A hobby turns a profit

Last year, I started painting some pieces of reclaimed wood I came across. I sold a few pieces, but really got out of it fairly quickly. Until a couple months ago. 

On a whim, I shared a photo of a painting I had done last fall. 

I'm getting ready to start grad school in January. Did you realize how expensive it is to even apply?? Between ordering transcripts, paying for tests, and paying for the application itself, my already tight budget was feeling the squeeze. I shared this photo as a "feeler"... "Would anyone be interested in ordering some paintings to help me cover the application costs?"

Yes. Yes, they would. 

What started as one order turned into a few more... And then a few more... And then even more. 

Since September, I have been blessed with a steady stream of painting orders. They have helped cover all of my application costs, unexpected bills, doctor visits, and more. 

I am thrilled with how busy I've been and so thankful for the opportunity to use my gifts. 

Today, the mother of one of my husband's former students called me to say that she'd come across SEVERAL discarded kitchen cabinet doors. For free. And she was giving them to me!

Look at that pile of treasure just waiting to be discovered! I have some great ideas for these. Chalkboards, coat or key rack, etc. I was so excited to get started!

They'd been kept in a shed for a while, so they had some dry mold growing on them. 

I sprayed them with a bleach mixture to kill and remove the mold. It already looked better just from the wash, and I loved the chippy texture, so I didn't do anything else to the cabinet itself. 

This piece was perfect for one word, two at the most. I knew what word I wanted for my kitchen: "gather."

I free handed the word in pencil to make sure I had the size right. Then I went over it in black acrylic. 

It's the perfect statement for my kitchen. The kitchen is truly the heart of my home where my family gathers together. We cook, we eat, we clean, we talk. 

We gather. 

I have several more doors available, but this one is all mine!