I have a confession to make- I've been keeping lots of secrets over here! And while I cannot reveal everything at the moment- I have some big news that I've been dying to share! My husband and I have been working on a dream and we recently put that dream into motion- we are leaving Southern California and moving to my hometown on the Oregon Coast in June.
We are giddy and excited and more than ready to start a new chapter that will involve a more simplified lifestyle and the ability for both of us to be at home and more flexible to raise our daughter. This decision has been in the works for years and it has involved lots of questioning, soul searching, and figuring out the right time. We have known that Southern California, while wonderful in its own right, has not felt like the perfect fit for us. We both ache for the rugged outdoors, the rain, the seasons, and a much simpler way of life.
As if it's not wonderful enough to have the opportunity to raise a family in a small coastal community and be near my family (can you say free babysitters?!) but the cherry on top is that I will be opening a studio space to work from and a place to host a variety of classes and small retreats. This represents another dream I’ve held close to my heart: that I can share the wonders of the Oregon Coast and its unique inspiration with you.
In the weeks and months to come I will be sharing more details and announcing the schedule of live classes at the new space AND I will be taking all of you, my dear readers along for this adventure...stay tuned!
in not so big news- I have been hard at work on my next online class and I will be announcing the details later this week!
90 comments:
I live in the willamette valley, and I'm so excited to see you are headed back to oregon. I'd love to take a class sometime!
How exciting! Congrats on your big news!
Sounds wonderful. I wonder...
(Trying again...)
Congratulations to your entire family!
My grandchildren, their aunts, uncle, Meema (me) and Boppa (my husband) agree that proximity benefits everyone. Lucy will have wonderful memories of family.
As for me, I've always wanted to visit that part of the country. Perhaps one of your classes will be the impetus to travel.
congrats!!! that is wonderful news :) we've been playing around with the same kind of dream so we'llllll see!?
free babysitters are a must! My husband and I with our 5yr olds moved from the PNW to the New England and within 9 months we were back.... family was way to important...
Will you be near coos bay?? I am so excited for you!!!!
I'm very happy that you are coming home. I saw that first picture and knew.
Congrats! Im so happen for you! I hope to one day be able to take one of your classes :)
Yay! That is exciting, and so wonderful for your family! Congratulations. :D
We are in Oregon! So exciting!! Yay!
Welcome home! :D
SO excited to have you closer AND at the beach! WOOHOO! So happy for you!
Wonderful news and I would love to take a class sometime.
That's wonderful . It will be so lovely to be close to family and to have the lifestyle you both crave.
How exciting. Wish you all the best and can't wait to hear about your upcoming classes, live and online. I hope I can come to a live one at some point!
Awesome! Did you say retreats?! Yay! Congrats! :)
congratulations! can't wait to hear more, especially the retreats!
I LOVE the Oregon coast, that's where my Hubby and I honeymooned!!
I wish you and your family the best!!
I'm so excited for you! I cried with joy for you when I saw your post because my husband and I have been working on our dream life, too. We already have our ideal careers and work from home, but now we still have to find that wonderful place to call "home" and start a family. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!
There is nothing like being near family so a big congratulations to you and your family!
Can't wait to see what you have for your next online class and perhaps one day I'll make it to the Oregon coast to take a live class, too!
How exciting for you and your family! I love visiting Oregon so, I'm looking forward to reading about your classes/retreats. All the best.
Very exciting news! We live in Oregon and love it here!
"jump for joy" is right!!!
Such fabulous news for you...for you all! Congrats.
Shh! Don't you know you're supposed to keep the Oregon Coast a secret so all those Californians don't move up here, haha. Welcome back!
Congrats on making the decision! We love it up there!! I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for news about a retreat...sounds perfect and not too far for us SoCal-ers!
Thank you for sharing this exciting news with us! This is something my hubby and I have also been thinking of doing the past couple of years, to move from SF to the PNW one day :) I heard from so many people how Oregan is such a wonderful place to live and raise a family... Can't wait to hear more about your journey AND to be able to come to your retreats! xoxo Dahlia
Congratulations!!!! How brave and exciting! Wishing you all the best!
SAAWEET!
I can tell how excited you are.
YES!! to the BABY SITTERS!
this is very exciting! family is so important especially when you have your own! the studio sounds awesome as well! so excited for you all!
wow! I'm so happy for your life-revolution! a big hug from Italy!
I didn't know you were from Oregon!! Wow, two Oregon girls who had the same due date! We're headed back next month to visit and get Nora baptized, I'm so excited. Congrats!!
I'm very happy for you
congratulations.. exciting times!
What great and exciting news!!! I am very happy for you!!!
I wish you all the best in this new leg of your life.
And I can't wait to see what you have cooked up in terms of a new online course!!
So happy for you all! Love that Lucy can grow up with her extended family all around - some of my most precious memories involve my cousin/almost brother (that's how close we grew up!), my aunt, my grandparents...
Looking forward, too, to a new course!
Me and the Mr. spend time at the coast during the Summer, hopefully I'll see you around there. Congratulations!
SO EXCITING!!! My family is in Canby & Salem and all have little houses on the coast near Haystack Rock. It is SOOO beautiful there & I love spending time on the spooky, foggy, sunny, rainy, beautiful Oregon Coast!!! Congratulations to you!
How exciting--Congratulations!
I LOVE hearing that you guys are going to live your dream - awesome! We live and love in Oregon too....welcome back!
I just found your blog from your canvas eggs tutorial off of Etsy... I'm moving to Hillsboro from Texas in less than two months Alisa! I hope you do have some classes, as I'd love to come. My husband's family is from the area as well, so we have some lovely crash pads in Depoe Bay and Manzanita. :)
Excellent! I live in the valley and will look forward to a class at your studio!
Congratulations!!! It is so exciting to hear about dreams coming true:) I wish you and your family best wishes over these next months.
Oh so happy for you. Sounds lovely.
And im sure its a great place to raise a little one.
Only slightly jealous. xxx
Ahhh! I'm so happy for you! simpler life, close to family and more time outdoors. It sounds AMAZING! I've also been thinking of ways to simplify my life and I'm preparing to do it so this is an inspiration to us. Wish you all the best in your new adventure!!
Congrats Alisa! My husband is from Oregon and I just fell in love with the coast when I went four years ago. I'm dying to go back. It's easy to see why you'd want to return. So happy for you and your family!
fantastic news Alisa!!!! Good luck with the move! xoxo
Super exciting...I love the Oregon coast and hope to attend one of your workshops.
Wow! amazing!! what a great adventure this will be. Enjoy the ride :)
Congrats - it sounds like a tough decision but hopefully you'll all find it satisfying and successful. Welcome back to the Pacific Northwest! I'm in Seattle and while I miss the SW, I certainly love the beauty and green that is everywhere in the NW
Congratulations Alisa. It looks like I am not alone in my selfishness - I live in Portland and love the fact that you will be close enough for me to attend a live class. That would be a dream for me! Welcome home and good luck with the move.
Alisa! Congrats to you and your family! I know I'll be one of the first to visit your new workshop space! See you then!
Alisa,
What wonderful news for you and your family.
Keep us posted.
Congratulations Alisa! I'm so happy that you will be able to make some dreams come true!
Congrats!!!! So happy for you guys!
pure joy. sharing that with us was a gift. looking forward to hearing about the journey and how it changes you all. wishing the very best in your packing, traveling and the created inspired art that comes from this good news. gussy up lucy, life is looking good.
It's amazing how babies help to re-focus and expedite priorities eh? I am not far away in BC and just LOOKING for another excuse to head to the Oregon Coast.
YAY for simplicity. Complex is overrated!
Congrats! What exciting news for you and your family. Studio of your own...fantastic!
I'm excited and happy beyond words for you, hubby and sweet baby! Wonderful news!!!
What fantastic news Alisa. You must be so excited. I live by the sea and there is nothing like it. The air is so much nicer than anywhere else. Being close to your family will be wonderful and Lucy will have that close relationship with them which is so precious. Your brain must be doing overtime with all your ideas. Thanks for sharing your terrific news.
Sue A x
Congratulations!! :) Grandparent time is the best! and Dreams coming true are AWESOME! So excited for you all! I am looking forward to hearing more about your live classes,etc. as our daughter will be going to school in Oregon with quick access to the coast so I'll have multiple reasons to visit now. :)
Congrats on your impending move! Sounds like it will be a great fit and I bet your family is thrilled that you are moving closer and they can be more involved in your family's life. Sounds like a blessing all around.
Aloha, Kate
Whooo HOOO good for you!! Love the Oregon coast!! we lived in Longview WA for several years and went out to the coast often- a Beauty that is hard to beat!!! Your parents must be thrilled. You can always visit So CA but it does not hold a candle to Oregon coast!!!!!! Bravo!!!
wherever you go : be happy, have fun, love each other and be creative !
congrats, you seem overjoyed dear alisa. :)
I'm so happy for you and your family! Best of luck with everything!
I'm so happy for you. I've been checking in with your blog daily for some time and really enjoy it. Good luck with everything.
I'm so happy for you! I live far away in KY, but if I lived in your direction, the Oregon Coast would be where I would want to live and raise a family!
congrats!! home is where the heart is, but the heart isn't always home.. glad you get to move home!
I have been following your post by email and have so enjoyed looking at your artwork and of course the darling pictures of Lucy. I was so happy to hear your news because I live in Oregon and if I am able would love to do a class. How far up the coast will you be. I live in Grants Pass and I am an hour and a half from Brookings. I am so happy for you....good luck and I will be watching for more news!!
Great news for you and your family! Thanks for taking your faithful readers along!Have a great start!I am looking forward to seeing this part of the States too especially the seaside!AriadnefromGreece!
I don't leave comments much, but I do visit each new post. But I wanted to sat congrats, I know your heart is overflowing right about now. What a wonderful dream coming to fruition.
Grace and peace to all!
I can't say how exciting this sounds. I'm very happy for you!
Alisa - we've never really connected directly, maybe because our blogs are in different realms (i focus on recycled and repurposed design)...but I love peeking in your blog regularly. What great news this is - I think these kinds of life decisions really deserve recognition - they take so much courage.
Michael @ Blue Velvet Chair
What exciting news.....I am excited for you all too!! How I have enjoyed your posts and classes.....so as long as we still get to see you on your blog.....we will be happy too!!! Can't wait to see and hear about all the new things coming your way!! Congratulations and Blessings to you three!!!
I am happy for you and your family,Alisa! You will be so grateful to have family nearby and a simpler lifestyle as you "bring up baby". Anything you may do without these next few years will be so insignificant when you see - and feel - how much happier you, your husband and, most importantly, your child are. Wonderful news and my best to all of you.
Oh Alisa....what an exciting time for you. Now you can redefine beauty all over again....in a new, yet still familiar, setting!
Good for you!,
Continued success!
Smiles,andra
OH wow! How exciting! I can hear the joy in your post about moving back to your home and near family. What a blessing!!!
I am so happy for you and your little family! I love the OR coast so much and when I visit it I hate to leave it. It is so refreshing to visit! I hope you have nothing but good fortune on your move! I live in WA State and the coastline here doesn't compare at all...there are some nice spots but still nothing compares to OR!
Great news, I am happy for you and your family!! :)
I know how it's important to live in the perfect place for each dream of the family comes true.Glad to see you will start new adventures...
We lived on the Oregon coast for three years and I still miss it! Will you be anywhere near Sitka Center? I'm sure they'd love to have you teach a class or two...
Yay! I'm in Boise, ID! Can't wait to see what this new adventure brings you and your family! And looking forward to an opportunity to come to a workshop= road trip!!
welcome back to Oregon
This is big news indeed! Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! How exciting for you!
I've been thinking that a place like that would suit you! Just imagine the artistic inspiration you will get from the beaches up there. =) It will be exciting to follow you there. Personally I could never live somewhere where it's always warm, even though I love to go to places like that for vacation... I have to be able to go skiing during wintertime.
Wow, how exciting. I live in Portland and maybe I can take a class from you when you live closer. Best of luck with everything.
Hello Alisa, I like your artwork and follow your posts since one year ago. It's wonderful your decision, good luck in your new experiences of life and art.
Best regards fron Caracas, Venezuela
Oh my gosh! I had no idea! My son and grandson live in Seaside and we just got back from staying with them for Mother's Day! It says that it is open for registration, but I've clicked everywhere possible, and all I can find are the dates... no details or times, or deets on the class or price. Please tell me where to look. SO exciting!
Sheila in Oregon
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