This has been one of the most incredible years for me. So many opportunities and life events that I would have never even imagined. I think the most exciting moments in life are those that you don't seek out, and that take you by surprise.

I was never looking for my husband when we met in 2003 - in fact I was already dating someone else - but I can't imagine my life without him. Our second daughter was a complete surprise, but she's just pure joy in our life that makes every day so much sweeter. I was never seeking out the chance to have my work published in a book, but the opportunity presented itself to me, and I took it. This year was all about surprises, and the fruit that comes from grabbing a chance and just going with it.

January


Stemming from a little comment I made on her blog, I started posting drink recipes on Going Home to Roost. That 6-week guest series has morphed into a weekly DIY series that I absolutely love doing. Bonnie is such as pleasure to write for, and the material on her blog always has me striving to be a better citizen of this world. I love being part of her blog.

February


A well-known author in the creative world asked to feature some of my paper cut post cards in her upcoming book about stationery design. This was one of those things that just came out of nowhere, but turns your life upside down. The book isn't published yet, and so I haven't seen an increase in traffic from the opportunity, but the whole idea has pushed me to work harder and raise my standards for my own work. I'll likely be writing more about this experience as it unfolds in 2012.

March


In 2008 we moved to Chicago, and then to the surrounding suburbs in 2009. In February, 2011, my husband came home from work and indicated that he was ready to move back to Michigan and buy a house. We were originally planning on moving back into the city once our lease was up in September, with our little family of 4. My husband's job was a killer though - 60+ hours, work to do once he got home, a long commute, working the weekends in almost every month of the year. He was ready to move back to Michigan, our home state, and get some stability in our lives. In March we decided at what was essentially the drop of a hat to start looking for homes to buy.

April


Okay, I was born the year that the original 5 members of Duran Duran broke up in 1985, but they're my favorite band, and though most other girls my age think that makes me incredibly lame and/or old-fashioned, I don't believe that they understand the level of talent, creativity, authenticity, and fashion that is the aesthetic band, Duran Duran.

I had seen them live in concert in 2005 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, which is this HUGE stadium that the Detroit Pistons play in, and we were in the nose bleed section. In April, Duran Duran was playing at the House of Blues in Chicago, and my husband got us tickets as an anniversary present. The House of Blues has no assigned seating - it's standing room only - so I was able to wedge my way up close and experience the entire concert from 20 away. Those guys are still producing amazingly original music, and it was one of the best nights of my life. They still look damn good, too.

May


I made homemade ice cream - without an ice cream maker - for the first time. It seems silly to be a highlight, but I had always wanted to make my own ice cream. The best part was that it was so incredibly delicious, a real success.

June


I started to go house-crazy in June. We were planning our house hunt for the first weekend of July, so I had been spending most of my free time on Zillow and Trulia. I thought I had found our dream home - perfect price, perfect size, perfect location, so I had also been collecting decor ideas and inspiration with that home in mind. We got in touch with our Realtor, and the idea of buying a house became a reality.

July


In early July we drove to Michigan, dropped the kids off at the grandparents' house, and went on our 1-day, 12-house viewing extravaganza. We sent our Realtor a list of our favorite houses, with our dream house for the first stop of the day. We went in and loved it, although the basement was a little iffy, and the yard was really small - but what can you expect from a 1940s house. The rest were all a little scary or just too expensive, until we saw the last house of the day. It was perfect in every way, from the fenced-in yard to the finished basement. We decided to place an offer on that house, instead of our dream house. It was lucky that we made that choice - had we gone with the original house, we would have been in a bidding war and possibly lost. About a week later, after days of offers and counter-offers, we got our first house. I started packing up our tiny apartment immediately.

August


The house became ours on August 15th, and we moved 5 days later. My husband still had 3 weeks left at his job, so he was commuting back and forth on the weekends - it was terrible. The house was amazing though - I finally got my own work and creative space that was NOT designated to the dining room table or living room coffee table. No more creative clutter around the house!

September



I started remodeling the house. I had never even painted a room myself before, so it was a big challenge, but so worth it. In the next week I will be sharing the final results of my dining room makeover, although I am sure I will tweak it from time-to-time. We also enjoyed some off-time with my husband, who had a couple of weeks off between his old job and new job. We got to do fun things like go to the zoo, throw a party, and refinish the deck.

October



October was a busy time - my first baby turned three years old, and I opened a second stationery shop: Nature Party. I was also prepping for the holidays like crazy, and we took some time to re-discover our old/new town by visiting a local pumpkin patch, going on walks downtown, and visiting the MSU campus.

November


November was all about planning for Christmas. I was stocking up ideas for homemade treats and handmade gifts. I had so much fun driving the relatively short distance to my hometown to see my sister's band perform, or to have family game nights again. Thanksgiving weekend was a bit of a blur - there is always so much family to see and multiple Thanksgiving meals to eat.

December


Like always, December is insane. I started the month off with an entire weekend visit from my sister. We baked, cooked, knitted, made candles, and did all sorts of crafty holiday projects. It was like being kids again, living in the same house. That same weekend we had a small birthday celebration for my second daughter who turned two years old. The rest of the month was filled with traveling, holiday parties, family, baking, and making holiday orders for my shop. We just got back into town on Wednesday and are getting ready for New Year's Eve.

So what is your best memory from 2011? Did you experience any major life events, or was it just smooth sailing for you? When you look back on 2011 say, 30 years from now, what will you remember? I know for me it will be our first home and the dreams of what it might be that go with it.

A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked my advice on boosting Etsy shop and product views when you are very crunched for time. Many, if not most, online indiepreneuers have a "day job" in addition to their handmade business,  whether it is an actual 9-5 job, college, or staying at home with children. This pretty much just leaves nights and weekends to develop business. Below is the advice that I gave this indie seller.

Usually when views go down and stay down, most seasoned sellers would suggest to focus on your product, add to your product line, create new interest in your shop. Etsy veterans usually suggest listing new items, rather than continuing to renew old items. That's hard to do when you're so busy! There isn't always time to dedicate to creating and listing all new products. So until you get time to work on new designs, you have to work with what you have.



One thing that I did to really increase my views earlier this year was to join a treasury team. There are a ton of treasury teams on Etsy, but I chose one that is not open to everybody - right now there are 80-something shops on the team, and they put the cap at about 100 shops. Everyone on the team has to create at least 12 treasuries a month featuring at least 6 different team members' items. Since my team also only chooses shop owners that create really great treasuries, the chance of hitting Front Page is pretty good. There were times when I was on the front page 3 times within 2 days, just because I joined that team, and views sky-rocketed.


Another tip I have is to very closely follow the Etsy Merchandising report. It's published monthly in the Etsy Blog and basically tells you how to tag your items according to how:
1. Etsy staff will be searching terms for items to feature in newsletters, gift guides, the Etsy blog, etc.
2. How Etsy members will be searching for items to add to treasuries, based on current trends and the merchandising report itself
3. How customers will likely be searching for items to buy, based on current marketing trends

For example, if your artwork features a lot of orange and yellow, besides tagging your listing with "orange" and "yellow", the report might suggest tagging with "Rust" and "Saffron" in the summer, and change those tags to "Pumpkin" and "Mustard" in the autumn. The seasonal Pantone color report is often referenced in these merchandising reports.




This doesn't mean that you should change your product line to fit with the reports, or that you should only create what is trendy; rather, referencing the merchandising reports is a way for you to see how what you are already making fits in with current trends, and it gives you insight on how to help shoppers who want what you have to find you.


Finally, since Etsy changed their default search from most recent to relevancy, item titles have become more important. Etsy staff has suggested that we title our items to mirror how people search for things. I haven't spent too much time studying it, but the first three words of a title should begin by what a real person would type into the search bar to find your item.

For example, it's great to be creative with product names, since "Sunset Reflections" is a beautiful name for a necklace; however, shoppers aren't likely to be searching for creative product titles. Shoppers are also not likely to know that the stone in the bracelet they are looking for is a blue topaz - they may be more likely to search for "blue gemstone bracelet" instead of "Natural Blue Topaz Faceted Stone Bracelet". Blue topaz is better left at the end of the product title.


Now, once you have increased traffic into your shop, it's up to you to translate those views into sales. How is this done? Through your product photography, item descriptions, shop policies, branding, and your artist profile. Make your photos almost as good as seeing the item description. Convince shoppers through your descriptions that your product is the best, and that they want what you make - tell them why your work is special. Give you and your shop personality and a likable quality that they won't forget.

I have had my eye on this custom address stamp by Sweet Paperie for a few months now. First I wanted to wait until I moved, then I wanted to wait until I got a PO Box, and now I'm waiting for room in the business budget to buy it. Not only would it make addressing packages so much easier and prettier, but it matches my logo so well! Some day!

If you really want to crank your gift wrapping up a notch and add some major festivity, then you'll love this last idea: paper garland. Use the handmade garland to tie a present like you would ribbon or twine, and hopefully the garland can be reused for other occasions.


Simply cut a piece of thin string, 2-3 feet long depending on the size of the gift. Use paper circles or triangles cut from coordinating colored paper. Open the paper, glue the inside crease and inside bottom edge. Place paper flag on string, and fold shut, sealing in place. Repeat until the whole string is full, let dry, and tie around your gift.

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I love blouses will detail and "architectural" features. This blouse by Isabel Amyo is unlike anything I ever see in clothing stores - it's the kind of shirt that I could have one of in every color.

Are you familiar with Isabel's designs? There are so many beautiful choices in her shop, but this particular blouse would probably flatter me the best.

If you love kitsch or a little bit of retro flare at Christmas time, then you will love this little idea: use hot glue to attach little bottle brush trees and vintage deer to the top of a wrapped gift, setting a cute little winter scene.


As with the paper owl topper, you'll want to be careful when transporting these little topped presents, but the reaction to them is sure to be enjoyment.

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2012 printable calendar by Print Pretty

If you're like me, you may have waited until the last minute for a few gifts, but the good news is that there is still plenty of time! You can even order gifts on Etsy today and have them in time for Christmas, thanks to email and the printer.

These are some of my favorite digital gift ideas... which one is your favorite?

For your best friend

Peacock in Blue by Bates Mercantile Co

For your co-worker (below and top photo)

Printable Christmas card by EMPapers

For Dad, brother, or son

Men's hat knitting pattern by Woolibear

For the little ones

Printable personalized nursery wall art by Tambo Creations

For mom

Printable planner by Little Paper Dog

For sister or daughter

Printable note cards and envelope seals by Whisker Graphics

For family friends and gift exchanges 

printable recipe cards by UpUp

For your significant other, male or female

Love until the night collapses digital print by misterio

This simple and stunning DIY gift wrap idea actually comes from my Oh, Hello Friend Lovely Package Gift Exchange partner, Emily of Potter and Butler. She sent me this gorgeous box of beautifully wrapped presents - the focus was meant to be on the packaging, and she did an amazing job. I'll be writing more about what she sent me later - you will love it!


I just had to reuse these glitter-covered sticks she sent me - paired with the kraft paper and teal, velvet ribbon, I think they really stand out. I don't know exactly how it was done, but I would try dipping thick twigs in glue, then sprinkling immediately with silver glitter, shaking them off when dry. I haven't noticed a big shedding glitter mess yet, so I would use them again.

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I am so crazy about these antler hooks by Formed and Found. Handmade from solid steel and in a variety of colors and sizes, I can't help but feel that one of these belongs in each room of my house. I love the colored and striped versions, but this bronze version looks solid enough to hang jackets on. Since I am fixing up our entryway next, this hook is towards the top of my wish list.

I really love the artistic works of Leah Duncan - I have a set of her prints hanging in my dining room. The second item on my holiday wish list is this tea towel and recipe card set, a collaboration between Leah Duncan and Studio SloMo.

Ideally I'd like to have all of my tea towels be by Leah Duncan - maybe someday.

Forget the traditional bow - why not try a sweet little paper owl? They fit perfectly in with the theme of winter woodland nature. They look a little complex though, don't they? The good news is that they are actually pretty easy! All you need is a computer and paper to print out the template.


Just cut along the lines as shown on 3 Eyed Bear, and glue where indicated, in the order that the tabs are numbered. Secure the finished owl to the top of your gift with tape. The only downside is that you have to be extra careful when transporting your gifts, but I think they're worth it.

Through the rest of this year I am going to be taking it a little bit easy here on the blog, but I do hope you stop by again just before New Year to see the final outcome of my 12 by 2012 checklist, some exciting Indie Pretty Projects news, and a year-end review of my favorite posts and projects from 2011.

This week, along side my favorite DIY gift wrapping ideas, I will be sharing my ultimate holiday wishlist. I will share one dream gift each day.

Today, I am wishing for this handmade geometric necklace by iluxo (pictured above). Modern, clean, and versatile - I love it!

What is something on your wish list this year?

Happy Holidays! Today we are kicking off a week of holiday packaging ideas - have you started yours yet? I'm about half-way done. Each day this week you will see DIY ideas that I am using this year, plus inspiration from others.

Today I am starting with my most basic tip: use rubber stamps to decorate kraft paper. I personally love the look of white ink on natural kraft. The snowflake stamp that I already owned was just perfect.


Use one single stamp, or mix and match a few different designs for a unique pattern. Try to stick to black, white or bold-colored ink when stamping on kraft - pastels often look washed out.

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Worley's handmade ornaments

If you haven't already checked them out on the blog's side bar, I want to introduce to you three incredibly different indie businesses, each run by innovative and skilled artists and designers.

Meet: The City Folklore

Inspired by colour, travel, and "the distinct beauty of nature", jewelry designer Mary Rose of The City Folklore creates necklaces, bracelets, and earrings handcrafted from sustainable, recycled, and organic materials. Mary Rose sources from fair trade partners as often as possible.




Says Mary Rose: "I have a sweet spot for everything FOLK, whilst understanding society and the rules needed to promote progress. Such are the reasons which have led me to thecityfolklore."

Meet: Worley's


Shelli Worley, the designer behind Worley's rustic, eclectic decor and jewelry, creates skillfully handcrafted natural pieces. From tree slice coasters to book page lamps, and from acorn candles to fiber floral arrangements, Worley's seems to have something for everybody who loves natural textures and colors.





If you like what you see in Worley's shop, please check them out on Facebook as well!


Meet: Artsy Clay


Artsy Clay is a handmade polymer clay pendants and jewelry shop. The artist grew up in an artistic family, crediting her mother for instilling "the love of creating by hand and the joy of brightening other people's lives with handmade gifts."




You can find out even more about Artsy Clay on Flickr, Facebook, and the Artsy Clay blog.

Are you looking for a blog supportive of independent businesses and buying handmade to advertise your site? Indie Pretty Projects may be the blog that suits your needs and budget. Checkout the advertising page for rates and more info!