“2018 was a year of change after several years of NO CHANGE, so I’d say that alone made it a successful year. With a new house, who knows what 2019 will bring (hopefully only good things…)!”

– from my 2018 Facebook recap

This year may not have brought ONLY good things, but I’m still not sure how to adequately describe how much the good outweighed the bad in 2019. I suppose a good start would be to say that the last twelve months made up a solidly wonderful year. In December of 2018, I can clearly remember hoping:

  • This guy from church that I had a crush on would get a clue that I liked him
  • I could find a career I loved
  • I would be able to really make the most of being here in Arkansas with my family
  • I could tackle all the projects I wanted to do around my house and really make it the most beautiful little farmhouse the world has ever seen

And you know what? Every single one of those things happened, at least to some degree. I haven’t been able to tackle every single project around the house, but we’ve made some significant progress in making Sugar Springs a very special home. And while I did lose my job and haven’t quite been able to find something to replace it full time, the stress of that situation has been alleviated by finding some contract work I have absolutely loved!

But the very best parts of this year far outweighed any setbacks, bad news, and frustrations that 2019 brought and that is because of two things: my family, who I’ve been blessed to spend so much time with this year, and that cute guy from church, who finally did get a clue.

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So now to the meat of this post. My highlight reel of a really great last twelve months:

 

January

  • I helped my friend Claire drive back home to Portland, Oregon (I would NOT recommend trying to drive over the Rockies during a snowstorm)
  • My mom and I repainted my attic studio and painted and installed some new cabinets for all my craft supplies
  • Hokino (the cute guy) and I started dating
  • I was only mildly terrified I would be kidnapped when Hokino and I decided to go snowboarding in Kansas City just one week later (shoutout to my mom, who played a significant role in convincing me to not worry and to just go and have fun)

February

  • I took my final work trip to Boston

 

March

  • My mom invited Hokino on our family trip to Hawai’i (again, mom coming in strong to help with getting our relationship off the ground… Hokino, if you’re reading this: we owe my mom. Hugely)
  • I started a collaboration with Mystic Myne Jewelry, photographing her Villains crown collection. My sister and I kicked off the series by shooting the first crown, the Sinister Siren, in the most serenely beautiful cove on Oahu’s North Shore
  • I painted my living room. All the walls in my house will eventually be white, so this past year I’ve been tackling it one room at a time

April

  • I won tickets to Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week! I now have a future goal of having my own line in the show
  • Hokino and I went to Nashville to support our friend Grace in her first marathon. We had excellent barbeque and some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had IN MY LIFE

 

May

  • With the help of my sister, Pixel found her way to Sugar Springs. Freya learned to love her in her own (slightly abusive) way, but Pixel seems to like it for some weird reason

June

  • I turned 29! We celebrated the way I always like to: quietly, with good food, and with family

July

  • My mom, grandma, younger sisters and I went to the Christian Dior Exhibit in Dallas. I’m now more inspired to really start diving into the world of couture costuming!

August

  • Due to headcount reductions, my company in Boston decided to let me go. I was scared witless (the first word I said after hanging up with my boss was not a good word, needless to say), but also incredibly relieved. It was far past time for a positive change in my career and I knew this was the first step
  • I photographed the Punk Princess crown as part of my collaboration with Mystic Myne Jewelry

September

  • I knocked out three more crown shoots in the Mystic Myne Jewelry collaboration: the Wicked Wiccan, the Black Swan Queen, and the Beguiled Beauty
  • I ate squirrel for the first time at the Annual International Squirrel Cook Off. No surprise: squirrel tastes like chicken

October

  • Hokino and I travelled to Las Vegas and Utah to see his brother and sister-in-law. We both graduated from Brigham Young University and Hokino served a mission for our church in Salt Lake City, so we had a good time reliving old memories and visiting old friends
  • I finally sent our Kickstarter backers the long-awaited Deluxe Art Books, which was a huge relief to finally have crossed off the list!
  • And I shot two more crowns in the Mystic Myne Jewelry collaboration! The Empress of Clocksmere and the All Hallows Eve Queen

November

  • We started work on replacing my front and side porches. They were slowly crumbling and caving in, so replacing them was one of the highest priorities for the house
  • Eko, a beautiful white, deaf boxer joined our little family here at Sugar Springs. Right now she is just a foster, but we’d all love for her to be a permanent situation (especially Freya, who LOVES her. Pixel has learned the best places to hide from her, so everything is going great)

December

  • The new porch is finished! Pictures to come later
  • I shot the final image in the Mystic Myne collaboration: the Mistress of Broken Hearts
  • Hokino and I took a trip to Florida to escape the cold and use up some of the last of his vacation time. We stayed in the Keys for a few days, then spent the rest of the trip on the beach and the Everglades in Miami.
  • While Hokino and I were in Florida, my family surprised me by renovating my kitchen as an early Christmas present! They got rid of the drop down ceiling, put in new lighting, and finished painting and raising the cabinets. Best Christmas present ever!

As 2020 begins, some things are still in flux. I’m still trying to figure out a permanent job (and hopefully one that I actually enjoy), and the house still has quite a lot of work to do. But I’ve got my animals, who are the best snugglers, my house that I love more with each new project accomplished, my family that makes life here in Arkansas feel so right, Hokino, who I love and who makes me laugh endlessly, and a bright 2020 ahead!

Happy New Year!