ship it.

SHIP IT.

Ah, June.  The flowers are blooming, the sun is strong, my garden is planted and I think it is safe to say I have recovered from last month's the-world-is-going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket funk.  I'm not saying my last post was heavily influenced by hormones, but, anyway.......

Speaking of my garden, I'm happy to say that after, oh, thirty seven years or so I finally got around to planting one!  

not bad for a first try right?

I have been talking (to myself) about making a raised bed garden for so long, but it just seemed daunting.  Getting the lumber, having the soil delivered, buying and planting seeds, watering, weeding, etc.

I'm not proud, but every year FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, I have gone to our local farm supply store to buy something (bird seed, pine shavings for the chicken coop, soap made from hay, etc. -  you know, typical New Hampshire stuff) and have walked away with ten or so seed packets.  I would then bring said seed packets home, put them in a pretty basket on the kitchen counter (for display purposes) and stare at them all summer thinking to myself:

"Shit.  If I had just planted those seeds I'd actually have cucumbers and tomatoes right now instead of just admiring their (now dusty) pictures on the front of the packet."

How can you plant them when there are charming home decor items like this to be made?

The delayed garden tells the story of my young adult life in so many ways.  

Idea rich.  

Execution poor.  

EXAMPLE:  Years ago I came up with an idea for wall mounted jewelry displays using old picture frames and chicken wire...before you saw them all over Etsy.  

I called them "Jewelry Coops" and made one as a gift for pretty much everyone I know.  I created a pricing strategy, established different styles of "coops", took pictures of some finished product, purchased the rights to the URL, the whole shebang.  

As of June 3, 2015 I have sold exactly none.

they really are awesome for keeping hook earrings organized.

The woman who watches my daughter while I am at work has many talents (not the least of which is taking fabulous care of my kids), but her passion is costume design and generally anything that involves a needle and thread.  A few years ago she started making dog vests for her own dogs.  The vests turned out so well she decided to open her own Etsy shop - with great success.

One day we were talking about her business and turning an idea into a finished product when she said "You know what?  At some point you just have to ship it."

She said ideas are great and important and fun but if you really want to turn an idea into reality you have to put it in a box, put a label on it and ship the f'n thing (I'm actually the one who swears, not her).

Yes.  This was the message I needed to hear.  You have to ship it.

"Shipping it" applies to so much more than just small business ideas.  It applies to any dream or ambition.

If you've always wanted to take a road trip cross-country start planning.  (Like my girlfriend whose cross-country adventure blog can be found here):

go get 'em Tori. xo

If you have always dreamed of moving out of the city and buying a farm, then move.

If running a full marathon is on your bucket list then for the love of god start training (proud of you Jill).

If you always wanted a vegetable garden then plant it.

This summer I am shipping it.  

I'm not putting off until the kids are in high school what I can experience today.  And if that means my laundry piles up and  my kitchen floor has food on it then, well, that's just how it's going to be.  I feel an urgent need to live life fully and with purpose.  Now.  Not later.

I hope you ship something meaningful this summer.  I hope you finally take that idea, adventure or personal goal and wrap it up, stick it in a box, and slap a label on it.  Feel free to share your experience with "shipping it" in the comments section - I'd love to hear!

Lastly, my heart is so happy to let you know that I'll be shipping one more thing in the next month or two.   My first (and likely only) children's book "A Brighter Life for Edison" is in the final stages of editing (insert excited squeal here)!  

I have so enjoyed the process of creating this book and can't begin to explain how much I've learned from it all.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Emil Schroettnig, the young artist who offered his time and talent to bring my story to life.  I am convinced the universe had a plan for the two of us.

His artwork helped me see this project all the way from idea to reality and every stage in between.  His illustrations not only surpassed my expectations and reflected my dreams for the book, but they truly completed it.  

So thank you Emil, for everything... 

(but mostly for being the one who helped me ship it.)

xo - juli