Barb Astler turned forty-four on November 1 - the day her business officially opened. Barb lives in Highland Beach, Florida a beachfront town near Boca Raton. Without realizing it, she has been in the business of an artful life since she was ten years old.

For the past fourteen years, Barb worked as vice president of human resources for a large corporation, and helped build that company to its present size. "What drew me to finally leave and start my own business was a change in leadership philosophy that no longer jibed with my own beliefs about what's important." Barb admits that she could have stayed there and reaped rich financial rewards, but speaking out for her beliefs was more important in the long run than the money.

Her resignation did not come easily as she struggled with the ties to security her job had given her. After leaving once and being asked back, she finally left for good in September of this year. She and her business partner, Bobbie Forrest are now stocking the newly installed shelves in Barb's spare bedroom with various specialty items for the gift baskets they have already started selling.

Find Your Passion by Looking at Lifelong Interests

Barb's first job at age thirteen was decorating windows for a small high-end clothing and accessory boutique. As long as she can remember, she always loved making things beautiful. About eighteen years ago, she happened to attend a baby shower and fell in love with a gift basket someone brought. "I was in awe! I started making baskets as gifts for all my friends, family, and even my staff. After they received one of my baskets, they would almost always ask me to make one as a gift for their own friends. In those days, I didn't charge anything for my time, but usually people would give me a little something extra." Barb started making gift baskets for all kinds of occasions-and the containers are not always baskets, but might be a hat box, a silver tray, a tower of boxes, or a miniature baby carriage.

Barb's other love is faux painting. At age ten she started painting little stage sets. After that it was painting her own bedroom, a room in her grandmother's house, or old furniture. "Anytime I saw an old piece of furniture, I wanted to do something to it to make it pretty. I'd buy a little table for four dollars and paint it, and it looked fabulous. I didn't know anything about faux painting then, or that it was an art. As I got older I would educate myself by reading books on furniture restoration.

How the Ego Gets in the Way When Other People Give Us an Important Message

When people saw Barb's creative pieces, they'd want her to do one for them-and would offer to pay her. "Everyone told me, 'You should be doing this for a living!' Did I listen? No! I would always think to myself, I don't have the credentials. I don't have a degree in interior design. I didn't go to art school. I didn't feel qualified as a painter or an actual artist. But I was an artist from a young age, and neither myself nor my parents realized it. I never thought it could make me money."

Limitations May Point to a Better Way

Barb continued to paint at night and on weekends for friends who often had large, expensive homes. People continued to tell her she should do this for a living. Even though her side business kept blossoming, Barb was reluctant to see it as a viable livelihood. She needed to feel more confident, and she wanted credentials. Going to school for interior design seemed to be too expensive and too long a process. Besides, she says, a lot of that program didn't interest her. Another strike against choosing an interior design school was that no classes were offered on weekends. She wasn't yet ready to let go of her job.

By searching the Internet, Barb eventually found a good school in San Antonio, Texas. It is run by an Italian artist who began his own career as an apprentice restoring church art. Classes are offered on the weekend so Barb started taking four-day vacation trips to San Antonio. "I used my vacation time to get educated, and got four different certifications. All were in faux finishing-from comprehensive interior finishes to all the basic painting techniques. I learned how to replicate finishes and materials like leather, bricks, verdigris, and woodwork. I also got a certification in stenciling to create fabric looks, watercolors, Venetian plaster, and murals. Another class specialized in faux marbleing and precious stones. Because I had to make samples, I now have a full portfolio of all the designs, colors, glazes, and techniques I can do. The tuition was the most expensive investment, but it was worth it for the confidence and skills I learned."

Another program called The Creativity Workshop offered study abroad. Barb's first trip was to Italy for a workshop in Florence where she learned how to access creativity. "I loved exercises like the one where we had to take a rock or a leaf or a pencil from our purse-anything-and create a miniature world. We were given assignments such as going to a park or Palazzo in Florence, or looking into a shop window-something new that inspired us to write or draw about what we saw. Another one was to bring ten things which represented who you are as a person. You had to explain why these objects made you think of who you are.

"I came away realizing that I have to do something every day to rejuvenate myself and get into that place of receptivity and creativity. I realized I could find art and inspiration without spending any money, and that simple things could spur ideas that might evolve in very different directions.

"A major turning point happened when I discovered what I wanted to do with my life on a trip to visit a friend in Arkansas. She took me on a day trip to the wine country. While driving around, we saw one of the oldest churches in the state, which was being renovated. I was intrigued and wanted to go inside. All of a sudden I was having a very spiritual experience. I was in amazement. All around the church artists were working on restoring murals and frescoes and molding and altars. The first artist greeted us and invited us in to see what they were doing. Each artist looked at me and talked to me as if they knew me. The foreman overseeing the building of the altar took me on a tour. I told him, 'I want to do this one day,' and he said 'Have you ever thought of being an apprentice? We train apprentices. You don't get paid but you learn the art.' He talked with me for a long time. He told me that restoration is a dying art, but there is a famous restoration company that travels all over the world restoring old buildings. I suddenly had the feeling that everyone who worked in this church was really an angel unaware. I know they were angels, and they knew who I was and why I was there. It was the most unbelievable experience. From that day forward I was changed. That's when I started my exploration of how to make this happen.

About Money and Security

"Being a single woman, I haven't found a partner yet," says Barb. "I know I have to take care of myself. Working for the corporation afforded me money, but it was not my life. During the time I worked there, I had many illnesses. Three years ago, I had to have back surgery. Two years ago I had a pulmonary embolism and almost died. I realized how short life is. The week that I left my job, my back pain completely disappeared. Maybe it's because I'm not sitting at a desk, but maybe it's because I did the right thing.

"Every time I thought about leaving, I'd panic or my boss would appreciate me more. But the situation continued to deteriorate, and I didn't feel I could do the job I was supposed to do. That weekend I was reading the Bible, and I got the message I needed. I read a passage from the Book of Esther about standing up for the truth no matter what the stakes are.

"When I decided to write my resignation, I consulted with my family and friends. They were all supportive and encouraged me to do my painting and gift baskets. I needed that because I wasn't sure I could be a good entrepreneur. The final boost came from a co-worker who is a brilliant strategist and marketing genius. Someone had given him one of my baskets, but he didn't know I made it. When he found out, he told me I had to do this for a living. That made a huge impact because I respect his business acumen so much."

Barb says the minute after turning in her resignation, blessings began to arrive. First, she received an unexpectedly generous severance package. Secondly, her friend and now business partner, Bobbie, also retired from a career in the criminal justice system, and was eager and ready to start the gift basket business. Coincidentally, since retiring, Bobbie's health has improved and she is losing weight. Bobbie's husband, who suffers from a chronic illness, is also getting in on the fun of the new venture. As Barb says, "The positive energy we are generating being in our purpose is effecting everyone's spirit and enthusiasm in a transformational way."

Synchronicities have been happening every day now that Barb is on her path. She and Bobbie discovered—as luck would have it—that a gift trade show was being held in Chicago the weekend immediately following her resignation. When she tried to register online, however, the site wouldn't let her complete her payment of five hundred dollars for the entrance fee. When Barb and her mother arrived at the show, no one was at the front entrance, except for one woman behind the counter. Barb told the woman that she had been unable to pay online. Inexplicably, the woman told Barb and her mom, "That's fine. There's no charge," and ushered them into the convention hall. " I know she is one of those angels," says Barb. "We never saw her again at the reception desk."

Things Flow When You Are On The Right Track

For example, all the vendors she met in Chicago that she wanted to work with happen to live within a few blocks of her home in Florida. Friends helped put up shelves in her spare bedroom. Referrals for gift baskets started coming in. Bobbie's sister, a partner in a big law firm, ordered all her Christmas gifts from Barb and Bobbie. "Everywhere Bobbie goes," says Barb, "people want to buy baskets. The phone is ringing off the hook."

What has Barb learned since taking the leap (a long time coming) from leaving her job and secure paycheck? "It's taught me to look for the synchronicities and let the process work. If it's right, it'll come to you. I used to push those things away by saying it's just a coincidence. Now I want to let the right thing happen. I'm not pushing for anything to happen."

Barb Astler and Bobbie Forrest can be contacted at www.barbisbaskets.com or email Barb at astlerscastle@adelphia.com or calll on (561) 272-4943.