I
always imagined that life would be full of surprises and delightful
moments. It's funny how you always get what you expect, don't you
think?
After
traveling around a lot of this beautiful globe and living in interesting
places, my Mr. Wonderful and I (and cat!) are happily "living the
dream" in The Villages, Florida. Although technically a retirement
community, this is NO wheelchairs and walkers type of place! Check out
their website: www.thevillages.com.
As
far back as I can remember, I've had a positive attitude and outlook on
life. This has brought extraordinary blessings, even when life events
would have suggested a different reaction. As they say, there is always a
silver lining in any situation, and I have been shocked at times at what the
silver lining turned out to be!
I
have a Master's Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from California State
University, Chico and worked in that capacity for about ten years. When I
realized I didn't want to do that anymore, I had the proverbial "What do I
want to be when I grow up?" conversation with myself. The answer
that bubbled up was "Do something creative, and have as much fun as
possible." So THAT is what I have been doing ever since.
I
had a stenciling/faux finishing decorative paint business in Antioch, CA (where
I met Mr. Wonderful - in his hot tub, no less) and Breckenridge, CO.
Serving on the Board of the Stencil Artisan's League, Inc. (currently the
Decorative Artisans League, Inc. www.decorativeartisans.org
was a tremendous learning experience, both creatively and professionally.
In
another unexpected decision, Mr. Wonderful and I uprooted ourselves and moved
to Kauai, HI - an island we had NEVER been to! Wait - we had been to the
other islands! How different could it be? Turned out to be yet
another great experience - six years of the most wonderful weather, hard work
and an amazing cultural experience.
In
2005, Mr. Wonderful announced that he was tired of working so hard and wanted
to move to The Villages. Neither of us were of legal retirement age (had
to put that in here!), but they let us in. There are over 1900 weekly
activities I could participate in, but I've paired that down just a bit.
My main focus is playing the clarinet in several of the bands we have here -
and I am just in love with this instrument! I hadn't played since high
school, so it's been a big surprise to see how quickly my time
goes.
With
my love of decorating and design, I currently serve as the President of our
Home Decorating Club here in The Villages. Almost 400 members strong, it
is a vibrant, insanely creative group that is a pleasure to be a part of.
I
am a demonstrator for Uppercase Living - an awesome vinyl lettering and decor
company. Who knew how easy it would be to totally transform a
space? Want to know more? Check out my website: www.hollybdreams.com.
"Transforming
Spaces in Unique Ways" is the tagline for my business "Holly B Home
Decor and More!" How I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE going into clients homes and
suggesting paint colors, furniture re-arranging and using the accessories they
already have in new ways. With Skype, I can help clients who live
anywhere!!!!
If
you'd like to contact me, I'd love to hear from you!
Email:
hollybdreams@gmail.com
Thanks
for stopping by!
