Ten years...

Ten years ago I started actively selling the items I was making. I was crocheting earrings, I had ceramic cups I had thrown and glazed, I had some crocheted and sewn zippered bags and pouches, bird ornaments, and resin magnets.

I made the resin magnets thoughtlessly, in a way. I collaged, a LOT - it was my main expressive arts form. So I made mini collages, put them inside bottle caps, and added resin. I didn't do research. At the time resin wasn't popular, there was basically one choice at the store, so I used that. I glued some magnets on the back, waited a couple of days and --

Magic.

There was something about them that was so compelling. I sold all of them. But I knew nothing about sales, I didn't track trends in customers, I wasn't paying attention... And in there I got married, went to grad school, was basically pregnant for 7 years straight, had some kids... I never stopped crocheting and I never stopped collaging, but it took a different turn.

A few days ago some memories popped up for me on Facebook, reminding me of some of my earliest sales. Inspired by that I ordered resin, spent some time collaging (this time with my kids) and it's such a satisfying sense of back-to-the-beginning.

I'm excited to see what folks think of them now, but I'm more excited to remember a pathway back to myself. I'm sure I'll write more about how necessary collage is for me in another blog, but it always has been a thinking-tool, a way to explore and center, expressive and meditative all at once.

I'm not a resin expert by any means - but I've got a few silicone molds coming and I'm excited to see where this goes!!!