a fresh start

Hello dear friends. I'm sending you my best wishes for a new year filled with happiness & good health. May 2013 be the best year yet! 

The beginning of the new year finds me in the mood to clear away the old, and make room for the new. In that spirit, we have made several trips to the Good Will over this holiday break - and I spent a good part of my New Year's Eve deleting old files from my hard drive. As I went about this task, I started a new folder to contain my favorite images saved to my desktop, the ones I wasn't ready to delete even though I know they are saved elsewhere. When I was done, I was startled to discover that all the images complimented each other quite nicely. I decided to make them into a little collage, as you can see above.

I'm curious - do you have goals or resolutions for this brand new year? I adore fresh starts and second chances. It's never too late to start living our dreams, wouldn't you agree? I am grateful for this chance to break from my daily routine and think about how very grateful I am for what 2012 brought, and to consider what steps I can take to make 2013 even brighter and better.

Fair Morning Blue opened as an Etsy shop a short 14 months ago. In 2012, I began writing a Dispatches from Austin column for the amazing Canadian design blog, Poppytalk. I also joined Gatherings Magazine as a contributor. And - Fair Morning Blue went wholesale: you can now purchase FMB paper goods and linen bags in Austin at Paper Party and at Mockingbird Domestics. And - if you happen to be in Park Slope, you can stop by Poppy to pick up FMB stationery. In November, we were thrilled to participate in the Renegade Craft Fair. I am very proud and thankful for all the goodness that came my way in 2012.

I approach 2013 with two big goals: to create and to find calmness. I am challenging myself to push creative boundaries, to make the very best art I am capable of, and to connect with a community of artistic, likeminded souls. On the other hand, I am committed to taking the time to find calmness and to live in the moment. This includes being healthy (exercise, nutrition, rest), taking time to play with family & friends, and also tending to those pesky little chores & organizational tasks that make everything go more smoothly.

I would love to hear your resolutions or intentions for the year ahead. I can't wait to see how lucky 2013 unfolds for all of us. 

Affectionately,

Tracy