Serendipity Workshop

by Erin Kelley

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June 7, 2018

Welcome to Serendipity Workshop

I’m Erin, it’s so nice to see you here.

Because it MUST be serendipity that brings you to this corner of the internet, I can only assume we share the same delight in being pursued by joy and motivated by finding more of it.  Which makes me extra, extra glad you stopped by. I’m here to share the things I know, the things I’m learning, and the things I make with you.

Our lives are crowded with voices telling us what we need, how we should (fill in the blank), who we should be, what we should look like, what we should like and all this adds up to some lamentable mistruths:  We are not good enough in our bodies, ever // What we have isn’t nice/swanky/cool/hip/enviable enough // Everyone else has it together, though, so it’s just you.

None of this is right. None of this is true.

Even when we feel on top of this mischief, it leaves us wondering how do we find that middle (and beautiful) place where we work on ourselves while still loving and appreciating exactly who we are wherever we are; where we curate our homes, lives and the stuff we gather with conscious inspiration; and where we see the people we admire as simply human beings with struggles and shame, triumph and treasure just like us?

The SW mission is (really, really) simple:  Find our own way to live in joy.  Here’s how:

  1. Inspired living at home and getting creative and joyful about how we arrange, love and feed ourselves in the places we dwell.
  2. Loving ourselves in whatever body size, shape or range of ability. Making way for growth, motivation and goals driven by hope and strength wherever we find it today. Our bodies are our one true home.
  3. You and Me and celebrating the remarkable fact that by using our unique gifts to be who we are, we will always lift each other up.

What, exactly, is Serendipity Workshop?

Serendipity Workshop is an actual workshop where we make fun stuff for home and wearing.   It’s located behind our little grey Craftsman cottage and a studio in the house.

We (me and my partner in life and serendipity, Nate) make treasures for home and life out of a mix of old and new materials that inspire us to savor even the littlest moments of poetry in something as simple as a bud vase or other functional items made with love and care.  Our style can be summed up nicely as Approachable Whimsy.

Serendipity Workshop is a source for inspiration for home and life focused on using what you’ve got and embracing what only you can create.   It is what I do and from the perspective of my own style, but I hope it will inspire you to do what you do with confidence!

It’s finding creative ways to feature the stuff you love and to enjoy living with it.  It is about making sure our homes are recharging stations for our bodies and spirits. Coming home should feel like walking into the arms of a reassuring hug.  Our homes reflect our lives past present and future. Our homes should be one of the greatest sources of inspiration we have. My home has been this for me for all of my adult life and I want this for you.  And in case you are wondering, I’m not even remotely talking about perfection here. Approachable means living with what’s real, sometimes broken, chipped or stained. Whimsy is pushing past what is expected to find our own version of joy.

Serendipity Workshop is a source for real-time confidence in who we are today in whatever size, shape or ability. This includes recipes, motivation, inspiration and truth about honoring, nourishing and strengthening our bodies (and bonus! by default our spirit).

Serendipity is about saying yes to your own strength whatever that means for you.  When we feel strong we are an unstoppable force. This might mean just honoring the strength you have right this very minute or strength as you look to reach health, fitness or life goals.  It is amazing how quickly the feeling of power fills us when we start from a place of honoring our strength and not feeling unworthy. Approaching any type of self-improvement or growth from this perspective is revolutionary and I am committed to the cause.


This present moment is literally all we have in this world.  Have you ever really thought about that? Why on earth do we feel the need to fill our now with shame and want?  We have the choice to live from a place of joy and strength. Setting goals for our lives, but not without gratitude first.  What we have, what we need, what we look like and how very much we have to be grateful for at any moment. Not just a for show #grateful.  I mean THANK YOU JESUS! from the soles of my feet to the tips of my fingers gratitude.

It’s life changing.

#startwithgratitude

Which brings me back to joy.

Those three letters contain just about everything I aspire to in this life.  I met a woman recently who after rounds of introductions asked me “did you say your name was Joy?”  Since Erin sounds nothing like Joy, we had a good laugh but when she told me it must have been because I was radiating joy, I was like whoa. Apparently, it sticks to you whether you know it or not.

So, I ask you, what could be better than a little more joy in your life?  And I remind you of this too: the thing about joy that we forget sometimes is that it’s not always the easy road.  It’s not the lazy way out, the thing you settle for when you are too tired to do the work you are called to do. Joy comes from aligning where you are to who you are.  I need this reminder every single day.  The gracious gift of joy is that it simply appears when we let it.  We don’t have to chase it down, bargain with it or trick it into existence.  It will come, every time.

I sense you believe in the power of joy as much as I do.  Join me, won’t you? Let’s make our homes joy-full, our bodies joy-us and lift each other up along the way.

 

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About Me

I’m Erin Kelley and I am living a real-life story of serendipity.  There can be no other way to describe it. In fact, I think serendipity is something we can cultivate more of in our lives, but that’s a post for another day.  My partner, Nate and I are transplants from the Tennessee and the Midwest soaking up the splendor of the Pacific Northwest.

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A pretty normal day at the bird feeder. A pretty normal day at the bird feeder.
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I just realized Smallsie hasn’t made an appearan I just realized Smallsie hasn’t made an appearance on the internet since last December.  Here’s a little photo album of what he’s been up to which is mostly lounging.
Inza. Planted this year and has one apple she’s Inza. Planted this year and has one apple she’s not quite strong enough to bear. Bernard’s wife. These trees are named for my grandparents who have been gone for a while but they are so very still here. I wanted apple trees in the yard more than anything.  It’s one of life’s most eloquent graces that we get to renew meaningful old memories with new expressions that fit our lives today.  The apple trees in OG Bernard and Inza’s yard hold some of my favorite childhood memories. Perfect in many ways. A couple of scraggly Memphis apple trees are my way of keeping them here. I get to say their names and care for these trees. Have fun with these trees with gnomes and summer twinkle lights. Our backyard birds (of which there are many) perch on their branches. And it’s just pure love.  Bernard 🍎 Inza.

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