I Have a Dream

OK, so I 'borrowed' that phrase.  I don't think he'll mind.  I DO have a dream.  I got to thinking about how important it is that you believe in your dream, but also about how important it is that someone else supports you in your dreaming.  I am fortunate indeed to have just such a someone in my life. 

MMM and I have been together for only about eighteen months.  We actually 'met' on a dating website, then went out for a cup of tea together.  Sometime I'll tell you more about our courtship, but what I do know is that I was blessed to find him.  I hope he feels the same way.  One of the greatest blessings of our relationship is that he supports my dream.  And not just in a small way.  I need to back up a bit.  I have been single for most of my life.  I have never had the means to do much more than just get by, and that includes my home.  I live in a 950 square foot two bedroom, two bath condo with a storage room.  There's no real work space.  My yard is shared.  It's not difficult to imagine how quickly I'd tick off my neighbors if I suddenly started dragging pieces of furniture onto our beautifully manicured (but hardly ever used) lawn and started refinishing furniture there.  Here's a shot of my living room last Christmas.  It's pretty, but it's limited on space. (Ignore the cat on the sofa.  That's Max.  He's just trying to hypnotize you.)

So, instead, I did little pieces here and there.  This, for example: 

I did this chair as part of an art auction for our local symphony.  (What can I say?  Max likes to be featured.)  I'm not exactly a 'known' artist, but I've done a couple of these.  I have done a bit of art for children's rooms, as well, and I have a studio at a local pottery guild.  So I keep my hand in. 

But what I've always loved is home decoration.  Even when my resources were very limited, I could work out creative ways to make my home pretty and comfortable.  Anyone can do that.  But I've always wanted to take it to the next level. 

When my darling grandmother died four years ago, she left me a thousand dollar savings bond.  I sat on it for these last four years, unwilling to spend it just to spend it.  A thousand dollars is a lot of money to me, and holds a lot of possibility.  In July, I told MMM that I wanted to find a way to use Grandma's money to invest into something lasting.  Then I shared my dream.  I showed him Miss Mustard Seed's blog, and a number of others.  (I don't know Marian from MMS, but I know I'd love her.  Our dreams are certainly similar.)  I basically said that I wanted a little business, one where I could put my talents to work, one little furniture project at a time.  And MMM, bless his heart, said - "You could store that stuff in my shop and work there, too."  WHAT??!?!?  I was blown away.  Here he, in one fell swoop, acknowledged that he could see my dream and offered to give me a launching pad.  I have to tell you, there is nothing like having your dream sanctioned by someone who loves you and supports your dream with their own commitment.

And so - Voila!  Sassafras Salvation.

Watch me go!

Love ya,

Sass 

Yard Work

Do you ever start one project, then find that it tracks off in another direction unexpectedly?  That's what happened to MMM and me.  We started simply by mowing his lawn the other day.  He actually enjoys mowing the lawn - at least the part of the lawn where he can putt around on his John Deere garden tractor/mower.  He puts on tunes, covers his ear buds with super-duper hearing protection (so he can actually hear the tunes), and goes around and around.  That's the back, side and very front yard - there's a circular drive with a strip of lawn way out in front. 

The real front yard is just in front of the house and is fenced in.  Along with a zillion trees and bushes.  That part simply cannot be done with the riding mower.  It has to be done with the push.  So, I offered to do the front while he worked on the rest.  The ground is incredibly uneven, and the trees hadn't been trimmed in forevah!!  So I found myself stepping in broad, shallow holes, tripping over tree roots, fighting way-too-long grass, and pushing through the low-hanging branches like I was fighting in Vietnam.  One of those bushes actually reached out and grabbed the oil cap off the mower I was valiantly pushing around, and oil splattered everywhere.  MMM had finished his part and brought me a lovely glass of lemonade.  (Yes, indeed, he is the sweetest guy in the world).  I was oblivious, but he managed to stop the mower before I burned up the engine.

I was hot and frustrated.  It was apparent we needed to do something about the branches.  MMM is a big guy and usually does all the mowing, including the fenced front yard.  I'm pretty short and I was working like crazy.  I can't imagine how much extra work all those branches had made for him all this time.  We got out the trimmers and we trimmed trees.  Boy, did we trim trees.  Ended up with a whole pickup load.   Off to the dump we went, but what's wonderful is that the front yard now has a lovely airy, umbrella-y quality.  Dappled shade, etc.  Downright poetic.

Except, of course, for the fact that the mowing still isn't done.  At this rate, we'll have to hay it!

I have another project I've been working on for a month, but I have to take some pictures to share.  That will come soon.

Love ya,

Sass

A Feature on Better After

So this isn't my own little success story, but in a way, I guess I could claim responsibility.... after all, I gave birth to the decorator.  How in the world could she have created all this fun beauty if not for all those hours of labor?  So, yes.  Yes!  I should get at least partial credit.  What's that?  No, I didn't paint anything.  No, I didn't buy anything?  Um, no, I didn't offer any advice.  OK... fine!  It was all the work of my firstborn.  She did it for her firstborn, my darling granddaughter, Lily.  Isn't it adorable?   Go here to view it in all its pink gorgeousness!

A Teeny-Tiny Step for Womankind. A Giant Step for Me.

Hello there!  So, this is my first post.  Wonderfully earth-shaking, is it not?  I hope to bring you lots of adorable things.  With the encouragement of My Montana Man, I recently began my new business, Sassafras Salvation.  I have a number of things I've been working on over the past little while - things specifically for personal use.  But it's time to spread my wings and make over lovelies for others to welcome into their homes, too.  But I'll be by occasionally to share some of my projects and updates, complete with pictures, with all of you.  I'm excited!