And for my next trick

In January, we were in Espain visiting my parents when we received an email from our real estate agent. We were being evicted from our home, effective two weeks after we were due to return to Australia.

After dealing with the usual suspects of emotions you might expect upon receiving this bit of news, I put my pragmatic culottes on, telling myself we'll find something that's a better match for us.

Lolololsob.

Not only were we up against a throng of others in our position, like deciding on a snack when there’s nothing to eat at home, each inspection meant we had to keep lowering our standards.

We ended up being accepted into a place half of the size for an additional 30 percent of what we were paying. We would no longer have a garage, which meant I would no longer have my tiny workshop. This also meant we needed to drastically cull our belongings or arrange some kind of storage. In two short weeks, we did both. (Hot tip: pilfer empty cartons from your local liquor store to pack your books. They are the perfect size.)

It ended up being the catalyst for Amanda González Atelier.

Seeing my tools dormant in storage while being fit to burst with creative energy has been difficult. What was I waiting for? Should I make the decision to set up a bona fide workshop? An atelier? DARE I?!

I’m glossing over the boxes and the gloom and the tears. The despair of perhaps not finding somewhere to move, and fearing the very real consequences. How Lex was about to begin year 12 and the disruption this could cause. How not being able to make has affected my mental health. The cost of being a tenant and not an owner. The financial stress. The physical act and emotional ride that is packing. Gah, I'm still feeling the hangover.

But I think I've found a workshop. If things go to plan, I might get my mitts on the keys next week.

I'm OK if this particular place falls through. While I'll be disappointed, I've made the decision to set up my workshop, and that's what's making me giddy.

I've started the process with the name and colour change. I've started scrawling plans and ideas, schemes and sketches. I've started. It feels good.

Let's see what the next week brings! I'm looking forward to sharing it with you, my friends.

Amanda

PS My natural inclination is to go with taller (pronounced ta-yeah-r), meaning workshop in Spanish. Atelier it is (it’s a much better fit anyway).

PPS Strata living is no joke. IYKYK. I didn’t.