(Deep breath) I've started and erased this post several times over the last few days. I think I just needed to wait until I could get through it with some sort of positive note in the end. I'll just get straight to the point. Bill and I are closing Flourishes at Mt. Pleasant and moving back to our home in Happy Valley. All remaining Flourishes events at Mt. Pleasant/Washougal are cancelled.Remember the bear incident? That Saturday morning I asked God for a sign before heading outdoors. The past few months had been a struggle financially. Two house payments were becoming difficult to manage when builders weren't paying their bills, or filing bankruptcy so they wouldn't have to. Flourishes was taking an exorbitant amount of time and money and there weren't enough hours in the day to work on my bear design business too....a business which had to fund Flourishes. Then came news about having to lower the price on our Happy Valley home $100,000 - $200,000 just to get interest again. Excuse me?! "Lord, are we meant to continue with Flourishes? Please give me some sort of sign so I know what to do."
Looking back on it now, I see Larry the Cable Guy dropping from a string in the sky holding up a huge placard in the shape of a bear with "Here's your sign!" printed on it. Ha! Yes, I am finally finding humor in the whole bear incident.
So, that leads me to where we are now. A downsized version of Flourishes will be in attendance at Barn House on July 26th. Click here for sneak peeks! One booth!! I can do one booth! We're also on the waiting list for booth space at Monticello Antique Marketplace. A space at Monticello had originally been planned as advertising for the Flourishes/Mt. Pleasant events. At some point though we hope it will be a little home for Flourishes instead. It's not like it would be a hardship....it's only one of my favorite places on the planet and a place you will find me at least once a week anyway!! Oh, and they have fun seasonal events too!! We'll see though. Being one of the best shops in the area, there is a waiting list.....and we've been on it for awhile. (sigh)
There is a lesson to be learned for us. Life the way it was before Mt. Pleasant was enough. We don't need any more grand projects. Little projects are okay though.....right? The red paint (Red!...but that's another whole ball of string!) in the familyroom is really bugging me. ;o)
Warmest bear hugs, Aleta
17 comments:
I am sorry things didn't work out for you. I came back today to find out more about Flourishes. I wish I could think of something brilliant to cheer you up. The only (lame) thing that comes to mind is that sometimes we see the reasons why much later. This will free you up for something much better, I bet. Meanwhile, I hope there is some feeling of relief. (((hugs)))
Oh my.
Does this mean you'll be selling the Mt. Pleasant place? I'm a bit confused....I know all of this must be hard. Hnag in there!
Tracey
Hi Aleta...I am sure this was a trying time for you and Bill, but I think you have followed your heart and made the right decision for the right reasons. Leaving a dream is never easy...but dreaming with stress is not a dream...but a nightmare!
I wish you two much happiness...you will be more at peace now.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs, Nancy
PS...love the little picture.
Yes, I believe the Mt. Pleasant property will be up for sale soon. We signed a Letter of Intent with Non-Refundable Earnest Money and have been renting the home until our house sold. Without a sale on our Happy Valley home and a request to lower the price below what we were financially able to do, we couldn't move forward on the Mt. Pleasant property. The real estate market made it virtually impossible.
:o(
If anyone out there is interested in the property, contact me and I'll get you in touch with the right people.
Warmest bear hugs, Aleta
Aleta I am so sorry it didn't work out :( - but you TRIED! I know you must have learned so much though that will help you in future business endeavors. That's how I like to look at my life with my ex and his shops - a learning experience.
Hugz,
Laura
Wow, Aleta! This was a very well written post about your saga. I wish you and Bill the best, and I hope someone will buy Mt. Pleasant and that all's well that ends well takes place.
Your bears to be born are a begging for their chance, so you go, Girl!
I look forward to one day seeing you in Monticello Antiques Mall.
Bear Hugs back!
XO,
Christine ~ Zwee!!!!!!
Hi Aleta, Sorry it didn't work out the way you planned. I find this saying quite helpful: "When there is doubt, there really is no doubt." In other words the doubt is there for a reason. Evaluating doubt often provides the answer.
Any hoooo, I bet you get fast forwarded on that waiting list you want :). Participating in shows is still fun and a lot less stressful :)
Karen at Ciderantiques
Dear Aleta (and Bill) -
Somehow I'm just not surprised by your decision. I really feel it's right for you and so glad you had the confirming sign you needed. Please don't feel that you failed at Mt. Pleasant - you didn't. You opened the hearts and eyes of quite a few of us to see the possibility when someone is willing to take a risk. You made my two trips to Flourishes such wonderful adventures - bright spots in the middle of some hard places. Not just for me but for others, too.
I so relieved you aren't going way far away. Every time I pass by the area of your home I look up and wonder if you are somewhere up there making bears! I'm sure you'll see me at Monticello. I can't wait to see what you put together there!
I am praying that just the right person will buy Mt. Pleasant. Someone who will love it as much as you did - and perhaps open it to share their talents with the rest of us.
Please keep up posted. Hope to catch up with you soon.
~Adrienne~
Aleta, I hope that peace has settled on your heart now that you've shared the news, and that you and Bill can move forward and get your lives back into balance.
I agree with the poster above who said you did not fail - you didn't. You were to be there for a time, and you touched so many lives while you were. Now you are on to more adventures, which we will all follow and support whole-heartedly!
And yes, I do believe that the right person will buy Mt. Pleasant and keep the tradition going. That's how these things work out!
Sometimes when one follows a dream you never know the outcome.
While your heart is aching now and you feel the dream was unfulfilled there is a silver lining.
You will return to bearmaking and Happy Valley.But most of all when the dust settles (or should I say fur) you will know in your heart it was the right thing.
Listen, the bears are calling...
Susan
Dear Aleta,
I was sad to hear that Flourishes has not worked out for you.
Returning to Happy Valley, to your beautiful home garden and studio where you can make more of your darling bears, must be some consolation.
Gratitude for the past will inspire us with the trust
for the future.
Be a good historian....
Best wishes.
Hugs
Carolyn x
.
Huge Hugs from me to you!!! Isn't life a strange little journey...it takes us here and there and sometimes we just end up right back to where we started...HOME! For purely selfish reasons, I'm glad your staying where you are then I won't have to drive so far when I finally get my lazy buns up there for lunch. :o) LOL Now go paint that family room another glorius color.
Give Max a snuggle for me....oh and those other two furry loveable too!
Shantell
Sosorry to hear about Flourishes, Aleta, I know how much you wanted this...!! I am glad that we will still see you and a small version of Flourishes wherever you take it!
Isabel
Dear Aleta,
I'm so bummed out about your news. I know you loved Flourishes and I'm sad to see it go.... but as you say a small part of it still lives and that is better then nothing....so keep dreaming. :)
Big Bear Hugs,
Theresa
I am so sorry Aleta,
I know how heart breaking this is!
We are struggeling with our flea market.... do we keep plugging along or throw in the towel and move forward to new adventures?
Its so hard when dreams don't go as we planned!
My heart is aching for you!
Best wishes,
Hugz,
Dolly
Sending you hugs, Aleta; I'll bet you'll welcome them. You're a complicated lady so I'm sure you have a lot of complicated things going on in your head and heart. My own simple take on it -- and a selfish one at that -- is the tiniest bit of giddy clapping, because I've missed your bears and your sweetness and your grace in my non-Flourishes world. I'm not glad life led to disappointment; just delighted that there are more Silly Bears to come.
Hang in, girlfriend. If you need anything at all, please ask.
Shel
Just want to say how sorry I am for you Aleta. I know it was a really hard decision to let go of your dream, but I do believe in the "everything happens for a reason" philosophy and know that even better things are awaiting you.
Hugs,
lisa
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