Sitting in a sea of tangerine, turquoise, fushia, cobalt, peacock, and dark sultry rose raw silk. Eyes up to the ironing board and there are head bands with bows in aqua, olive and iris smooth silk. Bags are hanging around on hangers in the cupboard. Black silk with copper embellishments. Printed silks and plain rich colours with and without flowers. Totes of evening bags with organza flowers, totes filled with filmy softened organza wraps, totes filled with jewel toned scarves and more and more. These all speak to me of sweaty Cambodian days, with spicy meals, near death road crossings and frangipani scented evenings.

This is my office and apparently my life. I gave up life as I knew it for this biz and at times have felt abject terror. But today have more confidence after travelling the break neck slope of the learning curve of being in business…an ethical trade business to boot. OMG if I’d only known. I would still be getting a paycheck for teaching college students. I would still have a dental plan and would be able to pay for designer eyewear…note we don’t call them glasses anymore!

Over in the corner is a table with two cabinets filled with fresh water pearls and semi precious stone. Will I ever return to the quiet contemplation of designer jewelry? I loved creating those peices to go into shows and have people snatch them up with gusto. Selling jewellry is a breeze. I alway supplemented my stock with Soon’s creations from Bangkok. Until I couldn’t stomach another lungful of toxic waste. My God there are 40,ooo taxis there, who knows how many tuk tuks, and vehicals in the millions. Get me to the river puleeze. Bangkokalese for the only way to travel with any chance of arriving quickly. Scratch the jewelry. Back to silk, always back to silk. It is my mantra.

Met an Israeli customs agent in Chaing Mai (Thailand.) He gave me a stellar piece of advice, “focus on what you really want to import.” And that was silk, so silk it is. Fairly traded silk. And here I am surrounded in exquisite hats, bags, pillows, hairbands and purses galore. Life in the silk zone…gotta love it cause it is my life!