The Spirit of 2015

Welcome 2015!  I’m basking in this fresh new year; sitting out on the outdoor patio of my new colonial office, giving a head nod to the past (and to the vast landscape right in front of me!) and plotting the future to an extraordinary start!!

In this upcoming future I encourage everyone (and remind myself) to practice craftsmanship … which is in whatever trade you are doing that is….and believe me, will be a huge game changer ...

The refinement of one’s skill, the desire to offer a better and better product and result each time, and always have the recipient/client in mind and is as much a spiritual as it is a material offering because I do believe it gives all of us here an excuse to personally develop and evolve through our work. From production to shipping to accounting and creative even from a simple act to just plucking some pretty flowers from the garden and making it into an exquisite vase arrangement.

What I meant when I said Craftsmanship’ or ‘Artisan’ .. I relate to the training and development by doing it time and time again… even till end of time.  Well, the practise itself is by far more textured and more in-depth than simply mastering a skill set. It has much to do with developing mastery within oneself. The material one works with becomes an extension of what is primarily an internal process. It also has to do with one’s commitment, through their trade, to others. 
 

My hope is that, through practicing attention to detail and showing a special care for what we each do as part of the overall effort, we end up offering more than just a product and we end up having a product with soul and receiving more than just monetary.

What keeps us alive is this 'artisan spirit'. It makes each relatively boring and routined task feel important and fulfilling. It helps to draw the focus from the bigger, broader goals and places our foot on those things we have more power to immediately influence. As a consequence, things seem to work themselves out naturally and effortlessly and beautifully.

I’m feeling soaked with gratitude for the opportunity we have to do this thing we do here. So to summarise what’s starting to sound like a Miss Pageant’s toast, I want to express my sincere thanks for your patronage, lovely notes & appreciation and general support. And I want to invite you all to continue to bring bits of POPPY essence and spirit into your 2015. It’s been a great pleasure and honor to serve you and we look forward to more of it in this coming year!

Warmly, Sarah