.
So excited about going home.
Not so excited about moving yet again.

I have a lot to tell you guys.
I will try to write them all down here.
But please bear with me
As I have a lot to share.

First things first.
I'M GOING HOME!
Totally excited
But it's not done yet.
Being kicked out in 2 weeks and I'm hoping that I am going home to a functional house.
If not we'll rough it for a while.
Been through worse.... right??

My biggest problem is that all of our stuff from storage is coming back the same day we come home.
Now when you move there's a certain amount of sense when you pack.
In our case, our home debacle happened on the last day of Yom Tov.
What does YOUR house look like at the end of Yom Tov??
Not so pretty right?
Well the packers came in and threw everything together.
The dirty socks with the books.
God only knows what I will find when I start opening the gazillion boxes that will be coming back.
I think that this is the most stressful part.

Not the fact that I have to pack up over here in the rental house.
We don't have much stuff, just all my 50+ boxes from the studio.
The kitchen stuff
All our clothes
Toys
and
Books

Yah, I tried to sell off pieces, just didn't make a huge dent.
There's just NO TIME.
Would love to have a virtual Garage Sale on Sunday -think I should?

I still have to repaint all the walls in the house - my kid love to draw on the wall.
His favorite? Black Sharpies.
Repaint the floor in the basement. (Yah, I made a little mess :)

Oh.... and did I tell you???
I'm working full time at a camp this summer! 9-4 everyday
Had I known that I was moving in the middle of July I would have thought twice
As well as if I had known that I had to wear a wig all day too.
Paint and sheitels just don't mix.
But in all seriousness I love what I do and painting with little hands is just awesome.

Our next issue for jCreate Magazine comes out in the beginning of August.
Collecting content and sending them to my graphics girl.
I called her today and she was happy to hear that I wasn't dead.
Yah, I told her I've been a little quite these days.....

Shipping out the last of my orders and then I'm calling it quits guys.
I need a little R&R
Tired beyond words doesn't even describe how I feel these days.
So I'm closing up shop for the month of July.
Got to move home and reset-up my studio.

Because.... guess what people??
The holidays come super early this year.
Got to be ready to ship out all those orders come August 1st.

But DO NOT fear!
I will be around sharing my journey moving back home.
So if you don't hear from me for a couple of days please don't be scared.
I'm not dead. Just huddled under a million boxes.

Abbey