Happy New Year’s Eve! It’s my final post of 2020 and I’m so pleased to be joined by some amazing friends for the last Social Stamping Blog Host post of 2020.
I started these posts in March 2020 as the pandemic was starting to take hold and the world was taking a turn into unchartered territory for many of our generation. A pandemic in the 2000s with frequent travel and instant information certainly made for an interesting speed – both in terms of spread and news. Social Stamping in the blogging sphere was a great way for us to stay connected and purposeful while everything else seemed to be unpredictable and a bit gloomy.
The theme for today’s hop is “Oh 2020!”. It was open to my stamping friends who were joining in to interpret that as it fit for their recollection of 2020. My recollection is not of doom & gloom. Whilst there were moments of despair (Mr Papercraft being told not to return to work for an indefinite period of time was definitely one of those!), my memories of 2020 are largely positive. I enjoyed time at home with my kids (our daily walk was a highlight), a chance to reflect on what was important and the opportunity to slow down for a while.
We have been incredibly sheltered from the harsh reality here in Western Australia (though I do recognise that this depends on circumstances and those in the arts and hospitality and people separated from loved ones may have a very different view). Very strict border closures have meant very little spread of the virus and although we had a brief lockdown and home schooling experience, it has been mostly life as (new) normal for us. Social distancing is a loosely followed concept and we have returned to hugging, shaking hands and barely keeping our distance. This was a post from my personal Facebook on Christmas Eve reflecting on how blessed we are. How magical is that beach sunset?
So, with that as my experience, my card to reflect today’s theme – Oh 2020! – is one of thanks. I am thankful to live in WA, thankful to have kept relative normality to our lives (for now), to have been able to see loved ones, to spend special occasions with family & friends and to have continued to work within a safe and low risk environment.
My card is a mix of old favourites and new products which we get to know and love in 2021. While it’s good to reflect on the past, I’m looking forward to the future and optimistic about what it could bring!
The new products are from the Jan-June 2021 Mini Catalogue and Sale-A-Bration Catalogue. “Thanks” stamp is from the You Are Amazing stamp set and the Flower & Field DSP is a free choice from the SAB catalogue with a $90 order from 5th Jan 2021.
Familiar favourites are the Triple Banner Punch and flowers from the Blossoms in Bloom stamp set (2020-2021 Annual Catalogue).
While I am spreading out the thanks, thank you to everyone who visited my blog in 2020. To everyone who left a comment, tried a project I shared or followed me here on one of my socials (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest). It’s always fun to reflect on the year, so here’s my 2020 in review…
It’s been a good year! But without an audience to blog to, blogging is not nearly as fun, so thank you so sharing this with me!
One last thank you for 2020 goes to my family – my family at Papercraft HQ (Mr Papercraft, the mini Papercrafts and Nanna & Grandad Papercraft). Your patience with 5 more “stamping minutes”, tolerance of dinners on the table later than I had in mind after I got waylaid with something stamping, allowance of sleep ins after night owl bedtimes and compliance with the sanctity of my craft room gives me the room to be happy and creative. The other half of this thank you is to my Paper Adventures team – my stamping family. Your friendship and sense of belonging to the stamping community kept it in my priorities for another year!
For more 2020 reflections from my stamping friends, click on the next button to visit Nicole Wilson. You can find a full list of the participants in this blog hop on the main Social Stamping Blog Host post here.
From my family to yours – happy new year!
