Tuesday, December 31, 2013

So long 2013

It's been a funny year. I lost my job, joined the Graphic 45 design team, got published, gained weight, laughed, ate, drank, and was quite merry through it all (except the job part... that stunk). We survived the great ice storm with only a tiny bit of power loss and no mail for almost 2 weeks (gasps!) ... but we survived, and gaily so. We're fortunate. We know it.

Tomorrow a bright and shiny new year begins. Truth be told, I'm not really one for the New Year hub-bub. I don't make resolutions or mark the occasion in any special way. I may watch the telly and sip on some bubbly at the appropriate moment (although any moment is the appropriate moment for bubbly) but that's about the extent of it. Really, I'm always hoping that the nice things in life snowball. That the good gathers momentum and grows... forever and always, not just the new year.

I thought perhaps I would take a look at some of the work I completed in 2013. I produce quite a bit but I don't often look back. I think that prevents me from getting too sentimental and makes it easier to let go. On the other hand, sometimes its nice to reminisce, so here are a few of my favourite projects from the past year in no particular order...

 
A Starry French Country Shrine One of the very first things I created as a Graphic 45 design team member and also one of my favourites :)

 "Chook in the snow" An acrylic painting of one of our hens pecking at scratch in the snow.


  A story told through a series of miniature letters, abandoned here and there for strangers to find. I never did post the whole story on the blog... hmmm.

 A paper butterfly tree made with all sorts of goodies from Alpha Stamps and Graphic 45.

Toadstools of the Giant Variety These weren't very pretty come fall but they were amazingly intact considering the 5 months of weather they had endured.

Lovers Memento For someone who isn't very romantic I do sometimes get quite broody and dreamy and long for sweet nothings to whispered.

The Borrowers Box I created this piece for a craft challenge then abandoned it at my local library. I never did hear from it's finder. I hope they liked it.



The Wild Little Things I'm still not done with this series of photographs (despite being bitten by a tick and convincing myself that I would die from Lyme disease while shooting).

Sugar Plum the largest single piece I've ever worked on and one of my favourites.

A Big Bright Moon Another piece from my December show. It's one of my favourites because it seemed people couldn't help but stick their heads inside for a better look.


 
A small space This last piece may seem a bit silly but it's one of my favourite pieces. There's so much jammed into that little space. The mousetrap is one of the smallest things I've ever made and I was just terribly proud of it.

It seems impossible to me that these projects were created over the past 12 months. It feels as though years have passed for since some of them were created. What was your creative year like? Do you set goals for the future? What do you hope the new year will bring?

Anywho, don't stay up too late tonight. Don't drink and drive. Have a very happy New Year and all that jazz and I'll see you 2014!

SMOOCH!