bruises

it's blueberry time again...yum

Yesterday proved once again to me that you just never know what's around the next corner ... sometimes it's something fantastic that makes you feel happy & excited and sometimes it's not. Occasionally it's a big 'ol bump in the road that feels at first like it's knocked you into the ditch - that you've fallen and you can't get up. A project that I had been working on for ages and had thrown my heart & soul into, was suddenly, seemingly completely out of the blue, canceled - by email. I generally love that little bing my computer makes when I have new mail and I'm always anxious & curious to see what little nugget of news has arrived. This time, reading through the message (twice) it just felt like whoosh! and all the air had been sucked out of me. Tears began to spurt out of my eyes (don't be at all alarmed, tears spurt from these eyes very easily and always have) and Winnie & Jake, both sleeping on my studio floor, raised their heads, upon hearing the sniffling, with concern. In hind sight, I might say that there were signs that something was amiss, my spider senses had been tingling a bit and for the last month or two - things had not felt right. I felt suspicious, even a little paranoid, about how the project was moving along. However, I tried (hard) to chalk it up to a new customer, new ways of working, just keep nose to paint tray, be positive and upbeat - which is normally quite easy for me to be.

Thankfully, I had the good sense to quickly call 1-800-DESIGN HELP. A designer friend of many years, that too is glued to her desk and lap top most days. She answered on the second ring. Within minutes my hurt & bruised ego felt restored, her opinion of my talent & ability came out of her mouth with such ease and confidence ... I felt forced to believe her. She reminded me that it was just this one project that had been canceled, not the relationship with this particular company (as was clearly stated in the fateful email). Her suggestions of lead paint issues in China, ever increasing cost per unit issues, and the fickle opinions of sales & marketing teams (the philistinian secret enemy of any designer) all seemed very valid. Perhaps I was not meant to take this personally.

I took the sweeties for an extra long walk at the beach, the tide was way out, I took my camera (am trying to always have it with me), breathed the salty ocean air deeply and came home to an email from another big fish company that I've been hoping to acquire as a customer, asking for further samples. I'm choosing to believe that another new door is opening.

Thanks MLou