Hello my friends! I am back full force! Finally and completely back to normal. Thank goodness!


Thankful Thought: I am so happy that I can be a blessing to someone. Today I am leaving to travel to North Carolina to stay with my sister and take care of her while she recovers from back surgery. I am so blessed to have her in my life. We (as adults) have not always been super close, but we found our way back to each other a few years ago and I am so grateful for that. Don't ever take your loved ones for granted.

My lovely sister

Today's topic is My Word of the Year! I was finally able to complete my visual and I do plan to take use of it and refer to it often. I am going to be bringing you some resources with each Make It Happen post. I have found several browsing around on the net! I will keep them manageable because in my opinion too much info can be overload and cause you to not even want to take the time to look. I know that is how I am!

This is my motto this year!

And for the visual I made for myself!

Resources:
Sondra Lyn at Home

Valentine Card-Card #5

Today's Thankful Thought: Many thoughts are running through my head but the one that stands out the most is the opportunity I had today to Facetime with my dear friend Kim. I have missed her so! She is my friend that was living in Ireland for 6 months, she has been super busy jet setting around the world...she told me today she felt like she had been on a whirlwind how crazy was this...she woke up in Spain on a Friday morning and went to bed the next evening in the States...and had a jaunt to Ireland in between. Anyhow it was wonderful to be able to catch up! Although, I have to wait almost 3 more weeks before I can see her. I think I can, I think I can...said the Little Engine that Could...if he can do it so can I. Check out her blog...Sunshine, Smiles, and Cards...you will love it!

Onto today's Valentine card...I needed a super fast card to make cause I spent so much time catching up with my dear friend today. So, I went and whipped one up! Not the best but I thought it turned out okay. Also, computer glitches so no watermark today ugh!

Supplies Used:

white cardstock card base

Tim Holtz Candied Apple Distress Ink

My Favorite Things: Diagonal Stripe Background Stripe Stamp

Hello Love: Glitter Tags, Glitter Heart Stickers

Echo Park: Blowing Kisses 

I purchase all my supplies from my own store...check me out Scrapping for Less.

Thanks for joining me for today's card...remember to tune in next Wednesday for Card #6.

Valentine Series-Card #4

Today's Thankful Thought: I am thankful for good health! I did not take a turn for the better until Monday afternoon! Thus, the reason my Make It Happen-2016 post did not go up! I was down for 10 days...wow, that is a huge chunk of time lost! I felt better last Thursday and got Friday's card up but after that it was up and down so I didn't try to do anything else. So, I am afraid my Make It Happen-2016 series is going to drag on into February. I have lots of things I wanted to do and post but getting back in the swing of things is going to take several days! It about took everything out of me to get the card made for today's post. But, I got it done!

Onto today's Valentine card...The bits and pieces I picked out of the last card were still laying on my desk so I used them to make the shaker card for today's card.

Supplies Used: 

 

My Favorite Things: Square Frames Dies, Pink Lemonade Cardstock

Lawn Fawn: Critters in the Arctic Stamp and Die Set

LaLaLand: Stitched Elements

Echo Park: Blowing Kisses Paper Pad

Copic Markers

White Card Base

 

I hope you enjoyed the card and will join me on Friday for Card #5.  Have a fabulous day!

Valentine Series-Card #3

Today's Thankful Thought: I am thankful for my dentist who was able to discern immediately what was wrong. I had some dental work last Thursday and have increasingly felt bad/sick since Friday...it got really bad on Monday so Tuesday morning when I wasn't feeling better I called the office...he called in an antibiotic and wanted to see me today, took one x-ray and one quick peek back by the tooth and knew immediately what the problem was and how to fix it! So, this is the reason for the missed post on Wednesday. Hopefully, I am on the mend and can get some cards made and posts scheduled so I am not always scrambling!

Onto today's Valentine card...I purchased several Valentine card making supplies recently when I put in an order. So my basket of supplies overfloweth! With my time limited to get this card made this afternoon and my energy a bit depleted I grabbed some of the items that would make for an easy card. I love how it turned out.

 

Supplies Used: 

 

My Favorite Things: XO Cover Up Die, Heart Balloons Stamp Set, Pink Lemonade Cardstock

Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Spun Sugar, Festive Berries, Picked Raspberries

Tim Holtz Watercolor paper

Doodlebug: Lovebug Paper

 

 

 

My card is also up on the blog over at Scrapbook Blessings Club, head on over there and take a look around. Lots of great things to find!

 

I hope you enjoyed the card and will join me next Wednesday for Card #4.  Have a fabulous day!

Make It Happen-Part 3

Well, well, well....my oh my...sometimes things just don't go quite the way you think they should go! I had high hopes and aspirations for what I wanted to get done this weekend...my body had other plans though. I had some dental work last Thursday and have felt kind of crappy since. But, I decided to not let that stop my blog posting schedule.

I did manage to get this done last Thursday morning before the dentist, so I do feel a bit on track. Also since this glitch I am going to turn Make It Happen-2016 into a month long series on Mondays. So, that helps my slow moving/processing nature get in the groove! Afterall, that is what January is for right? Getting in the groove of a new year.

So, let's get into the gist of the post:
              I use an Erin Condren planner and there is a note sheet at the beginning of each month. With
             some inspiration from a person in one of my FB groups I decided to use that sheet as a goal
             for the month. So here's to January: already making some process on this month's goals so
             that makes a gal feel good!

 

 

Also from one of my FB groups I came across a printable from this website . I got busy last week (also a bit behind) but I am accepting the fact that is my nature...getting into the groove of things slowly, and I purchased a journal and got it set up to start with this journey.

 

So far, so good!

 

 

 Stay Tuned for Part IV of the Make It Happen series next Monday.

Just in case you would like easy access...other parts to this series are linked below.
Part 1
Part 2

Valentine Series-Card 2

Today's Thankful Thought: I am so thankful for all the card makers that share their talent on YouTube. That is a huge source of inspiration for me. If you are looking for card/scrapbook making inspiration I would highly recommend heading on over there and just do some browsing around! But, be careful cause it can be quite addicting.

Onto today's Valentine card...I had this stamp set with all sorts of different patterned hearts in it and when I was gathering my supplies for this series immediately upon seeing it this idea popped in my head. It is refreshing when ideas just seem to come to you and it takes little to no effort to create something.

4

Supplies Used: 

Inkadinkadoo: Hearts Stamp Set

My Favorite Things: Heart Banner Stamp and Die

Distress Ink

Doodlebug: Lovebug Paper

Lawn Fawn: Stitched Labels Die

Ribbon from my stash

VersaMark ink Pad

White Embossing Powder

Procedure: I placed all the hearts from the Inkadinkadoo stamp set on a large block and stamped with the VersaMark ink pad. I then sprinkled white detail embossing powder on them and heat set the whole panel. Next, I used a paint brush and some various pink distress ink colors to color the background. I used very little water as it was not watercolor paper. I then stamped and colored the little girl. ( I so need to practice getting that die/image part correct) but oh well I wasn't going to completely start over! I used Copic Markers to color her. I die cut the label and stamped one of the sentiments that came with the MFT stamp on and then edged it with some light pink cat's eye ink. I layered everything together and adhered to a white top folding card. I used a very pale pink ink color to stamp her inside and added the other sentiment. 

I hope you enjoyed the card and will join me next Wednesday for Card #3. I promise I will do way better at listing specific supplies. Have a great day!

Valentine Series Card 1

Good Wednesday Morning! How are you this fine morning? Well, it is a bit chilly here in sunny central Florida. However, after a record warm year (according to the weather people) I guess a bit cooler weather is okay for a change even for this hot weather gal! After all that is why people live in Florida right? Beaches (although I only get their a couple times a year), Palm trees, long walks in the wonderful sunshine, picnics in the park....well you get it! That is what Florida is all about!

However, I guess we must have some kind of winter. And winter leads to my second favorite holiday! Valentine's Day! So, to kick off that this year and my renewed, consistent outlook on my entire life I am doing a Valentine Day card series in conjunction with my friend Kim. You can find her blog here. I am very excited to be able to have the opportunity and energy to get this series going!

So here is my first card! Since I was on the tale end of Christmas card creating when Kim and I decided to do this series all of that stuff was on my scrap table! So, I decided to see if I could create a Valentine card using all Christmas supplies. I do think it turned out quite cute!

Supplies Used:

Studio Magical 6x6 Paper Pad

Lawn Fawn Snow Day Stamp Set

My Favorite Things Die-Namics Peek A Boo Circle Die Set

All Supplies were purchased through my own store 

Scrapping for Less

I have also shared this card/post over @ Scrapbook Blessings Club. If you are not a member of the club go check it out there are great tutorials and even a Facebook group where you can share and interact with other crafters.

Make It Happen-2016 Part 2

How is everyone doing? Goal setting? Is it overrated? There are tons and I mean tons of goal setting blog posts and everyone talks about making/creating goals for the New Year. Well, here is my opinion in a nutshell, my .02 worth, take it or leave it!

Goals are only helpful if you do something to work towards completing them. I was cleaning my scrap room today and found my goals I had written out at the beginning of 2015...well I tucked them away not to even lay eyes on them again until today...so what good did that do?

I had every intention of having my goals all ready for public eyes to see...I have to make them all pretty...or they will get tucked away again and I will be in the same boat again next year.

And sometimes goals come out of nowhere in the middle of the year you didn't realize were even going to materialize...and right there you have to stop and do something about it! This past year in March my good friend Kim and her husband found out they were going to move to Ireland in July for 6 months, well when I was lamenting to my hubby how much I was going to miss her so he suggested that I go visit her. WOW! Talk about something I never even thought about happening at the onset of 2015.

So, with that I am deciding to cut myself some slack and quit beating myself up about the lack of progress on my goals for 2015.

With that being said, 2016 is happening and happening right now! My hubby has been on vacation since December 18 and just went back to work today, so needless to say my normal routine was in a total disruption. I spent today getting several things back in order, making several videos I have been meaning to make and doing paperwork for my business. Therefore, the goal setting prettiness did not happen yet, my planner didn't get set up yet, and I did not stop all day! However, I did get this printed out and ready so I can laminate and put in my planner.

So, stay tuned to Part 3 of Make It Happen-2016...I will put it up as a bonus post this week on Thursday. Thanks for reading my ramblings!

Make It Happen-2016 Part 1

I blatently stole borrowed..(heehee) this photo from a friend's share on FB! This
says it all for me!

Well 2015 sure didn't go like I planned. I started out with a bang and had so many aspirations and I totally failed to bring any of them to completion. Am I a failure?

No, I don't think so, just a work in progress...and that is what I truly need to do is progress with myself! So, I know I started out the beginning of 2015 with a great huge aspiration that things were going to be different this year...for myself, my own personal goals, and this blog...well guess what they weren't. But I am thankful that God is the God of new beginnings!

First off, I want to begin with the many wonderful and fabulous things that happened to me this past year.

I celebrated 40 years of marriage with this wonderful man.

The love of my life!

I was fortunate to have my son completely remodel my walk in closet which gave me a beautiful make-up space.

My wonderful son!

I deepened several personal relationships.

My good friend Kim

Amanda (daughter) and Theresa (daughter in law)

my sister Beth

Trevor...my youngest grandson

Tyler...my oldest grandson

        and all the grands in between!







I was able to travel not only to 1 foreign country but 2!...the second one being one I have dreamed of going to for almost 20 years.

I have been able to visit my father often this year.

I have continued living my dream of being a SAHW and owning my own business.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/372187582880346/

Next, I want to share with you several resources that I used to do this next part. Reflection of who I am, what I need to do, and how I need to get there to make for a better year than last year. You see I really like blogging and sharing my thoughts and creations...I realized today in preparing some of these resources that I often get off track because I let outside things in my life (of which I have no control over) affect my mood and productivity. Well....that is going to stop and stop today! So, I began this process by joining this Facebook Group TheResetGirl's Goal Getter Club...I used resources found within the file section of that group to answer some questions and set some goals. Then, I went to this blog...she has a series on goal setting, be sure to read all of the parts. I created this Pinterest board today but will also create a visual goal board for myself to be able to look at without going to the computer. 

Finally, I would like to share some encouragement with everyone...regardless of where you are with the goals you have set for your life...you can take control and do something about it! Be in control! Because you can bring a fresh and renewed perspective anytime and anywhere!

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of the Make It Happen-2016 series...on Monday, January 4th.