Happy New Year!
I hope that 2015 proves to be a very happy, healthy, peaceful and creative year for everyone.
I'm not a great one for setting resolutions as such, but do believe in the power of setting goals, so I am never far away from a list of goals and plan of actions. What I do find the New Year useful for is a time for reflection on the year just gone - to use that as a way to refine and tweak my ongoing goals and plans. The only resolution I will make for 2015 is to continue to be creative and use that as a way to work from home around my family, because that is what I love doing most of all and feel very blessed that I have been able to do that for the past four and a half years...
2014 was a happy year on the whole. It was a year where I had the opportunity to experiment a little more with new designs and ways of working. There was more time to play and most importantly of all, I felt I had a better work and home life balance with thanks to some very clear set hours and better organisation for working.
Of course there were struggles along the way, but it all worked out OK in the end. 2014 was the year where I felt more relaxed about my work because I had the benefit of experience and a growing sense of creative direction with the work I was producing.
It was also a year that saw me achieve a couple of little long held dreams. Back in January I became a Folksy Featured Seller. Having began my business with a Folksy shop and this blog, being chosen as a featured seller meant a huge deal to me, it was a wonderful milestone to start 2014 with...
February saw my designs featured on Art Eco Design's stand at Spring Fair International.
I traveled up to the NEC in Birmingham to go and visit the team on the stand and meet up with some fellow artist friends to go and explore the trends for the year ahead.
It was great to see the Art Eco Designs team again and I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to them all, we've had another successful year working together and as usual it has been great fun. I look forward to continued working with everyone in 2015...
This year, with thanks to the team at Art Eco Designs, I've launched my Blooming Lovely range of greetings cards and added lots and lots of new occasions cards to my collection, including some Welsh language versions and special wedding anniversary cards. I'm currently developing more occasions cards for them which will be launched this year...
Another little dream came true for me back in the summer when my work was featured on one of my favourite blogs - Print and Pattern by Bowie Style...
The summer was also a time when I got to play with my art more. I dug out my crusty old inks and watercolours and challenged myself to do a doodle each morning for a few weeks, simply because I felt like it. It was very liberating and helped me be more productive with the commissioned work I had on at that time. What I found fascinating was by making 30 mins of 'play' time each day, I managed to still get my paid work done without adding extra stress - in fact it had the opposite effect, it made it all feel more relaxed and under control because I was glowing with the feeling that I had already achieved something that day. This is certainly something I want to try and do more of in 2015...
It was really lovely to catch up with some of my creative friends this summer too. A little road trip to the Contemporary Crafts Festival at Bovey Tracey was certainly one of the highlights of my year. I spent a wonderful day in very good company drooling over all the beautiful things. I've already made a note on my new calendar to go again this year, I highly recommend it!...
As a family, we spent the school summer holidays out and about enjoying the benefits of having such easy access to the whole of the Westcountry from where we live. Below are some of the snaps I posted on my instagram during that time - just look at those blue skies! I'm so pleased the days are starting to get longer again, I can't wait for spring!...
At the beginning of 2014, I had the aim to develop the range of stationery products I offer, specifically wedding stationery, wall planners and notepad planners....
I'm delighted that I was able to launch the start of these new stationery ranges. I have plenty more ideas for these to continue working on in 2015 and am really looking forward to it as I love developing these sorts of products...
There are a few thank yous I must say before we get stuck into the new year with gusto.
First and most importantly, I'd like to say a massive thank you to my husband John. Without all his support, help and encouragement I simply could not do any of this, he has enabled me to build a career doing what I love and I am eternally grateful for everyday I have him by my side.
I'd also like to thank all my lovely design clients, it has been a pleasure to work with you all this past year and I look forward to continuing with projects and setting to work on new ones in 2015.
Thank you to everyone who has ordered prints and products from me this past year, either from my online shops or from my stockist's shops. I appreciate every single purchase as it enables me to continue on this amazing creative journey where I get to design pretty things each day.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has supported my social networking efforts, your feedback, likes and encouragement keep me going and spur me on - it is truly wonderful to feel part of a very supportive and inspiring online community.
May we all thrive, create and continue to be inspired by wonderful things this year!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Best wishes
Happy New Year Everyone!
Best wishes
