Hey Crafty People!!
This year has been both the longest, and shortest, I’ve known; I feel like it seems insane to think that it is only one year that we have lived with Covid-19, how different are our lives now from last Christmas. Yet, it also feels like madness that we are at the end of 2020.
This Christmas has been a difficult one in our house, with a Covid diagnosis that has rocked our world and destroyed our plans; but I know that it isn’t only our family suffering, I know that so many have felt the cruel, unflinching nature of this disease, so to you, I say ‘you are not alone’.
So many of the plans we had for this year didn’t work out, and we have missed friends & family terribly.
As difficult as this year has been, it is somewhat bittersweet because I have achieved so much more than I ever thought possible, so I wanted to take the opportunity to take in those achievements before we move forward into 2021.
Blog & Instagram Growth
One of my aims at the start of this year was to post more regularly on my blog, and to continue working on my website as a whole. I wanted to make my blog more professional, and include supplies lists with all of my creations. I definitely feel as though I’ve achieved this.
I am also really happy with how I have grown my Instagram account this year, and I was so shocked when I passed 1000 followers in September; that seemed like an impossible dream at the start of the year!!
Practicing & Improving My Creative Skills
I’ve worked hard on improving my colouring abilities this year; well, I say ‘work’ but it really isn’t a hardship! I adore creating and colouring, being in my Craft Room is my happy place.
Last year I really didn’t like my Year In Colour Review, so I wanted to use more colour this year; explore colour combinations I wouldn’t normally reach for. I’m so much happier with the way my Colour Year looks this time and it makes me realise that I have been exploring colour more.
I think I will do this even more over the next year; a very dear friend purchased a digital copy of The Colour Catalogue Vol. 2 by Sarah Renae-Clarke and it is a wonderful resource! It is a joy for anyone who loves colour or feels they need a creative jumpstart! I HIGHLY recommend it!
An enormously unexpected joy this year was getting TWO Taylor Swift albums to obsess over! If you’re ever wondering just how long I spend in my happy place, Spotify told me I am in the top 0.05% of Taylor’s listeners this year! Ha!
Altenew Educator Qualification
The achievement that I am most proud of this year is qualifying as an Altenew Educator! At the start of the year this wasn’t in my list of aims because I never for a moment would have even dreamed that this would happen!
I applied completely in the spur of the moment, never expecting to be accepted onto the course and when I was accepted & I started to complete the courses my confidence soared!
I am so glad that I have more faith in myself now, I am starting to see a life defined by what I CAN do, rather than what I can’t.
Friendships
Another unexpected, but wonderful, consequence of being part of this crafting community is the wonderful friendships that I have made. I feel so lucky to have got to know these people, and I know that I have made some lifelong friends.
In May, I asked some of these friends to join me to raise awareness of Ehlers Danlos and I was completely floored by the support I received, both from my friends & fellow crafters, but also from so many of the companies that I love. It was a wonderful feeling and one I will not forget.
Moving Into 2021…
I’ve been so lucky to work with some amazing companies this year, and after Guest Designing for them this month, I can’t believe that I will be part of the permanent WOW! team for 2021. I am SUPER excited for what is to come in 2021, and I’ve got a few aims for the year that I’d love to share with you.
Firstly, having started a Youtube channel this year, I am aiming to grow it during 2021 and I will be posting videos regularly, including some super exciting mini series’ that I will be focusing on going forward.
The first Sunday of each month will be my WOW! Challenge introduction & Inspiration.
The third Sunday of each month will be my Altenew Educator Mini Class series.
I will be posting every Saturday and Wednesday from January, if you aren’t already subscribed to my channel then please check it out and hit that subscribe button? It would mean the world to me.
I would also absolutely love to have the chance to Guest Design for some more of my favourite companies this year, my ultimate goal is to be a part of their actual Design Teams one day.
The companies I would absolutely LOVE to work with are Altenew, Pinkfresh Studios& Trinity Stamps, but to be honest I could write a huge long list of every company that I aspire to work with!!
One of my dream companies to work with was WOW Embossing Powder, and I’m beyond excited that I have already achieved this!
Hey Crafty People!
Please be aware:
As part of my Design Team and Guest Design work I do often receive free products to use, but I only ever recommend products that I genuinely love.
Also, I know how incredibly lucky I am to have these opportunities, but you don’t always NEED the newest products or the ‘full set’.
So please don’t feel that you need everything.
I like to show a variety of brands and products; this way there will be something for everybody to enjoy.
— SUPPLIES —
— My Basic Supplies That I Use On Every Project —
 MINI MISTI Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Alt | SBP | Trinity |
 MISTI – Original Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Alt | SBP |
 Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: Scrapbookcom | SBP | Craftstash UK | Craftstash US |
 Neenah 80lb Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Alt | Craftstash UK |
 Neenah 110lb Shop at: Alt |
 Gemini Jr Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Craftstash UK |
 Tim Holtz Trimmer 8.5inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Craftstash UK | Trinity |
 Tim Holtz Scissors 7inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Craftstash UK | Craftstash US |
 Tim Holtz Mini Snips 5inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Craftstash UK | Craftstash US |
 Tidy Tray Shop at: Trinity |
 Pick Up Stick Shop at: Trinity |
 Reverse Action Tweezers Shop at: Scrapbookcom | SBP |
 We R Trim & Scoreboard Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Pressure Tool Shop at: Trinity |
 Mini Trimmer Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Craftstash UK | Craftstash US |
 9.5 inch Shears Shop at: Craftstash UK | Craftstash US |
 Bone Folder Shop at: Alt |
 Self Healing Mat Shop at: Alt | SBC |
*Affiliate links are used, where available; this means that I may get a small commission if you purchase using one of these links, at no extra cost at all to yourself. A huge thank you goes to anyone who does purchase using my links, it is so highly appreciated.
— SUPPLIES —
— My Basic Supplies That I Use On Every Project —
Affiliate links are used MINI MISTI Shop at: Scrapbookcom | PBP | SBP | Trinity |
 MISTI – Original Shop at: Scrapbookcom | PBP | SBP |
 Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: Scrapbookcom | SBP |
 Gemini Jr Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Tim Holtz Trimmer 8.5inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Tim Holtz Scissors 7inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Tim Holtz Mini Snips 5inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Tidy Tray Shop at: Trinity |
 Pick Up Stick Shop at: Trinity |
 Reverse Action Tweezers Shop at: Scrapbookcom | SBP |
 We R Trim & Scoreboard Shop at: Scrapbookcom |
 Pressure Tool Shop at: Trinity |
*Affiliate links are used, where available; this means that I may get a small commission if you purchase using one of these links, at no extra cost at all to yourself. A huge thank you goes to anyone who does purchase using my links, it is so highly appreciated.