"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

Moving!

Here it is... I am in the last two weeks of my life in Santa Fe, NM.     It's... bittersweet. Truly. I almost don't know what to think. 

I love it here. I love the different people. I love the heritage and history. I love the tourist-town vibe. I love the galleries. I love the turquoise (oh the turquoise.) I love the mountains. But I think what I love more is the love that grew here. In my faith. In myself. And in my relationship. 

This is my view - minus some decorations I took up to Colorado. (I took it with Pano on myiPhone)

I love this space. It's small, simple, and quiet. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, we just finished the guy's t-shirts we printed to help our trip out. Blake's doing a workout and we both are talking about the next move we are about to make.

BITTERSWEET:

{bitter} 

I am loving my natural surroundings here (every season is different.) 

I love riding my bike throught the Plaza to get to work. 

I loved the 15 minute drive to work at the ski shop for the season (the trees along the winding road with white puffy snow clouds on them were breathtaking.) 

I love riding my bike around town with my boyfriend finding new deli's and bistros. 

I love when a storm is coming in and the sunset reflects the bright blues, purples, and oranges across the whole sky. 

I love the friendships I've found here. 

I love that this whole journey has opened my eyes and ears to the things going on around me, and also the inviting feeling to pick up and take my adventerous soul elsewhere...

{sweet}

I don't want to settle down here... I have other places to see and faces to meet. 

I get to be back home in Colorado for a few weeks hanging with my family and friends. 

The place I rent out is month to month and a very temporary set-up. 

I'm itching for change. 

I'm eager and excited to see the growth in all areas of my life because of the move. 

I have all the love and gratitude for this sweet town and I'll be leaving on a great note! 

Dream Big Ride Far:

I'll be posting up a blog about the next trip I'll be going starting around July -----> LOOK for it soon!

I designed and then we screen printed a bunch of these shirts (above)

 We have *****men's t's XL-S for $20***** and *****women's t's L-XS for $20*****, going towards the new journey fund. Please email me (under the about tab) if you're interested.

So, this is it! Two weeks left! I'm taking it all in and saying my goodbyes. I'm learning more and more ways to organize and put away all my belongings into boxes and bins. I'm looking forward to the lessons I'll be learning while having my household items put away for who knows how long. I'll have the time to catch up on a bunch of reading and finishing up my courses online for interior decorating. I also am looking forward to finding my own way to bring nature into my style for home decorating in the future. 

{Here's to the next few months, whether in an empty studio, my family's guest room, and then a bunch of hotels and my new home being in a tent along the Pacific Coast! I know that with the talent I have I will Love My Space, wherever it leads me.}

"You can never own the snow but you can sure try as hard as you want to tame it."

Welcome to Cottam's Ski Shop in Santa Fe!

Now in it's fifth year open in Santa Fe, the Cottam family expanded out of their two shops in Taos and onto to the Ski Santa Fe mountain. It is located eight miles up Artist Rd. right in Hyde Memorial State Park. The building is historical and rented out for only the winter months for the Cottam's Ski Shop.

Because of the history and location of the building, and because it is only rented out in the winter months (summer months are mainly for weddings) all the equipment and gear is set up and taken down at the beginning and end of the snow season.

Above:  When we first got to the shop is was an empty building heated up only by the sun; which is close to it at nearly 7,000 feet. After loads and loads from trucks and the rental storages back in town, this is how we started. A few weeks of the weather getting chillier and boxes being taken down and bruises from ski boots, there was finally a shop right before Thanksgiving. The building is narrow, long, stoned, with concrete floors. There is a large firepit with the biggest fire I have seen. Outside there is a concrete patio with an outdoor firepit and a beautifuly large sledding hill right out the almost floor to ceiling windows. It is small and quaint and beautiful and fits the location perfectly. Tucked up in the trees and no noise from the city, when the cold comes in it is an experience of it's own to be working inside, with the fire roaring, the hot chocolate stirring, and the snow flakes falling softly.

Above:  The shop is all together! It took six of us weeks to get everything up and running. The hanging items and walls are up all without making a single hole in the building (the park rangers are protective of their building.)

The reason I am putting this process on my blog is because it does have everything to do with design work and especially organization in tight spaces. The funcionality of this shop is critical to getting costomers in and out of the door quickly so they may get some shred time in. Of course over the years they have all done a fabulous job putting things where they need to go and building the things that would help make it all flow right. There are new things and proceedures every year. I am here only for this season, so I am taking in and offering as much as I can.

I get to have part of my creative side come out with this job, and that makes me very happy. I can make  price signs, direction signs, dress manicans, set up displays and more! I love that part of the job.

I also love being able to talk about the weather, the snow, how to strap in a snowboard, offer tips that I know, learn about skis, cross-country skis, blades, and snowshoeing. Stomp pads, waxing, edging, boots, new gear, Burton rep meetings, Giro, Solomon, POC, Spy, Colombia, Volcom, Neff, Roxy... LOVE all of it!

Q & A with some of the staff at Cottam's:

Cooper Beacon - age 21, Taos, NM

Ski or snowboard: Ski, 18+ years

Time in Santa Fe: 5 years 

Years at Cottam's: 1st year

Favorite part of the job: Quality of the gear and the people

Benifits of this job: Being able to work and ski

Fave cold-weather drink: Hot mocha

Fave part of the shop: The clothing section and snacks. And the sled hill in our back yeard

Bonnie Holladay - age 28, Colorado Springs, CO

Ski or snowboard: Sledding since I was 4!

Time in Santa Fe: 3 months

Before this job: Fire fighter, National Park Service

Worst part of job so far: Cold building when there is no heat 

Favorite part of job: Awesome co-workers and costomers. And the beautiful building

Looking forward to the season: Because I have not been on skis since I was 18, ready to get back on the horse

Fave cold-weather drink: Hot chocolate

Curly O'Connor - age 49 & 10/12ths, New Zealand

Time in Santa Fe: 8 years

Years at Cottam's: 2 years

Worst part of the job: Calling, sorting boots just to have mixed-matches (pisses me off)

Favorite part of the job: Seeing people come back from having so much fun

Fave cold-drink: Hot black tea with milk and sugar

Will people enjoy the shop the way it is set up?: I believe so, it's hard to direct people sometimes when it is jammed packed, but flows pretty well otherwise

Such a blessing in many ways to be a part of this process and the ski culture of Santa Fe, NM. Thanks, Lyndsay Cottam for the opportunity and for sharing this experience. Love & Light to you and your family.