Well, it's been quite a while since I stopped by here. It has indeed been a wonderful, yet sometimes crazy year. I figured it's an appropriate time to reflect on all that has happened and resolve to be more present here in 2013.
2012 started out to be relatively 'usual'. It quickly got rolling though, with applying to various local art shows and a couple a little further away from home. I decided to branch out to surrounding cities: Yellow Springs and Columbus. Both went well and I met some nice artists and shoppers and hope to be back there again this year. The drives were not bad, but it does make for a longer day driving 1-2 hours from home and then back after working my booth all day. Nothing I can't handle and it seemed worthwhile to get my brand out a little further.
May had my husband and I decide to purchase my in-laws' home across town and also had us taking a family trip with them to Hawaii, along with my husband's sisters, brother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, nephew and grandma. (I think that's everyone, it was quite an organizational feat!)
We visited Honolulu with just my husband's sister for a couple days and then flew over to Kuaui to meet the rest of the family. We saw so many breathtaking places and sites! I will leave all that for another post...
July rolled around and one of the aforementioned shows. Turns out it was the Columbus one, 2 hours from home and the day before a trip to Las Vegas with two of my nieces. One had turned 21 in April, the other turned 21 at midnight the night we arrived. We did some shopping, some gambling, saw Cirque du Soleil's "O" at Bellagio, ate oh-so-much and just bummed around the strip sight seeing.
I also was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a 3-day PMC workshop/class through which I became a certified PMC artist. I am technically allowed to teach it now too, but I'm not sure if I'll be doing that any time soon. It's good to have the option though. I really enjoyed learning some new techniques.
Over the summer, we said goodbye to one of our darling cats, Zoey. She had been receiving subcutaneous fluids for about 3 years and on k/d food to maintain her failing kidneys. When we returned from Hawaii, I noticed she wasn't eating so well and she began losing weight and from there steadily declined. We didn't let it go on too long. I was just happy to get to spend an extra 3 years with her. She was such a sweetheart and I miss her dearly.
A month or so went by and my husband and I stopped in to Petsmart to get cat food for Lucy and dog food for Caesar. We stopped in to visit the adoptable cats like we always do and that is where we met Cheez-It. He was a little squirmy orange thing, just as cute and as playful as can be. We left and then turned around and went right back to apply for his adoption. Luckily for us, we got a call from the adoption place a few days later asking if we were still interested in him. Of course we were! I picked him up that Friday. He is now named Colby (like the cheese!) and he has brought such joy and happy energy to the house... Zoey would have loved him, I know it. Lucy is getting used to him and he and Caesar are the best of friends.
The first part of big move finally took place on Black Friday. So, we are currently in the house where my husband and his siblings grew up, but we still have a ton of stuff to clean out of our old house to get that on the market. I've been doing so much painting and settling... a little crazy! But, we are enjoying it here. The snowy scene is a view of our back yard. (Okay, it's really our neighbor's yard from our yard. They have fewer wires and no driveways behind them! lol)
In Etsy shop news, I set a goal to have 200 sales by December 31. As luck would have it, mixed with some hard work to get more pieces made and listed, I had an awesome November and an even better December and made my goal with time to spare. I am sitting at 207 sales right now!
So, as you can see, it has been quite an eventful year! Here is to a wonderful, busy, crazy 2013. Happy new year to everyone. May we all grow wiser, make new friends and realize our dreams.
