Happy New Year!

Last New Year's Eve I decided that my life needed more momentum. I knew that I needed to move forwards at a quicker pace, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I decided to re-open my Etsy shop and start blogging once a week. I thought that maybe if I made more of an effort to get myself into the world, the world would meet me with equal energy. It was an experiment.

Did it work?

It did!

I was blown away by the response. You readers are amazing, and make my life brighter each time I hear from you. You make my solitary studio feel like it's full of friends. Thank-you so much for spending time with me!

Thank you also for everybody who supported my work this year through

my Etsy shop.

I'm grateful for each one of you and for the new friendships that we've made.

The Word for 2014

I've noticed that instead of making New Year's resolutions, a lot of people are choosing a word or mantra to encompass all their wishes for the coming year. This idea resonated with me, and I immediately knew which word I would choose. When I whispered it to myself I felt it strumming my solar plexus like a guitar string.

Build.

To construct; to increase or strengthen; to add value to; to progress to a maximum, as of intensity; to develop according to a plan.

I want to build on the strong foundations laid in 2013. Building my career. Building friendships and relationships. Building my future. Building stories.

If I had chosen a word for last year it might have been "hope." All that hope brought me here, to this moment, and I'm so grateful.

Words are strong; they have the power to change who we are.

What's your word for 2014? I'd love to know.

2013 in numbers:

Number of book fairs attended: 1

Number of agents: 1

Number of book contracts signed: 1

Number of books out this year containing my illustrations: 2 (

Flat Water Tuesday

, and

Playing with Sketches

)