Enjoying the View

Enjoying the View

There's something about turning the page on the calender year that naturally gets us reflecting and today I hopped on and I started looking at my blog again. It's been a while. And after looking at some past posts I kind of want to update you on who and where I am today. To begin, I had on my profile that I'm the mom of a 7 year old boy- I changed it to 9 cause he's almost that age. Wow! I think I began this blog when he was 5 or 6. I can now add Artistic Director at Art 2 Heart ( a christian non profit creative arts ministry) to my list of "wife, mom, and artist". I started with A2H as a volunteer artist about 3 years ago and remember thinking "this could be a full time job for someone". It's basically turned into a full time job for me. I hesitated to say that for quite a while, cause I don't get paid. But my husband called it like it was last summer and it really pretty much is. I get to be an artist, I get to encourage others to develop and appreciate their own creativity, I get to help others with my product designs. It's all pretty darn cool. And all a total gift from God. Cause only He gives gifts this good.
I also get to work with the best people. Which is a huge switch from when I started to blog. Back then I was on my own a lot, with only a couple of kindred hearts I met via etsy to companion with through email. Being part of Art 2 Heart has meant joining a team of like minded women and I'm thrilled to have their support and encouragement on a daily basis. That's a pretty huge shift. And as my involvement with Art 2 Heart has grown, I've done less publishing but I still try to meet the Sew Somerset and Somerset Home deadlines-because that's where I started and it's something I do out of a sense of gratitude almost. Also, I often see God using the art I publish, later on as a product design. I also create and sell my own work at Art 2 Heart. I still see the wire/fabric sculpture and mixed media as my art but really enjoy sewing with my machine, crafting, and doing all the other fun new things I get to do.
Let's see... other things that have changed. I'm a redhead now. I'm also completely obsessed with torch fire enameling. I'm also on year 3 or 4 with the whole gluten/dairy/sugar free thing. Although to be honest I've been sneaking sugar coffees for the last couple of months and the holidays were not anything to brag about..but I'm going straight soon-honest and for true!!! I love my kid, and my husband even more then I did- oh and I'm turning 40 this May. That's crazy. I have not had my etsy shop open for a couple years now. I took a break when I began really committing more and more time to Art 2 Heart and I just haven't gotten around to opening it again. I toy with the idea every once in a while but to be honest this blog is a higher priority to me. So if I was to take anything back on it would probably be to post more here. Cause I miss you guys. You've been awesome when I needed awesome and I appreciate it so much. Plus I like thinking that my sharing is encouraging some of you through what I write, or inspiring you with the art or tutorials I share. 
So that's pretty much it. But man, when I look back to my first posts I can see how really far I've come. And best yet, I really like the view. And now, I'm really looking forward to a great year in 2014-

and I hope you are too!!!
Jen