Welcome to the #mainelytidal Community! My name is Melanie Enman, I am the #artist, #designer. I'm married to the love of my life David. We have two beautiful girls Bella four and Haley twenty-two...Not funny! Good thing Bella is so cute and keeps us entertained! She's a keeper! Haha
I have to say never would I have ever imagined in a million years we would be here..me writing a #blog to the most amazing community of people I have had the pleasure in getting to know. Mainely Tidal and this community has grown so much over the last three years and am so incredibly grateful for all the connections, friendships and support along the way.
(Pictured-
My "studio" December of 2017) As many of you know my journey started in mid November of 2017 when I was at a #craftshow when I first discovered "#pebbleart". I was mesmerized. I was with my friend Stephanie and it just clicked! I told her I was going to create #pebbleart for all of my girlfriends that had 40th birthdays coming up. They would be the perfect, #unique, personalized #oneofakindgift! I was so excited. I remember explaining to her that I wanted to make them "fancy, in beautiful frames, created on canvas." I seriously think at that moment she thought I had lost my mind. I had moved on from accounting for 10 years to my cleaning #business for 10 years and somehow I'm going to start making this #art for my friends. So random...I can remember the look on her face. Just like that the very next day I went to the store bought four or five frames and canvas panels (I had no idea what I was doing) and hit the #beach and found some #treasures and I started creating one of a kind #pebbleartgifts for my #girlfriends. The first gift I gifted two days later. It was a mom and her two kids hiking. That was her favorite past time. She said she needed to order a couple for #Christmasgifts. I remember like it was yesterday. She wanted me to recreate a picture of her sister in law with her #blacklab over looking the #mountains and the other was of her husband playing his guitar in his music room. I was ecstatic that it was a hit. From there by word of mouth I had sold and delivered sixty pieces of pebble art as Christmas gifts in just one month. I never intended on selling one piece when I started just a month prior. It didn't dawn on me that we were a month out from #Christmas when I made that first piece or that I would get two orders from the first gift and it would spread like wild fire. I have always been an #entrepreneur at heart and determined to be #successful at whatever I put my mind to. At the time I was ten years into owning a commercial and residential cleaning business. Once I caught my breath over Christmas break I realized I had just started a #newbusiness. With all of my wildest dreams over the years I never had imaged that I would be a successful #pebbleartist selling my art around the world, and here I am three and a half years later with thousands of unique one of a kind pieces of #custompebble art under my belt.
In January of 2018 I decided that my goal was to replace my cleaning business with the #artbusiness. In the retail world especially in #Mainebusiness starts picking up again in June for "tourist season". Only the momentum for Mainely Tidal never slowed in the "slow season" and was moving so fast on #Facebook that by April of 2018 I had already replaced my cleaning business for my #pebbleartbusiness.
"David at Mainely Tidal's first show pictured above." I thought what better way to start than a very humble craft show at the armory in #LewistonMaine. April 6, 2018 I got my feet wet and did my first ever show. It was amazing! Dave set up with me and stayed for the show. We met Jackie across the way and it was my first ever introduction to #HashtagLeatherworks! Lindsay (one of the owners) was pregnant and I think due that fall). I fell in love with their #leatherbags at first sight. You know there's more to that story! You all have heard me mention #whisperingwoodsmaine over the years! That's my friend Jenny the amazing herbalist from #durhammaine. She's the best. We talk all things small business, shows, doing lunches and get together with our families! I met so many amazing people at that show. It's amazing the things you remember. Vicki, Risa, Joanne, Carol, Lori to name a few. I remember Joanne stayed for quite a while. Looking over each piece deciding which one or how many she was going to purchase. She definitely purchased a #weddingpebbleart piece that day as I recall but that was just one of many she has purchased throughout the years. Since then I have created many #customart orders for her and many others for pretty much every "#specialoccasion". As I would find out in the next two years that I would be seeing a lot of the same familiar faces at each and every show across #NewEngland in the crowds of the new. They not only became #loyal#customers throughout the years but today I would also consider most of them to be friends. I've stayed in touch with a handful of the makers from that show as well. It was a wonderful day for sure.
On May 25th I took some time to create a piece for myself. Once the piece was actually created I realized that this was the first official day of Mainely Tidal-Original Art by Melanie Enman. Something that I had thought about for months. Not yet having the time to get out of my head and onto canvas. You will certainly recognize this piece as the Infamous Original Blue Maine #RockLobster. As pictured on my website, social media pages and much of my marketing material. To say the least when I created this piece it was an "aha" moment. I couldn't stop staring at what I had just taken from my mind and put onto canvas with #rocks found on the #CoastofMaine. I actually shed a tear out of pure joy. I can only describe it to how an artist must feel when they create their best #originalmusic. I thought to myself...this is something really special. I realized I have this really weird talent creating absolutely simply beautiful with rocks, #seaglass, twigs and sea moss. Within a week I put together the original #motorcycle pebble art piece. moment" piece.
I was also invited to do my first pop up shop #rusticarrow in #FreeportMaine. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I had packed up the pieces I had created and brought my #lobster along with me. In the drive to the #shop I had already made up my mind that he was going to be for display. After all I had created him for me. Not to surprisingly the one piece the shop owners were interested in was my lobster.
Thank you all so much for being here! Please be sure to not only follow us on #Facebook, #Instagram and #Pinterest but be sure to subscribe to our website so you don't miss us here on our new blog. Newsletters include the inside scoop of what we have been up to...what we are doing next, promotions and updates!
I could never thank you enough for #loving, #sharing, commenting on all things social media! I truly would not be here without you all! I'm so excited to continue to share my story with you! For some crazy reason I took #pictures of each and every single piece I have ever created as well as my work spaces along the way so you will be able to take this #journey with me if you haven't been here all along. If you have been here all along you all know how much I appreciate you and am so happy to have you here reminiscing with us. Today I also work mentoring #smallbusiness owners as well and do #businessconsulting & #marketing on the side. (another #passion) I think the best advice that I can give is Start Now & Whatever You Do, Do it With Intention.
Creating systems & doing all the things with intention is what will set you apart and lead you to success.
Below are some pictures of Bella, Dave and I #beachcombing in 2018.
Until Next Time-Much Love, Melanie
