[Forgive me, this post is for TODAY THE MOST EXCITING AND WONDERFUL LAUNCH DAY, but I wrote it last night. My baby was sleeping at that time, and now she is not. Enough said.]

It's 10:35 pm on a Friday night, and my Yogi Tea is speaking to me:

"Think seriously and think honestly."

Well, to be honest, I scoffed when I read those words. Not what I need from you, dear Yogi! I'm about to write my first blog in over a year; I need to make a good impression so that people will come back. I need to think about what they want to read: something witty and clever, friendly and happy. Enough with your seriousness, honestly!

But, the Yogi is getting to me. Because really, what is all of it worth-- the writing, painting, designing-- if it is not honest? If it doesn't tell the truth?

Truth be told, in my past dreams, I pictured this launch day a little differently. In my visions, I'd created dozens, no-- scores of new pieces and products by this time; it'd take you three good scrolls to get through my entire storefront. Oh, and also, if it had all gone according to my dreams, this day would've occurred 3 months after my daughter was born.

My daughter was born almost 15 months ago, and you won't need to scroll much through my shop to see it all. But you know what? I'm good with that. Because this, in all of its humble beginnings, is actually taking place. Today! Right now! As Shel Silverstein put it so profoundly: "...those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas / all ran away and hid / from one little did."

How did it happen? I took one little thing at a time. Seriously-- the tiniest, puniest thing! In my dream world, I somehow imagined being able to spend hours per day on this, while caring for Ella full time. In the real world, guess what? I cared for Ella full time. After adjusting expectations of myself, I set out to make incremental progress. Some days, all I had time for was one phone call, or 15 minutes of comparison shopping for bulk mailer tubes. Some days, I actually cleared the table and broke out the paints. Most days, especially early on, I did nothing in the way of business.

But it all added up, and here we are: My one-year-old is sleeping away in her crib. I have boxes full of packaging supplies piled in the corner of our bedroom, and new prints ready to ship out. And, honestly? I'm quite sleepy, but I'm having a good time. I like the look of this real day much better than the one in my dreams.

I don't know who all is going to read this, but I can bet there are at least a few of you who have some hazy, outline of a dream that has been in your head for a while, and feels frustratingly out of reach. My encouragement to you is twofold: ask yourself whether you need to readjust your timeline expectations, and then take one tiny, incremental step at a time. You're bound to end up at something very real.

There it is, Yogi-- the honest truth. Thanks for the tea.