Hello new beginnings

Welcome, new followers — and hello again to the old friends who’ve been here through the many colorful chapters of this journey.

I’m Jelena.

Fifty-one years ago, I came into the world in a country that no longer exists — but one that gave me the kind of childhood that felt endless, safe, and beautifully free. My days were spent riding my little “pony” bike beside my sister and lifelong best friend, Ivana, chasing adventures until the streetlights came on. We didn’t grow up surrounded by abundance in the Western sense, but somehow it always felt like we had everything that mattered.

I wasn’t the “popular” girl, but I learned early how to move comfortably between worlds — finding connection in all kinds of people and places.

That idyllic childhood was interrupted by war. At sixteen, I left my hometown and moved to Zagreb, where my parents were from and where my grandmother lived. Thankfully, Zagreb already felt familiar to me, and before long I had built a new circle of friends and found my footing again.

In 1996, I moved to Montreal to study German language and literature. Soon after graduating, I relocated to Toronto — a city that took me a little longer to understand. Montreal embraced me immediately; Toronto was more of an acquired taste. But eventually, it became home too.

Like many immigrants, I spent years working office jobs that looked stable on paper but never quite fit my spirit. Deep down, I always felt there had to be more than simply enduring work that drained you.

At 35, I finally listened to that inner voice. I realized freedom of spirit has no price.

Not long after, I discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and instantly fell in love — not just with the paint itself, but with the idea that forgotten things could become beautiful again. One day I was painting furniture in my shed; the next, I was opening a little shop filled with color, creativity, and all the things I loved. By 2019, Poppyseed Creative Living had become a reality.

And what a beautiful, wild ride it has been.

But the world has changed dramatically since then. Independent retail has become increasingly difficult, and after seven years, I’ve made the bittersweet decision to close my storefront and continue this journey online.

The beautiful thing is that creativity has a way of evolving with us. Along the way, I discovered pottery, jewelry-making, collage, and other forms of art that brought me immense joy — and now I’m excited to share more of that with you here.

I’ll also continue offering custom furniture refinishing because giving old pieces a second chance still feels a lot like giving ourselves one too. So if you have a beloved piece in need of renewal, I’d love to help.

This next chapter may look different, but it feels honest. Lighter. More aligned.

Here’s to beautiful memories, fresh starts, paint-covered hands, imperfect art, and the adventures still waiting ahead.

I’d love for you to come along for the ride.