A look back at 2013

Time to have a look back at the past year and everything I have achieved! It has been a fantastic first year of business, I started designing under Emma Frances in September 2012 but didn't register Emma Frances until March 2013, so it isn't quite one year old just yet.

First of all a huge thank you to my mum who has been wonderful, she has been promoting me anywhere and everywhere she possibly can.  She helps me push myself to go further and try things that throw me out of my comfort zone.  It can be easy to sit and design away but half of this job is interacting with customers and clients, which my mum has given me the confidence to do.  I can see how proud I make her and it just makes me want to try ten times harder.

It has been a whirlwind of a year but such a fantastic one that it has fired me up to make next year even better than I have been planning.  I've seen my designs go from strength to strength and it's all down to a lot of hard work, listening to what my customers are saying and taking it on board and having the most incredible group of friends who are designers from all over the world.  Who have to be one of the best things I have gained from being in this industry, we are all there to support one another, to celebrate in the wins and to pick you up after you've had a let down.  We are all growing as designers and it is lovely to see each of them get their work out into the world and to see their businesses grow.  So I'd also like to say a huge thank you to each and everyone of them for helping me this past year as I really don't think I would have made it this far without them all.

Here are some of my biggest achievements from the past year:

• Top of my list is seeing my own greetings cards in the shops, which signifies the start of my own brand getting known.  I'm going to be contacting stockists in the New Year to try and get my cards and products out across the country.  I also have a lot of plans for new products from more cards to chunky notebooks to children's t-shirts!  Who knows where this will lead me!

• I had the lovely surprise of winning the Quincy Lampshade design competition in the summer, it is always a wonderful feeling when you get an exciting email that fills you with determination to keep going and to aim high.

• I have also gained two licensing deals this year with Kekacase and Kess inHouse, both have some beautiful products and it was a big step in getting the Emma Frances brand into the world.

• The at the end of the year came some of my biggest news, being a guest designer for Believe Creative Studio and having the chance to send some of my designs to one of the biggest design shows in Paris!

As for my plans for next year, well I'm just in the process of writing them out! So I'll keep you posted =) Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and here's to next year being even better.