This was a big year for me. I had been talking about starting my own business for years and this year I conjured up the courage, momentum, and creativity to do it! Hand-Painted Weddings was born out of a brainstorm with my husband nearly a year ago, after a trip to the Lovesick Expo, which I am excitedly a featured vendor at this year! In reality Hand-Painted Weddings is a culmination of many moments before that brainstorm last year, just as anything in life is. 2012 was a year of drive, extreme learning, hard work, passion, exploration, and perseverance.

Here are a few of the highlights:

The launch of Hand-Painted Weddings on my 30th birthday and all the support and love from family and friends!

firstpostMy first commissioned watercolor for a dear family member of this beautiful succulent.

Succulent Painting by Hand-Painted WeddingsThe Harry Potter invitation was one of the most fun invitations I designed this year and remains one of the most clicked on.

Harry Potter Invite by Hand-Painted WeddingsOpening up my Etsy Shop was a big move for me this year and a great way to reach more audiences.

Hand-Painted Weddings on EtsyItaly Week was one of the most inspiring weeks for me where I just couldn’t get away from my paint brushes!

Italy Week - Colloseum painting by Hand-Painted WeddingsThis year I have taken a stab at calligraphy and there is no turning back! I love it!

Calligraphy by Hand-Painted WeddingsA couple of other big moments from 2012:

* 10,000 views on the Hand-Painted Weddings site

* Nearly 150 blog posts to date

* 24 Signature Invitation designs ready for ordering

* 17 Watercolor Paintings in the Shop

* Featured in Daily Candy’s Fall 2012 Wedding Guide

* A fantastic post in Philadelphia Wedding’s Bridal Bulletin

* Started tweeting on Twitter and sharing on Facebook

I would like to thank everyone for their support and encouragement of Hand-Painted Weddings in 2o12, and look forward to an exciting year in 2013! Cheers!