On growth and resolutions...

2011 was such an incredible year of growth for me both personally and professionally at BethNouveau.  In addition to all the new customers I served on etsy, I also continued to spread my brand by wholesaling my work to brick and mortar stores.  Around eight new stores across the nation began carrying my jewelry in 2011, including the official boutique of Anusara yoga at Wanderlust festival.    I can't count how many tiring evenings I spent cranking out piece after piece until 3 in the morning, collapsing into bed with glue still on my fingers and clothes.  While I am INCREDIBLY thankful for the business, I began to realize that level of productivity is not sustainable for me in the long run, and in the fall, I began to slow my shops down.  In addition to running a business, I am also in graduate school and have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 aquariums, a snake, a boyfriend who lives 3.5 hours away, and I like to stay fit!!  In 2011 I began training for a marathon but unfortunately injured my ankle in October (but thankfully maintained my fitness level).  I also backpacked the appalachian trail in the smoky mountains, covering 75 miles in 5 days in July and finishing the AT section from Georgia to Mt.  Rogers, VA.    

I sit here on a still January evening contemplating the incredible whirlwind that was last year and think about where I want to go this year.  A couple goals from 2011 are wrapping themseleves up as I type:  my website will be finished within DAYS, and I have a host of new inventory to add to my shop with more new ideas still hatching in my head.  My good friend is scheduling a photo shoot with several models, and these new fun photos will be added to my listings and website...   So what next??  Well a marathon is certainly in the works for the first half the year.  With the exception of illness and injury I  have been diligently training for 9 months  now.  Unless something catastrophic happens, I hope to finish a marathon by May.  And I feel awful about how lacking my yoga practice has been the past four months.  An ankle injury doesn't lend itself to sun salutations... so it is time to get back on the mat religiously as well..   I also hope to graduate in the latter half of this year and move on to the next stage of my life, wherever that next stage takes me... hopefully with my beau in North Carolina.  

But what goals do I have for myself creatively?  This is where I feel most lost.  I'm not sure what direction I see my art going, in particular BethNouveau.  The grizzly rooster craze is over... THANK GOD... and I worry that feather earrings may be a trend that some now find outdated.  I hope that my work can remain progressive despite the  passing trends.  Can you believe I was selling grizzly hair clips back in 2009 on etsy!!!!!

In this next year I definitely hope to spend more time designing new creations for BethNouveau, hopefully implementing elements of sterling silver wire wrapping and gems/stones, which have been unexecuted ideas of mine for some time.  I also want to spend more time creating for me and knitting/designing knits.  I barely have time anymore to make something for ME and I can't tell you the last time I knit something or even wore a pair of feather earrings.

So yes, 2012 shall be a rededication of all around creativity, going with the flow of wherever the universe takes me.

xo, beth