The last days of the year always prompt review and reflection. What did I do this year? How did it measure up to my expectations and hopes? What do I (dare to) wish for the year ahead?

​I alternate between thinking this kind of reflection is a necessary vs. a foolish exercise. Necessary because introspection and reflection are key to feeling aligned, valued and at peace with life, but foolish because it can sometimes put a heck of a lot of pressure on you when, really, January 1st is just a continuation of life as it was last week.

If you already followed me 12 months (and some 100 blog posts) ago, you might remember that I started 2017 off with 3 keywords as a theme for the year: abundance, passion and peace.

It was the first year where "feelings" really took center-stage in the vision I created for myself. After all, how you are feeling is the best measure of how you are really doing along your path, right?

I wished to be more mindful, more peaceful with my decisions and with life's curveballs, and more confident in my words, actions and personal policies. I focused my energy on achieving growth -- for my business, my career and my personal mindset. ​

I poured my passion, time and energy into Veni Etiam like never before. I made some bold decisions and ventured outside of my comfort zone more often than I stayed sheltered within it. I traveled to new places, absorbed them and photographed them with my heart wide open, and created new collections to channel part of their character. I applied the same sense of curiosity and appreciation for my own city, planning "staycations" to carve out time to experience and photograph it with different eyes. I participated in a ton of markets and shows where Veni Etiam was not known yet, forged new collaborations that felt aligned with my ethics and my vision, created exciting new products and met some stellar clients whose words of support have honestly stayed tacked on a billboard in my mind, fueling my passion and motivating me to keep creating. 

I poured my heart out in hundreds of blog posts and social media posts on Facebook and Instagram, striving to show you a personal side of me in each post, even though I feel quite vulnerable in doing so. I gave two interviews that I even feel shy to read over, and jam-packed my calendar with pop-ups, markets and shows so I could introduce you to my world in person. (Seriously, I felt like a travelling circus this year, but it was so worth it to interact with you offline! Thank you for coming by and for your loving reactions to Veni Etiam!).

For the first time in my life so far, I prioritized self-care, mindfulness, alignment and positivity as much as I humanly could. I realized this year how incredibly hand-in-hand mindset and abundance go. There is so much truth to principles of attraction and positivity, yet it is such a challenge to implement those good habits in our everyday frenzied existence. In my choices this year, I opted to make time for myself over social activities. I spent early mornings journalling, afternoons working from environments that inspired me, and evenings cooking and eating outdoors. I opted to be present and peaceful at home, to write, to exercise, to be accepting and to let go. These practices have reduced my anxiety and boosted my creativity. Despite some recurring challenges, my body and mind feel stronger and better able to cope with uncertainty, risk, fear and loss. 

​Because of these benefits, I made it a point to share these strategies and micromoments of wisdom with you this year, in posts focused on inspiration, balance and mindfulness.

In all my activities, I strove to let kindness, generosity and transparency guide all my interactions, while also paying closer attention to any energy unbalances - if what I put in was far greater than what came out of it, such that it cost me my peace, I learned to set new boundaries. I said no to what made me feel less valued. I said no to self-deprecation and doubt. I said no to worrying too far in advance. I said no to anything that perturbed my peace.

I continued to work with my team at Etsy Montreal to empower independent local businesses, doing part of the marketing and event photography for our shows, which are growing SO fast! I am also proud to have been an advocate for women's health on the sidelines, fighting daily for awareness and early detection of endometriosis and female cancers.

This year was nothing and everything I expected. It took me on a ride of experimentation, self-discovery and growth in every realm. Of course, it was not all shiny and perfect. There were also tears, fears, deaths, frustrations, days spent in bed, rejections, difficult conversations and difficult choices. Not to mention my beloved watch broke twice and I killed more plants this year than I ever have...

But, all in all, it was a good year.

I am carrying forward so many of these lessons and feelings that I want to amplify even further in 2018, and so much gratitude for all those encounters and experiences that made my heart feel full of passion and optimism.

This year, I wish to pour even more energy and passion into making my (many) dreams and projects reality. I wish to work even harder on maintaining that delicate balance and inner peace on as many days of the year as I possibly can. At the brink of this new year, I wish for magnetism - a beautiful pulse that attracts amazing connections and experiences my way so that I can be as creative, generous, energetic, passionate and kind as I feel like I'm meant to be in this life.

My dear followers, THANK YOU for a tremendous 2017 and for keeping me motivated and excited for what 2018 has in store. 

Leave me a comment below to tell me your 3 keywords for 2018. If you could conjure up a phenomenal year for yourself, what would it look like? I'd love to hear from you.

From my heart to yours.

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This year was such a jam-packed whirlwind of new experiences, achievements, travels and growth, it is no wonder that I'm actually having trouble remembering all its details!

As I do every year, I've been using the holidays to wind down and reflect on what I did, felt and let go of this year. Once I've looked back, I begin to look forward. I dream up the year ahead with wishes, hopes and adjustments that stem from my reflections of the current year. I'll share these with you in a personal post very soon, along with my process of organizing my thoughts when I chart out my look-backs and look-forwards, should you wish to do something similar for your personal or business goals. 

One of my goals at the end of 2016 was to write more - not only to grow Veni Etiam and my audience, but also as an act of mindfulness and self-care. I wrote over 100 blog posts this year (holy cow!) and spent a ton of time journaling and writing travel stories. 

Today's post is a throwback to my favorite blog posts of 2017. These posts span a range of topics but are dear to my heart because they took Veni Etiam - and me - in a new direction. Click on the post(s) that interest you most to see them in a separate window.

To my readers who have been following along for a while now - thank you so much for staying connected! I appreciate you SO MUCH and can't wait to share more of my world with you in 2018.

This past weekend, one of the most scorching September weekends on record in Montreal, Etsy Montreal hosted the fourth edition of Etsy Fait au Québec, a nation-wide event (called Etsy Made in Canada in other provinces) that showcases the talents of Canadian artists, designers and crafters and encourages the population to shop local.

As one of the leaders of the Etsy Montreal team and as a participating vendor with Veni Etiam Photography, various tasks in planning for this event had filled the pages of my agenda for months. It is always an amazing cause to celebrate (and a bit of a relief) when over 7000 visitors come through our doors and happily discover the creations of over 100 artists. The energy in the room is almost indescribable, the smiles all around are truly contagious, and the feedback that comes from vendors and shoppers is uplifting. The show is a true community endeavor, and puts forward so many important values that strive to make our community - and our future - better. 

During the event, I snuck away from my booth to snap some candid action shots of shoppers and vendors interacting. On my Facebook page, you can find the full album of photos (nearly 200 of them) of the event, with artists' tagged in the images and a full vendor list for you to peruse.

​But if you've only got a minute or two, here's a video compilation of some of the shots. 

As a vendor, participating in Etsy Made in Canada / Fait au Québec is one of my favorite parts of the year. I am always uplifted and humbled by the support, enthusiasm and love my work receives from attendees and fellow artists alike. 

I am not quite sure where the dream came from, this dream to make inspiring art for your homes and your heart. It just sort of snuck up on me, like the best dreams do, I suppose. A couple of years into having launched my business, some of my absolute favorite places have found a place on your walls, in your homes, in your daily routines. What could I possibly say to that? It's amazing. And what could I possibly say about the truly inspiring exchanges I have had with other incredible members of the artistic community? For everything you have taught me and continue to teach me, thank you!

It's mid-September, although the weather gods are still totally convinced it's mid-July (fine by me!). And mid-September means one thing for certain every year: it's time for Etsy Made in Canada and our local edition Etsy Fait au Québec Montréal.

Over 100 artists, designers and makers from the Montreal area will gather under one (historic) roof to showcase and sell their incredible products with the community, which is becoming increasingly interesting in buying local.

To see the full list of vendors, follow this link.
To RSVP to the event (it's free!), go here.

Veni Etiam Photography will also be there all weekend long with tons of new items in the Montreal collection, the brand new Havana collection, magnets and gift items, coffee tables, a surprise new product (come see for yourself!) and new frames available on the spot in the exact sizes of my prints! I'll have reduced prices on prints and custom orders, so if you have questions about sizing or anything else, feel free to reach out even before the event!

P.S. If you're curious, this post belongs to the theme #TradeThursday, part of the Etsy Montreal Social Media Challenge. The artists who are participating as vendors in the annual Etsy Fait au Quebec (Made in Canada) market are encouraged to share behind the scenes posts as they prepare for the show. Follow along with all of us on Instagram with the main hashtags #etsyfaitauquebecmtl and #etsymtl. 

We all hope to see you there!

From my heart to yours.

Entrepreneurship, like anything in life, involves quite a lot of trial and error. It starts with passion, curiosity and a vision. It requires a leap of faith, jumping into the void, experimenting, listening, adjusting. It takes a lot of motivation, patience and - yes - even a bit of luck.

It is rewarding, empowering, frustrating, liberating, discouraging, maddening, inspiring, head-consuming, thrilling and doubt-provoking. Entrepreneurship is often a journey involving many risks and resilience, a path that curves through unexpected but beautiful territory, a collection of several rights and many wrongs. 

When I launched my travel art shop, I initially didn't even realize that I was launching a business. I was a full-time scientist and had never ventured into entrepreneurship in any form, aside from selling lemonade like your average five year-old.

​I learned by doing, by being and by meeting inspiring individuals along the way.

It's easier said than done when we are consumed with hundreds of other voices each day. But, this remains the golden rule. Just be you. That is when you can be most consistent, most unique and most magnetic. No one else is you, so no one else can quite offer what you offer, in the way that you offer it. In the overwhelming face of competition, learn to shift your focus back onto who YOU are and how that fuels what you create. There is a place for everyone, because everyone has their own unique twist. It seems rather basic, but it takes mental training to hold onto this mindset in the business world.

We are storytellers. We gather, we tell, we live by sharing and consuming stories. It's only natural, then, that stories help people connect with us and what we offer. Stories allow your voice and your personality to shine through. They help people get to know you and want to keep you in their life - whether you are half a block or half a world away from them. It helps them relate to you and trust you. On your website, in your social media posts, in your tutorials, share the stories behind your brand.

When we first create our businesses, we base ourselves on our vision, our talents, our training and our values. We work SO hard before launching our special offering (whether it's a new collection or a new course), it's tempting to just shout out, "Here it finally is! Go get it!" and to want to sink back into our chairs and wait for the rest to take care of itself. But if you speak to very successful entrepreneurs, they will confess that it was not an overnight success. The key for many business owners has been to, simply put, give the people what they want, even if their first launch was something completely different (and often a true flop). 

It's really key to welcome and use feedback from your ideal customers to fine-tune what you offer. Be attentive to how others' react to your work and how they describe your business.

If you sell physical products like I do, this is what is so great about being present at pop-up shops or shows. Who are you connecting with? What words are they consistently using? Which products spark conversation or evokes an emotive response in them? If you mostly sell online, consider sending a short survey to your customers or encourage them to leave you a review. Listen to the traits they focus on when they describe you. Then, work to amplify those traits in everything you create and the way you present your creations. 

Whether we like it or not, this is how we roll. Social media with a strategy is vital to getting our message out there, interacting with our target audience, and sharing our story. Without a strategy, social media is ineffective at best and actually harmful to the brand at worst. It can suck up a HUGE amount of time, energy and motivation. To avoid feeling stuck on a hamster wheel, it takes thinking, planning and consistent execution. It is better to create content with a purpose in mind then to spread yourself thin by pouring effort into showing up just for the sake of showing up. 

Some of us might really hate putting ourselves out there online. It's one thing to put together a website or Etsy shop with descriptions about ourselves, our story, our business and our work, but the worst part is that once it is all out there, we still have to repeat it! It took me a while to realize that not everyone would know the text on my website by heart (ha ha!) and shoppers landing on my Etsy shop would probably not even read the product descriptions! It's important to repeat ourselves now and then, so that people who just stumble upon us have a sense of what we are all about. You'll notice that even your Facebook friends (who follow your personal page and regularly see your shares from your business page) may take time to become familiar with you and buy from you!

Trust yourself, what you offer, what your brand is all about and what your price-point is. It's easy to feel imposture syndrome now and then, not only when you are just starting out. But, at the end of the day, trusting your value and expertise will attract others to trust you as well. You are doing this because you believe in its mission. When something happens to shake that belief up, don't let it derail you.

You may not be an expert in ALL the facets related to your work, your craft and your business. That is okay. Actually, it's GREAT! You don't have to wait until you are an expert in order to be successful. It's better to start, dive in and learn by doing. You'll invest in yourself to develop those areas that are further outside of your comfort zone, or you'll collaborate with someone whose strengths are your weaknesses. As sole owners of our businesses, we have to wear so many different hats and do so many different tasks, so we come to expect ourselves to be good at all of them. But, that false belief can be paralyzing and can lead to a whole lot of procrastination. 

It's good to say no. Did I just say that? It took me SO LONG to learn this, in all areas of my life! If something is not sitting well with you, if it is causing you to want to vent, it means it is not aligned with your essence, your priorities, your values or your vision.

Ask yourself: Is this going to bring me closer to my goals? Is this something that will be brand affirming? Will it take me in a direction I'll be happy about? Do I have time for it without burning out or compromising my other priorities? 

Pay close attention when the answer to any one of these questions is NO. And, if it is, please remember that you have your reasons and your reasons are always valid. Although you may be tempted to express them as a justification to the person you are turning down, you don't really need to justify your choices. 

We are constantly learning. That is the beauty (and curse) of life! Train yourself to look at every circumstance, success and failure as constructive, as fluid and as a blessing. Adjusting as you go along is part of the process. Feeling proud of little milestones - even negative ones, like your first bad review or first refund request - is important. Growth is never all positive, all the time. 

Invest in your professional development. Schedule it in. Create opportunities for learning. It is daunting but necessary to take up opportunities that are outside of our comfort zone and that involve a certain degree of risk. Sadly, there cannot be growth without risk. When you don't risk anything, you get too comfortable. If you take a risk to invest in yourself financially or with respect to your time commitment, you naturally strive to succeed to pay back that investment. It helps to add a little extra fire up your butt! 

It's important to leave breathing room in your schedule to create empty spaces for reflection and re-alignment. Carve out the time to revisit some approaches and practices - even the content on your website. Either schedule this time regularly or give yourself mini hiatus every year to systematically evaluate what worked, what worked less and where to go from here. 

This past spring, I was proud to be one of the participating artisans of the One of a Kind Spring Show. I met so many wonderful people during the show, and our conversations about travels and life were mutually inspiring. It made me happy when they found a piece of the world (and of my heart) to take home with them, but I have ESPECIALLY loved hearing from them after the show. I love it when they tell me where the piece hangs and how it brings them joy every time their eyes land on it, or how my art and my stories offer a perspective that they may have missed before. 

It is for this precious "connectedness" that I was so excited to set up my *new* One of a Kind Online Shop.

​Now, show-goers (and anyone, of course!) can easily find me year-round. 

Here's a peek:

If you are stumbling upon Veni Etiam for the first time, WELCOME! Through my travel photographs from near and far, my mission is to inspire and transport you, while enlivening your space. Each piece can be created for you on canvas, aluminum, acrylic, wood or fine-art paper, in the size of your choice. There is something for every decor, mood, memory or dream.

On the OOAK shop, you'll find a selected collection of my prints and wall art from Montreal, Toronto, parts of Europe and Asia, and - coming very soon - Havana. 

So, until we meet again at a future OOAK show, you know where to find me! 

From my heart to yours.

The "Vague de Concours" is a community initiative with a twofold mission: to help shoppers discover entrepreneurs from the province of Quebec, and to instill a feeling of solidarity and mutual support among local entrepreneurs. 

Launched last year by Karine Foisy, owner of Veille sur Toi, the Vague de Concours is essentially a series of giveaways happening in tandem among hundreds of entrepreneurs and artists in Quebec, following a common theme. Each participating business offers a free product that fits the designated theme, and shoppers can enter as many contests as they wish, on each individual business Facebook page. The official page of the Vague de Concours - Créateurs québécois showcases the hundreds of giveaways in one common photo album - a beautiful testament to all the talent in our province and a fantastic opportunity to shop local.

There are 4 giveaway waves per year, and the summer wave is HAPPENING NOW, between June 26th (8pm ET) and June 30th (8pm ET). 

The theme of this first giveaway wave is "Black & Blanc". About 700 local creators are participating in this joint giveaway, and there is so much talent to discover! The contest is taking place over on Facebook, where the process is extremely simple for a chance to win.

Veni Etiam Photography is one of the participating businesses of the Vague de Concours. The prize to be won is "Lincoln Park" - a photographic print on satin paper of my melancholic friend in Chicago. Easy to frame and versatile for any style of decor - even a nursery! 

To participate in the giveaway:
- Head over to the Facebook page
- Like the post
- Leave a comment: Tell me where you would hang it!
- If you feel up to it, share the post to help others discover Veni Etiam Photography!

Don't forget to like the main page for the initiative Vague de concours - Créateurs québécois in order to be notified of future contest waves and to discover all the talented Quebec artists who are part of this giveaway.

GOOD LUCK!
​
From my heart to yours.

I have always been a reflective, intuitive, sentimental and spiritual person. I routinely write down my thoughts and feelings, to try to find myself (or lose myself) in the experience I am living. Sometimes, though, the best words are someone else's. It is powerful to find a message that seamlessly describes your state of mind at a point in time. Life's lessons are precious to me, and I have increasingly enjoyed finding quotes and creating quotes that bring solace and inspiration.

Once a week on Instagram, I post a quote that inspires me or share a little bit of my own "wisdom". Sometimes I do this in a caption, sometimes I create an image for it. Sometimes the photographs are those that are part of my collection, while other times they are personal photographs that are not in my shop. There is a little bit of magic in how the words find the image, and vice versa. It's not an exact science of what inspires what...but the end result is a touch of #sundaywisdom. 

You can also find my "Today's motto" series on my Pinterest channel. I'd love to connect and to know which mantras inspire you. 

From my heart to yours.

It has been a while since my last blog post! Summer has been rolling on - its days (thankfully) long and hot and full. 

There have been a couple of reasons for the brief blog hiatus. For one, I've really been focusing my efforts on my Instagram channel. Since I joined Instagram this spring, I have enjoyed interacting with a whole new set of followers there. If you follow my channel, you may have noticed a mix of photographs and themes, compared to what you see on my blog, Pinterest or Facebook. Not only do I share photos that are part of the Veni Etiam Photography collection, but I occasionally also take you #outandabout and show you the #dailydetails that inspire me. As I work on new projects this summer and fall, I'll be sharing some behind the scenes snapshots as well. But since I also dabble in portrait photography and food photography for fun now and then, I've started a series on Instagram with hashtags #fromplacestofaces and #foodscapes to share those "dabblings" with you. 

Another reason why I've been a little quiet on the blog is because I've been traveling plenty! You may have caught some glimpses of my travels on Instagram and Facebook (#venivacay). I tend to be quieter while traveling; when I feel inspired, I become introspective and introverted, turning to blank journal pages rather than a public blog. I absorb, feel, reflect, before I can outwardly write about these places and how they have inspired me. I promise I'll be telling you more about these places over the next few weeks. Some brand new images from my travels will also be introduced to my shop, so please stay tuned! (As a hint, I'll just say that Greece will make its debut to the international collection!).​

To celebrate those new arrivals in shop, I'll be offering a VIP promo coupon to all the lovely people who are subscribed to my newsletters. If you want to be part of the fun, sign up here. ​

My Etsy Shop is now also back from vacation mode. If you live in Montreal, remember that you can pick up your item to save on shipping. Just use the code "INMTL" at checkout. 

Other fantastic news: Veni Etiam Photography will be part of the Etsy Fait au Québec artisan market again this fall. Mark your calendars for the weekend of September 24-25 (10 am – 6 pm) at the Technopole Angus. I’ll have fine-art prints, metal prints and magnets with me at the market. Come say hi and discover the many talented artisans of our vibrant local community.

Increasingly, though, I felt the urge to join in on the fun. Hashtags are annoying, sure, but they are brilliant. And one of this year's main goals for Veni Etiam is to grow more connected to the community, to fans and to artists who do the same type of thing. 

And so, three days ago, I took the plunge and created an Instagram account! And boy, let me tell you: the feedback is immediate (and addictive) on Instagram! I decided to make it an exciting mix of product previews, favorite photographs (that are either part of my collection or not) and perhaps even take some "day in the life" shots on the go, the way Instagram was meant to be used. So, whether I am in town or travelling, selling prints or just sharing them with you, you can follow my channel to find out what inspires me, and let me know what inspires you, too. 

Of course, if you're hesitant with the whole Instagram thing as I was, you can still find me on this blog, or follow me on my other social media channels. Except Twitter, for now.

Ciao!