resolutions for 2012

These photos are some I snapped today of a miniature letterpress calendar I bought from K is for Calligraphy.. the shop is filled with the cutest hand lettered things! Interview & giveaway coming soon.

Happy 2012! Remember when you were a kid and a year took forever to pass? Man, I wish it were still that way.

Last night was maybe the best New Years Eve I've ever had.. we spent it with good friends and family, running around visiting some spots and barely making it to our destination before the clock struck midnight. I wore a black velvet dress from the nineties, gold flecked sparkle tights, and my super huge platform sneakers (it was those or sleek, feminine, uncomfortable heels.. always go for the clunky comfy ones on New Years).

A group of us met at our place for pizza, then headed to the Oak Bar for fancy cocktails (and to experience the downtown craziness that Nashville likes to throw). We arrived at a friend's apartment party just before midnight, running up 15 flights of stairs to catch them only to find out the accessible rooftop was 13 flights beneath us. We ended up crashing a penthouse party on the 22nd floor and watching the fireworks from some random (but super nice) guy's balcony. And it was amazing. Usually for New Years, we catch a good concert or watch the ball drop from home. Marathoning it up an apartment building was a nice change of pace.

And now, it's 2012. 2011 was a big year for Neil and I - I began my label adventure, releasing two collections and sewing a whole lot of dresses, we bought a house and hit the 3 year wedding anniversary mark. I watched my sister get married and our family grow. Neil took on an exciting new venture at work (he's Wine Bar Supervisor at Whole Foods, first of his kind in the Southern region which is really cool for us). We endured the most stressful move in our lives so far.. that terrible but exciting limbo of spending a month in between homes. I can't remember a busier time in my life than the past three months. My college exam days were nothing to me compared to completing wholesale orders while juggling house paperwork, custom orders, and a part time job.

So I'm glad to leave the (ultimately rewarding) stress of 2011 behind, but definitely quick to be thankful for the year as a whole. It was a good year. The wonderful outweighed the frustrating, for sure.

So now that I'm getting all nostalgic about 2011, it's time to head forward with some resolutions. Last year, I stuck to some of my goals (like entrepreneurial sewing and Photoshop business cards) and forgot about others (I ate fast food today). I'm keeping up with this tradition simply because I like lists and I want to be better than I was yesterday, or the day before, or the year before. These experiences or goals, in some way, will hopefully help me (or Neil and I both) to grow.

1. Take a backpacking trip around Europe. Neil and I have been saving up for this - a budget-friendly Eurail ride through Europe, a goal we don't want to forget about or push aside when life gets too busy. We're making plans now for this fall or next spring, so it might not be a 2012 trip, but setting the wheels in motion is happening this year for sure. For now, we're narrowing down the countries and cities to visit (any suggestions?) and watching a whole lot of Rick Steves to prepare.

2. (Re)learn the guitar. My sister Ash introduced me to Karen Dalton over Christmas - ever since then, I decided I have to learn this song on guitar. I've got a ways to go.. the only guitar chord I remember is G.

3. Give more. Cheesy but true. Neil and I have felt so blessed this year that we've wanted to share our blessings with others, but we haven't been so great about following through. In 2012, we plan on finding ways to share time and funds for those in need, and to volunteer for local nonprofits we believe in. And a renewed, open mind to what giving of ourselves really means - with close friends and new acquaintances, with family, with God.

4. Become active, DIY homeowners. This spring, all manners of domestic DIY projects ensue - Neil is planting a garden in the backyard and we're adding a firepit, screening in our back porch (fingers crossed), and building some shutters for the front windows. Indoor projects, too - sanding down our old-fashioned popcorn ceilings, sewing curtains, more painting, patching up walls and switching out old electric wiring.

5. Participate in NaNoWriMo (for real). November is a really busy month for me, so I might have to choose a quieter one in order to actually stick to this goal. February, maybe?

6. Take the next step with my blog and business. I'm leaving this one vague because I'm not really sure what the next step is. Whatever it may be, I feel like 2012 is the year for moving forward.

What are your resolutions for this year?