@Maggie @Anastasia @SJT63 @Gwynn
The BIGGEST update so far.
I decided that I was going to do a huge update on the chairs because it is nearing completion.
This has been a massive journey for me. I have learnt so much that will stay with me forever. By seeing the responses with the very few people around me physically, I really am the most excited and happiest about these chairs. I have been so engrossed in the project, working every single day and working hard to bring these chairs back to life and really being very much in my element. I realised no one could feel what I feel because it is one of my interests and passions, it is work I did alone every day, it really was my journey.
It was a deep realisation I came to. So, I have stopped really expecting anything from the very few people around me physically. I thought to myself, well hey if they are very interested in what I have done and am doing, they will ask me. Then I can talk about it. This has/had so much great meaning to me and was special to me. I also realise that at times, I am going to want to be left by myself to think about my journey, if there isn't anyone who want to hear about it in my process. So, That is what I will do.
I have spoken with my client to organise pick up/invoice/payment. She is picking up the chairs on Saturday morning as that is when I said they will be ready. I have three more night with the chairs, so I am going to work on separating myself from them. You do form some kind of attachment with them and have to let them go back to where they came from. I am left with wonderful memories. I am also thankful that this project was there for me during my extremely dark days. Although, I was still in a very dark place while working on them, they saved me, these chairs. They saved me in so many ways.
I want to add that even though it may or may not look like to some or all people, I assure you I have NEVER in my life done this work before. I have never restored and reupholstered a piece of furniture ever. It was in my dreams for more than twenty years to do it one day, but that was more on a retirement basis. Looks like I was meant to do it sooner! I have never had any training or studies and so on. It has been in my thoughts recently that I am going to look at perhaps doing a furniture upholstery course later next year but I am unsure yet. I still havn’t finished my current studies, so I will need to do that first.
I have worked with my hands in jobs over the years with machinery/tools and technical aspects, but never restored and reupholstered furniture. I am just sharing that more so because I think I am amazing to do what I have done here, even though I have had no experience in this. Very proud of myself indeed. I can also see though that I need training lol.
I also liked that I had this thread to come to. THANK YOU for engaging with me, for your support, for your encouragement and being with me online through this journey. @Maggie @Anastasia @SJT63 @Gwynn
It has been so great for me to have somewhere to go when I felt very alone on my journey, and has also helped.
Today marked the day of having picked up the chairs and having them for exactly one month. I was thinking yesterday, it does not feel like this has been 1 months work. So, I looked back on the dates of all my photos and messages. I worked out, I have only been working on them solidly since the 9/12. I had a lot of stuff going on when I picked up the chairs and I wasn't prepared to be doing the job itself. So, I had a few setbacks time wise. Before the 9th it was just when I could get to them. I also had an agreement with a sidekick for the entire project and to split the earnings 50/50, but they bailed after day 1. I was a bit disappointed, but the show must go on. I was left with it being just me. They would have been done by now if there were two.
Tomorrow I am going to be fairly busy with the chairs and on Thursday as well. Christmas eve day and night and Christmas day and night are going to be really hard for me to get through. I do not know what to expect really, but I know that being busy with the chairs and having those two days which I am particularly really affected by will drain me tremendously and I will probably need quite a few days to recover.
Aside from that, my little business shuts down today for two weeks.I will not be taking ANY jobs on at all. I need time off and time to rest. I need time to myself and to reflect and make some decisions. I am very tired.
Either tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday, I will be doing another update.
