Sunday, August 20, 2017

BIG changes and exciting news!!!

Good Morning, friends!

Today is a good day to have a good day!  As I'm finishing up a few last things before I start my new job, I wanted to fill you in on some exciting things that have been happening in our world!

I saw Dr. Jackson on Thursday and he says I'm ready for my BIG tattoo!  So I'll be interviewing tattoo artists in the near future!  I have an idea of what I want, but I'm looking for someone who can take my ideas and create a masterpiece, so if you have a fave, please send me their name...I'm willing to travel!

My new position starts tomorrow with orientation!  I'm excited and a bit nervous, but ready to get into a new routine after being out of the workforce for nearly two years!!

And I think securing a job was exactly what I needed to light that fire.  I was talking with a friend the other day about how everything really does happen for a reason...and even though this medical journey has been difficult, God has brought so much good out of it.  Something we've been trying to make on our own for several years is finally coming to fruition!  God has had a plan all along...and it's so cool to see things falling into place!



First, I have to say thank you to all of my loyal supporters over the last five years.  Flowers on Footprints never would have been successful without you and your business.  I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to inspire you on your journey and feel blessed to have brought you hope through my handmade pieces!  But as the saying goes..."Nothing changes IF nothing changes!

So...the first BIG news I'd like to share is that we are making some changes to Flowers on Footprints!  Making jewelry was a great creative outlet for me in the beginning, but as I've grown and changed over the last two years, it has felt like more of a weight on my shoulders than an exciting adventure.  Because of that, I have decided to let it go.  Flowers on Footprints, the business, will still remain, but it will be offering something different!  As you all know, I have a passion for writing.  Even before we published our first book, I found writing so very exciting...whether it is for fun, sharing about something awesome, or teaching others how to do it--I absolutely LOVE it!  And so that's what I'm going to do!  Flowers on Footprints will offer freelance writing services, writing tutoring, writer's workshops, and summer writing camps, as well as continue to offer hand-stamping and journaling workshops/creative sessions for GNO's, mother/daughter date nights, birthday parties, etc.  I am so very excited about this change and I hope your are too!!

The next BIG thing comes from taking a leap of faith--one I have thought about, but been scared to take, for a while!  With the help of my family and a few awesome friends, I finally stepped off the ledge and opened up my wings! We are calling it "After Cancer Adventures" and it is a start-up, non-profit to support cancer survivors, after cancer!  We are determined to make a BIG impact and will need your help to do so!  More information will be coming soon as we get all of the pieces put together, but our hope is to offer networking opportunities, mentoring, sunshine boxes, a helpline, as well as fund something we are calling "the NO fear project"--we will choose 1 or 2 survivors/co-survivors per year and fund something they have always wanted to do, but never had the courage to try..like skydiving or ziplining or singing in front of a crowd, etc.  

There is so much support offered to patients once they've been diagnosed and there's even other non-profits focused on educating the public prior to the diagnosis.  But I struggled "after cancer" to find someone to help me...everything was supposed to go back to normal, whatever that was.  I was often depressed, tired, sad, etc. because I didn't have a purpose. We hope to help others navigate through this process, empower them to take their own leap, which will hopefully inspire them to chase after their own dream in the making!  

I'll be sharing more in the weeks to come, so please make sure to follow me here or sign up to receive emails when new posts are available.  

Praising God for these amazing opportunities!!!  And so very excited for what is to come!!!

Love you all,
~Nicole

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

A new season...


Coming up with a new name for my blog, and workshop series, wasn't an easy task.  There was a lot of thought that went into it.  Because it would be an extension of Flowers on Footprints, I wanted the name to be meaningful and serve a purpose, just as Flowers on Footprints had done so many years ago.

Originally, Flowers on Footprints the blog, was created to be a journal of my journey from darkness to light.  A place where I would walk in the present day, leaving footprints, and planting seeds that would eventually bloom into flowers of my future.  And that place served its purpose for many years. To this day, it still amazes me to go back and read through my posts...from where I was to who I am today, journaling definitely proved to help me move forward.

https://www.facebook.com/imysjoy/


But now, I find myself in a new season of life. C.S. Lewis once said, "There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind."  And though I've had many challenges over the years, I've also had many great opportunities and experiences along the way.  I'm learning to accept that in order to move forward, I have to leave what once was...in all aspects of life, behind. This has been hard on so many levels, especially since I sifted through pictures of the past recently. However, it's time to go back to the vision board and start planning for the new season that is upon me. A season that holds so much hope.  A season where I plan to grow and bloom, personally and professionally, in a way I never have before. A season that I'd like to share with you.  

https://www.facebook.com/imysjoy/
In the dictionary, blossom is defined a few different ways.  Here, we will define blossom as this: a peak period or stage of development.  As we all walk our own paths in this life, may we empower, encourage, and support one another to grow--to promote the development of AND bloom--a state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor into whatever flower we choose, reminding each other daily that this is not a competition.  We are all in this together and we all want to be successful. Hence the title: the path of a blossom: empowering you to grow and bloom on your journey through life!









https://www.bryananthonys.com/soul-sisters-arrow-necklaces

In saying that, today I'd like to recognize my dear friend and co-founder of inspire.joy, Sarah Kruer. Sarah is also the owner/artisan of imy's joy.  She creates unique, inspirational word art canvases and wood home decor items, many of which can be found in my home.  I often call our meeting serendipitous...Serendipity--the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. However, I also know that God had a hand in our happenstance because He knew I would need someone like her in the coming years and oh was He right! Throughout my treatment, heart issues and cancer, Sarah has been my girl. She gets me in a way that no one else can and supports ALL of my outlandish ideas...no matter what.  She has been there through thick and thin, to celebrate my greatest achievements, and to encourage me through the darkest of days. I wouldn't be who I am today without her and for that, I am truly grateful. 

I recently read an article posted to facebook that talked about how important it is to have girlfriends as you grow older.  It suggested what most of us already know...that our true friends, our tribe which many of us call them, will be there for us no matter what. They're the ones who are ready for wine and laughs when the sun is shining or will drop everything and lend you a shoulder when the storm comes through. I am thankful that Sarah is part of my tribe and I am blessed to call her my soul sister.

I'm not sure what direction I'm going or what surprises are waiting for me around the next corner, but I am excited to share the path with you as we lift each other up and move forward together on this incredible journey called life.

Until next time, 
~Nicole O.
<3 NO fear




Thursday, February 16, 2017

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope." ~Lady Bird Johnson

I've been enjoying the sunshine and bits of good temperature we've gotten the last few weeks. It's a sign that spring is coming and I don't know about you, but I'm so excited! Blooming flowers, green grass, new life...a fresh start and along with it, so much hope!

It's been almost a year since I wrote my last blog post.  At that time, I was recovering from open heart surgery and, like now, getting excited about spring and all the new things that were coming. However, that was very short-lived due to my cancer diagnosis.  If you haven't been following along on CaringBridge, you can get caught up by heading over there to read my journal entries.

It's taken me a while, but I'm finally feeling motivated to get back to work...though I'm still trying to figure out what that looks like exactly. Reflection has been a huge part of the healing process for me and I think what finally brought me closure was an article I just finished for Haute Life Magazine. While writing, I did some soul searching and the other day I had this "A-ha" moment! For the longest time, I've been putting pressure on myself to get back into the studio, to pick up where I left off.  But what I've realized is there really isn't a way to do that, too much has happened and I am in a completely different place now.

Though I have so much to tell you about all of that, it would actually be too much to put in this post. So instead, the plan will be to write here as I continue moving forward.  I'll share how things are coming along, personally and professionally, but will also be narrowing my topic to focus on what the blog was intentionally created for...empowering you to grow and bloom on your own journey through life! If you're not already following along, please consider doing so!  You can subscribe by email or join with your blogger account on the right side of this page. Please invite your friends to do the same!

I have a new hope for the future. So many seeds have already been planted. Excited to see where the flowers bloom!

Peace and Love,
Nicole O.
<3 NO fear


If you're interested in learning more about Haute Life Magazine, please click here. My piece will appear in the April-June issue! You can get your subscription here.