At the centre of your being you have the answer, you know who you are and you know what you want ~ Lao Tzu

Tuesday, August 27

WOYWW 221 - So busy, so happy, so excited...


A busy, busy desk as of Tuesday afternoon.

I'm mounting some sketchbook paintings to sell in my new shop.

Yes, a shop!!

I spent the whole Bank Holiday weekend setting up Cara whispers... and I'd love for you to stop by...

I've been an avid Etsy user since early 2007, buying handmade gifts for friends (and yes, myself!), and always intended to open a shop of my very own. And then the stroke hit...

It's taken 6 years, but I've finally done it - and I am such a happy bunny :)

I've listed some mini art books I made before the stroke, when I had two functioning hands, and what you see on my desk is some post-stroke paintings, which I'll list very soon.

There's also some crafting supplies, and an art journal I made earlier this year. I'm listing new things all the time, as my energy dictates...

I will be sharing any end-of-year profits with the Stroke Association.

And now, I'm going to expend some energy globe-trotting around your wonderful desks gathered over at St Julia's Stamping Ground.

Till next week xx





59 comments:

Unknown said...

Congratulations on setting up your shop Claire!! Wishing you all the best :-). I LOVE your picture of the cup of tea on your desk as that is soooo me lol! I drink tea all the time. I just quickly checked out your store...lovely!! Happy WOYWW.
Janene #20

BJ said...

Well done on the shop. As for my geocaching video, sure we cache HERE in the UK and all over the globe for that matter. I took it up back in March 2009 where I found my first one with my son near his school based on the local church there. Just go on the website and plug your postcode in (remember to leave the space) you'll see.....Thanks for popping by today BJ#6

sandra de said...

Congrats on what you are doing and couldn't got to a better cause. Love all the creative works on your desk.
Sandra @34

Neet said...

Well done you, such an achievement and I wish you the very best of luck with your new venture. Lovely to share with the Stroke Association too.
Will pop over and have a look.
Hugs, Neet 25 xx - thanks for your earlier visit

Julie Lee said...

Congrats on the Etsy shop! Well done you! How inspiring. I will check this out straight away, as I am a big Etsy fan! Love your cuppa painting! Happy WOYWW. Julie Ann xx #42

peggy aplSEEDS said...

Oh Claire, I am so happy for you! Congratulations and all the best on your new shop! Happy WOYWW!

Unknown said...

1st let me say TY for the visit. You have such a great story about how you fought back from an illness, and now you want to give back. I think that is a brilliant idea. I'd even make and send a few things your way to help you raise money. Both my Paternal and Maternal Grandfathers died from strokes, and stroke complications. My hubby's brother just had a near fatal stroke, I had a blot clot about 5-7 yrs ago that I was lucky enough to find before the inevitable. So If you interested in some donations, please let me know. HAPPY HUMP DAY!!! (((HUGS)))
Kimmie
WOYWW #1

glitterandglue said...

Well done, Claire. A milestone for you - a long held dream come to fruition. That's just great!!!
Have a really precious time this week getting things into your shop.
Margaret #37

Jackie said...

Well done on setting up the shop
You have been thinking about it for a long time

Good luck in your new venture
Jackie 39
Scrapbangwallop

john-w said...

Thanks for stopping by, and leaving such an encouraging comment. Congratulations on starting your shop, and I pray it does well. You are one brave lady to try something like that after a stroke. Many blessings to you, john-w #35

Unknown said...

Congratulations Claire. I hope you have great success - especially as you are sharing with such a great cause. Thank you for popping by earlier. Happy WOYWW to you from Helen 27 x

Sandy said...

Oh I will check out your shop how wonderful that you did it I am sure it will be a wonderful success.. Your cup painting on your desk is so colourful and fun. Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog. I did the background of my painting with a Gelli plate they are super fun and easy to use and surprisingly not messy.
Sandy :) #54

Lynn McAuley said...

A huge congratulations on your new Etsy shop, Claire! Wishing you the best as you launch this new creative endeavor to share your beautiful work!

Have a wonderful Wednesdays!

Lynn #31

Lindsay Weirich said...

good luck on the new shop! Happy WOYWW! Lindsay #15

famfa said...

Well done you for setting up your easy shop. Well have a pop over there later
Famfa 8

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your new shop. How exciting. Thanks for stopping by. happy crafting #3

Unknown said...

I will definitely visit your Etsy store--how exciting!! I have an Etsy store in my mind, and I'm still in the planning stage, so I love to see when someone actually gets their store going. So proud of you having gone through a stroke, and not letting that stop your creativity. Well, as for my typewriter, it really does not clickity-clack. It's an electronic typewriter I bought in 1990--and it actually hums very quietly. It's a sweet typewriter and only has four ribbon cartridges left before it's all over! *sniff* Happy WOYWW! Sandy Leigh #11

Elizabeth said...

Hello Claire, and congratulations on the opening of your Etsy store ... I wish you every success. Your paintings are sure to do well.

Update on the door hangers, I now have three more ... unlike your man, mine does not hang around :)

I wish it was paper, wouldn't that be fabulous, but it's red shoe fabric - I've been making a patchwork cushion with some of it.

Thanks for visiting earlier. Hope you have a great week. Elizabeth x #59

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your new shop and best of luck. Is the piece on your desk for the shop? It looks very sweet - who does Tea for Tuesday? Can't recall now, but that sure looks like a teacup from here....

Happy WOYWW!
Mary Anne (22)

Mary said...

Congrats young lady....May your shop be successful and your sharing your profits is such a good pay it forward. Best to you....I'll hop to your shop... Mary #51

The Taming of the Glue said...

How brilliant. Congratulations and I really hope it does well. Love the cup of tea! Hugs. Pam#36

Andrea said...

Congratulations and well done ive just popped over and had a look it looks ace a few bits have caught my eye especially the lovely mini art journal ..love the colours used ...I hope and think it will be very successful. Thanks also for visiting earlier much appreciated
Andrea #49

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Claire, I am in awe at what your strength and determination has achieved over the past six years. Congratulations on opening your shop and I am sure it will do very well and for such a good cause. Your drawing is just so good. I have emailed you about the Gelli plate. I hope it might inspire you to add yet another talent to your list. xx Maggie #12

Winnie said...

Such an artful desk! Love the tea cup painting! Such great colors and love the clock in the corner. All the best to you as you start your shop, how exciting! Great of you to share your profits with a worthy cause!Thanks for the visit!!Winnie#84

Eliza said...

Wow, good for you, I am excited for you, you have had a hard road to travel and made it to the other end. Gosh my nanna had a stroke and she was never the same again and a friend of mine had one when she was 35 again never the same. good for you and the best of luck in the world.

Happy WOYWW
Eliza & Yoda 30

Dianne said...

Hello Claire, thanks for visiting and a huge congrats on your opening, great cause, Love how you use cups and vases on your desk, like mine,good luck..
Dianne #89

Ann B said...

Congratulations on setting up your shop and how generous to share with a very worthwhile charity - hope it goes well.
Thanks for visiting today.
Ann B
44

Monica said...

How exciting to open a new shop and such a positive uplift after a stroke. I am sure you will get more and more use in your hands and where ever the road leads you your spirit will persevere and win.
So delighted you stopped by.
Monica 96

House of Bears said...

Well that's a huge cause for excitement, we wish you lots of success with it and we're now off to look

Thanks for visiting us already today

Tera Callihan said...

Happy WOYWW! Congrats on your new shop!!! Thanks for stopping by earlier!!
-Tera #111

Lisa-Jane said...

Wishing you all the best with your new endeavours! I love anything with tea cups on so that picture is lovely!

Gill Edwards said...

congrats on opening your first shop, you have some lovely pieces there. I wish you well and thanks for visiting me earlier.

Gill x

Kelly said...

Congrats on making the move to set up your own shop!Lots of Best Wishes for Success... Sounds as if you are keeping busy. Creative Blessings! Kelly #107

sandysewin said...

Congrats on getting your shop together, I hope it does well!

Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier and for the kind comments.

Happy Woyww,

Sandy #12

Unknown said...

Congrats on your Etsy store!! I took a look. Nice! Thanks for visiting and Happy WOYWW!
Carol N #105

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Congrats on setting up your own shop. How sweet to realize a dream. I love that you get to craft by a nice window. I'm having window envy this WOYWW. hee hee Happy day to you and thanks for your earlier visit.

fairy thoughts said...

congrats on setting up the shop I know its a lot of work and takes ages to list everything, I hope it does well for you
janet #47

Naomi said...

Claire, your website is so beautiful! Congrats are definitely in order! I'm so glad we met.

VonnyK said...

Congratulations on your shop, I had a look and they are beautiful. I'm sure you will sell plenty. Good on you for overcoming the stroke and making such wonderful things. I love your tea cup.
Have a great week.
Von #41

Claire Grantham said...

Hey Claire, good luck with the shop. With all your beautiful paintings I have no doubt it will be a success..thanks for swinging by my blog earlier, sorry for the late visit. Cx #33

Kim Ferguson (Paper Crafting) said...

Congratulations on your shop and praises for you abilities to continue your craft after a stroke. Kim 112

Erika said...

This is a big step for an Artist, dear Claire and I am sending congratulations to you.
I like your desk and the Colors to see of him.
Hugs
Erika

Unknown said...

Wow! Congratulations! This is something I've wanted to do for a while, so whenever I see someone taking the plunge I am always so impressed and proud of the crafting community. All the very best with your venture, Emma x

Debs Willis said...

Congrats & good luck with the shop! Really like your tea cup - great colours

Thanks for your visit

Debs #102

voodoo vixen said...

I love it when someone achieves something they have aimed for, so massive congrats on the etsy shop, I hope it is a huge success. Your painting of the tea cup is lovely. Annette #9

Neesie said...

No wonder you're excited Claire...you've been on quite a journey.
I think it's brilliant that you've realised a dream and I wish you all the best for it to be a huge success.
Good Luck :D
Thanks for popping over to me earlier...Happy belated WOYWW
Neesie #45

Laura said...

Congratulations on the shop :)
I've had a poke around and if I wasn't mid-major-stash-cleanse I'd have bought that lovely book/journal you've put together... sigh, darn stupid intentions of being tidy!!
Happy WOYWW
Laura
87

Morti said...

Woooohoooooo! WTG You! (lots of fanfares and drums and stuff).... what a huge milestone in your recovery and so very well done to you. May your pencil never grow blunt.

All the very very best of luck with the shop and thank you, from the bottom of my boxes, for stopping by this week!

Rita said...

That is truly wonderful, Claire! Best of luck in your new venture. :)
WOYWW#113

Anne said...

Hi there and congratulations on setting up your shop. Thanks for visiting me. Anne #71

ddazzled71 said...

Congratulations on opening your shop, you have a wonderful assortment of sketches on your desk, so it looks like you will have something to suit everyone's tastes. I particularly love the vibrant colors of your teacup sketch at the front. Have a great week! Danie #62

roffeycreations said...

Hi Claire - congrats on the shop and all the best with it - I may travel down that path one day - I look forward to seeing your venture take off - hugs - Thanks for popping by Happy WOYWW Mxx #48

Vicki Sheehan said...

your own shop...wonderful! congratulations : ) i'm going to check it out right now.

Bridget Larsen said...

Sorry to hear you had a stroke but your stuff is so amazing
Bridget #80

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Best of luck with your new Etsy store. I'm sure it will be a success, and donating part of the proceeds to stroke victims like yourself, is admirable.

You asked about the "porridge concoction" I was making outside. I used the oatmeal, flour, and Cream of Wheat as fabric resists. You can find the posts under "dyeing using kitchen ingredients." Thanks for asking.

Happy belated WOYWW from #2.

Kyla said...

Congratulations on taking the leap....what a great idea to share the profits whither such a good cause.

Thanks for visiting my desk already
Kyla

Francesca said...

well that is exciting setting up shop. congratulations. Francesca #55

April said...

Congrats on opening your store. I hope you are very successful. :-) Thank you for stopping by my blog earlier. April #24

Unknown said...

Wow! well done you....
Thank you for visiting me.
Karen 60