Thank-you for all your kind words after my last post. There are lots of things I should write about today, wonderful playdates, lovely mail and melodies... still no baking or bon-bons, maybe tonight. Life is such a precious gift and it feels good to be moving forward to a new year. Wishing you all sweetness and light in this most beautiful of seasons.
I come from a family of shopkeepers and for a long time I was determined not to be one too. Then one day I woke up and it was all I wanted to do. It was as simple as that. Fourteen years ago my family opened a little gift store in an old house with a shop front. Back then our dream was to create a place where people felt comfortable. A place where even if they only had a little to spend, they would find that special something. It would of course be beautifully wrapped. Years later our little shop has grown and changed but I think we have managed to stay true to our vision. Along the way we have made some wonderful friends and hopefully made a few people happy. We have watched children grow and have had the privelege of sharing a little part of peoples lives. 
I know a lot is said about the commercialisation of this season. It's certainly the busiest time of the year for us, but it's still a thrill for me to see people taking pleasure in the simple things... writing cards and letters, buying a box for handmade biscuits, choosing an ornament for a favourite teacher, taking the time to travel across town to find the perfect treat for someone they hold dear. We have worked really hard over the years to build relationships with our suppliers, a mixture of importers and smaller local companies. Selecting a collection of goods for each season is such fun. Of course a great deal of hard work goes in to making it seem effortless, but it's a challenge that I love. And then there's that great moment when it all comes together, when someone gets what we are trying to say and it just works. Those moments are really special.
For me, blogging has primarily been about own my personal journey into motherhood and finding my creativity within that realm. One of the most powerful things about this community is it's the ability to foster connection among people. I spent a lot of time thinking about this post. Revealing things about myself doesn't come easily to me but recently I have found myself wanting to write about my experiences as a shopgirl. This might be a one off post or maybe one day I'll write some more. I guess what it comes down to is that I've realised again how lucky I am to do something that I really love, something that allows me to connect with others on a daily basis. That our little shop still exists is testament to the support of many people over many years, testament to the power of the smallest exchanges. It's something for which I'm incredibly grateful.
miss a and i have been having a lovely time at our local playgroup, this week it was our turn to prepare the craft activity...
miss a loves stickers at the moment, so we made red spotty star garlands...
and angels,
that ended up covered in glitter...
