2014

05 Jan 2014

Happy New Year my friends.
2015.

Pretty sure I thought we’d have flying cars and food that appeared behind magic robotic shoots by now but anyhow;)

I love the start of a new year…rapped with possibilities and new beginnings but still tinged with a hopefully rather pleasing sentimentality about the year that’s just passed.

For me, 2104 was for the most part, mucho beuno.

For one, at least half of it was played out with Songza’s ‘Commercial Indie Pop’ via my gifted Jambox on repeat. Having music in the background as the soundtrack of your life makes everything seem better so just that alone was a good, good thing about this past July- December anyways. Right now, as luck would have it, I’m typing to ‘I’m Gonna Take You To My Show’ so that’s sort of fitting;)

As for what actually happened, I think this past year was a turning point for my business. Here’s a quick look back, thanks to my life record, otherwise known as Instagram (it’s much better at following along lately because I admittedly, wasn’t the most diligent blogger in 2014- on of my pseudo resolutions is to be better at that…I miss the writing and the diarizing etc.)

So…the year that was…here were some of my highlights…starting today with January- June…I’d be here all day if I tried to do the full 2014 at once.

1. One of my client’s home in Chicago was featured in Style Me Pretty…

2. And then SMP followed that up with a 2 part feature on yours truly…first, a ‘Behind the Blogger‘ feature…

…then a house tour…

3. I taped my first Steven and Chris episode of Season 7/ 2014…

…the featured my nursery and the little girl’s room I did for Project Whole House aka ‘the piano room abode’…

4. Malcolm decided he wanted to do acting like his sister and got his first photos done and quickly landed a commercial that ended up being shot in this amazing house that I found gracing the pages of House and Home just a month later…

5. My new website went live!!!!

6. My sweet Jasper nugget turned one in March…

7. Project Bistro Chic got did…

8. The epicness known around here as Project Greenbay really got under way with fabric, paint and wallpaper selections…

9. My big girl turned 8 and we had a tea party to celebrate…

10. I tackled my first One Room Challenge and overhauled a client’s piano room in 6 weeks…and patted myself on the back large btw…if you missed the before and afters on this one, check that here…(all photos by Ashley Capp for Citizen Atelier)

11…oh and PS, the room was then featured in DOMAINE!!!! Cue so much happy dancing…

12. My first ever art show happened at Black Rooster Decor and I’m happy to report, all of these goodies sold!

13. And speaking of Black Rooster, I had my first merchandising gig there to get the store all prettied up for it’s grand opening…

14. My year long birthday celebration kicked off (friends and family will know what I’m talking about with this one…my 40th was a big one for me mentally and well, I took advantage of the depression by extending it for a looooong time…not really planned per se but I can’t say that I was unhappy about getting 4 events:) with a trip to Miami with my sister…and it was SUCH good times…

15. I got together with Citizen Atelier to style an art shoot in my home and a client’s for their website…

…which included some photos at the piano room that got completed mere minutes before the shoot started;)…

16. On May 4th, a mommy miracle happened when I actually caught Jasper’s first steps on video…no joke…not scripted or re-done…it happened and it was heaven in a baby bucket…

17. And on the family note, Mother’s Day rolled around as it does every year and I as always, thanked the stars and moons for these 4 perfect humans…

18. Work started on FINALLY getting the master bedroom’s shit together…

19. My business cards ARRIVED…and they were/are the business…

20. I got on a jet plane and headed to Chicago to meet my Project Greenbay peeps in person and it was. the. best…

…because I saw goodness like this for realz…

21. I started taking selfies…mostly because it was the only way I could get any photos with me with my kids…for those who know hubs in real life, you’ll understand why I have to take control of this business;)…

…Natasha was pretty happy she was at school the day I got focussed on this new pastime;)

22. Some commissions were finished off…like this soft one, that made me want to dive back into this side of things…

23. I contributed to ‘The Happy Space Project‘ with a feature on my fave art sites and pieces…

And that my friends was pretty much January- June. There was a lot of other day to day design work thrown in there but these were the highlights I’d say. The second half of the year turned out to be sort of crazy pants insane in terms of wurk so I’ll go through that tomorrow.

For now, I want to take a minute to thank you all for continuing to pop by here and read up on the comings and goings at CDS…again, I know I’ve been a bit of a backseat driver blogger for the last little bit but I promise, promise to be better. It’s a priority for 2015 because honestly, I miss it…I miss you.

So yup…cheers to what’s coming. It’s going to be the gong show called life that it always is but I’m pumped for the unknown…the uncertainty…the curvy/crazy paths…all of it:))))

xx