Dreamscape Jewelry Design

March 27, 2022: On the Road Again and Grateful for Unexpected Paths

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  

(Mark Twain)

Next weekend we will once again be packing up our van, loading it to the top and heading out on the road again to our first show of 2022. (https://castleberryfairs.com/capital-city-craft-festival-2022/)

With the impetus of a new show, our studios have been humming with activity, fueled by the knowledge that we need to be both inspired in our designs for our potential customers and productive so that our booth will be worthy of a visit. Shows are a huge amount of work, right from the initial design work, to the nitty-gritty of writing up tags, packaging them, organizing displays, and packing up all of our paraphernalia. We never really know what the outcome will be, so much is dependent on a number of qualifiers from the state of the economy to the weather. Yet, we’ve learned from experience about the joys that come from our adventures on the road.

“People are guests in our story, the same way we are guests in theirs. But we all meet each other for a reason because every person is a personal lesson waiting to be told.” 

― lauren klarfeld

Over the years of traveling and participating in shows, we’ve realized how much we have benefitted from the people we’ve met. From fellow artists to the visitors to our booth, we return at the end of each day, enriched by the connections and stories they bring us. The gifts of these connections have impacted us both personally and professionally. We’ve learned so much from other artists and our customers, and have treasured the friendships that have been formed over time. These relationships are unexpected blessings, ones we never even dreamed about when we set out on this journey as artists.

“We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…..and curiousity keeps pleading us down new paths.”

―Walt Disney

When we first ventured twelve years ago out to participate in a small local show, we had no idea that it would become our chosen path. It was in the small town of Danforth, Maine as part of their Summerfest celebration and our display was a single 4′ X 8′ foot table. Up to that moment, jewelry making was simply a hobby, which was slowly moving into sales after acquaintances and friends began asking for custom work. Before and during that first show, we were both excited and nervous, wondering if anyone would be interested in our jewelry. I can still remember our first sale, a pair of sterling silver earrings to a sweet, elderly lady. I was still teaching full time in New Hampshire, and had no idea that several years later, I would retire early and pursue the passion of jewelry making full time. Ron’s journey as a Silversmith was another unexpected turn on the road which has opened up doors to his innate creativity and talent which he never knew he had. Mentored by an older family friend who was a talented artist, this path has also brought Ron great satisfaction and a sense of carrying on a tradition.

Fast forward, to a booth that now takes us three hours to set-up in venues in four different states. Yet, the contradictory feelings of both excitement and trepidation remain the same, as well as the joy we receive from engaging with fellow artists, our customers and visitors to our booth. When we ask ourselves how long we’ll keep participating in shows, we’ve made the decision that as long as we’re still loving and finding meaning in what we do, we’ll keep traveling down this road.

Whatever path or road you choose to follow, here are some quotes to inspire you on your journey. Thanks so much for taking the time to read our blog. Please feel free to comment below and/or share it with someone who might find it meaningful.

Stay healthy, be inspired and engage in safe adventures!

Best regards, Wendy Oellers-Fulmer

Quotes to Inspire Travelers

“I don’t always know where this life is going. i can’t see the end of the road, but here is the great part: courage is not about knowing the path. It is about taking the first step.”

― Katie Davis

“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.”

― Anatole France

“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.“

― Paulo Coelho

“Although the road is never ending take a step and keep walking,

do not look fearfully into the distance…

On this path let the heart be your guide

for the body is hesitant and full of fear.“

― Rumi

“Your path and purpose will become crystal clear when you begin to trust your vision.“

― Bill Walsh

“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.“

― Guy Gavriel Kay

“Often what may appear as a detour in life is actually the most direct and empowering path to your destination.“

― James Arthur Ray

“If you follow your bliss you will find a path laid out before you that has been waiting for you all along

and you will begin to live the life you ought to be living.”

― Joseph Campbell

“Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths.“

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“A successful life is one that is lived through understanding and pursuing one’s own path, not chasing after the dreams of others.“

― Chin-Ning Chu