Three Moves A Charm!

Hello Friends! The business of life continues and we are so blessed with continued growth. With the help of family and friends I have moved Chinaberry Dreams Soapworks and Artisan Marketplace once again. This time to a larger space with a great open layout for our retail space, room for a classroom area, two front office spaces (one will be a true office and the other play room for days we have the little ones along) a work room for me in the back and lots of storage.

Chinaberry Dreams Soapworks and Artisan Marketplace at 106 Main St. in Leesville SC

I resigned from my job at LMC Batesburg - Leesville in January and opened the new Chinaberry Dreams full time in February. I also brought on board my little sister, Nichole Baker to help out in the mornings, which gives me time to create.
Since a number of my original vendors were interested in booth rental instead of consignment sales we have switched to booth rental in our new store front. We have two booth sizes and a few display areas to fit the needs of our vendors. Although I love to arrange and move around items on a regular basis it is very nice to share this responsibility with our vendors.
The main purpose of Chinaberry Dreams is to promote local artisans and crafters and to give them the opportunity to share with others their knowledge. We have had several great classes and hope in time this part of our business will grow. Like with most things making time and coordinating multiple schedules hinders progress.
Chinaberry Dreams Soapworks and Artisan Marketplace is located at 106 Main Street in Leesville, SC and our shop hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:30PM.
We would love for you to stop in for a visit.

Love, Laugh and Keep On Dreamin'
Trina

Waiting on the last items to removed and then
to begin painting floors.

My niece Haley and I are happy, happy, happy
that we are painting our awesome new shop!

Lucky for me.....Haley loves to paint:)

My husband, George on display for all of Leesville:) He
did a great job getting the floors in our display windows
 ready to paint. Thanks Babe!

Check out area and two office spaces to the side.

Look at all of that room! and this is just one side:)

A wall of doors make a Creation Station Classroom Area.

Hi Everyone!

Chinaberry Dreams Soapworks and Artisan Marketplace has grown so much since opening a storefront on Main Street in Leesville, SC in 2009. With the new year there will be some major changes taking place and I am so excited because it is something I have been working towards for a very long time.

I moved into this space in 2010 and it has such a special place in my heart and always will. This shop has it's share of "beauty marks" because of it's age but it is cozy, welcoming and down home. It takes lots of folks who visit back to a simpler time. I am always at peace when I am here and I always refer to it as "my therapy".

Stay tune......so much more to come.

LAUGH, LOVE and KEEP DREAMIN'..........Trina

And So Life Goes On......

OMGoodness! It has been ages since I was last here and I still am SMH at lots of the life changing events that have happened during this period of time. My household has changed, my job has changed and I have changed mentally and physically. Some changes have been good, some have been tough and some have been not so great...BUT....Life Goes On.

When I started this blog years ago, it was my hope to post at least once a week and just share, to get up on my soap box and put it out there, to encourage, to bring a smile to a friends face. Then, Life Happened and I found myself most days barely having time to sleep let alone blog and one by one the things I wanted to do for myself and my well-being were put on the shelf to take care of the things that were necessary.

My plate is still as heaped up and running over as ever but I have taken a stand to make a little time for me. I have short list of "Do For Me" things and sharing a blog from time to time is one of them. I look forward to sharing with you all and I encourage you all to make yourselves at home and share and comment as you would like. 

Laugh, Love and Keep on Dreamin'
Trina     

Oysters and Pearls

I am so happy to share this story with you all and it may make me look a little less crazy when you hear me say or see me write "Oyster and Pearls". Tuesday, March 9, 2010 I officially declared myself an oyster. I am at a place in my life right now that a lot of chaos is taking place. Monday night, my sister Fran was over and we were talking about all of the chaotic things in our lives and I made the statement, "If I were an oyster, as much irritation I have had lately, I would be spitting out a huge pearl any day now". She looked at me kinda funny and said, "God is trying to talk to us! I received a survey email from a friend today and the #2 question was: Diamonds or Pearls? She said of course, I chose pearls because they are my favorite. A friend asked her why did she prefer a pearl over a diamond, since ALL women love diamonds?" Her reply was, "I love pearls because every time I look at them I am reminded how God made such a beautiful jewel out of an irritation in that oysters body." It all made so much sense and what a oddity that we both had experienced this thought on the same day! I felt huge relief and a peace of mind because I felt as a huge burden had been lifted from my mind and soul. I realized even though I have lived with a huge irritation in my life for so many years a beautiful pearl had come from that irritation. This huge Pearl in my heart and in the hearts of all of my family is my granddaughter, Precious. So I go to work the very next day to declare to my friends that I am an oyster and shared with them the story. I now have several official "Oyster Sisters" who all share their own personal irritations in their lives. As an "Oyster Sister" we will share our sorrows and always look for the Pearls to come from our irritations. God will give us our Pearls, we just have to come to Him and ask and then have open eyes through an open heart to receive them.