July - A Fresh Start

It has been 7 months since we began the process of selling our home in New Jersey and migrating our lives down to Wilmington, North Carolina. My husband Ran, originally from Durham, North Carolina, began his new job as the Director of Upper School at Cape Fear Academy earlier this month. We are so grateful to all of our friends and family who gave us unforgettable farewells and welcomes on both ends of the map. While there is still a lot to do as we get settled, one of my biggest goals (and most fun ones!) will be to set up my new office and get back to blogging, making videos, and adding new artwork to my shop. If you're curious and want to keep reading, below is a summary of what I did accomplish and experience this past spring.  

Work

While I did my best to keep some inventory in stock while I worked out of our little apartment rental this spring, I definitely experienced a decline in sales. I also wasn't able to participate in my beloved New Jersey Renaissance Faire. It's amazing how much in-person sales have increased since 2022 and to not have that as part of my income definitely felt significant. Now that I have my North Carolina business registration and sales tax license all set up, I've been signing up for some local events and craft fairs in Wilmington and surrounding towns. 

Although product sales were down, I did enjoy an uptick in some really fun freelance projects. I'm so grateful to my colleagues in England and Australia who continue to turn to me for their custom artwork needs. Maps and event merchandise fill my creative space and I can't wait to share more as these pieces are published and events are announced. Below is one of my maps that was recently published in Tudor Places Magazine. 

Philadelphia

Renting an apartment in Philadelphia was a perfect way to say farewell to the city of brotherly love. On my own, I enjoyed a day out at the Barnes Foundation, walks along Kelly Drive, and taste-testing the new coffee shops in my old neighborhood of East Falls. As a family, we had fun adventures at Phillies and Union games, the Museum of the American Revolution, South Street Seaport, and The Franklin Institute. 

Italy

Before we finalized our big move down south, we enjoyed a fantastic trip to Tuscany with family and friends. Highlights included day trips to Sienna, Florence, San Gimignano, a cooking class, and splashing in the pool. I even had time to do a little sketching! 

On deck

As we head into August I'm already working on my holiday inventory of ornaments and other gift items. My new tea towels arrived last week and I could not be happier without they came out.

My family and I have another Christmas movie spoof coming out in November, based on the 1945 classic 'Christmas in Connecticut' with a dash of 'White Christmas'. If you love Christmas movies and have not seen 'Christmas in Connecticut', I highly recommend watching it (especially before you watch our version). The incomparable Barbara Stanwick makes this a movie I return to again and again.

Thanks for reading, and I'll be back with another update in September.