Wow! What a year 2015 was—an unbelievable one, a solid one, a strong one. Many dreams of mine started to come true and new roads opened up for new, even bigger, adventures!

From starting a new amazing relationship, to building new friendships, to finding new paths in my career and finally being able to share my beloved hobbies with family and friends. Throughout all of these adventures and more, I was pushed to new levels and found a new sense of courage and confidence in myself and my work. This new sense of self really makes for a solid foundation to spring off of and into the New Year!

The perfect accessories to help describe an amazing year and what's to come. Gifted from a beautiful friend for Christmas. I have forever been obsessed with elephants and love the ideas in which they capture.  They are beautiful, majestic, stro… — The perfect accessories to help describe an amazing year and what's to come. Gifted from a beautiful friend for Christmas. I have forever been obsessed with elephants and love the ideas in which they capture. They are beautiful, majestic, strong, bold, and intelligent creatures. They are a symbol of luck and great energy. I wish I could take an elephant and “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” it so I could carry it around with me everywhere. I would even keep a stash of peanuts in my pocket for it.

With the turn of 2016, my resolutions have been set in stone (or rather in the memory of my Notes app in my iCloud). I hope to not just continue with Simply A Joy, but to expand on it and experiment and share new projects and ideas. On a more personal level, I hope to find more time to read and complete at least 1 book a month. I hope to volunteer more than last year. I hope to travel outside the country at least one time. I hope to try at least one new thing each month, for instance: learn a new cooking technique, go to a museum I haven’t been to, or take a road trip to a new place. There already are many wheels turning and running each other over inside this frizzy red-haired, stubborn, loud, strong and self-motivated head. I need to start a list just to figure out where I should even start!

Anyway, 2016 sure has some big shoes to fill! As I thoroughly explained above, I feel like 2015 was one of my most incredible years yet. It’s mind-blowingly awesome to experience the wonderful changes that God can bring in just one simple, lightning-fast year. With that, I encourage every one of you to find your real self, embrace what you are truly passionate about and follow your own dreams!

Cheers to 2016!

Played around with a new hand lettering design for our DIY NYE party decorations.  Glitter always makes things more fun!  Having a set of various craft scissors too easily accessible doesn’t hurt in the fun either! — Played around with a new hand lettering design for our DIY NYE party decorations. Glitter always makes things more fun! Having a set of various craft scissors too easily accessible doesn’t hurt in the fun either!