Looking Back at 2020

I was looking through all my photos from 2020. 2020 was hella rough- I was to do two large conventions with my shop in May, but those got cancelled because of the pandemic. I was in a bit of state of shock for much of March-May and didn't end up crafting stock for those events. Bay Area Kei, not yet formed but was then made up of about the same group of people, saved my sanity by offering Ursa Major, the first virtual event that the group put together. I am terrible at following my own schedule for production if there are no events. This event gave me the opportunity to go ahead and return to having deadlines and focusing on a theme. 

An example of Ursa Major's offerings for Paradise Rose, made using UV Resin

I was able to continue the roll with my shop Sea of Serenity in September, Gramarye in October, and Royal Vegas and Winter in the Woodlands in November and December, respectively. But, honestly, I felt very burnt out since....well, honestly, I cannot remember. I've been plugging away still creating, still having fun, but feeling a bit empty for quite a while. 

After Ursa Major I had some time before September's event, so I devoted that time to personal projects. I discovered, albeit late, that a lot of craft courses that studios offered had gone online via Zoom. As is my habit, I went overboard and signed up for so many. I hadn't done crafting projects that weren't for the shop in a very long time. I did have a cross stitch project I've been working on, that still sits unfinished, but I very rarely touched it.

Cross stitch WIP of a horse in an English field

I started taking all the classes that a local studio offered. Then I found two fun studios in Seattle, tried a few classes at a Colorado studio, and have started attending classes monthly in Kyoto, Japan. All these classes were via Zoom, and I've ended up meeting quite a few many people and making a few friends along the way. I've also found new crafts I really enjoy. 

I want to dedicate the rest of this post to highlighting some of the things I've done in 2020. Part 2, potentially 3, will come soon.

The first of the classes was an embroidery class designed by Rosanna Diggs of a family flower garden. Each flower represents the month of family's birthdays. 

The finished product, my first official embroidery!

2nd one made from the kit

I took a basket weaving course with my mum, which was a nice way to spend time with family who lives so far away. I didn't realize it's essentially crocheting! 

Left is the one my mum made, and right is mine. Both are using wool roving. 

My favorite is using rope however, as the roving tends to pick up a lot of dust and pill as time goes on and it's used a bit. This version has been really handy and been through a lot in my messy room!

Tried blind contour and watercolor with Teresa Cook , some using yupo paper, her signature technique!

Felt flower banner with Feed the Fish Co. which was rather fun, never have worked with felt this way before.

All the above were taken via the studio Craft + Work during June/July. I started taking courses at Monster and Spacecraft, both in Seattle. I'm still attending quite a few classes at Spacecraft actually, though I've dialed my attendance to online classes down a bit because I still have so many projects that are unfinished. 

Still a work in progress, from a class with McreativeJ, a sampler using different stitches for different plant leaves

Advanced course using new-to-me stitches with McreativeJ which is almost finished at the moment! (this is an older photo)

Another McreativeJ class- embroidery pins, which I took with a friend! I've since gifted this to my mum.

I rediscovered watercolor mid summer via Spacecraft's HandDrawnTarot and have been taking a few of her classes as an opportunity to do more watercolor. 

I started up crocheting which has been especially enjoyable with YeahCrochet 

Even took some Doodle Therapy and Hand Lettering via Spacecraft! I'm really liking this simple notebook too, and am trying to make an effort to draw every other day. Had a bit of a setback running out of energy, but I still will continue trying.

I have so much more to share but for now, I'm off to continue polishing up this blog (hopefully finishing???) and working on my current embroidery project from a class last night!