Lara += 1

Things I am grateful for today:

- That my birthday didn't fall on Grand Final day this year

- That my boyfriend doesn't need any 'training up' in order to choose wonderful birthday presents:


You can find them here

- That each day I sit down to a wonderful job that I enjoy, and am surrounded by so many lovely people who are infinitely supportive thru this little blog. Thanks so much :)

- That I got to spend the weekend surrounded by my closest friends, spoiling ourselves rotten on a Hen's weekend for my friend Karin. Winery tours, fancy lunch, pampering and then high tea (totally reminiscent of the mad hatter's tea party) at the Windsor Hotel grand ballroom:


Best viewed large (like our stomachs afterwards)

This was all insanely indulgent of us, and cost way too much money. But hey, it was a once off opportunity and I don't pamper myself often :)

This is why I love Christmas:



Yeah I know, I'm supposed to say that I love Christmas for all the family togetherness and sharing (which I do) but what I really, really love is the look of a pile of presents all wrapped up pretty and under the tree. I love gift wrapping. I love buying lots of little things for people as an excuse to wrap them all up individually. So much fun.

Shannon has a great post on her blog where she sums up all her achievments from 2006. It's such a good thing to do - to look back over the year and see how far you've come.

I'm not usually one to be very realistic about my own achievments, but when I look back myself I can see a massive difference between the Lara today and the Lara one year ago. A year ago, I had very little confidence in myself and my work. A year ago, I didn't draw. I didn't make & sell jewellery, and didn't even make patterns. Oh, and I didn't have a Gocco, either! Earlier this year I was really struggling to work from home on my own, emotionally. It's still hard, but heaps easier than it used to be.

And here's the part that I'm hearing echoed all over blogland at the moment - I'd like to send out a huge thankyou to all of you who have been reading and supporting and inspiring me along the way. It's really made a world of difference. I don't think I would have pursued any of it (esp. jewellery design and pattern making) if it wasn't for all your encouragement.

Have a fantastic Christmas everybody and see you in 2007.