Farewell to 2011, Hello 2012

To say that 2011 was one crazy year for me/LilyStitch/CoCoa/etc would be a huge understatement. It was a year of lots of highs, lows, challenges, goodness, and so on.  I think 2011 was all about positioning myself for the future… for preparing for it physically, financially, and mentally.  Last year, I sluffed off lots of excess and feel rejuvenated in doing so. It was a wonderfully tough yet thoroughly healing type of year.

- Began 2011 by finishing "Teinte", a kaleidoscope of sorts.

"Teinte" by Christa Evans of LilyStitch

- Launched right into Programs Chair of The Cahaba Lily Chapter of ANG which also meant that I began several projects that are still in my WIP basket:

Count of Needlemania by Janet Zeiglar Casey

BOO! ANG Workshop by Mail

- Began the journey with "Nessie"

"Nessie"

- Took an incredible class from Michelle Roberts at Share A Stitch 2011 on the Goldwork Fleur.

MR's Fleur as of 12/31/11

- Then WHAMMY!!! Our house sold after 12 months of being on the market.  At 11 months, we had decided to take it off the market so I had given up on it selling for a l-o-n-g while.  I had mentally shifted into planning the future of LilyStitch.  Then KABOOM! A really nice couple put a contract in and we sold.

The sale of the house threw our little family into a series of life changing decisions VERY quickly.  It did mean that we were achieving our goal - the freedom to make choices.  So that is what we did.  My sweet husband resigned from his position of 16 years, we packed everything up including the puppies, and moved back to my home city.  Did I mention we made these decisions on Wednesday, went to closing on Friday, and were out of the house by Sunday evening?

[Husband just walked in and read this last bullet.  He volunteered that we should set this blog post to The Beverly Hillbilly's theme song…. you know the one goes like this:
"Kingolk said Jed moved away from there
Said Californy is the place you ought to be
so they loaded up the truck and moved to…."

- Took a healing vacation to a little cabin outside of Asheville.  I did manage to put in two Chrysanthemums Sake Boxes but we mostly hiked, laughed, petted, and tried regain our "land legs".

During this week it became very evident that I would need to scale back many of my NeedleArt activities and devote as much time as needed to establish ourselves in our new home city.  So I made the really tough decision to let LilyStitch coast until I could devote more time to her.

I also resigned from the ANG Master Teacher program, my work with the Cahaba Lilies as program chair and web mistress, plus another handful of other activities.  Looking back on it now, I realize that in making that decision I was given a precious gift - it made me realize how fortunate I am to be able to be part of these organizations, get to know all the special people that tough my life, and it gave me a sense of freedom from some pressures I wasn't aware of.

- Began an exploration on Goldwork threads on the LilyStitch Blog.  What fun this is - a girl just can't have enough bling!  This is a topic I will pick up asap.

- Spent a few days with my Sansei and JE friends working on a new phase - Fuzzy Effect.  I'm working on Autumn Leaves which is wonderful.  I'm really enjoying playing with the weight of twists, tie down method, and color in this gorgeous JEC design.

- Spent a day being terribly inspired at the John C Campbell Folkschool yearly festival where their master craftsmen/women exhibit and sell their art.  Mom and I both bought a huge cake of beeswax - enough to surely last a LONG while.

- The move meant that my husband would be teaching tennis as an independent for the first time in… well, let's say a w-h-i-l-e.  Its going to afford him a great deal of freedom in schedule as well as in pupils.  To help him ramp up, I spent lots of time building out his website and helping with social media campaigns, etc.  Actually, this is the second site - the first one had to be dumped when we realized that MobileMe was going away - that's ok, I know that the end result is MUCH better because this is a site that can be used by Windows as well as Mac machines.  (A huge thank you to Kelly Rae for recommending the Freeway software)

- Began to build out on the new LilyStitch website.  Aren't I fortunate that I was in the process of building this site out when I needed to build my husbands? There is MUCH to come from LilyStitch.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I am so grateful that you have been sharing my journey - there is so much to come.

- Taught several young people, including my nieces, how to Needlepoint with Hooty Owl.  Believe it or not, they have all finished him!

- Welcomed Baby Jackson into the world!  My handsome, healthy little nephew:

- Spent some incredible times with my family over the holidays including this new guest to our Thanksgiving feast.

- During these times... the times spent with family and friends, the time building lots of "new", the time in the presence of others that have supported me has lead to some new inspiration. I've FaceBooked some about a new project that means quiet a bit to me - I'm calling it the "Tree of Hope".  Hope because the future promises to be so bright.  That is what I am looking forward to 2012 being.  The next step in the evolution of LilyStitch.  The next part of our married life.  The next chapter in LilyStitch's book with all of you who have been so supportive.

I will be sharing the journey of the Tree of Hope (ToH) with you over the next few weeks so please follow along on the blog.  As of right now, I do plan on putting ToH and Uguisu Reflects on Ume in the Callaway School of NeedlaArts.  So for those of you attending, please look out for them in the Exhibit.

Here's to an amazing 2012!

Christa,
Lilystitch www.lilystitch.com