by I first want to say thank you. Thank you for being here, reading this and supporting me. I am just so excited! If you don’t already know me let me introduce myself. Hi, I’m Nancy Wallis and for the last 12 years I’ve been designing jewelry and running my own e-boutique. Wallis Designs is my baby. I grew it from dreams in my head and making jewelry at my kitchen table to having my designs worn by women all over the world. My jewelry designs have had prominent TV placements and sent to celebrities and award show giftings. And all of those things I am so proud of and grateful for.
But…lately I’ve felt like I needed more, or a shift. I have felt burnt out and exhausted and it was gnawing at me. I was tired and being tired all the time is really no way to live. At times I felt like I was just literally hanging on and trying to get through another day. Along with running my own business we had some pretty big things going on with our family and health issues, aging parents, both our girls moved out, we underwent a major kitchen/mainfloor reno and at the same time our basement flooded at our cottage plus all the other delightful things that life throws at you. Things in my life couldn’t highlight more that we only have a finite amount of time here and that living to just get through the day is not really living.
With all of this I also realized I had stopped doing any other creative things in my life. This was pretty spirit crushing for me. I hadn’t painted a wall in over two years, knitting just for fun was a distant memory and honestly I was getting pretty attached to my phone and laptop. Being online can be isolating (even for an independent person who doesn’t mind and even thrives being alone). I was missing the connection with people and I wanted to figure out how to bring that connection back to my work.
take notice of the signs…
I believe in paying attention to those signs from the universe. Sometimes it takes a few nudges to notice and that’s ok, it’s what we do with all those nudges in the end that count. In December I got one of those signs, and no, it wasn’t really from the universe but it was a straightforward mark of support from a friend. She left this comment on my Instagram, “Ok, you need your own lifestyle and home décor blog…” How did she know when I didn’t even know this? But then, maybe I did because when I look back at my Instagram last year, I see I was kind of heading this way without really knowing it. I was posting more things from my life, home decor and gardening than my jewelry designs. You know, sometimes it just takes that supportive comment from your circle of friends that gives you just what you need, that encouragement just at the right moment to show you what you can do. (Thanks Maria.) So, a lifestyle blog it is.
So no, don’t worry to all my jewelry friends, Wallis Designs is still here and I’m still making beautiful gemstone jewelry. In fact opening up my creative world, lifts my spirit and makes me more excited to design more jewelry. (I just can’t help myself). I’m not shutting doors and completely changing my direction as much as just pivoting a little to let some more creative energy into my life. Already it just feels so right.
Feel those butterflies
But isn’t getting started the hardest part though? I kept it to myself for a bit then it was finding the courage to say my ‘next great idea’ out loud, or to today, where I found myself reaching towards that keyboard with that purposeful push of the enter key to publish my first post. That sense of fear. The excitement. The butterflies. Oh, those butterflies. Take notice of that excited nervousness because that’s the feeling of knowing you’re about to try something new. Feeling butterflies means it matters to you. And maybe those butterflies will let you discover that you’re braver, more interesting and smarter than you thought. It’s those butterflies that keep you actually living your life and I’m feeling the butterflies.
Throw Fear to the wind
I’m definitely a planner I like to schedule, make lists and think about things but at one point you just have to do it. I’m starting to learn it doesn’t always have to be perfect. Things can and should evolve over time. And really, there is something so freeing and exciting about, well, just going for it, jumping in and throwing fear to the wind. So here goes.
Ok, so now for content. Maybe it’s because my husband and I are now the proverbial empty nesters and we have this big old house to ourselves but I have an overwhelming urge to clean, purge and organize our home. We’ve lived here for 22 years now, the girls have grown up and grown out of this home and it’s time to go through some of this stuff that we have acquired and stored. So much stuff. I long to simplify our lives. I know when I speak to my girlfriends they’re feeling the same way. Follow along as I organize room by room, transform one of our bedrooms to a new studio office for me and decorate a new guest bedroom. I have a newfound energy for decorating and I can’t wait to love every room of our house again. In the spring I want to start a cut flower garden at the cottage. I want to take more photos and go for more walks, cook from scratch more often and listen to my playlist loud. A year of spending more time with family and enjoying relaxing dinners with friends. A year of growth and savouring the moments. A year of inspired living.
So here it is, welcome to The Gin Finch – my new space, my new home. A place where you are always welcome to drop by and stay for a while. A place where we can share some ideas and maybe inspire and learn from each other. I want to get to know you and I hope this is a place where we can connect. Whenever I get together with my best girlfriends I always come home full in spirit and energized. They give me encouragement, a new way to look at something or maybe just a new recipe. I’d like The Gin Finch to be just like that – a gathering of friends. I’m not an expert in any of these things or life in general but I’ll share what I’m doing and I hope you do too. Let’s inspire each other and start living an inspired life.
You’re never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.
C.S. Lewis
Congratulations! I look forward to following along, Nancy. No doubt I will be inspired by what you will offer through your creating, designing, writing, and in your photographs. I am curious about how you came up with the name for your blog.
Thanks so much Lorna! I’m so happy you found me here. Oh yes, I should explain the name in an upcoming post. All I know was when I landed on it I knew right away that it was the right one!
Nancy, your words resonate with me. From my passions of clay, knitting, photography to purging and simplifying, the parallels are uncanny. But what hit me most was “inspired living”. I can’t wait to follow along.
Congratulations Nancy!
Thanks so much Jutta. I guess we are both at that point in our lives when we want things to matter less and moments to matter more. I’m glad you are here!
Congratulations Nancy !! Can’t wait to follow along with your posts and see what you are up to. I think your creative spirit has found a new calling and it’s going to be a wonderful new chapter for you!!
Thank you so much Leslie! This pivot has given me so much creative energy and that, along with all the support and lovely words such as you have written today have really filled up my spirit. I am very lucky indeed to have this circle around me.
Amazing. This makes total sense! Can’t wait to see more.
Aw, thanks Carol for the vote of confidence! When things are in your head for so long you start to wonder if your ideas do make sense. But I have to say it just feels right and I’m excited to get started. 🙂
Thank you for the nudge Nancy…..I’m inspired and nudged by you, it was like you were in my mind! Following for sure! Wishing you warmth from your heart and dreams!
Amy! It’s so good to ‘see’ you! I hope you have been well. Thanks so much and it means so much to me that I nudged you…we can inspire each other! So glad you are here! 🙂
Nancy, your words flowed so easily and I can feel your passion in every word. I’m excited for what’s to come and I too can’t wait to hear how you came to choose Gin Finch.
Thank you Brenda. What you said means a lot to me. It’s hard to know sometimes if my words are properly expressing how I am feeling and I’m glad you could hear the excitement in them. I’m ready to do this!
This is such a lovely first post Nancy. So interesting to see where it all began. Exciting times ahead. Looking forward to reading more xx
Aw, thank you so much Angie! I really appreciate you reading it and I’m glad you found me here.