So, I wrote about crafting. I had multiple blogs for multiple topics, and over the years have merged most of them here. And, while I've changed my blog name almost as many times as I have changed hairstyles, I have mostly stuck to various renditions of "{everyday}" because I wanted to share creations and thoughts with my blogging friends every day. I am an ordinary, unfancy, common, "simply complicated" person by nature. The word everyday, by definition, refers to ordinary, very common occurrences. So the word fits me and it has become attached to me as I write.
When I began blogging, I was very involved in the hobby and crafting industry. I was a product designer, educator, advocate, demonstrator, consumer, and blissfull addict. Over the years, I've been fortunate enough to take advantage of some incredible opportunities and be part of some awesome companies. My work has been published many times over and I've really enjoyed working directly with manufacturers and retailers. On occasion, I continue to do freelance design work and find that it works for me, for now. I am still delighted (and often surprised) to find my work in a store's display or marketing piece.
In 2005, I married the love of my life (Steve) and slowly began refocusing my time away from the professional side of crafting and more towards my new family. Our family expanded by two when our children were born (Freddy - 2008 and Charleigh - 2012).
I've taken time away from writing off and on for several years. During my blog's lifetime, I've learned several important lessons:
- I've learned to create for myself, and that others opinions and thoughts aren't as important as I once thought they were. I could not care less about being well known. I'm more interested in finding and befriending those who are discovering and fully enjoying their skills and talents. My current goal is to have fun, enjoy myself, and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.
- While I once considered myself a crafter, I now consider myself a "maker" or "creator" because I love, love, LOVE to create.
- I am not limited to one genre or type of making - literally. My creative passions span a broad range from working with paper to mixed media art to sewing and machine embroidery to jewelry making to soldered silver art to blending essential oils to culinary creations, to gardening, home updates, graphic design, website development, data analytics and more!
- She who has the most definitely does not win. In fact, I think it might actually hinder my creativity because there are more options. (This lesson has taken me longest to learn and I find myself in a constant struggle with deciding what to keep and what to let go. Of course, that's matched up with the never-ending list of things I'd like to have versus things I need to have. )>
- There is enough room for everyone to create and succeed in their pursuits. Whether that be as a full-time business, a side-gig, or just a hobby - there's room for everyone to sit at the same table.
- I am passionate about finding ways to make things easier and sharing those findings with others. Whether it's a simplified process (or even simplifying an explanation), explaining an algorithm, or creating a tool to help improve their results - sharing is caring. And I care a lot!
- My guilty pleasures haven't changed much still include Red Vines, pedicures, Diet Cokes, massages, tacos, and Haribo gummy bears. To those, I would definitely add blow-outs, margaritas, and Amazon Prime delivery.
