Explore

I typically don't pick one word as a directive for my new year, but as I was cleaning up my studio on New Year's eve I came across two wonderful notecards I received awhile back from my blog friend, Amy @ Four Corners Design and the discovery of these cards led me to selecting a word for this year.  I think it was serendipitous that I found these cards on the last day of the year as one card perfectly described my 2012 and the other is a perfect motto for the new year ahead.

 It's no secret that 2012 was a rough year for me, losing both my husband and my dad within a six month period.  

Keep Going.

I don't know how many times I said that to myself over the course of the past year.

It wasn't a motto that I picked at the beginning of 2012 but it was probably the best descriptive of my year.

 And then I saw this card and I knew it was a fit description for the new year.....explore.

As I look ahead to the new year I realize I am ready to explore.......

I want to explore what I can do to update my blog,

I want to explore learning new craft techniques,

I want to explore updating some of the rooms in my home,

I want to explore opportunities within my job, 

I want to explore traveling within the US to states I've never been.......

I think "explore" is a pretty safe word for me for 2013.  It doesn't commit me to big changes but says I am open to the possibilities....and I think that's a pretty good start for me.

Before I sign off I want to show you the memo board I created for the notecards.

I started with a basic frame (no "before" pic) and some fence posts from this fencing I picked up at a thrift store for $3.00.

I removed the plastic strapping from the posts and was left with a pile of wood for some small projects.

I cut the wood to fit my frame.

And then used wood glue to attach the pieces to the back side of the frame.

Since this piece has a rustic look to it, I used a piece of jute twine for the hanger.

 This wood is very soft, perfect for thumbtacks, making it an excellent backing for a memo board.

 I also used some of the wood to back this little shelf.

And I made this Christmas tree hanging for a friend's gift this past Christmas.

I still have the top parts of the fencing waiting for a project....stay tuned.

I will be away from my blog for the next couple of weeks.
I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow for some time in the sun!

Thanks, as always, for visiting.
I hope you are ready to do some exploring with me this year!

Jane