happy birthday

Wow! A whole year of blogging! It seems to have flown by. I started this blog with no real clue about blogging, no big idea and no real direction. All I knew was that I wanted a place to put all my creative endeavors, as well as all the things that inspire me. I was going through a bit of a creative draught, wanting to do more of my own design work but feeling dispondent and uninspired. I then discovered the exciting world of design blogs and started to feel my enthusiasm increase and ideas start flowing. Nick kept on telling me to start a blog of my own, to catalogue all the little projects I did and thought it might motivate me to get more creative. 

It’s pretty handy that where I’m clueless Nick seems to have a bank of knowledge and if not, he’ll learn what’s needed super quick. He gave me a list of things I needed, I designed and he put the layout together and made it happen. He linked me up with social media, which I wouldn’t have really given a second thought to, something I find pretty funny now. Without him this blog may well have been a stack of labelled drawings and diagrams that were never realised. 
Someone recently emailed to ask why I chose the name ‘The Lovely Drawer’ and I have to admit I hadn’t really thought about it since choosing way back then. I’d grown up with a Mum that couldn’t bare to throw anything away, holding out hope that some day, some how, it might be used for something. She had an ability to see projects and uses in the simplist of things and so, much to my Dad’s dismay each last bit was hoarded in various boxes and drawers in our loft. I remember excitedly rifling through this treasure trove, wondering what inspiring gems were lurking inside. I wanted my blog to be like that…an unexpected treat, a feast of colour and fun and hopefully something that might inspire other designers. I also had to slip the word ‘lovely’ into the name as it’s perhaps one of my most used words. I’m reasonably convinced I overuse this little adjective but it’s my default describer. 
I very quickly realised how much I enjoyed blogging and it certainly has focused my creativity and woven design opportunities into more and more everyday situations. I’ve also learnt a lot! It’s been a constant source of development for all my design skills, which has been brilliant. I can look back at my beginning posts and cringe a little because I’ve progressed since then and I’m sure I’ll say the same in another years time because I know I have so much to learn! But really none of these skills or gifts are mine to celebrate. Any gifting I have comes direct from God and should bring glory to him. I love that I can express my creativity and hope that it shows just a tiny fragment of God’s awesome and far superior creativity. He made the whole Earth; vast mountains, deep oceans, artistic sunsets, colourful seasons, weird and wonderful animals and complex human beings. Everything hangs together as it should because God is a creator and he’s made us to reflect something of who he is. Unsurprisingly, that’s why no matter what our skills, hobby or vocation, so often we end up using our gifts to create and cultivate. This mirrors something far bigger and greater than ourselves! I’m so glad it does, otherwise what’s the point?