Back in 2011 I had a dream to create a calendar with my art.* Two years later I was finally able to do it. Every year since then I’ve designed a calendar with new paintings. It’s one of my favorite projects.

I think I say it every year, but this calendar is my favorite!

It’s the second year I’ve had my calendars professionally printed and I’m so happy with how they turned out. Not having to print them myself saves me a lot of time and is more cost effective in terms of materials, too.

One year when I was still printing them myself I had a request for a very large wholesale order, but in order to fulfill it I would have taken a big loss (and I would have had to work day and night to get them all done, too).

I don’t always have the greatest business sense, but that one was a no-brainer and it helped me realize I needed to change the way I did things if I wanted my business to grow. Although I was reluctant to stop printing them myself, it made the most sense for my business. And using a print shop that’s right here on Main Street in my little town is pretty cool.

This year’s calendar is now available in my shop. Or if you’re local you can find it at Viva Gallery and at Mac Help in Viroqua.

Looking back at my first calendar brings such nostalgia. It was early on in my art journey and perhaps too soon to be making products like that, but I was determined not only to create art that I loved enough to share but also to learn how to use Photoshop** so I could do projects like calendars (and later fabric design).

Looking back at all the calendars I’ve created over the years tells the story of my development as an artist, my continued determination and the joy that making art continues to bring me.

I am so happy to know that my calendars have traveled around the world and brought joy to many people over the years. This beautiful connection is one of my favorite parts of what I do.

I think sometimes we need to look back at how far we’ve come and remind ourselves of all we’ve accomplished. It’s easy to get discouraged or caught up in the day-to-day, focused on our to-do lists and all we still want to do. Looking back and taking a moment to remember what we’re capable of (and where we started) is energizing and affirming and helps us take the next steps with more confidence.

When I first dreamed of making a calendar it was with the hope that someday I’d submit it to Decor8’s annual calendar roundup. By the time I was making my own calendars Decor8 wasn’t doing calendar roundups anymore. Little did I know that eventually my calendars would make it into a major magazine on the same page as calendars from Vera Bradley, Rifle Paper and Paper Source!

Whatever journey you’re on, whatever dreams you’re holding dear, I hope you’ll take some time to see how far you’ve already come (even if it’s only a few steps) and remember that with stubbornness and hard work anything is possible. So keep dreaming, but even more importantly, keep going. You’ll get there. Or maybe you’ll end up somewhere you hadn’t even imagined.

*You can read more about my dream and about my early calendars here.

**Learning Photoshop was a huge turning point for me and my art. It was a daunting endeavor and it took me a long time to work up the nerve and then to get comfortable with it. Because I’m passionate about encouraging others on their own creative journeys and passing on what I’ve learned, I’ve created a few classes on Skillshare specifically about using Photoshop. Digitize Your Watercolors, Getting Started with Photoshop was my first class on the topic, but I’ve also taught about creating repeating patterns as well as designing calendars and tea towel calendars with your art. I love teaching on Skillshare and I’ve learned so much by doing so. Before I started teaching I was first a student there and continue to enjoy learning from the other teachers on the platform. You can sign up here and get two months free to try it out.