January 2015
Hello everyone !
Yes it is a brand New Year ! Another chance to work on our goals, to discard stuff not working for us, to give thanks for and re-affirm relationships that support and encourage us.
This Blog has been all about crafting, though it never started that way. The past 3 years have been very busy and there was very little time to add personal entries, only work related ones. Starting this year, I would like this space to be more me, less about products. For sure this requires plenty of effort and time, but I do want to get back to writing more, to feel less rusty in putting down words. As we become more personal, a certain amount of vulneralbility will surface and comments that might not be positive or helpful will sting. But that's just what personal Blogs are about and we need to step back, accept it's all part of the deal. Not everyone will like what is posted here ....... but that's ok.
Work over the past year has been good and has pushed me to step up creatively. Many times people tell me I'm lucky to have the dream job of working with pretty supplies, to *create* the whole day. Honestly most days, yes I totally agree about the lucky part. That's just the surface, but like any other job, there are bosses, deadlines, schedules, budgets and the most dreaded (in paper crafting) the loss of inspiration. We are all held accountable for reasonable work standards and doing fair work for the money we are paid. However, we are human, subject to discouragement, days when we feel *off* that make getting to the expected work level very challenging. Happily, I work with supportive people who trust and allow me the freedom to design ....... who can ask for more ?
The highlight of 2014 was being invited to the Tim Holtz Media Team. Though the team didn't last, it taught me how to work at a level previously glimpsed from afar, it gave me a rare insider's view and the amazing privilege of having work displayed at the Tim Holtz CHA 2015 Booth. I got to know some wonderfully creative people better, and met new ones. Not going to CHA this year is a real bummer, and well, it is what it is, we just move on.
A new year means new plans right ?
I'd like to create for me, in my style and to do more personal projects. The piece you see above was created with much happiness, and that's the real truth about crafting ...... you must feel happy to be inspired.
At work, Sizzix will feature strongly as we see the use of die-cuts in paper-crafting taking off. Crafters here are coming around to having Die-cutting machines and I'd like to show them how to create effortlessly and with confidence using Sizzix. Singapore crafters are often hindered by the perfection syndrome - they want their work to be perfect first time out and are frightened by exploraton or the learning process as it means making mistakes. Consequently they find it hard to enjoy crafting workshops and feel stressed at the thought of missing any part of the learning, they worry about getting things wrong. My wish this year is to change this attitude bit by bit and to push the idea the more relaxed we are, the more happy and inspired we become. I've designed Sizzix 101 to be fun, hands-on, with pretty projects to show that die-cutting is easy once you get the hang of seeing, thinking in layers by using different die combinations. At Made With Love, Sizzix 101 will be a mainstay workshop for crafters who are new to die-cutting, for crafters who want a re-fresher having forgotten the basics or need help with updating their product knowledge.
Life and work, and looking forward to writing about both ! Nothing's more exciting than making up your mind and then taking the first few steps.
Here's to a wonderful 2015, more peace, more joy, more laughter !
