I decided to go to the craft store after I dropped the kids off at school.
Isn’t there one on Kenneth and Madison?
It’d been so long since I’d been to a craft store I couldn’t remember where one was. I only needed one can of spray paint . . . something Egyptian Tomb-ish color . . . for Maurice’s fifth grade project.
At 9 am the store was rather quiet. Invitingly so, to a stepmother of 3 boys.
Are you hiring?
“This is retail, we’re always hiring. What can you do?”
I gazed around the vast, nearly warehouse sized space, full of fabric and flowers and paintable crafts and . . .
I can sew and paint a little.
“Can you do flowers?”
Um, sort of. I used to be a florist but it was years ago.
“Do you have some time now? Go make something. Anything. Take whatever you need off the floor and you’ll find tools at the floral counter.”
Little did I know that this lady was the store manager . . . who hired me on the spot. Little did I know that she hired me because I could make a basic florist bow.
The arrangement was atrocious, believe me.
Little did I know that a part-time job would turn into a full-time job and by the grace of God, and lots and lots of practice, I’d embrace the artistry of floral design . . . as opposed to the flower arranging I did in my shop.
Little did I know that, although I was paid a whopping $6 an hour, I had the luxury of playing with any merchandise in the store to make displays and I particularly enjoyed playing with paint for backdrops.
That search for spray paint was 20 years ago. The search that led to a job and eventually . . . slowly . . . a career.
Who knew there were people who’d pay to have their Christmas tree decorated in chocolate and gold?
Or purple and bronze?
Or any color they wanted because it was their home and their tree and their . . . money.
Who knew there were management companies who wanted decorations on gates for an entire housing communities?
And community clubhouses for condominium villages.
What was even more amazing were the opportunities that came from dabbling in paint . . . trying to paint faux marble with a feather. Ha!
Opportunities like climbing up scaffolds to paint faux storefronts . . .
For a victorian village stage set.
![102_3659_thumb[5]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ggdu60qHhmo/Upq4EDuWhCI/AAAAAAAAgio/mq11h7hFRAY/s1600-h/102_3659_thumb%25255B5%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "102_3659_thumb[5]")
Even a split second appearance on DIY Network’s Yard Crasher’s Christmas Special.
All of that . . . from a can of egyptian tomb-ish spray paint.
Pretty amazing.
What’s also amazing is this self-taught floral designer, self-taught artist, wannabe home decorator is joining a group of fabulous bloggers . . .
and showing off my home decked out for Christmas!
Twelve Days. Thirty bloggers. Thirty invitations to see holiday decorating delight.
Starting this Monday, December 2!
The moral of the story?
Always know where your local craft store is.
12 Days of Christmas Home Tour Schedule
Monday DEC 2nd
Tuesday DEC 3rd
Wednesday DEC 4th
Thursday DEC 5th
Friday DEC 6th
Saturday DEC 7th
Sunday DEC 8th
Monday DEC 9th
Tuesday DEC 10th
Wednesday DEC 11th
Thursday DEC 12th
Friday DEC 13th
I hope you’ll take a break from your own decorating and join us!
Colleen
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Colleen,
I love hearing more of your story! You write so well and I have missed hearing from you. I know you are incredibly busy, but please drop me an email when you come up for air! :-). In the meantime, congrats on being part of this amazing group of ladies on the Home Tour, I look forward to your post.
Hugs,
Maureen