Let it snow!

Happy holidays to you and yours!

A new start

I'm not really someone who believes in New Year's resolutions but I am definitely someone who believes in fresh starts. Since most of us are reluctant to embrace change, starting something completely new comes with a lot of anxiety. However, I want to resolve to not only start many new things but to be excited about them. As the new year approaches (naturally) I've started to think about all this. I have already experienced many fresh starts in the past year: learning to sew, starting my Etsy shop, learning to quilt, moving, ending my academic career (I'm trying to focus on this as a beginning, not an end), etc. I realize that even on my most frustrating days, I have a lovely life and am a very fortunate person. I am happy, healthy, and surrounded by people I love and who love me back, and have many adventures ahead. While many of us have had a tough time this past year financially, emotionally, etc. I do hope that people can take a moment and be happy and thankful for what they do have. I apologize for the cheese factor in this but it's been on my brain. I went to a friend's art show last night, her master's thesis show, and was blown away by her work. I was also blown away that despite living in different cities and at times not connecting for months on end, it felt completely normal to see her. Don't you love that? And please check out her art, it's AMAZING.

So here's to a fresh start: many new projects await, books to be read, a great job is out there somewhere...

...and she's back!

Helloooooooo! I've missed you all. But I'm FINALLY back after a long hiatus. Things have been super busy but all is good.

I've now relocated (finally!) to New York City. This had been my plan since finishing school last May. My sweetie had to start his new job in the middle of last month so after whirlwind apartment hunting, crazy traveling around the globe (unrelated, but added to the mayhem), and a big move we are here and happy and loving our new home. NYC has always been one of my favorite places in the world. I spent a lot of time here as a child and lived here for a few years before grad school and now I'm back, living in a GREAT apartment with my awesome boyfriend and our wonderful little dog.

Now if only I had space to put my sewing table...

So I realize this post isn't very focused on LittleOliveBranch but in a way it is. With the move, it was very hard to keep making items for the shop so I sort of missed out on the holiday shopping season. While it would have been nice, I feel like there's still so much for me to do regarding my products, shop, brand, etc. that I'm sort of OK with it. I had a little table set up at a craft fair last weekend but it was pretty small and sort of off the beaten path so not a lot of exposure (though had a GREAT time meeting up with old friends and making new ones). Always a learning experience.

So as we approach the new year, I will be working on my products and my shop to make it all more cohesive. I am also, as many of you know, truly a knitter (sewing is a new love!) and am seriously considering selling knitwear too. This is a MUCH bigger time committment but my skill level is significantly higher and I find that market to be more accessible. My only reluctance comes from the fact that my Etsy shop is not my full time job so we will have to see how things go. In the meantime, I continue to look for aforementioned job, more related to my academic/professional experience.

But I will always be crafting away, even if it's in the corner of our "living room."

(Note: We do indeed have a fabulous apartment - duplex with 2 full bathrooms - but as of yet only really have half a living room. Bookshelves are full, TV is set up, but we are waiting on "grown up furniture" which is supposed to arrive sometime in February. For now, it's a bit of a dorm feel but it's still home.)