This isn't a standard episode because instead of all the normal stuff I reflect on the year that was 2017 and what I want to achieve in 2018 with the podcast, my company Provenance Craft Co. and with my designing under Fay Dashper-Hughes Designs.
I have kept the show notes to a minimum and provided all of the links from the bits and bobs that I talked about in the episode. 
 
This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. 


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Clarity
I have never done a 'word of the year' before, in part because that isn't something that usually motivates me. 
 
On New Year's Day, Matthew and I headed off to have our annual review - we are very business focussed in our household. This involves pitching up at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park with our laptops, eating good local food and going for a walk around the grounds and deciding what we want more and less of in the following year.
 
In the weeks leading to the end of the year, I did A LOT of work on what I want to get out of the podcast, my business and designing in 2018.  A couple of days before we headed to Yorkshire, one word was popping up everywhere - CLARITY.
 
So, who am I to ignore something that keeps on presenting itself to me?  Clarity is my word for 2018.
 
To me it means the following:
1 - Being clear about what I want from the three elements of my business.
2 - Spending my time wisely/  More doing, less faffing.
3 - Planning what I think is achievable in a year - 12 podcasts, 12 designs, more of my own manufacturing.
4 - Being better at communicating with the crafting community.
5 - Improving my photography skills.
6 - Being creative for the sake of being creative and not always for the end goal of creating patterns or products.
7- Having a colour palette that is attractive to me and works across all three areas of my working life (podcast, online shop and designing) bringing clarity and consistency.  This is a massive step forward for me and helps me to understand that not liking rainbows, unicorns and pastels are actually acceptable. You would not believe the hours spent wondering why rainbows and unicorns leave me cold and even irritated at times.  
 
By writing all of these things down and talking about them in Episode 25 I feel like I have kicked off the process of approaching 2018 with clarity.  I have told you what I am up to and now I feel accountable.  That would scare some people, but I am self-employed and work from home, I have no other way of making myself accountable.  You are my team.
 
So, to highlight the colour palette things, here are a couple of photos.  The first shows a lot of the yarn that I will be designing with this year.  The second shows the same yarn with the Autumn colour palette on top.  I bought/ received all of these yarns well in advance of gaining any understanding of the colour psychology seasons.  Hmmm, I seem to really like the Autumn colour palette...
 
 

 
Links to information
So, here is what I have been reading, listening to, possibly even taking in through osmosis.
 
Things that have helped me get focussed for 2018 and beyond:
1 - Sara Tasker from 'Me & Orla' has a beautiful instagram account, is a Social Media Influencer and I really like her down to earth approach. 
2 - Sara also does the Hashtag Authentic podcast which has been invaluable to me so far and will continue to be this year.
3 - There are a few guests that Sara has had on that have really hit home for me, starting with Fiona Humberstone from The Brand Stylist.  The podcast that I linked in number 2 will take you to that interview.  Here's the page on the Psychology of Colour.  There is just enough detail here to get your teeth into a