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Looking Forward to a Berry Good Year!

1/1/2014

24 Comments

 
Happy New Year, everyone! I've been enjoying everyone's musings on 2013 and many gorgeous mosaics and photo tours of just how productive a year it was for so many, and feeling inspired by all the 2014 goals being posted out there, so I'm going to throw my recap/resolution hat in the ring today, too.

My biggest goal for the past year was to start a business working from home which could easily be transported since we move so frequently for my husband's career. I had received a new sewing machine (thanks again, Mom and Dad!) and jumped back into quilting after a long hiatus, enjoying the creativity and flexibility of the hobby, so starting a craft blog and dipping my feet into the sewing and quilting business felt like a natural extension. I launched Berry Barn Designs in 2013, focusing on blogging, networking, and reading as much as I could to take fledgling steps down the path toward running a business. I'm proud to say I had my first customer, designed a few projects from scratch, and learned some new skills, but I'm still so green and have a variety of ideas that I haven't quite focused into a defined plan yet. Here's a glimpse of the year's completed projects from crafts to clothing to quilts:
2013 project collage | Berry Barn Designs blog
In 2014, I'm hoping to see all of my brainstorming become more concrete steps in growing my business and my blog following. I've been voraciously reading books by Robert Steven Kaplan and Kari Chapin, plus soaking in all the great business tips I see posted on blogs like While She Naps. I'll be joining up with Sew Fresh Quilts' Let's Bee Social each week, participating in Stash Bee each month (yeah! so excited to do my first bee!), and continuing to link up with Quilty Habit's Sewing With Certainty series and Pile O'Fabrics' Weekly Stash Share. Additionally, I had so much fun hosting my first mini giveaway and later joining up with Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day last year, that I plan to make them regular events!
I also want to carve out time for more personal sewing (don't we all!), to try new techniques in small project/mini quilt form, and to stay ahead of the crunch of holiday creations that swamps me at the end of the year. I'm planning a 30/30 Challenge - thirty days of thirty minutes of sewing just for me! and to hold myself accountable, I'll be posting pictures daily once underway (soon! just waiting for my machine to return from it's annual tune up). I'm also excited to dive into the classes in my queue on Craftsy, including Designing Modern Quilts, Improvisational Piecing Modern Design, and Sewing Texture. And I don't have the details quite worked out yet, but I'm envisioning a Christmas in July linky party to kick off holiday sewing for anyone who needs a little gift inspiration or help warding off project procrastination (::cough:: ME!) Sound like fun? I hope so! (And I hope it'll mean Mrs. Santa isn't behind her sewing machine on yet another Christmas Eve hehe.) As a little disclaimer, though, it's always possible that all of these goals might get a tad sidetracked if we end up adopting (*fingers crossed* for this wonderful kind of getting sidetracked!), but at the moment, we're still a waiting family hopeful that this is the year we'll welcome our next child : )
Thanks to everyone who has been following me - I hope you enjoy what I have in store for the year ahead. And in an effort to tackle that growth goal of mine and invite newcomers to BBD, today I'm linking up with the Let's Bee Social kickoff, Lily's Quilts Small Blog Meet, and Sarah Quilts & Play-Crafts Year in Review so welcome to anyone new joining me!
Lily's Quilts
Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts | Berry Barn Designs blog
Picture
I'd love to hear how you follow or found me, and what your most exciting sew/quilt/craft goal is for 2014! 
24 Comments
Sharon link
1/1/2014 06:08:40

Love those bright colors. Looking forward to reading your blog in this new year.

Reply
Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 07:33:59

Thanks, Sharon! My kids have an I Spy snowball quilt, but it doesn't come close to the variation in yours! You must be patient to match up all those black and white corners : )

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Quilt Musings link
1/1/2014 06:10:34

It looks like you have had a very busy 2013 as well!! LOVE your Holiday Road Camping quilt!! Here's to a very prosperous 2014! Yay for Lily's Quilts Small Blog Meet :)

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 07:35:46

Thanks! It was a gift for my parents' new camper - I have to blog it this weekend since I'm a tad behind with posts following a lot of holiday company : )

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Lisa @ Midwest Made link
1/1/2014 08:33:28

Wow! Your goals are wonderful! I would love to follow your progress, but I don't use Bloglovin'. Is there a way to get email updates of your posts?

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 08:50:29

Thanks, Lisa! And you've hit upon one of my business goals - to start an email list for blog updates. In the meantime, though, I'd love for you to follow me on FB. I don't spam my feed - it's primarily just links to my posts : ) https://www.facebook.com/berrybarndesigns

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Elise link
1/1/2014 08:59:53

Great goals and a great year for you! I follow your blog via bloglovin!

I have a similar situation as you (my husband and I move a lot for work) and I needed something that I could do from home anywhere in the world.

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 10:53:15

I'm supposed to be using our "long" stay here in Maine to get my footing, but secretly I'm just counting down till the next move. I'm a bit addicted to the new places and faces routine. Do you enjoy all the travel, too?

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Lindsey @ Inspiring Creations link
1/1/2014 09:49:36

Hi Sarah! I'm glad I found your blog! Your completed projects are lovely! I look forward to seeing more in 2014! Happy New Year!

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 11:01:20

Thanks, Lindsey. I poked around your blog a bit earlier - so colorful! Looking forward to following you this year!

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Sherry link
1/1/2014 10:11:03

Such lovely projects, I will be following along to see the latest. I found you from Let's Bee Social.

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/1/2014 11:03:30

Thank you, Sherry! Good luck with your row along : )

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Jess @ Quilty Habit link
1/1/2014 13:52:28

Whoop! You had a fabulous year! I'm especially in love with your Piper quilt. :) looking forward to seeing what you cook up this year!

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/2/2014 04:48:17

I love the Piper quilts, too, Jess - my favorite thing I made this season : ) I'll finally have the finish up this weekend!

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Lisa McIsaac link
1/1/2014 14:00:47

Best of luck with your business and thanks for visiting from let's bee social. I have bookmarked your blog in my RSS reader so I'll look forward to some fantastic creations to come.

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/2/2014 04:52:02

Thanks, Lisa! I'm so glad to link up and visit so many blogs that are new to me with LBS!

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Sara
1/2/2014 06:24:26

Ahh yes, your collage is much better than my attempt! Haha! Looking forward to getting to know you through our bee and maybe even in person! Happy New Year!

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/2/2014 12:49:44

Yes, if you do pop back to Maine, I'd love to meet you!

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Cindy
1/2/2014 12:29:57

I'm loving your goals as they are similar to mine, so I started following you. I no longer have the goal of adopting anymore though. Don't start feeli g sorry for me! 25 years ago, within the span of 3 months, we received our first foster son at 3 months old. Just two months later, after expecting to wait a looong time on the adoption list because my husband's handicapped, our first adoptive son was placed with us! Yes, we adopted our foster son too, 6 years, long years, later. So, be careful what you wish for, you might get it! Here's hoping you get it soon!

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/2/2014 12:53:27

Glad to have you following, Cindy! We have our fingers crossed for adopting much sooner than later because we have a pretty tight time table before our next move, but trying to be patient while we wait 0: ) We'll take any and all positive thoughts and encouragement along the way, though - thank you!

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hydeeann link
1/3/2014 11:07:07

you have some really adorable finishes here in some great colors! I hope you continue to grow and thrive as a sewer this year.

stopping in from the year in review link party. =)

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Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/3/2014 12:22:07

Thank you, Hydeann : ) I *adore* your Expecting Blossoms quilt and I can't believe you tackled so many for Christmas. I find it hard to quilt with two underfoot, I can't imagine with so many more!

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Anne link
1/4/2014 15:30:30

Looking through your makes from the previous year, you obviously have a great design sense! I especially love what I think is an advent calendar in the greys. :)
Your goals are similar to mine and I feel like I could learn a lot from you, so I went ahead and followed you via rss. :) Happy New Year, and I look forward to seeing your 2014 creations!

Reply
Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs link
1/5/2014 05:44:11

Thank you so much, Anne! I follow you, too, on BL'. I can't take any credit for the advent calendar, though - it's a panel by Nina Seven that I picked up at our local quilt show last summer. I like it because I have a lot of grey & red at home, so it's festive and coordinates with my decor : ) https://www.fabric.com/buy/0291702/holiday-sparkle-advent-calendar-grey

Reply



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    Sarah Nunes @BerryBarnDesigns
    Welcome! I'm Sarah. As a milmompreneur maker, wherever I go, I quilt, teach & sew! ​{Bio}  
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