HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Looking back at 2007
January 1, 2008
Time for a fresh start!
New Year’s Day is a great time to think about the past year and reflect on what I’ve learned, as well as looking forward to plans for the new year!
In 2007, I set the following goals for myself:
- Expand knowledge of chainmaille making techniques
- Learn to solder (without burning my fingers, hopefully!)
- Participate in the Year of Jewelry challenge
- Increase business by 20%
So how’d I do?
Looking back, I definitely expanded my chainmaille-making techniques and knowledge, including cutting my own jump rings, and incorporating some unique style into my chainmaille jewelry.
My jewelry business increased dramatically – I still have to put a few numbers to paper, but I definitely surpassed the 20% increase mark. I made some wonderful connections with some fabulous people who have become friends and mentors, and I consider that growth in my business as well as the financial aspect.
Learning to solder didn’t happen. I didn’t have the right tools, nor the instruction, and found that “cold connections” were still fun and challenging to do. I did expand my knowledge with stamping, metal-working, and texturing…finding those techniques were both fun and challenging. Plus I got to use some pretty cool tools that Dad had given me.
And while I did participate in the Year of Jewelry challenge for the first quarter of 2007, I found life sort of got in the way of a weekly challenge. I do regret giving that up, but the stress of deadlines was not conducive to my creativity. I did participate in Katie Hacker’s Ornament Thursday project, making different holiday ornaments and blogging them weekly during December, and found it to be fun and challenging.
Beading Help Web’s readership expanded by leaps and bounds in 2007. Additional free project instructions were published (there are now over 110 original designs available!), two contests were held, and the Beading Help Web blog was updated on a regular basis with tips, techniques, and sometimes just “stuff” that was happening in my personal world of jewelry.
So overall, I’m counting 2007 as a year of growth, even though I didn’t exactly meet two of my goals. I found growth in other aspects, and had a lot of fun getting from January 1 to December 31.
Tomorrow: What’s in store for 2008?
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