This year I am taking a class over at Kim Klassen's Cafe called Beyond Layers. We were asked for our first assignment to write our story. She want's us to do this so that after our year together we can look back and see the changes and growth we as individuals have made. So here I go.
Living in a small town or at least this one doesn't have many perks to it or need of the outlets in which my heart desires. I am endlessly searching for a way in which I feel complete and accomplished. As a little girl I wanted to be an artist--no particular kind, I just knew that my calling was to make things beautiful. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe what I deem beautiful is not the same as if I were looking through someone else's eyes, but that is okay! I'm a good listener too. I think..okay, I know that I have let myself down when it comes to "what I want to be when I grow up!"
After graduating High School in 1993, I got married. I knew it was a mistake before I said ,"I do" but at the time I felt like I didn't have a choice. I should have said, "NO" but I didn't. My Dad bought my engagement ring (what does that tell ya?) I didn't care much for school except art class, literature and english but I got through with good grades (except math)...I'm totally math illiterate. I had no desire to go to college at the time and thought I was a grown up and had all the answers! My parents (I don't blame them) never instilled much in me regarding furthering my education. It was get married, have 2 kids and the white picket fence blah blah blah. Needless to say, that marriage lasted all of about a hot second!
After leaving that miserable place in my life, I chose to carry on like a crazed lunatic. Partying and running around with friends became my life. I had no ambitions and saw myself crawling into a hole that I didn't know how I was going to get out of. and then it happened.
I walked into my husbands life and the life of his three little children ranging from 4 to 18 months old. We are now going on 15 years of marriage and have five children, though there not so little anymore. I adopted my three oldest in 1998. Our children now are 20, 19, almost 18, 15 and 12. In 1998 I went to Robert Morris University and got my associates degree in applied sciences focusing in paralegal studies. I have worked meaningless jobs over the years. Cleaning homes was the biggest money maker and at one time a friend and I were cleaning 9 together. However, it takes a toll on the body. I'm not one to half ass do anything, so cleaning a house to me meant everything from windows to wiping down walls, to rearranging people's stuff so that it was more aesthetically pleasing. My clients didn't mind my hard work, but they surely didn't like paying for it. I decided about five years ago that I had to stop. I worked for a plumbing company for over a year before suffering a (what I know now) nervous breakdown. Having teenagers is not easy!
My dream is to someday own my own business. There is a little coffee house or what was a coffee house right here in our little town that I wish I had the resources to open back up. It's such a waste to let that building sit with nothing in it. When the owners of the building refurbished the old place they left the brick interior walls exposed along with the decorative plaster finishes from days gone by. The couple were antique collectors and a lot of the tables, chairs, and other pieces in the building were for sale. It was perfect! The economy and one of their health issues put them out of business. Jim has passed on now, and there this beautiful piece of work...art in and of itself...sits. Creating my own designs from blankets to pillows to jewelry to candle making to floral designs to making over the top hats and clothing...plus my photography is a dream. I love it all! I would work the coffee/tea house and create art! Oh what a dream:)
Interior design has also been a passion in me. I have helped several people design rooms in there homes for the pure joy of it. I've painted faux textures for some, cabinets for others, and had fun spending their money! and I'm good at it! But along with cleaning, those repetitious moves has caused health issues for myself which has left me (at the moment) not in very good shape! My most recent surgery was on December 9th and I'm still recovering from it.
As for my photography--I have always been in love with capturing a moment in time. I believe a lot of my childhood memories may be recollections which were recorded on photo paper. For instance, there is a picture of me when I was five years old standing on top of the dining room table in my new bikini (red white and blue) striped, my pigtails dangly at the sides of my head with my arms extended behind me. Balloons are hanging from an old light fixture which looked to be like something taken off of a ship and I'm just so stinking happy! Do I really remember that, or has the picture left an indelible mark on my subconscious to make me think that I do. I love looking through old photos, of times past and people passed. They make me feel connected.
I got my first digital camera in 2002 and right away started editing the images with free software like picassa and photoscape. Sometimes, if I can't figure out what I'm trying to accomplish in photoshop I will go back to them. Looking back at the beginning of my manipulation of photos, I definitely have gotten better at it, though a long was from learning everything I want to. I never want to stop learning! Now I have a Nikon D5000 which is not the best camera but for my first DSLR it does a pretty good job. I love it when I can take a photograph and do very little editing to it--the SOOC photos really are my favorite. My love for nature has also been a big influence in my style. I love old barns, rusty fences, fields of wheat and rolling hills. Though taking pictures of my family rates up there as well. I have done a couple of sessions for paying customers, and hope to continue to grow in the business, though I would not call myself a professional. My confidence level has not caught up with my imagination. Though I hope and pray someday it will.
I will be 37 years old come April, and I believe it is time for me to do something for myself. I have followed Kim since the beginning of her journey at Kim Klassen's Cafe and received valuable lessons from her tutorials along the way. I have been a subscriber for just as long and love all the textures she gives away. I took the skinny minni course and now am excited to be a part of Beyond Layers. I wish each and everyone of you out there taking this class the best of luck and many smiles and creative days over the next 51 weeks. Thank's for reading!
Looking forward to a fun filled and fulfilling year with you all! Angie
Living in a small town or at least this one doesn't have many perks to it or need of the outlets in which my heart desires. I am endlessly searching for a way in which I feel complete and accomplished. As a little girl I wanted to be an artist--no particular kind, I just knew that my calling was to make things beautiful. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe what I deem beautiful is not the same as if I were looking through someone else's eyes, but that is okay! I'm a good listener too. I think..okay, I know that I have let myself down when it comes to "what I want to be when I grow up!"
After graduating High School in 1993, I got married. I knew it was a mistake before I said ,"I do" but at the time I felt like I didn't have a choice. I should have said, "NO" but I didn't. My Dad bought my engagement ring (what does that tell ya?) I didn't care much for school except art class, literature and english but I got through with good grades (except math)...I'm totally math illiterate. I had no desire to go to college at the time and thought I was a grown up and had all the answers! My parents (I don't blame them) never instilled much in me regarding furthering my education. It was get married, have 2 kids and the white picket fence blah blah blah. Needless to say, that marriage lasted all of about a hot second!
After leaving that miserable place in my life, I chose to carry on like a crazed lunatic. Partying and running around with friends became my life. I had no ambitions and saw myself crawling into a hole that I didn't know how I was going to get out of. and then it happened.
I walked into my husbands life and the life of his three little children ranging from 4 to 18 months old. We are now going on 15 years of marriage and have five children, though there not so little anymore. I adopted my three oldest in 1998. Our children now are 20, 19, almost 18, 15 and 12. In 1998 I went to Robert Morris University and got my associates degree in applied sciences focusing in paralegal studies. I have worked meaningless jobs over the years. Cleaning homes was the biggest money maker and at one time a friend and I were cleaning 9 together. However, it takes a toll on the body. I'm not one to half ass do anything, so cleaning a house to me meant everything from windows to wiping down walls, to rearranging people's stuff so that it was more aesthetically pleasing. My clients didn't mind my hard work, but they surely didn't like paying for it. I decided about five years ago that I had to stop. I worked for a plumbing company for over a year before suffering a (what I know now) nervous breakdown. Having teenagers is not easy!
My dream is to someday own my own business. There is a little coffee house or what was a coffee house right here in our little town that I wish I had the resources to open back up. It's such a waste to let that building sit with nothing in it. When the owners of the building refurbished the old place they left the brick interior walls exposed along with the decorative plaster finishes from days gone by. The couple were antique collectors and a lot of the tables, chairs, and other pieces in the building were for sale. It was perfect! The economy and one of their health issues put them out of business. Jim has passed on now, and there this beautiful piece of work...art in and of itself...sits. Creating my own designs from blankets to pillows to jewelry to candle making to floral designs to making over the top hats and clothing...plus my photography is a dream. I love it all! I would work the coffee/tea house and create art! Oh what a dream:)
Interior design has also been a passion in me. I have helped several people design rooms in there homes for the pure joy of it. I've painted faux textures for some, cabinets for others, and had fun spending their money! and I'm good at it! But along with cleaning, those repetitious moves has caused health issues for myself which has left me (at the moment) not in very good shape! My most recent surgery was on December 9th and I'm still recovering from it.
As for my photography--I have always been in love with capturing a moment in time. I believe a lot of my childhood memories may be recollections which were recorded on photo paper. For instance, there is a picture of me when I was five years old standing on top of the dining room table in my new bikini (red white and blue) striped, my pigtails dangly at the sides of my head with my arms extended behind me. Balloons are hanging from an old light fixture which looked to be like something taken off of a ship and I'm just so stinking happy! Do I really remember that, or has the picture left an indelible mark on my subconscious to make me think that I do. I love looking through old photos, of times past and people passed. They make me feel connected.
I got my first digital camera in 2002 and right away started editing the images with free software like picassa and photoscape. Sometimes, if I can't figure out what I'm trying to accomplish in photoshop I will go back to them. Looking back at the beginning of my manipulation of photos, I definitely have gotten better at it, though a long was from learning everything I want to. I never want to stop learning! Now I have a Nikon D5000 which is not the best camera but for my first DSLR it does a pretty good job. I love it when I can take a photograph and do very little editing to it--the SOOC photos really are my favorite. My love for nature has also been a big influence in my style. I love old barns, rusty fences, fields of wheat and rolling hills. Though taking pictures of my family rates up there as well. I have done a couple of sessions for paying customers, and hope to continue to grow in the business, though I would not call myself a professional. My confidence level has not caught up with my imagination. Though I hope and pray someday it will.
I will be 37 years old come April, and I believe it is time for me to do something for myself. I have followed Kim since the beginning of her journey at Kim Klassen's Cafe and received valuable lessons from her tutorials along the way. I have been a subscriber for just as long and love all the textures she gives away. I took the skinny minni course and now am excited to be a part of Beyond Layers. I wish each and everyone of you out there taking this class the best of luck and many smiles and creative days over the next 51 weeks. Thank's for reading!
 |
| My Family--and inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Looking forward to a fun filled and fulfilling year with you all! Angie
7 comments:
Wonderful story. We have a lot in common. Life has a way of working itself out sometimes. Looking forward to this journey together
Hi Angie,
Thanks for sharing your story; you have a way of sounding objective with the personal details and events of your life. I hope you have your own business one day...the coffee house place sounds charming. Meanwhile, I share your enthusiasm for Kim Klassen and for our adventure of smiles in 2012.
P.S. Thanks for your comment on my photo and for the direct link to your blog...so helpful!
Hi, Angie!
What a pleasure it was to meet you through this post. You are certainly a most creative person and I pray you will see much success in your pursuits this year.
When you have a minute, come visit me at http://marthaorlando.blogspot.com or check out my daily links here on Blogplicity.
Blessings!
Hi Angie
You will have that shop one day I can see it. a coffee shop selling art and photography.
Angie - you've packed in a lot in to those 37 years and should be proud of what you've achieved. Keep that dream in your heart and I'm sure it will come true! Believing for you! ♥
Fantastic story Angie. If you can dream it you can achieve it. That coffee house is YOURS. Go for it. Kim has given lots of us so much inspiration she is just a blessing for me. Love your blogs and thanks for stopping by mine.
Hello Angie.
My first time visiting from Blogplicity.
I really enjoyed this post. Nice blog. You're certainly very creative. In this life, every day is a learning experience. My only advice is to follow your heart & your dreams.
Wishing you much success in your future endeavors.
Thanks for sharing.
Thoughts Of Beauty In The Stillness Of Dawn
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