A New Year is like a fresh start.
It’s a time to reflect on the past, make plans for the present and dream about the future.
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
Remember last week I told you that my word for 2014 is ‘Balance’. . . .
Well, I’ve started implementing changes in my life to facilitate that BALANCE
For over 22 years Woodberry Designs has been my creative business. . . then along came my blog, Shabby Art Boutique in 2007 and soon it became an integral part of my business too.
Over the past few years the online landscape has changed and now businesses are all about SEO’s, statistics/analytics, advertisers, sponsors and social networking.
There seems to be a lot more technical stuff and a lot less of the creative stuff that was FUN.
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
Our life changed quite dramatically last year when we moved to the Resort. It is now our main source of income. Our working hours are unpredictable and sometimes long. . . and it’s very much a day-to-day thing, so plans are often hard to stick to.
The busy peak Christmas season for the Resort also coincided with my busy season for both Shabby Art Boutique and Woodberry Designs. Add the production of a magazine and an eight week ‘Simply Christmas’ event into the mix and it was an exhausting and often overwhelming and stressful few months.
I had very little time to visit my friends in blogland and even less time to stop and leave comments. Keeping up with social media, sponsor commitments and visiting all the links for Shabbilicious Friday added to the stress. Following up with the enormous amount of emails it all seems to generate was doing my head in and keeping an eye on statistics, pageviews and various analytics for advertisers was as they say. . . “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.
Achieving BALANCE for 2014 wasn’t really a choice. . . it was a necessity!
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
So here was my dilemma. . .
I didn’t want to give up any of my ‘jobs’. . . for I love them all. . . so I had to find a way to make them all work.
I gave it a lot of thought over the Christmas New Year break. I took a few weeks off from blogging and creating and really just pondered what I wanted in 2014.
Making a list (you know how I love a list or two). . . of the pro’s and con’s really helped sort out my priorities. In the end, how to achieve balance and less stress was quite obvious and simple.
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
Our business, Shelly Beach Resort is our livelihood. That’s my ‘job’ now.
I love to blog. I love producing the magazine. . . and I love creating new designs and making things for Woodberry Designs. They are now my passion ♥
So this is what I decided. . .
I don’t need to earn an income from blogging. . . therefore, I don’t need to worry about advertising, statistics and schedules anymore.
I’ll blog when I can and about whatever I like. No pressure.
If sponsored opportunities come along that I think will benefit you, I’ll consider them. If businesses want to advertise with me that’s okay too, but I’m not getting all tied up with providing statistics and analytics.
It’s difficult to keep the magazine running to schedule when so many people are contributing to it. Lots of other factors come into play and I end up spending many sleepless nights just trying to get it out on the scheduled date. But does it matter to you what week of the month it comes out. . . I suspect not! We’ll work towards a date, but as long as it comes out in the allocated month, all is good! Less stress!
With the extra time and less stress I’ll now be able to spend more time creating in my studio space. That means more new designs will be available for Woodberry Designs in 2014.
I think finally I have found the perfect balance for my life.
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
These photos are from my 2014 Vintage Creativity Planner.
I released it as a limited edition free download last week.
Several hundred copies have now been distributed, so I hope there are many other friends out there enjoying my vintage planner too.
If you missed it, it will remain available in my Boutique for the remainder of 2014 for a very small cost.
[SAB – Vintage Creativity Planner]
There’s a gorgeous vintage calendar, plus a creative planner that includes a blogging schedule and planner, pages to document your statistics & analytics, pages for business contacts and computer logins and passwords, creative project pages and shopping lists. All of these can be printed off as required and compiled into one or more books, so you can keep tabs on 2014.
I’m looking forward to sharing my creative journey with you in 2014.
I’d be thrilled if you’d like to connect with me at the following places. . .
or if you’d like my posts delivered directly to your Inbox
Subscribe to Shabby Art Boutique by Email
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
i can’t imagine your schedules and to do lists last year, kerryanne. i’ve told you before, you accomplish an amazing amount…life! wishing you a wonderful balanced year–enjoy!
Kerryanne, I am certain that most of us who follow you do not expect you to keep to a rigid schedule.. It’s good that you are allowing yourself a break. Sometimes we put more difficult expectations, on ourselves than others do. Hugs and happiness to you.
I held my breath reading through this post, hoping that you had not decided to quite blogging. I just recently found you when I started blogging again in December! Hopefully, all the hype over SEO and statistics will calm down. Search engines are using different algorithms now, so the SEO ‘tricks’ that may have worked in the past no longer apply. Today it’s excellent content. = excellent SEO, so no worries for you, Kerryanne!.
I’m just happy to see/read anything you share, so take the time you need and enjoy the balance.
Lin
Hi Kerryanne, I downloaded your planners and wanted to say a belated thank you. Glad you have decided to carry on blogging. I would miss you 🙂 I’m happy to catch up with your blog whenever you can manage it. I would hate it to become a chore and not fun anymore.
I really admire the way you’ve approached your dilemma and the choices you’ve made. I hope your plans work out because I love your blog.I
I’ll be in your ‘Balance’ class any day-any day it suits you, ’cause it’s a pleasure to be a part of your creative pursuits and see the world through those shabbilicious eyes of yours. Shabby embraces the simple and comfortable and this is what I wish for you. Let inner peace be your guide and where it takes you, I will follow. Here’s to a defining year for you. xo
Oh well done you Kerryanne. How fabulous to have found your balance and I’m sure life will feel much lighter and easier for you. We can only do what we can only do! You’ve been doing a fab job with all your shabbyliciousness since I joined your mailing list, so am very happy to hear about it still whenever you have the time .
I’m still looking for that balance and hope to find it soon! 🙂 It’s hearing those whispers in my soul that seems to be the hardest for me to do, but I’m working on it.
The creativity planner looks amazing and the vintage look is just the style I love. I missed out on the free download due to my habit of procrastination but will visit later and buy it, coz perhaps looking at all that loveliness every day will help to keep the motivation chugging along for me! 😀
Good luck and all the best for keeping the balance balanced! ♥
I have downloaded your planner and want to thank you so much for the opportunity. I will try and make as lovely a cover as you have and I will certainly treasure it. So glad you will be still able to blog, I’m afraid I’m being selfish but you are my first visit of the day. Thank you for your beautiful blog, thankyou for your beautiful “ideas” and take care. Shirley
Hi Kerryanne, like Lin above I too held my breath at the thought of you possibly not blogging – selfish I know but I so love your blog and I don’t ‘do’ other social networking media.
So glad you managed to take a bit of a break and hopefully your list-making will help with the balance you seek this year. Please don’t worry about deadlines for blogging or the magazine – we all enjoy what you create whenever you create it.
Don’t let your crafting become a burden – take a step back and just breath.
Thank you so much for this year’s planner. ‘Life’ is getting in the way a bit for me at the moment so I haven’t made mine yet but I think I will take a leaf out of your book (sorry about the pun…groan) and I’ll take a step back and set aside some “me” time with no deadlines or pressures so that I can enjoy putting my planner together.
Take care
Toni xx
Sounds like you have a great plan for the future. Most of us need to have a real job – the necessity – but it’s important, I think, to also have a passion – as long as the passion doesn’t become a job. Looks like you may have that worked out. I find your blog to be a wonderful source of inspiration and I won’t be upset if your magazine doesn’t “arrive on time” – I will just be delighted to read it! Thank you for all you share with us.
I just held my breath I was so scared you were going to say goodbye.Yey your not I don’t care how long I have to wait to here from you or the magazine ,it makes it more exciting when you have to wait .Take your time family come first and we all need money to live so work before hobbies .So as all good friends do I will be waiting keep your balance in tact .PS Best magazine EVER !!!! cheers Karen
I absolutely LOVE the planner. I’ve got it in a polka binder and have already filled several pages with creative plans for UFOs and new projects. Thank you so much for your creative generosity. So glad that your time away was healthful and productive. So glad you are not going anywhere and that we have your blog and designs to keep us company and busy in the coming year. Happy New Year.
As you know I love your calendars and planners. I have a question about the fonts you use for them.
What are the fonts you used on the Sun – Sat on the ’14 Planner and 13 Calendar?
Also what is the font you used for “Month, Monday – Sunday” on your Blog Post Planner page?
Thank you for your talents!
Sally
Hi Sally, I’ve sent you and email 🙂
Hello Kerryanne,
Thank you for all your wonderful work. I love your planners period! I have been hoping to find a creativity planner and am wondering if you will share this one with me. I don’t mind the cost, just really love it. Also, the link to the 2012 Christmas planner is no longer working. Do you still have that one available? The new 2016 Calendar is the best!