Yesterday was the start of the Chinese New Year. In years past, I have made it to several Chinese New Year celebrations in London, wandering around crowded streets watching dragons parade down the street eating cabbages at the front doors of businesses for good luck. As opposed to other alcohol-soaked New Year’s traditions, this one always filled me with a sense of hope of new beginnings and prosperous times ahead.

This year is the Year of the Dog, which couldn’t strike me as more timely for a year in which the canine traits of loyalty and companionship and friendliness would hold us all in good stead.

As I look back to the past year, my thoughts return to color, and the ways in which is imbued the past 365 days with vibrance, joy and happiness:

The dusty red of a painted porch marked with footprints of North Carolina red clay

The green grass of my childhood backyard sheltered by trees planted when I was two

The blue sky post-daybreak as seen from an airplane I flew abroad once again

It is colors like these that held me over the past year, that energized me with their richness and soothed me with their clarity. Colors just like the ones that I’m sure were present at Chinese New Year celebrations held all over the world yesterday, celebrations full of the wonder of time passing instead of full of regrets. While I had a lovely New Year’s this December 31st, I can’t help but get excited about this new year that yesterday brought upon us, too.

And speaking of new beginnings, I am happy to announce two new websites:
*Stitchlinks: a new website dedicated to researching the therapeutic connection to needlecraft.
*Whipup.net: a new collaborative craft blog that will launch Feb 1st, which I am honored to be a part of!

And one new interview:
*I had the pleasure of speaking with the lovely and amazing Sister Diane last week for an interview on the Craftypod, I am so honored and am hoping that I don’t sound like too much of a rambler in conversation…