Before I rush into my exciting plans for this year, let’s just recap and review 2019. Last year my word was self disipline (find out more at last year’s blog post). So how did it go?

First, looking back on 2019: my commitment to self disipline

I want to being kind to myself and keep the dream (of running a creative business) alive.

I am still so excited about the power dolls have to change a childhood, and I absolutely love making each and every one. The dream is definitely still alive and maybe even a little bit closer?

I need to break my best ideas (and only the best) down into day long tasks so I can slowly, and steadily, grow.

Like many creatives, I have a hundred new ideas a week, and most of these are terrible! By using the tools in my Dream, Plan, Do journal from the Design Trust, I sorted and filtered my ideas better. I have developed my Baby Nod family to include a vegan doll, a teething doll and a rattle doll.

I must start planning and making now for Mid-winter.

I coped much better with the winter season. Most of my dolls find their new homes between October and December. By July I had a box full of dolls for my Mid-Winter fairs and it really took the pressure off!

Finally, I want to find a rhythm that works for Polly had a Dolly. A rhythm that sits as naturally with me as the rhythm I have created for my home and family. A rhythm that works with the seasons, with my monthly moods and allows me to grow slowly, steadily and, most importantly, strongly.

This was the most important one. Throughout 2019 I have been working hard to mark the seasons, the wheel of the year, and the rhythm in our bones. This has been a whole family approach, everyone has enjoyed it and we are looking forward to another year of exploring the natural cycles that Mother Earth gives us.

My husband and I hope that, in time, we will be embedded into the cyclical year it will breathe joy into our simple lives and allow a stronger connection with nature.

I still have a lot to discover about the rarer festivals that are almost lost in the UK and there is so much scope for learning about local history, religion, our world and people. I think I will always be finding out new things. If you are inspired I highly recommend getting hold of a copy of All Year Round – read my book review here.

Looking ahead to 2020… Sustain, Prune and Grow

I really don’t want to lose all the ground work I have put in the past two years in pursuit of new ideas and rushing into things. Strong roots are so important for a creative business.

Time is limited. We can’t do it all.

I know I have only so many hours to work. The time it takes to live a green lifestyle, and my roles as a mum, a tutor to my girls, and as a homemaker are important to me. What’s essential? What can I prune to enable new ideas time and space to grow?

• Sustain:
  • To continue to follow the rhythm of the year, and learn to settle into the seasons.
  • To continue to improve my green lifestyle – challenging myself to make more changes and to appreciate what I have.
  • Make ahead for Mid-Winter by July 2020.
• Prune
  • To ensure that I am maximising my productivity, not by doing more, but by focussing on the important things.
  • To work with the day – scheduling harder work in the morning and the more repetitive work in the afternoon.
  • To ‘work dark’ regularly – reducing the amount of time I waste with mindless social media, and enabling my brain to focus better.
• Grow
  • Explore wholesale opportunties – am I ready?
  • Bring out a range of patterns and kits using The Design Trust to help me focus and plan.
  • To push my doll making skill by making two ‘art’ dolls this year.

So not one word, but three connected ones for 2020… I’m looking ahead with excitment and a few butterflies too! What’s your word for 2020?