I live on Gabriola Island on the west coast of Canada with my husband and two little girls. It is a magnificent and inspiring place, rich with trees, rugged coastline, sandstone beaches and surrounded by the Salish Sea, as well as the home of a great community of crafty folks!
You would think that living on a small island would be a slow sleepy existence, but not for me. I wear far too many hats.
I run Chalk It Up Signs and Graphics, a small business with a broad clientele. In the past 11 years, my husband and I have together created over 1000 custom chalk signs and menu boards for both businesses and homes, and shipped them all over North America and beyond (including as far as Brazil and Hong Kong). I do all the design, administration and chalk artistry, and he cuts, frames and ships all the signs. That is my ‘inside job’.
My ‘outside’ job involves Stand Up Paddling. My husband and I started up Island SUP this year in order to bring Stand Up Paddling to Gabriola Island in the form of lessons, rentals and sales. I absolutely love it! I am a Paddle Canada certified SUP Flatwater instructor, so if you want to get on the water rain or shine, I will be happy to get you out there!
I am also a volunteer firefighter, and first responder with the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department for the past two years. That takes care of my left brain.
Sometimes I think of all those things as work, but ultimately I have chosen ‘work’ that involves my passions so I can’t complain at all!
My long term goals and aspirations? Well… We are fixing up our 36′ Cape George Cutter to move aboard. Eventually we plan to head off shore sailing with our two kids. I love the ocean… that is ultimately my favorite place to be, either on it, in it, by it, or under it. Mountains and forests are pretty remarkable too, but nothing beats salty hair and the wind in your face!
That’s me in a nutshell.
“If you are facing the right direction all you have to do is keep walking.” – Buddhist Proverb