TOP 10 CREATIVE HIGHLIGHTS + Gratitude

A REFLECTION ON 2018: Progress and Beyond! 

Last year around this time marked 1 year of creating and writing on this site! It was fun to look back on that first year with a post featuring the top 10 highlights. While, this year marks year 2 of this creative journey, I feel like the word to best describe the year is: progress. As a small business owner and artist, and I feel especially grateful today simply because of progress:)

Today, I found the time to reflect on my top 10 highlights of the year. I hope you will enjoy hearing more about this year's progress and how those "wins" big and small contributed to an overall feeling of achievement and happiness. I would love to know more about your journey too. In what ways have you made progress? 

Last year, we celebrated this benchmark with a Thanksgiving giveaway and this year, I would like to offer all of you 10% off of everything in my shop (including workshops) for this weekend ONLY! 

Photo by Ashish Vaid from our trip to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

This year, there have been so many changes! The biggest of which was our moving to a new house after 10 years. Because of the move, it felt like we shed some old attachments and let go of a lot of accumulated belongings! For this list, I will share my top 10 highlights of 2018.

My top 10 (in chronological order: 
1. Honed my focus on textiles, fiber arts and work in Indigo shibori
2. Practiced the art and chemistry of the Indigo Iron Vat 
3. Launched my Indigo Pillow collection inspired by our family trips to Northern India and Japan
4. Visited the birthplace of Shibori textiles, Arimatsu, Japan
5. Forged new friendships through shows at CAFAM, Renegade SF, and Renegade LA! 
6. Bought a new house and began renovations in an historic neighborhood in L.A.
7. Began hosting small group Private Indigo Workshops through Airbnb in our new garden
8. Hosted Creative Sundays: Natural Dye and Aromatherapy workshop at Saddlerock Gardens
9. Reached 1000 Followers on Instagram, then hosted another giveaway!
10. Created my first ever Natural Indigo Shibori Kit, so that now you can use indigo at home and explore a variety of shapes and motifs that I find essential to the art-form
*** Bonus: I committed to a meditation and mindfulness practice. I can feel myself taking that practice with me throughout each day and applying that to my business.  

Shop the FLASH Sale

This weekend be sure to check out the flash sale, if you are looking for handmade textiles and pillowcases- there are limited quantities available! If you are local to Los Angeles, please come say hi in person this weekend at the California Folk Art Museum Holiday marketplace. When you try the Shibori Kit or the Iron Vat out at home, DO share your pics! If you post them on Instagram kindly use the #shiborikitsla, so we can all see! I will have a handful of kits with me at CAFAM. 

Lastly, I want to hear from you: what projects personal or professional have you been working on this year? If you have a moment, would you please share something that you have achieved and/or something that you are working on right now?! I learn so much from each one of you. Lastly, it is amazing what we can accomplish in one year, and exciting to think about what more you can do within the next 5 years! What long term goals are motivating you?