When Everything Changes
When Everything Changes. Are you thinking “the website looks different”. Or maybe “if you are an artist/booksmith, what’s up with all the flowers?” Well, let me tell you what happens when everything changes.
In September of 2019, I was the owner and lead designer of One Precious Pearl Floral Design & Styling in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My daughter was my partner, which I loved. We were as busy as we wanted to be, working with wonderful couples and great wedding vendors. Leah was also enjoying life as a new mama to a beautiful baby boy who arrived in July. All was going along smoothly, and I was quite content with things as they were.
And then life happened, and everything changed. My husband was offered a to-good-to-be-true job at a company 350 miles away in a town just west of the Chicago Suburbs. Leaving children, grandchildren, our home and my business behind in Minneapolis, we made the move and settled in by early February 2020, four weeks before #Covid19 and #Shelterinplace started trending everywhere. And everything changed for everyone.
Moving was difficult, but not being able to leave the house, it was almost impossible to start a new life. As a way to manage the upheaval of the move and the isolation and loneliness of the pandemic, I found new ways to create. I started painting, crafting and photography. I took online courses on bookbinding and watched as much YouTube as anyone.
Additionally, in the middle of the dark days of Covid, osteoarthritis flared in my hands. The pain became great enough to require repair. The joints in the ring and small fingers on my right (and dominant) hand were replaced. Prior to the surgery, I thought I might find a way to keep my business going even if on a smaller basis. However, I had to accept that the physical stress of floral design on my hands could potentially damage the new joints beyond repair.
Having more journals and art around then we needed or could use, and having given as much away to as many people as would take it, I had to find another outlet. Always an entrepreneur and not yet ready to retire, I decided to start another business, One Precious Pearl…the Next Chapter.
Combining mixed media art with bookbinding, I now design and sell journals of various types. They range from vintage, modern vintage or mid-century, junk, art, writing, faith or commonplace journals. I love the range and diversity, because it allows me to work with various kinds of paper, every color on the wheel and ephemera of all types.
I plan to add additional offerings in the next months. Look for digital downloads, ephemera and charms, along with other pretties for making your own journals. Of course, I will be creating junk journals on a regular basis in various sizes, colors and types. And I’m always excited to do commission work just for you. This includes re-binding older beloved books you just can’t part with but need a fix up!
Moving forward with this new plan, I started the process of updating social media and then tackled the existing website. Setting all of it up the first time was so much work, I decided instead of beginning from scratch, I’d make adjustments in the name and some in the look and style of the website. I considered taking down the former blog posts and the Gallery. However since there is still traffic coming into the existing URL, I wanted to leave up the older posts and photos as inspiration for future brides. There will be new posts added to the existing posts, but the content will change. I hope this isn’t too confusing.
It’s been a year of adjusting, finding my footing, striving to move forward. I’ve learned in a real way, regardless, if we expect or plan for change or if we don’t see it coming at all, when everything changes, there are choices. How we navigate and progress through it is about the decisions we make during the process. And the patience we allow ourselves. I do miss my past life, but I’m finding a new way. I might even be enjoying it! So, here’s to The Next Chapter. Cheers!
One Precious Pearl Instagram
One Precious Pearl YouTube
In September of 2019 I was the owner and lead designer of a successful wedding floral design and styling business in Minnesota, and quite content with things as they were. As life would have it, however, my husband's job moved us 350 miles away. Leaving children, grandchildren, our home and my business behind, we made the move and settled in by early February 2020, just as #Covid19 started trending everywhere.
As a way to manage the upheaval of the move and the isolation of the pandemic, I turned my creativity to painting, crafting and photography. Always an entrepreneur and not yet ready to retire, I decided to start another business, One Precious Pearl...the Next Chapter.
Combining mixed media art with bookbinding, I now design and sell journals of various types. They range from vintage, modern vintage or mid century, junk, art, writing, faith or commonplace journals. I also welcome and thoroughly enjoy commissioned pieces! 
