Holy smokes, you guys! Today marks the one year anniversary of my Etsy shop!

Last year, on August 29th, I swung open the virtual doors of the Beauty Shop. Soon, I started displaying my wares at a handful of art shows, too. Both endeavors had my heart thumping and knees knocking; I worried no one would want to hand over their hard-earned money for my brand of art. Still, it was invigorating to put myself out there and throw caution to the wind.

I never, ever thought this would be part of my career. I was an Etsy shopper, not an Etsy seller. But the more I created on the side, the more friends and family asked why I wasn’t selling my stuff. And I didn’t have a good answer. By last year, when I toyed with opening an online shop, Brad’s only concern was that it would suck the joy out of it for me. He knew how much I loved my creative hobbies. Would turning my art into a business be more crazy-making than rewarding? I didn’t know. And I wouldn’t know, I realized, unless I tried it.

And so I did. Turns out setting up shop {and transforming our dining room into my “dudio”} actually fueled my creativity, empowered me to embrace my inner artist and convinced me there are people out there who want and like and will pay for my art. Imagine that! I couldn’t be more thrilled.

To celebrate this first birthday, I’d like for you to pretend I’ve just handed you the best-tasting cake ever {on a darling little plate, of course}. It’s so good, right!? Now…imagine you’re opening up a whimsically, exquisitely wrapped gift and….inside you find a coupon code {ONEYEAR} that’s good for 20% off my whole shop through Friday 9/2 at midnight central. Wheeeee! Happy anniversary to us!