Pop the cork, it’s time to celebrate yet another year of crazy copy writing and editing for my favorite long-term client, Bodek and Rhodes.

For those of you not in the know, I left my 9-to-5 corporate gig in the spring of last year to go all freelance, all the time. B&R made it possible with its annual project, a behemoth catalog featuring the corporate, casual, performance and activewear the company sells and imprints for countless companies around the globe.

This year’s paper catalog clocked in at a whopping 417 pages, of which yours truly put her personal stamp on each and every number, character and space on each and every page! It’s a massive project, but the people at B&R are some of the most wonderful, talented and truly amazing people I’ve ever had the good fortune to work with.

And continue to work with. So, I’m about to take a long-needed break for my pixel-shaped eyes, but it won’t last long and I’ll be back to the ol’ freelance grind … in between preparations for the upcoming holidays, of course.

I may be a word nerd, but my first love is art, which I’ll be expressing in the form of hand-made gifts for all my loved ones.

Is this something any of you out there do as well? Especially in light of the current economic climate, is this the first year you’ll be exploring the adage, “It’s the thought that counts” and forgoing the mall, or is this something you do every year?

I’d love to hear from readers out there. In addition to holding a BFA, I’ve always dabbled in a variety of arts and crafts, and these days it’s primarily for my own enjoyment.

But lately, with sites like Etsy.comout there, I’ve been toying with the idea of going legit and selling my creations online. Has anyone had any success, or has maybe thought of taking your creations public, for fun and/or profit?

As someone who has always followed her passion while others followed the money, I’ve had some truly hard times. In the end, however, keeping true to what inspires me always works out. Many people I’ve known have had other reasons or responsibilities that kept them from following a so-called less traveled path. But as 401ks falter and jobs seem to simply disappear into thin air, has anyone taken the opportunity to say, “Well, now what have I got to lose? There’s nothing holding me back any longer: I’m going to do XXX, something I’ve always wanted to but never was able to.” ?

I’d sure love to know, because in all the gloom-and-doom tales pervading the news today, there must be at least a few silver linings. Or, if nothing else, a few holiday creations that would otherwise have been lost in the hustle and bustle of 9-to-5.