The Missing Piece of The Puzzle

So, almost two years ago I got this really great job. (See yesterday's post) I spent the first year learning and adjusting to my new career. I was pretty happy. The new job had brought with it a change I had desperately needed.

Then out of the blue, it happened....this awful feeling of emptiness. Where on earth did it come from? My personal life was good. I liked my new job. Why was I feeling like this? I am extremely in tune to both my physical and emotional health. Normally if I don't feel right, I can quickly pinpoint the cause. Not this time.

Was I depressed? Was I somehow feeling sorry for myself? I started doing yoga and pilates thinking the exercise might help. I started a gratitude journal. It didn't matter, I still felt empty. I felt that way until one day in July when I was looking at some of my youngest son's photos. He takes such beautiful pictures.

I took a few of my favorites and I started to make some cards. I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but they really turned out awesome. So, I made a few more, and then a few more. The more I made the more excited I got. I started showing them to people and everyone said the same thing. "You should sell these!"

Geez, that would mean a website and I am NOT a computer person at all. That would mean advertising, and there was no
money for that.

I tabled the thought and just kept playing around with the photos and cardstock until one day when I was talking to my sister in South Carolina. She mentioned that a friend of hers sold jewelry and had this really great website that she did herself. The wheels started turning.....

A few e-mails back and forth with my sister's friend, and FourDogDay, our online card and gift shop made it's debut on etsy!
Soon after starting the business that empty feeling disappeared completely, and I suddenly realized what had happened to me.

I have always loved arts and crafts. From the time I was in high school, I had been drawing, painting, sewing and creating. It has always been a huge part of who I was. Sadly, when I was working "that job"...the one I talked about yesterday, I got home after 7:30 at night. I had no time for anything, much less crafts, so the creating had stopped.

With my new job I was getting home at 4:15 every day. That gave me free time that I had not had in years. At first I filled my evenings with t.v., magazines and Sudoku puzzles and that kept me happy for a little while. I think when the novelty of that wore off is when the emptiness set in.

FourDogDay has filled my heart, in fact it is overflowing right now. My creative head is constantly spinning and at times it's hard to sleep. We've only been in business for three months and we have already added a ton of new things to our shop. I have wonderful plans for FourDogDay and I look forward to every day. This business has taught me so many things! I have stepped out of my comfort zone to chat on forums. I have learned to twitter and blog! I have met some absolutely amazing and talented people.

The emptiness is only a distant memory now, because I found the missing piece of the puzzle. Creating things truly feeds my soul.