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
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
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.
