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I thank you all for your patience, your support, and your encouragement over the last 6 weeks ... it was a couple of weeks before St. Patrick's Day when I first "hatched" the idea for MAGPIE'S ART NEST, and since then, I have looked at residential properties with the business in mind. I do admit that looking at properties without an investor is premature, however, in the name of research, it makes sense to me.
In working up a Business Plan, I found it far easier to work the numbers when I had a specific property in mind - because it allowed me to project based on actual classroom space/s. Now that my "ideal" property sold ... for far less than the original asking price, I might add ... {okay, YES, I am still 'CREST'-fallen about it, I admit ...} ... now that it's sold, it's a challenge for me to "work up projected income" based on ... an unknown variable such as the premises themselves.
But I persevere, and I remain vigilant and hopeful. The actual "ideal property" is still out there ... I just have to find it.
Of course, as one of our grandchildren said to me just yesterday, "wow, Oma, you're really serious about this business arent' you ?!" {out of the mouths of babes ...} She went on to say "it sounds like the ship's about to leave and Papa's still on the dock" -- again, 'out of the mouths of babes'. No truer words have (lately) been spoken !!! Mark's not "on board" with my business vision ... I'd say "yet", but I am not so sure he ever will be.
And still -- I remain optimistic.
Obviously it's going to take a partner - an investor for the real estate, and possibly a business partner.
Meanwhile, I do thank you for your support and encouragement and enthusiasm.
I wish I had more to "report" at this time, so with that in mind, I'd better get back to some numbers-crunching.
Your --
Princess Magpie
images from Google search ... "magpie" and "stone cottage".
The stone cottage is from http://www.serenitystonecottage.com/ in Heath, Massachusetts ... it's a wonderful-looking vacation rental that I happened upon while googling "stone cottages".
Here's a little more about Serenity Stone Cottage: The Serenity Stone Cottage is tucked into five private acres of meadow, pond, and forest in the historic town of Heath, Massachusetts (population 805) in the Berkshires. Located just off the scenic Mohawk Trail, this hidden treasure was built in 1933 and eventually became a summer home to renowned theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, author of the Serenity Prayer. The Serenity Prayer (in its original version) was written at the stone cottage, and first preached by Mr. Niebuhr in the Heath Union Church in 1943. This all-season cottage has been lovingly maintained to reflect its original warmth, charm, and unique sense of peace and quiet.
The exterior design of the cottage is European in style, with a beautiful stone façade, cedar shakes, balcony porches, a hidden stone stairway, and a courtyard garden. All-around windows look out from the main living room to a cedar grove, a field of wildflowers, a small (seasonal) pond, and the woods beyond. The cottage is surprisingly spacious (approximately 1500 square feet on three levels) and there are skylights throughout.
You read it right, friends.
I am taking my art- and soul-filled adventure in a new direction. An "additional" direction, if you like.
I have ... started a new blog with my new business in mind ... http://princessmagpiesnestandstudio.blogspot.com ... I know, that's a long long long address ... I'll do something about that when I can figure out how to make it SHORTER via some kind of link-up ... Ann ???
If you visit the new blog, via the handy dandy link above, you can read the beginnings of this new venture.
I have also "opened" my very own ETSY shop, called Princess Magpie's Nest ... you can visit it at www.etsy.com/shop/PrincessMagpiesNest ... although the "shelves" are still empty :-) !!!
So far, I've shared my dream (in most of its entirety) with only the grandchildren, two of our daughters, my husband (yes, Mark; and he is intrigued and engaged in the ideas I presented), and my friend Nina, who I frequently "art" with and whose input I appreciate and value.
But the more I "speak" the dream, the more "real" it gets for me, and I can hardly sleep any more.
More to come ... more to come ...
-- Princess Magpie
Welcome to I AM PRINCESS MAGPIE, my new blogspot for all things creative & artistic in my life. From musings to inspirations to actual art created, this is my spot.Why "Princess Magpie" ??? Let me try to explain ...
From WIKIPEDIA, "Princess is the feminine form of prince (from the Latin princeps, meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or her daughters, women whose station in life depended on their relationship to a prince and who could be disowned and stripped of the title if he so chose. As women have slowly gained more autonomy through European history, the title of princess has become simply the female counterpart of prince and does not necessarily imply being controlled or owned by a prince."
When Mark and I were designing and building our home, there were many times he would question a design element or feature in the plans, to which I would always explain, "Princess would like ..." {fill in the blank with anything ranging from Maytag Neptune stacking washer & dryer to farmhouse sink to limestone kitchen counters to solid walnut floors}. Finally, he sat me down and said "You really must stop referring to yourself as Princess - you're scaring me!". As for MAGPIE, again, a very basic bit of lore is that "magpies love shiny things, and steal rings and other trinkets." Okay, so I don't steal stuff ... But I am attracted to and tend to collect lovely things, not always shiny, but always charming, beautiful, and/or lovely -- for current or future art projects.
If one of you is so inclined to do further research on the Magpie, you may discover that they have quite a bit of folklore associated with them that I find ... totally unfair! Of course, had I done all this research on the Magpie BEFORE opting to call myself Princess Magpie, I might have chosen another creature that hoards shiny things.
But being the unsuperstitious gal that I am, I am not not not going to let those other silly ideas about this darling bird -- keep me from my chosen nickname. So there!Thank you for visiting my new blogspot, I am Princess Magpie. I hope you will return again and again and again.
-- Davielle, aka "Princess Magpie" {but you can just call me Princess, if you like}
