How did your 2012 unfurl? Did it blossom?
What were your monthly highlights? 🙂
For three years I’ve stopped at the end of each month to contemplate (and acknowledge) just one thing that’s moved forward (in any shape or form) in amongst the fun and games going on at Journey Jottings.
Using an A2 (59.4cm x 42cm) sized Journal Map of Australia that symbolically represents the journey I enter each selected achievement in one of the boxes around the outside so at year’s end I have 12 months simply summarized on this single sheet – creating our Year at a Glance.
Mid way through the year I re-capped the first 6 months ~
January – June 2012 Year at a Glance
Click on this image to see/read the first six months: Part 1 of my 2012 Year at a Glance.
Where I celebrated:
- adding a download page on our website (check out the free download to Find the 27 animals on the Journal Map)
- creating some short videos of Journey Jottings products to give a fuller view of what we offer you
- and produced an on-line magazine to illustrate our full range of ways we help you highlight your holiday adventures
- Big excitement in June when we published our new luggage tag shaped Journey Jotter for writing postcard like jottings to yourself and posting home at trip’s end
- and I headed off to Europe for the northern hemisphere summer
Since then?
- We sourced some super-duper crisp and shiny hangsells for our 12″ (305mm square) pictorial Australia maps – so they’re now super schmick!
- Liaising from across the globe (isn’t modern technology brilliant!), I was able to converse with Michael, our fabulous pre-press guy in Brisbane, and we updated the Journal Map cover, which now shows a section of the south-east of Australia on the front – It previously highlighted the Kimberleys in NW WA –
A new batch was then printed by our Brisbane printers (who’ve been with us since day 1) on our signature eco-label textured paper with vegetable inks.
- It’s sometimes the little things that can save so much time!
We re-designed a packaging label so we could select the product being sent out with a simple tick on the box!
- We re-designed our Journal Map display box so when folded flat for packaging it fitted inside the shipper that carries the product –
Soooo much neater – and its also a brighter, funkier colour –
I really should have a photo to show you for this one! 😉
- Now you didn’t seriously think I’d go to Europe and then not do annyyyyyy travelling?
My sister and I took off for a fabulous fortnight together through the mountains of Switzerland, the lakes of northern Italy and the icing on the top… Venice!
(I put up a fun photo post showing 12 highlights from 7 European Countries 🙂 )
- In December, back in Australia we applied a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to our website, which has halved loading time… Anyone notice how much quicker you can now access our fabulous site?
We then pulled out all stops to contact as many of our retailers as possible in the run up to Christmas – And so many needed more stock, it meant we had the best December ever – Sales were up, uP, UP! 😀
July – December 2012 Year at a Glance
And in case you’re curious as to what happened in 2010 and 2011 here’s the snapshot!
2010 ~ Year at a Glance
2011 ~Year at a Glance
Do you stop and take stock of your achievements?
How do you acknowledge them?
Are you going to keep a Year at a Glance for 2013?
If you want a Journal Map for the job you can get one here!
As always, I’m struck by the beauty, simplicity and versatility of your products! It’s been a pleasure following your 2012 journey, and I look forward to more in 2013!!
Red Nomad OZ recently posted..12 Killer Australian Sunsets of 2012!
Thanks so much Red ~
The admiration is more than mutual!
Your blog of Aussie travelling highlights is always inspiring so I too look forward to following your trails and tales in 2013 😀
I echo Red’s sentiments, Linda. Your products are just beautiful and I also look forward to following your jottings journey in 2013!
Johanna, The Zigazag Mag recently posted..Amazing Western Australia 2012 Highlights in 113 Pictures.
Thanks Jo!
Its been fun following your Western Australia exploits this year too!
We spent a few years in WA and loved its expansive beauty –
Cheers to 2013 🙂
Linda, congratulations on haveing a great 2012.
After I started following your blog I subsequently realised that I had already bought your Australia map which has been great! I love the details that you add.
Pretraveller recently posted..Pretraveller Top 10 Posts of 2012
Thrilled to bits you’d unwittingly bought a Journal map!
Can you remember where you picked it up? Always fun hearing where our maps are spotted 😉
Hope you manage to enjoy many adventures in 2013 – Love your site 🙂
Linda, I can’t remember where I bought the map – it was a few years ago!
Pretraveller recently posted..Pretraveller Top 10 Posts of 2012
Great blog with great ideas as always. How to find the time to do everything we want is the frustrating part. Can’t wait to see the new improved colourful display. Love your doodle drawing too on your year at a glance. The finger lakes beckon to be mapped by you some day you have the time for a sabbatical. Happy New Year. We must meet again.
Susan
Thanks so much Susan –
I too struggle constantly with time…
I spend disproportionate amounts of time on the busy tasks that are comforting as they can be done on auto pilot, as opposed to focusing on the important (and truly rewarding) things that require a crossing over into unknown territory, which in turn invokes an inkling of discomfort!
Sabbatical in the Finger Lakes sounds very tempting 😉
Will keep that one on the board!
All the best for 2013 😀
Linda
AMAZING! what a year 2012 was… looks like you guys had a ball! We’re looking forward to doing some more travel this year, will keep you updated 🙂
That’d be great Cheyanne ~
Look forward to hearing where your travels take you 🙂
I never fail to be impressed by your new ideas, Linda. Your photos are so interesting to read to see what you have been up to over the past year. Have a wonderful 2013 🙂
We enjoyed six weeks in Sydney from mid November, but have now moved onto New Zealand. We will be heading back to Australia mid-February for a month, before flying back to Spain. We love our Aussie Adventures 🙂
Thanks Marianne!
New Zealand is gorgeous so I know you’ll have a ball there 😀
Australia is so huge, its great that you’re able to keep coming back to do it in chunks!
Hope you pick up a Journal Map to highlight your Ozzie adventures on your way back through to Spain 😉