February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Hi all,

Welcome to the February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop, featuring "Thoughtful Tidings."

Tomorrow is the big day when you too can order this first of 6 new Stamp of the Month's as the new Close to my Heart Spring/Summer Idea Book goes LIVE!

There are so many new and very fun papers, stamp sets and embellishments, but for today, we are going to show you the first SOTM from the new catalog...


This is a round robin hop, so if you have come from Nancy's Blog, you are on the right track, check out my card and candy holder and then head on over to the next blog listed below...


I created a thank you card for the leader of my daughters dance troup. She is a demonstrator for a dance group for kids and young adults with Down's Syndrome and Autism. This leader does so much for these kids, I wanted a special card to include with her gift.

The stamped image is from the SOTM and the ribbon is our Cranberry grosgrain. The large "mum" flower is created from several of our paper flowers. (Easy once you use the tutorials found on the bulletin boards.)



Next is a tiny french fry box, cut with the AP Cricut Cartridge, the perfect size to hold a Hershey's minature. Wrapped up with some twill ribbon stamped with the star from this month's SOTM. It is a perfect little something. The picture right after will show you how tiny the box is....






That's it for me, but make sure you hop on over to Judy Burger's Blog to see what she has created this month!

Goals

OK, I promised to return to day and give you my goals for the new year....

I'm calling them goals instead of resolutions since I haven't had much luck with those : )

So without further ado...here they are, in no particular order!!!


1. Move More and Eat Well...
(coined by Cathy Zielske)


I know how to do this I just have chosen not to....This year


it is becoming more of a necessity than a choice. My sugar


numbers are up as well as my weight and I just don't feel


as good as I used to. I know I'm older, but I know with a little


work, I could feel a whole lot better.



2. My Crafts need to pay for my Supplies...


This shouldn't be too hard, I just need to keep track of things


better. When I sell something, it needs to go into the account I


buy my supplies from. I am nickel and dimeing our family

account to death.


3. Support my CTMH Downline better...


I have done a horrible job with this in the past. I think since I

learned the ropes pretty much on my own, that I think everyone

likes to do it that way....This is not necessarily so, I need to

keep in touch and have routine meetings and crafting sessions

with my girls. Should help all of us with our business goals.


4. Remember my family and friends with Occasion Cards on time...


I love all my family members and friends so much, but they

would never know if by the way I remember

(or don't remember) the special events in their lives. This

year, my event calendar will get a workout and those cards

will make it on time.

5. Project Life...

I am starting Project Life this year. I have planned to do

it in the past, but just never got around to it. My title page

is almost ready, (I need some family input) and I will try

and post here often. This will also help in the "keeping in

touch with family" goal mentioned above.


6. My Mayo job...


Going way out on a limb here since this has been a goal

of mine for several year. I will get the Rolodex in working

order. I will get the pictures taken, the images gathered

and sorted and assembled in a usable product for all of us,

but mostly for my students. Also, I will submit an article

or two for publication. I have some abstracts started and I

will keep on plugging away until I get published.


7. My "Real" job....


Motherhood is what I consider my "real" job. It is the most

important thing I do and if I mess it up, then I have done

my kids a disservice. While I know that not all the

"parent-child" issues we have in our house are not my

problem alone, I think I have not appoached problems

with a calm, let's fix it demeanor, but a reactive demeanor

which just escalates the problem. I will work on that and

if I can't do it myself, I will seek out professional help.


8. Date night with my wonderful Hubby....


Even if it is just the two of us sitting down together

sans kids, or heading to our room or the hot tub to

chat, we will spend time alone together at least once

a week. It is hard to find this time some weeks, but

it will be more of a priority this year. Also, I intend

to make our home a welcoming, clean, happy place for

us to "live."

9. Church and Faith...

It is time to get a handle on what I am putting into my

relationship with my God. I am realizing that it has

been pretty much a one way street, I need to step it up,

I need to stick my neck out once in awhile, I need to

show others what my God has taught me and I need to

dig deep before I make decisions, really look for his

guidance, not use others input to make the hard decisions.

I need to show God how much he means to me and how

much his sacrifice is appreciated and revered.


10. Simplify and Live within our means.....

While I have said I would simplify before, it really

needs to be in accordance with our bank account

and our long term goals.

Nuff said!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I'm back (again), but not apologizing....I have had the best time ever with the family this year. No real big plans, just quality time spent together and making plans for next year.

Christmas we spent the day being really lazy, but got to talk to both sides of the family and play with new toys, Ian's 3DS and plan a shopping trip, to spend Leah's Christmas money, and sit in the hot tub, and by the fire and play our new favorite family game, Apples to Apples...

We cooked a prime rib on Christmas and a ham today, both were awesome and then I forced everyone to eat black eyed peas to assure us of a "lucky" new year.

Reflecting as we watched fireworks last night, we couldn't help but be a little saddened to realize that we spent last New Years Eve and Day planning to say goodbye to Bryan's dad Bill. In fact we couldn't even remember what we did last New Years Eve. (I don't think we really cared much) Then this year we lost Kathy and Bryan's mom was diagnosed with cancer....it just was a long tough year. We know with God's grace and his goodness that this year will be better.

I am starting Project Life this year and hope to share here a glimpse of how truly blessed we are and how much we have to be grateful for....

Hope to be back tomorrow with my Project Life Title Page complete with a "snapshot" of our lives right now, this minute...
Also, some goals for 2012, not resolutions....Goals!

Till then, savor every minute and make every one count,
this ride is gonna be fun!!!

TD