We have been at our new campsite at San Simeon State Beach for three nights now, and I’ve barely been outside. I started coming down with a cold the day we left Pismo State Beach, so while Tom was setting up camp I was inside on the couch all day.
The second day he went for a hike while I worked on the computer between naps. I was starting to feel better by the third day which was fortunate because we went to our step-grandson’s baseball tournament which was nearby in Paso Robles. Outside I was, active I was not.
Today we had chilly coastal fog most of the day. Tom and I drove into Cambria to a Gem and Mineral show and to get groceries. I still wasn’t feeling up to anything strenuous, so while Tom went to visit with a long lost friend that lives in the area, I sat at the computer all afternoon.
However, I’m feeling rather accomplished. It feels good to have something to show for my time.
So I thought I’d fill you in on what I’ve been up to: opening an Etsy store.
Let me back up.
When Tom and I had the idea of going on the road, I wasn’t even thinking retirement. We weren’t old enough. But this whole thing started because I needed a vacation from all of our jobs. So in the original timeline we hatched, we gave ourselves almost a year to not work while coming up with ideas of what we wanted (or could) do while on the road to bring in income.
We still had our store then (the Cosmic Corral) and I was still looking for that special fly-off-the-shelf product. That’s also around the time I had my fairy ideas. Sort of an Elf-on-a-Shelf meets traveling-Gnome…with a lot of get-outside-and-explore as in geo-caching or Pokemon Go mixed in. I had the idea, but only a vague plan of action.
So long story short, we now travel with a lot of Fae Folk® fairies under our bed.
No, they were not that magic product at the store, but we’ve done very well selling them at Renaissance or Fantasy Faires. And I was hoping to sell them online. Before the store closed I opened a website. Then I found out it’s better to have an online store – which is different. So when Tom closed the store and opened one online, I migrated the fairies there.
But nothing was happening. Probably because we were not working on it. (you think?!) We were too busy changing our lives and traveling and enjoying. So when the website and web store came up for renewal, we didn’t (renew). Too much money going down the drain and not enough time (or inclination) to try to make it worth it.
And by now Tom was old enough to officially retire. But I ‘m still not.
So while we’ve been enjoying this vacation phase of our new life, ‘what should I be working on?’ is always in the back of my mind.
And did I mention? There are fairies under our bed.
And ‘working’ on the blogs and the vlogs and video editing and social media isn’t a paying gig.
And while working for ex-boss with remote accounting is profitable, it’s not a long term solution.
And I don’t think my future lies in accounting anyway. It’s time to give my my right brain cells a work out.
And I don’t really think the fairies are all that happy living under our bed.
So that is how I came to open an Etsy Store.
Who knows where this path will lead – if anywhere. But I did get 32 different ‘varieties’ of Fae Folk® listed, and already sold one after the first day (THANK YOU SARAH!) so maybe that’s a good omen. And maybe more will be freed from living under the bed!
If you’re interested in seeing any of the little guys, (okay – here comes the shameless plug) you can see them here (Etsy store) or here (Facebook page) or maybe even here (Instagram) and there’s even one here (YouTube). And if that’s too much work, here are some pics:
So if you want to help the cause (that’s the free-the-fairies-from-under-the-bed cause) maybe you could share or like or favorite or subscribe or any of those other helpful links to help spread the word. The Fae Folk® and I would most certainly appreciate it!
Happy Travels,
Peace & Love, Joy
They are beautiful!
Thank you!