86 Things I Loved in 2014

It's Friday, and on Fridays I usually post about the adventures of that week…but this week I wanna do something different. When I read Austin Kleon's list, I was immediately inspired to start my own list, as part of my year-end review. I've been adding to it for over a week, and since having 75 things to list is what I'm most grateful for this week, I wanted to share it!

(This is no particular order, I just started listing as things came to me.)

86 things I loved in 2014

1. Working with the CreativeLIVE team. It inspired me to think about teamwork in a whole new light and opened up a world of what's possible. Also, they made my experience magical.
2. The entire CreativeLIVE class experience  – the students (online and in person), the work of putting together my best material, the teaching-in-front-of-thousands feeling…and the confidence it built. The experience was not one of my “goals” for the year (it came up organically and I stayed open to it), but I totally needed this.
3. Jess. She makes my entire life better with her feedback, editing, and smarts.
4. Meeting and falling into immediate friendship with Misty.
5. And our knitting video podcast together, which started in a moment of “sure, let's do this!” It's fantastic to have something on my schedule that's just for fun and just about fun. And the community is fantastic. 
6. An afternoon with Jill and Amy and Veronique.
7. Watching TV snuggled with Jay and the pup: Arrow, Sons of Anarchy (OMG!), Game of Thrones.
8. Having the remote to myself when Jay works late: The Good Wife, Scandal and Gilmore Girls (!!)
9. Movies in the sofa cinema.
10. Crafting with mom. Watching her shop grow.
11. The “podcasting revolution”  (I've been listening to podcasts since 2005…so, it's not really new to me) and especially Startup and Serial and Elise Gets Crafty.
12. Leading the Starship. The friends I've made, the growth I've been witness to, the celebrations of their awesomeness + fearlessness.
13. Headspace. For the first time ever, I have a morning routine, and it's all about Headspace.
14. Starting Explore Your Enthusiasm podcast in under a week, just because I wanted to. The listeners. The pictures in #exploreyourenthusiasm.
15. Pad Thai.
16. Actually, the entire Isa Does It book. I made more meals from this book than any other resource.
17. Alpaca farmers! The Fiber as Business Conference was an amazing experience and the fallout has been fantastically unexpected.
18. Wooster, OH and the road trip we took to get there. Mission Savvy is all-vegan, in the middle of West Virginia (kind of a shock!); a (small) vegan menu at TJ’s in Wooster, OH; a great breakfast at Spoon Market in downtown Wooster.
19. Shout outs in the funnest places: International Camelid Quarterly, Yarn Market News, Stamgington's blog, Introvertology, lists of great podcasts, an author's blog, the Rock + Purl podcast, Curvy Yoga, Morning Coffee with Lisa Clarke,  50 inspiring women on OhMyHandmade!
20. San Diego + Oceanside.
21. TNNA and a dinner with a crowded table of yarnie smarties. These are my people.
22. Reading. A lot. As much as I wanted.
23. The AMAZING dress Karen made me. No piece of clothing has ever made me happier.
24. Running through the Redwoods and the entire PacNW road trip with my college roomie.
25. Training to run a 10k – it was cold, it was hot, and it was really empowering.
26. Hugging Diane.
27. Starting a crazy new project with Shannon, just because we're excited.
28. Realizing that all the best things I did this year was just because it sparked my enthusiasm and sounded like fun! 
29. In season strawberries on everything.
30. Last minute Christmas knitting next to the sparkly tree.
31. “Don’t downsize your joy.” by Alex Franzen
32. My Great Books Project and especially the surprise of The Odyssey.
33. Beau. Always Beau. He makes everything better.
34. Lift Off: dreaming it up, creating it, and watching it change perspectives.
35. New apps! Cruelty Cutter, Pocket, and Blendoku.
36. Evernote. (It's where I started this post)
37. My Chromebook – it's light, fast, and it's SO easy to travel with.
38. Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies. Blueberry bars. Apple Crisp. Cinnamon rolls.
39. Pesto, on everything.
40.  My new website design! And working with Jessika and having the best experience. I especially love the little smiling planet!
41. Plucky Knitter yarn. It makes me happy and the community is fun. (In case you're wondering, Hotsy Totsy IS my pink.)
42. Spinning again.
43. Finding a shampoo I love and this color-saving conditioner.
44. Settlers of Catan
45. Flowering trees!
46. Reading and learning from the generous sharing of Income Reports – Abby's, Pinch of Yum's and Mei's.
47. New business tools! Especially CoSchedule, IFTT and Buffer.
48. Doctor Who was everywhere. Slippers. Earrings. My fave mug.
49. Rainbow-y sampler-y quilts, like this one by Ana Maria Horner and the Tula City Sampler and especially this one
50. The discussion about being a professional, especially Kim's take on it.
51. The beautiful vulnerability and braveness and helpfulness of those who blog about their anxiety and depression.
52. Wednesday morning farmer's markets.
53. Getting really clear and systematic about my social media strategy.
54. My Color Affection. I've worn it more than anything else I own.
55. Interviewing my students and clients and sharing their honesty. 
56. Capsule Wardrobe! Totally changed my relationship (which was pretty hateful) with my closet.
57. Stitch Fix! I get one every 3-4 months and I never feel like I “should” be shopping. (I avoid it like the plague, but still need to have some nice things to teach in, ya know?)
58. Hearing from so many introverts after each “For Introverts” podcast episode. We're not alone (even though we like to be)!
59. Sarah Von's Yes and Yes. I just want to print out all of her advice and give it to every woman I talk to.
60. Having 2 classes accepting into Craftcation!
61. Diane'st fantastic t-shirt quilting class. It finally got our long-saved t-shirts out of storage and into an actual quilt!
62. Writing things I'm really proud of, like this and this.
63. Coffee! (Here’s what I drink at a coffeeshop, or at home)
64. CraftSouth. I'm just glad it exists and I can't wait to visit!
65. Finally figuring out how to “be myself”.
66. Vermont.
67. How to ask useful questions. I've sent this to everyone. If you’re going to email me, please read this first.
68. Teaching traditional artists and crafters in partnership with Handmade In America, all over North Carolina.
69. Honesty about having an online business: Making money is easy. Being profitable takes skill. Marissa nails it. (Not sure if you’re going to be profitable? Do the math!)
70. Saying No and helping my people say no more. Hearing their fantastic no-saying stories, that led to more profit, more time, and more happiness!
71. Peonies!
72. Turning 32.
73. GlutenFreeGirl’s tale of adoption cracked open my heart and made me unendingly grateful for the internet
74. Hanging art and photos up.
75. Elise’s great advice on small biz shipping is the MOST repinned thing on my Pinterest. And for good reason!
76. Connecting with you all in new ways: Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook
77. “The way to have a clean kitchen is to clean it everyday.” – Stacey, giving the secret to business success
78. Celebrating 10 years of marriage to my best friend.
79. Quilts!  Especially this St. Louis 16 patch, Quilt Improv and everything at Red Pepper Quilts + Stitched in Color.  Quilting Happiness is my fave quilting book. (here’s why I loved it).
80. The Customer Path. This year I seriously explored this concept and saw crazy results in my client's businesses because of it.
81. I love that Sarah is totally honest about why she writes what she writes on her mega-popular blog.
82. Bristol Rhythm and Roots festival (especially St Paul and the Broken Bones.)
83. Spotify and my Happy Sparkly playlist.
84. Ocean sunsets.
85. Cat fabrics! Especially Lizzy House’s Catnap and Aneela Hooey’s Hello Petal.
86. This simple fact: You can have the business you want. Everything in my year and every client I worked with reaffirmed this