Hello 2016

Nothing really changes on New Year's Day, but it's as good a time as any to get optimistic about the future. I don't have anything more specific to add to the sentiment, but it seemed like a good way to start today's post. The last day of the year was filled with movie watching as the family sat about and simply spent time with each other around some old movies. We were in bed far before midnight which is why I can be up at this ridiculous hour writing about who won my pattern giveaway.

The winner of their choice of any three of my sale patterns is louine. I just need you to message me either through my email on my profile page or on etsy to pick the 3 you want. Thank you to all of you who entered. Unfortunately there were so few entries that I decided to go ahead and just stick with one winner this go around. I'm hoping for a better turnout in April when my etsy shop turns a decade old and I'm sure to do something celebratory for that.

For today I'm going to keep plugging along with my knitting and my still slightly foggy sick brain, hoping that this year things will start to pick up again. I'm hoping for amazingly creative ideas to strike. I'm hoping for unexpected attention and press with more opportunities to share tatting and other handmade laces with the world. I'm hoping for financial growth and few to no large expenditures. I hope I can say that the shop is doing great and is busy much of the year instead of the opposite. Most of all though, I hope my family and friends are all healthy and happy and safe through the year. I guess I did have something more specific to add after all. Here's to it then.

Resolute

Well, here we are at the beginning of 2009. This is where most folk start to list their resolutions for the new year, I however do not go in for that nonsense. Sure, it's as good a time as any to make goals going forward, but let's face it nothing really changes on New Year's Day except the date. If you feel the need to make changes in your life, you really shouldn't wait for some arbitrary calendar date to do so. I choose to try and keep growing and learning everyday and watch my children do the same.

I have played the resolution game in the past and like most people, a month or so into the new year all the exercise and eating better disappeared into a pool of guilt and bad habits. There are things I am looking forward to in the new year, my baby turns 2 and my older daughter turns 5 and I shall theoretically begin homeschooling. We hope to try and buy a house in the coming year, if all the stars align correctly for us.

As far as my tatting and etsy go, I'm just hoping that things maintain just about where they are now. I'm sure I will come up with many new designs and I might even offer up a few more patterns, but I refuse to give myself deadlines or specific amounts to create. Last year I had three different magazine articles and while it was certainly a flattering experience, I don't really care if I ever do it again since writing out patterns is quickly becoming my least favorite part of designing. I was also granted a few moments of Internet fame and I do cross my fingers that I manage another 15 minutes in the coming year. It would be terribly awesome if I could be "recognized" in public just once, but I'm certainly not holding my breath. I also had a few offers to collaborate in the coming year and we will see if any of those pan out, though I don't want to overtax myself on any one project.

I suppose that's enough looking forward for now. In the here and now, I have dozens of pieces to remake for etsy that I really ought to be working on. Happy New Year all and I look forward to babbiling nonsesically for you in '09!