The winter season is upon us! It's time to reflect on the year a bit, to look and plan ahead, and more importantly to be grateful for the present. I will admit, I'm still trying hard to not linger on thinking of the past or in thoughts of the future, so that I can enjoy the present.
There are some changes coming to our little tiny business. We've had a blessed year. We'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us with encouragement, purchases, "likes", shares, comments, and more! The love you have shown means so much to us. Each time you give our little business attention we truly appreciate it.
This year, I hope to dedicate more time to the artistic side of creating. I won't give away many hints today, but I'm so excited to dabble in some new areas. Don't worry! We will still offer many of the products you love.
I've been reflecting a great deal lately on why I love hand embroidery so much. It's funny how often people ask me if my products are made with a machine. It's a compliment really, but I often think about how perhaps many don't realize the detail and precision that goes into stitching each stitch by hand. Nothing I make is produced with machine embroidery. I like how as an artist I can control each stitch and make creative decisions in the moment on the fly. A machine is programed to do one thing, and cannot make changes mid cycle. I can choose to add or take away details, or adjust by sight to make things more pleasing. Hand embroidery items are literally crafted by hand, and even if a design is used to produce in mass quantity, no two pieces will ever be exactly alike. I just love that about hand embroidery.
I'm hoping to encourage more folks to give hand embroidery a try. I will be adding patterns and kits to our product line up. It really is a great hobby, and a fantastic way to learn to make gifts for your friends and family. I hope to share many patterns and kits over the next year. The image in this post is now a pattern if you'd like to give it a try! For those who love to purchase and leave the hand-crafting to me, no problem! I've got some lovely ideas for this year! Be sure to check out our website often and follow on Instagram and Facebook @justbeyondthecottonwoods