2014 Highlights

Here is a tiny list of the things I've been the most grateful for in 2014.

These are just the ones on the top of my mind.

I've been to new York in May with my Mom. Even though I missed a craft fair I was supposed to sell at, it is a fond memory.

There was some tensions between my Mom and me during the trip but now, I'm glad we did this together.

 I took tons of pictures, I spent 3 days by myself in New York because my Mom had to work and it was the first time ever I spent alone time in the US, even though it was like my 12th trip there, it was the first time I explored an american city by myself. It was awesome. Everything is different when you travel alone. And it took me out of my comfort zone, which is something I should do more often.

One of the things I'm so happy about in 2014 is that I got to meet my friend Kathleen in person after 7 years of talking on line. That is one of the most thrilling moments of 2014, if not the most thrilling. This girl is the best. Kind, intelligent, gorgeous, sweet... You name it... I just love her!

I could go on and on about her but I think I still couldn't explain how glad I am that our paths finally crossed and how awesome I think she is.

Here is my best purchase of 2014. Not only was it a steal (90€ in the end) but it is something I wanted for looong time!

The day I got it was a true peak of excitment!

My best purchase of 2013 was unmistakably my tablet. Even though it was a bit pricey to start with I still use it all the time and get so much stuff done with it.

What a month we spent in Chicago! I work all year for this. These moments in the US. I was not disappointed once again. What a gorgeous city. We did so many great things.

I'm also very happy I worked as a salesperson this year. I found a steady part time job for 2015. I'll be working 24hrs a week at a job I like and will have a steady income of money that will allow me to breathe. Not worrying about money will be a new thing for me.

Here is the last thing I'm elated about. My shop. I passed the 1000 sales mark this year. Had a bunch of new customers. It was also my 3 year anniversary. I think this is the thing I'm most proud of in my life, my craft.

There will be tons of posts like that here and there from bloggers. :) I just couldn't resist making one. It was a great year. What will 2015 have in store?

Happy Holidays

Christmas is behind us now. And this year I just didn't feel the Christmas spirit. And the whole thing flew by anyway and boom! I was at work again.

Ever since I was a little girl, I get sick on Christmas Eve. I don't know why exactly. In my family we have a big dinner on the night of the 24th, we have oysters, foie gras (made by my Grand Pa) and smoked salmon. Then the main course cooked for hours by my Mom. Then cheese and salad, evrything with copious amount of wine of course. And then, right before dessert we open the gifts. And that's the precise moment I get nauseous and have to throw up for a while. Sweet right? :) 

Well, I'm used to it now. When I was a child, it was like that as well. I guess I was just so excited about the presents I would make myself sick with excitment. My Grand Ma would hold me in her arms until I felt better. Every Year.

Here is something I've been wanting to share here for a while. We spent a night at my parents' after Christmas Eve feast so I was finally able to snap pictures of my old bedroom newly decorated.

A couple of month ago, my Mom did this. She gathered a bunch of Crayola drawings I made on plywood (not sure if it's the right word, but I don't even know how to call the material I drew on in French). I made these drawings in 2005, so they're getting pretty old now. :) 

Anyways, she gathered five pieces and framed them herself.

The first time I saw this, I was overwhelmed.

First because, the very second I moved out of my parents', my Mom put all of my stuff in the attic and redid the whole room and claimed it as hers. My brother had moved out a couple of years before me and his room is still untouched. I don't care that much about this but I still wonder. But really I'm OK with it. Even though it reminds me of this Friends episode in which Monica explains that the moment she moved out of her parents', they turned her room into a gym and left Ross's room as it used to be when he was still living there.

I was touched she added a 'touch of me' in my old bedroom.

But the main reason why I felt so overwhelmed was because my Mom has never been really supportive of my arts and crafts, she doesn't get it. 

She doesn't understand why I'd like my jewelry to be my job. Maybe not my full time job, but something I could get credit for from her. But in her eyes, it's not a real job and never will be.

But that's Ok, I know what I want to do now.

I've been feeling pretty weary and uninspired lately.Since I'm working part time in a 'Grand Magasin' (Huge store like Macy's) in Paris, the Holiday Season has been rough on me. Some customers have been pretty awful and of course we had tons of work. The manager I worked with at the store quit in late november and a new person came along but she hasn't been trained yet so I have a lot of extra work to do in her place. It's taking a lot of energy and I think about work a lot more than I should. 

I haven't been cooking for a while, nor drawing, all I think about is work, work, work! When it's not work at the store, it's my jewelry. I feel like the thoughts in my head just can't slow down and in the mean time, I'm not getting things done. Things I enjoy.

I spend a lot of time on my tablet, playing stupid games and surfing the interwebs looking at useless stuff. I've had the feeling that I'm wasting my time right now.

Well, not right now. I've missed writing here so much. I feel like I'm doing something constructive for once. :)

I know what I need to change for 2015.

Last sunday we had our Christmas lunch with my Grand Father, my Dad's father, who lives in Paris.

We always go to the same restaurant right on the corner from where he lives and then we take a walk in the Père Lachaise Cemetary.

It was so cold this time!!! We stayed there for maybe half an hour. That's it. It was a very sunny day, as you can see.

That's it for today's post. I hope I'll have the time to write more soon because once again, I really missed this. I can't wait for 2015 to start. 2014 was overall a great year. Well, I tend to gauge how great a year was trip-to-the-USA-wise, I've been to the US twice in 2014 and had the best time so that makes it a rad year. :) But now, I'm just tired and want to turn the page. :)