Oh, how I love new supplies. I took a dreamy trip to the craft store and just wandered the aisles and you wouldn't believe what hoped in my cart. The trip was originally to get some new canvas and wood frames to start some projects but my husband told me to take my time and look around. I found so many awesome things. I found the pearlescent powders I had wanted to try and many more things. Here is the first of items I tried out. This is the beginning layer of a painting I am working on. I used some new paper I picked up, new paint color and then some of the pearl pigments. I also tried my hand at making a resin pendant. I used one of my original painting images, shrunk it, put in casing, added some pearl pigments and used the resin. I am quite thrilled with the result.
Now that I opened the shop I feel its good to have some items in it. I started with digital collage sheets of vintage photos. I purchased a big lot of photos from Ebay and just love them. Each picture feels like it has a story to tell and I want to tell it and have other people tell it. I kinda feel sad for the families of the people in the pictures because I am some stranger that ended up with these. Did the bloodline end? Did somebody hoard the pictures until nobody cared or did fate just play a hand and they ended up with me to share and create with. Some of the women are just so beautiful and serene looking. I have played with one and created a poster and then on a few of the not so attractive women I created a witch collage sheet to post on Etsy. I know this is just the beginning because I have this low energetic hum that tells me there is so much more to come. I can feel success all they way to my fingertips!
I took the leap and got a website name registered. It felt really good to jump on the horse and start galloping. I then went and got an email account. The name was being used so I had to add a 1. Not a big deal, I like being number 1. Then I head to Etsy to open a shop. Now keep in mind I had searched Etsy to see if this name was being used and it had not come up. One of the reason it was such a great name, but low and behold I went to register and it was taken. I thought, that’s okay it is just a username, not a shop name, I can handle this. I am sure the shop name is still available because I couldn't find it. I was WRONG, it was taken but I had come all this way, done all this work, had been decisive and know I was put on hold. I didn't want to add the #1 to my store name. I started thinking and decided I was going to have my website forward to Etsy so it wouldn't be a big deal if I had to add a 1, but then I had a moment of clarity. I could add a 1 but in a different way, I could add the word “one” which fits just fine with my business name. So let me introduce my self. I am Heather, owner of “CreativelyHappyOne” on Etsy. The name fits like my favorite camping coat. It feels good and warm and comforting. Because I am really the creatively happy one around here. I am always making something. I feel like I just got my new native american name. I can just see myself being introduced. This is “CreativelyHappyOne” and her friend “RunswithScissors”, who is standing next to, “SmellslikeGlue”.
What is in a name. so much I have learned is in a name. Your name, the kid’s name, the dog’s name, the cat’s name, the goat’s name and last but not least, Your business name. How do you sum up all that you do, sound interesting and still not have a super long business name like “Wacky Wonderful Happy Creations of Art, Jewelry, Cards and Witty Replies from the Long Forgotten Hobby Farm” I have so many ideas that I don’t want to hinder myself with a business name and I don’t want to use my personal name because no one knows how to spell it correctly so they wouldn't be able to find me and then I would be lost, lost out there in the world wide web with other people who sound like me being found. They didn't even know they were lost, these people with a name so close to mine.
So I have been working on names, saying them out loud as I drive to work, introducing myself to imaginary people to see if it rolls of the tongue. I figure if I can not say it right then no one else with even try. I have been through a few ideas. I have been unwilling to share them with my family in case they don’t like them and I have to think of something new. I figured once I really loved a name I would be proud to share it.
Then I found it, the wonderful business name that sums up what I want to be, where I want to go and who I will become. Once I decided on a name, I started researching it on the web, searching Google searching Etsy, searching face book and searching gmail. Trying to keep in mind all the information I had read about having a good name and where to check to see if someone else had also shared my “ah ha“ moment and picked the name already. I thought I had found the perfect business name. I told my mom and she loved it, I told my husband and he said it fits me perfectly.
I have a dream, a dream to own and run a very successful business. Not just one that gets by or slowly falls behind. I want one that takes off running and carries me all the way to the moon. I always figured if you are going to dream then you better dream big, gigantic, humongous. So that is NOT what I am doing. I am no longer dreaming of having a very successful business. I am making it a reality. The challenge has been thrown down and I accepted it. I stand before you with my hands on my hips and a soft breeze blowing my cape in the wind as the song “moves like jagger” playing in my head. I know that is really not inspiring music, I should have picked the Rocky them song but that one just sticks, can’t get the damn song out of my head.
I once read “Goals are just dreams with deadlines” and I thought that made perfect sense. So now I am checking off my goals one thing at a time. I have had a few different businesses and tons of ideas. In fact I have so many ideas I have problems focusing on one thing. At night I literally have to tell my brain to stop thinking. When I drive in the car I play my music LOUD (insert Moves like Jagger) so I don’t have to hear myself think. I know it sounds strange but I am guessing there are fellow creative people out there that have the same problem. Let’s not call it a problem lets say it’s a gift. A wonderful present that allows our mind to wander into what has yet to become.
