THE UPSIDE OF BEING DOWN.

I finished it in record time even though I wasn’t keeping records right now;) and it was so so good.

Especially more than ever with these global pandemic times really challenging each and everyone of us on so many levels. Jen Gotch’s, The Upside of Being Down is a good message of seeing the Upside in the super Uncertain moments.

It was Heartwarming, funny and kind. Just like the Jen I know. Ok, actually I don’t know Jen in person at all. But, I did interview her back in the early days of Ban.do after being a follower of her old blog:

http://mypolaroidblog.blogspot.com/.

It actually was one of my top five reads on Google Reader back in the day. Do you rememberr google reader?!?

At the time I was a blogger (oh I still am 🤫) with a crazy craft love and I decided to start up a On-line Zine of sorts called, A-gCa (Avant-garde Crafting Association) and had bi-monthly feature called My Life-My Craft. A little spin on a AMEX print ad that was popular back in the late 2000’s (weird to say that). Where A-listers like Kate Winslet would fill out a form in their own handwriting which would accompany a cool Photo of how AMEX impacted their life and credit card debt 🤣. Oh, I still want Kate’s highlights and a Annie Leibovitz-esque photo like this.

But, actually My Life-My Card was/still a pretty cool idea in my book. So, I twisted it to fit the A-List Crafters I admired and did interview some pretty heavy glue gun hitters back in the day.

And it worked like this… I’d have them fill out a sheet I created full of crafty questions and have them email me a photo along with it back. Then I would do a little copy about them to accompany it. Voila. Done. Fun and Fun.

Oh how I wish I could share the interviews with you. They were awesome. But, sadly my A-gCa doesn’t exist online anymore and all my files are digitally tucked away on a old mammoth plexi glass Apple tower in my storage closet. But, I did find this little scrapbook page I had created in honor of A-gCa in my old blog’s archive’s from 03/2009 to share with you. I know so crafty;)

And Jen was one of those interviews (far right corner) and she’s done pretty good for herself ♥️.

So, I had so many reflective moments as I read her Memoir and recalling that itty bitty interview when Ban-do was just beginning. How gracious she was! It also brought back all the feels of my own memories of the old days of blogging and creating. It was awesome time!

It was also awesome to see some real surprising similarities. How we both grew up in Florida and she even went to college in my hometown of Tallahassee (Go Noles!). And probably shopped at Governor’s Square over The Tallahassee Mall like me:)

But, what most endured me to her over the years is seeing her navigate her own mental health journey while finding creativity to cope and flourish as she built her Band.do empire💥. I also cried a lot actually while reading her story, relating so much with my own mental health journey since childhood. Yet…

She’s also super funny and her optimism was contagious even still spilling off the page for days after finishing it and even as I write this.

I actually was supposed to go to her, The Upside Book Tour in Minneapolis at the end of March that was cancelled due to Covid-19. I even bought this kick ass Hat and was gonna where it with the necklace that I propped styled in the picture I took above 😊. Yeah I’m a Nerd:) Because if you follow Jen on IG like me then you know she is the queen of eclectic statement jewelry:)

So, I totally daydreamed that she would think it was cool as she signed my book. While I rambled on about how she inspired me to learn how to prop style. Oh wait that sounds weird 😂. But, hey she’s kind of my Oprah of style and I even get nervous in my daydreaming scenarios😂😂😂.

But, this post will have to do ♥️. So, go Read the book. Follow Jen on IG and buy some Ban.do while your at it. I’m done now😂.

Love, C.

THE UPSIDE OF BEING DOWN.

WHAT KIND OF EATER ARE YOU?

Un-Times.