A New Year and New Beginnings

Happy New Year! I can hardly believe that 2012 is over, but I'm so excited about the possibilities that 2013 holds! I was so very blessed in 2012... it was my first full year being self-employed with Beth Hart Designs. And I have you to thank for making that happen so successfully. I really and truly appreciate your business and your support so much.

I have lots of new ideas and am setting pretty big goals for this new year. I know that some hard work will be involved, but my batteries have been recharged and my creative mind is running full speed ahead. It's amazing what a little down time can do! I hope you were able to relax and recharge over the holidays so that you too can accomplish great things in 2013.

While I plan to share my ideas and goals with you along the way, this post is more about inspiration and motivation to make the most of this brand new year. One thing I know with all my heart is that I'm doing what I love and what I feel called to do. I know that design and inspiring others are my passions, and while I always feel that there is room for improvement, I am certain that I'm working in a career that's perfect for me.

Of course, there is more to life than just our careers. I think we all have the dream to fulfill a higher calling - strive towards something greater than ourselves. My personal goals for 2013 include the desire to simplify (get rid of all the physical and mental clutter) so that I can focus on what really matters. I hope that by defining what's most important, I can live a more purposeful life that brings glory to the One who matters most.

This brings me to Les Miserables. The musical has meant so much to me for as long as I can remember. My mom and I would sing along to the soundtrack when I was young, and I've been fortunate to see the live performance twice. The release of the movie this Christmas was a dream come true (I've seen it twice with my mom as well). Hats off to Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway for their most amazing performances. Les Mis is a compelling story of grace, dreams, love, mercy, passion, forgiveness, redemption, new beginnings, and fighting for what you believe in - answering to a higher calling. Not only is the story amazing and applicable to real life in so many ways, but it's set to the most beautiful music I know. If you are not familiar with the story, I encourage you to read about it so that you can appreciate the music that much more when you see the film.

I've always been moved (often to tears) by the music of Les Mis, but with the dawning of a new day and a new year, these songs have inspired me even more so:
To make the most of new beginnings and second chances...
To show grace, forgiveness, mercy and passion...
To love others unconditionally....
To fight for what I believe in...
To dream a dream...
To answer to a higher calling.

And so I encourage you to shoot for the Stars (in their multitude) and Dream the Dream with a Heart Full of Love in 2013. Define what matters most and make that your focus in this new year. We have a clean slate and a fresh start to become who we want to be and to make incredible things happen. Cheers to you! And Cheers to 2013!

Here is a print design with one of my favorite lines from Do You Hear the People Sing - it's about answering to a higher calling and the new life that can begin when your dreams, passions, desires and purpose are in rhythm.

Remembering The Reason For The Season

As I sit here checking off the last few orders for 2012, I'm breathing a sigh of relief and counting the many blessings that have come my way. What an amazing Christmas season it's been! We have fulfilled almost 200 orders since the end of October - I'm blown away by your support!

My Early Bird Special kicked off this busy season with many of you taking advantage of the extra discount on Christmas cards. I then participated in Christmas Village here in Nashville which was a huge success! My very favorite part of this show is meeting many of my local customers face-to-face who normally conduct business with me through email and over the phone. It's such a treat for me to establish more of a relationship with my customers, and I want to thank those of you who stopped by to 

introduce yourselves!

Beth Hart Designs went on the road the following week to the Junior League's Market in Birmingham, Alabama. This was a smaller show, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support and business that we received - it too was a very successful market! I was blown away by the warm hospitality that the Junior League showed by helping us unload and load our displays & merchandise, by cooking amazing food for the merchant break room, by walking around to our booths offering food, drink, or relief for a short break, and by greeting people with a warm smile and a true volunteer spirit.

These shows would not have been a success without the helping hands of my husband, my parents, and my sweet friends. These events are a huge under-taking, and I could not have done it without them. "Thank you" seems so very insufficient for the gratitude that I feel!

Following these Christmas markets, my parents were gracious to host an Open House where I was able to sell more of my merchandise and visit with some dear friends who have meant so much to my family. Kim Hudson of Local Color Art Prints also brought some of her beautiful landscape and architecture photographs to sell at the Open House. It was a wonderful night, and I'm very grateful for the friends who came and my parents for hosting!

As the orders were rolling in and the work hours were becoming longer and longer, I'd be telling a fib if I said I wasn't overwhelmed. There were moments when I wondered if I could really get it all done, moments when I had to repeatedly apologize to customers for the longer-than-normal turn around times, moments when I was worn completely out, moments when I thought the whole world had decorated for Christmas while my fall wreath was still on the front door, and moments when I wished I had more time to spend with my husband, family and friends.

Then there were the precious moments when I was reminded of the real Reason for the Season, moments when I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude for the support of my little business, moments when tears of joy flooded my face because of the blessings I know I have received, moments when my heart was warmed because of the beauty that comes with this time of the year. These moments presented themselves at the perfect times - once at the Women's Christmas Dinner at church when we quietly sang "Silent Night" a-cappella, once at Dickens of a Christmas in downtown Franklin when little children wished me a sweet "Merry Christmas," once when a customer took extra time out of her day to let me know how much her Christmas cards meant to her and how much she loved them, once when Joyce at my printing company spent extra hours to complete a very large round of orders for me, and once on a Sunday morning when we sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

I cannot express how appreciative I am for your business and support of Beth Hart Designs. I absolutely love what I do - no matter how overwhelmed I may feel - and I owe it to you for keeping me busy and allowing me to live out my business dreams! I am giddy with excitement for the new designs, merchandise and over-all changes that 2013 will bring! (And I will be looking to hire some part-time help next Christmas in order to shorten those turn-around times!)

I am taking some time off to celebrate this season with my family and friends. Beth Hart Designs will reopen on January 2nd with a renewed spirit and energy for the new year! I hope you find those precious moments this season to remind you of why we celebrate Christmas. The Gift that came so long ago is still the greatest gift of all. May you find joy, love and peace that surpasses all understanding this Christmas and throughout the new year!

Fall Favorites 2012

Hi there! It's been a busy week, so I apologize for my lack of blogging. So many fun things are happening in the studio this week! I'm gearing up and preparing for my upcoming Christmas shows {Christmas Village in Nashville and The Market in Birmingham}. Lots of new merchandise and designs are in the works... it's crunch time though... these shows are less than a month away! Yikes!

I wanted to take a minute to share some Fall inspiration... I love fall and all the goodness that comes with it! Here are a few of my favorite things...

Don't forget! The Early Bird Christmas Card Special ends October 20th... be sure to get your orders in for a 15% off discount! You don't have to have your photo yet, just send your card design choice, quantity and wording. Happy Fall!

Monday Motivation - The Lumineers

Happy Monday! It's time to get motivated for a productive week! My husband and I love music... especially live music. And living in Nashville is kind of perfect for us! This town is showered with talented musicians offering live performances every single night of the week. Last Tuesday night, we went to the Cannery Ballroom to see The Lumineers. It was an amazing show... I highly recommend seeing them live! One of their songs, "Stubborn Love" is the inspiration for today's Monday Motivation.

I was talking with a fellow entrepreneur last week about how hard it is as a business owner to put yourself "out there" day after day. For me, Beth Hart Designs is a representation of me, my values, and my passions (and I'm working on making it even more that way). So when things don't always go as planned, it can be pretty painful. I hate to "fall short," and although I know that great things are in store for me, the journey can be difficult at times. But this line from "Stubborn Love" reminds us that feeling pain is better than feeling nothing at all. And I totally agree... if we don't feel pain, that means we're not living life to the fullest. Because if we're honest, life is painful sometimes, but at least we're living which means we have the opportunity to make amazing things happen!

The words "The opposite of Love's indifference" also ring true to life and work. If we're not loving what we do or passionate about life, we become "indifferent" which is so far from what I wish to be. I want to live each day with enthusiasm and passion and to be able to spread that passion to others. So I encourage you to put yourself "out there" and work hard to be the best you can... even if it's painful. Because those "growing pains" can be the fuel to your fire which will make you stronger, wiser, more successful and more passionate in everything you do!

Here are a few photos from the concert...

The Lumineers with Old Crow Medicine Show

Monday Motivation - Climb Every Mountain

Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start! My mom and I went to see The Sound of Music produced by Studio Tenn at The Franklin Theatre last Thursday night. It was wonderful! We were amazed at how the beautiful music filled the theatre... we truly enjoyed the performance!

I was inspired by all of the songs but especially Mother Abbess's piece "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." The message behind the song seems to be all about exploring life's adventures in order to find what you're most passionate about. There will be challenges along the way, but those tough times are all stepping stones that lead us towards our greater calling. I sometimes think we never truly reach our dreams because they continue to change and grow, but isn't the adventure what life is all about?

Every day is a blessing whether it's full of challenges or successes, and we should embrace each experience for the sheer fact that we are spending one more day chasing our dreams and reaching for our potential! Let's live life to the fullest and be thankful for all of our mountains, streams, and rainbows!