gettin' down to business.

Remember when I lost my job in February? I freaked out, I panicked, I had my head buried under as many pillows on my couch as I could find for a while... and I spent an insane amount of time bent over my sewing machine. When I panic – I sew!

I thought “okay Robelyn, you needed extra time before your show at the beginning of March, and again to prepare for Warrenton”. And here the time was – handed to me on a cutting table!

In my mind that was trying to figure out my next step - where I was supposed to be going and what I was supposed to be doing - I thought that between the two shows I would figure out where God wanted me to be.

Well... no such luck. Ft. Worth/Funky Finds was a good show, but not my best. Warrenton was a good show... but again, not my best. Did I REALLY start to panic? Yes.

My numbers were down, my spirit was low and my duct tape roll was running on “e”... and STILL I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing with my life right now. This moment.

I’m not the type of person that thinks God’s plan is going to be sent in a direct Memo to me – but I AM the type of person that believes he intervenes when I’m doing something stupid and slaps me in the forehead saying: “you goober – pay attention and do this”

I was not getting smacked in the forehead. So... I thought maybe I wasn’t active enough in finding my place. I drove around looking at buildings thinking I was going to open my “red.neck Chic” mercantile and that was my next step. Nothing was right – either the dollars were right but the location NOT right, or the location was right and the DOLLARS not right. I did drive-bys around businesses trying to figure out if I was supposed to walk in there and ask ‘em if they wanted to hire a maniac. None of them looked maniac friendly. And so I kept checking my inbox for a memo from God.

A few weeks ago David (part of the dynamic duo that owns Hillsboro Antique Mall where I have my space) called me. He started talking about the changes they had been making in the Mall, the plans that he and Pam (his wife and the other half of the dynamic duo) had for the Mall... you could hear and feel his excitement over the phone. I got excited! They were moving things around – revitalizing – revamping – reinventing – modernizing – bringing more fun and excitement in to the Hillsboro Antique Mall... and I was going to be there – and I was getting to be a part of it!

I processed everything I was hearing, thought about it... went to drool over Zac Effron in the movie theatre and gaze lovingly through the windows of the Kate Spade shoppe...

and thought about it some more. And left hand and nose prints on Kate's windows... *sigh*

Then it hit me. (I'm really not very quick...)

I already have my mercantile. It’s just part ‘n parcel of something bigger than me – a place greater than I am... a location that is perfect for me – complete with a couple of cheerleaders, aka: the Dynamic Duo.

David and Pam are making MAGIC happen in Hillsboro! They shut the mezzanine down then knocked some walls down in the front of the mall – shifted inventory, brought in some new – sold some old! David has been painting and fixing and painting and fixing some more... Pam has been twirling around making her magic happen... it is AHHHMAZING! Not only are they making some of their plans, dreams and goals happen now... but they have even BIGGER plans, dreams and goals...

AND I GET TO BE A PART OF IT!

I’m going bigger with my space. The Dynamic Duo has been working night and day (David even worked by the light of the moon a few times and photo-journaled it for me!) to prepare for my duct tapin'... I'm taking in more inventory: a whole lotta junk, a whole lotta creations – a crazy amount of fun!!! I’m going to have red.neck Chic pocketbooks, and Saddle Tramp re.fashioned fashions; Splat Fine Dining and Thunderbird Linens; red.neck SUDZ and red.neck Glam, some “lamplighter's un.plugged” – plus the addition of my “burn it” candle stuff, my “write it” paper stuff, red.neck Chic t-shirts and... who knows what else I come across or think of! My brain is on over-drive and I can’t really keep up with it! Am I embracing running around on over-drive? You better believe it.

I have sew much fun with my brain sometimes.

When I get fully set up and my MUCH bigger space filled up – I will take you on a personalized tour!!! This is big stuff for me – my next chapter... complete with a new roll of duct tape, the "dynamic duo" cheering me on and some serious fun heading my way! I am thrilled to have you along with me. YOU make me smile and work harder and try harder and just... be more red.neck Chic. Thank You for you.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... no... comin' to you LIVE from Hillsboro Antique Mall where my space was the Taj Mahal before... what am I going to name the grown up version? Oh... I know... the mercantile! hee-hee


p.s. While I'm off wreaking havoc in Hillsboro this week-end, don't forget to go visit Annie!!!

from Annie's blog post here

Today Annie and Pine Cone Hill have some AWESOME color she wants to send to you!!! Tell her I sent you so she knows that just 'cause I'm messing with duct tape that doesn't mean I'm not still lurking around and being inspired by her each second...