Hi, I’m Christine, this is Opal and Ghost and, because stories bind us together, I thought I’d share a bit about who I am and what this is beyond the About section here on the site.
That being said, I don’t think we’re just one or another thing, but that we hold many roles in our lives.
The two things that I am though, that I believe are the catalyst of this part of my life, i.e., Opal and Ghost, is a mom and, if I may say so myself, a creative. We are many and perhaps my story might resonate.
Opal and Ghost has been ongoing for years, having started off as a creative outlet, a common beginning for many creative projects and businesses, but not necessarily an obvious observation, at least not to me, at the time.
It had a different name and a different subject. It was a testing ground for all the thoughts and ideas that would get bottled up in my head and it came to being shortly after the most life-altering period I had ever experienced: I was becoming a mom while in the process of losing my own.
I spent the first few years that followed finding my bearings, enjoying my days with our wonderful daughter and sharing her stories with my husband at the end of his workday.
I’ve always loved stories. I’ve loved stories in the form of books, magazines, scripts and screenplays. I loved sharing them while directing sisters and cousins in shows we’d put on during the holidays or vacation and I truly loved the stories born from travel and life experiences.
So, when I look back again, Opal and Ghost was also the outcome of my love of storytelling.
When motherhood came along, that revolved around the kids. Distant from family and friends, and with an old Canon that just kept following us with every relocation, capturing and sharing special moments, smiles and dirty faces happened through photography. For myself and due to my fear of lack of memory, preserving moments also happened through journaling.
As my babies became toddlers, I loved listening to their reasoning and documenting it in a blog. And late at night, when energy levels were at a low and storytelling continued in the land of Nod, I started drawing again. Meditation and selfcare was, at the time, equivalent to enjoying a glass of red wine while unwinding through my sketches.
Motherhood… You never gain expertise, due to many variables, especially those that make up these (not so) tiny humans (anymore). They keep you on your feet beyond any normal energy levels - so I guess, in a way, they make you a sort of superhero or at least a great Duracell - runner-up - mascot. They also help you connect with your authenticity and creativity. They teach you how to reacquaint yourself with your inner-child. They do so much more.
Parenting… It’s a passion and a crazy ride, with the highs and lows, successes and failures that define the many attempts of doing your best and making the best of it. Lessons you can surely apply to turning a creative passion into your work.
Taking on these roles, allied to others, such as, in my case, a working teacher, keeping energy levels replenished is a tricky feat, and why yoga has become such a helpful tool for my well being and listening to that inner voice key to showing up as the best possible version of myself.
OK, that was a whole lot about me. So, what is Opal and Ghost currently and how does this all tie into it?
Opal and Ghost is a place where stories and experiences are shared through illustration and sweet reminders of the people we love - to celebrate and nurture them and ourselves - and the things that truly matter to us.
From the love stories that have just begun to those that have lasted a lifetime, from parenting notes to quotes to keep you reminded of the real stuff, along with the sentiment of gratitude for having you here, sharing the journey, expressed through discounts and free downloadables (don't forget to join my mailing list so I can send you those codes and printables!), is all of what I want to bring to you through Opal and Ghost.
So...
Thank you - especially if you stuck around all the way to the end of my story - and welcome.
xo, Christine