Goodbye 2010- Hello 2011

Hello everyone! Regrettably, I haven't much in the way of photos to post for you. With the holidays, I've been so busy working at Sublime and trying to get all the Christmas and my Husband's birthday shopping done that I don't have anything to show for it. OH well.

I had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I hope you do, too, and I hope you got everything for Christmas you wanted! I was incredibly blessed!! My New Year wasn't too eventful. It was my Husband's birthday, so we had dinner and opened presents with my parents since his family doesn't do much with birthdays. Then, we came home and just watched a movie and some TV. Fun, huh? Yeah, I think we are getting old! ;)

Anyway, I finally have a day to myself. My husband was off for the weekend, and we did a lot together- playing Wii, hanging out, cooking, cleaning. . .you know. Today, I have a million things to do including taking down the Christmas decorations. This part always makes me sad. Christmas snuck up on me this year, and now, it is all over. Very sad as it is my favorite time of year. . .the music, the decorations, the happiness that is very contagious! Oh well. Time goes on. Along with taking down decorations, I have to find my art room again (it got buried under Christmas wrapping!), go to the bank, and send off some Etsy orders!

Speaking of Etsy, I have bittersweet reactions to my shop at the moment. Yes, I'm making sales, however, what is selling is NOT my cards or my paintings. It is. . .. (wait for it). . . . .Baker's twine. Yes! Can you believe it??? My baker's twine is selling the most. I originally bought the baker's twine for my Christmas presents. The cheapest I found the twine had so much on the roll, I decided to sell it to! CRAZINESS! It is selling like crazy! I love that, but it saddens me that people are in my shop- yet they aren't buying my cards! *sniff* I guess that just means I need to step up my card making! I'm way behind too! I need to get some Valentine's made, so I can move on to other upcoming holidays. (On a happier note, my cards are selling great at Sublime where they have allowed me to set up a small area for my cards! They made great add-ons to the boxes of Chocolate we sell!!! Woo-hoo!)

Ok, so the end of 2010 hasn't been so bad, but the rest of the year TOTALLY had its ups and downs. More downs, though, I'm afraid. It wasn't the best year of my life. Instead of dragging out the whole story (which will make me cry), let's just say I lost my job and too many friends this year because of a simple misunderstanding. I guess what is done is done. God has a better plan for my life. Maybe he was just weeding out the people in my life that weren't good for me, and I was just too blind to see it. It is a blow, though. Painful experiences that I would rather not EVER go through again. However, in the mist of those troubling times and experiences, I've learned a lot. I guess, in the end, that is all that matters! Hopefully, I will take these lessons and move on with life!

Yes, 2010 brought me some bad times that turned into learning experiences, but I also had good times. I now work at Sublime Chocolate in Allen! Which, by the way, I LOVE. I might even get to learn how to make the chocolates in addition to selling them! Woo-hoo! Total dream! I love sweets and baked goods as most of you know. To learn how to make these gourmet and absolutely delicious chocolates would be a dream come true!!

Also, this year, I got to go to Disney World with a great friend. Not only did that planning and trip expand our friendship, we had a fabulous time. One neither of us will forget! It was fantastic! Also, I met some other great people online through the DISboards where I was posting my planning report and my Trip Report. I can't complain on that front! What a fun experience!!!!

Ok, so I say "thanks, 2010," as I push it out the door. Hello 2011- where things will be different! May God bless you and your family this year! Remember that He is coming soon! Take inventory of your life. . .are you living for Him or the world??

God Bless you!

New items in my Etsy Shop

Hello! It is that crazy time of year! I'm trying to hold down two part-time jobs, Christmas shop, make dinner each night and run my Etsy shop! Busy, busy here!!!

I wanted to show you all the newest items that are or will be added to my store.How adorable is she?? She is a stamp from the Greeting Farm! I'm so addicted to their stamps! They are so much fun, and so stinkin' cute!!!!!

I made some gift tags for the holiday season! You get a set of 12 for $5.50! Not bad!!

Finally, this card was just fun from start to finish! The girl is a digi stamp from KennyK. His stamps are so much fun! He just put out some supper sexy racer girls! His Christmas stuff is cute and sexy at the same time, and they are even a little retro! I LOVE them!!! Stay tuned for some more!

Etsy Shop is Open!!!

I just opened my Etsy Shop! I also made my first sale today! I'm so excited! I'm off to make more cards to sell! Woot Woot!

Aren't these cute???? You can win them on Gossamer Creations' blog! Just leave a comment! She makes a ton of beautiful things! Check out here Etsy shop, too!

My first day at Sublime Chocolate was a lot of fun! I learned so much! I'm back this morning for espresso training! Should be interesting! I think this will be a great place to work- especially around Christmas time! :)

Part time job starts tomorrow!

Yes, you heard correctly. I start my new part time job tomorrow. I will be working at Sublime Chocolate here in Allen! I'm very excited! This will be a new experience for me- way out of my comfort zone. I've never worked in the food industry, but I can't think of a better place to start than in a chocolate shop. These chocolates are DIVINE! They melt in your mouth and have the most interesting hints of flavor! It will be hard not to eat them all the time. . .

Not much else here. Just getting ready to open my Etsy store and working on my 2 part time jobs. I have an interview at Starbucks on Monday. We'll see how that goes! This weekend, I'm going to a craft fair with my mom, and then, she is going to take me a skate shop and get my fitted for roller derby skates and gear!!! She said she will get it for me for my birthday! I can't wait. As soon as I get the gear, I get to start attending practices! It looks hard, but it will be so much fun! I can't wait! Here are the skates I want:
AWESOME! Can't wait!

Art, cards, and Rangers!

Good morning! I'm really trying to make my blog more active. I know I always say that, but I really am going to try!!

First, I've made some Christmas cards that will eventually make their way into Etsy shop once I get it open!! Here they are!
Obviously, I've been going for the non-traditional Christmas look. I love the retro color combination of pink, teal, and lime green. I just wanted to catch the eye of different crowds! (They aren't too bad, however, I think I may need to shot pictures of them instead of scanning them. They look a little flat and lifeless this way. If I shoot a picture of them, they might look more appealing. Hmm. . .)

Next, I've been taking a class by Tam, aka Willowing. It is called Art, Heart, and Healing. She is offering it free!! She is an amazing artist and person! Check out her website here!! I found her videos on YouTube a couple years ago, and I've been hooked every since!! You can join her Free class here on her ning site! She is incredible! You must try out her class. She will be offering a new class in January as well!

In Tam's class, we are healing through art. I'm nearly two weeks behind on my projects, but that doesn't matter. Week 1's assignment was to create an art journal entry. We wrote our 'inner critic' feelings on the journal page, gessoed over it, and then painted a portrait that was represent us even if it didn't look just like us! Then, we had to reverse all the negative things we say to ourselves daily, and put that sentence on the page facing the portrait! Great stuff, Tam! Here is mine:

One final note! The Rangers play game 3 of the World Series tonight. They had some trouble in San Fransisco, so I just want to say:

GO RANGERS!

NaNoWriMo, etc

Ok, a little over two days until NaNoWriMo, and I still have NO plot! Well, that's not entirely true. I have a whiff of an idea, but I haven't fleshed it out yet. I picked it up in the Adoption Society on the NaNoWriMo forums. I don't want to tell you all yet. I want to see what little interesting tid bits I can add to my idea before the fateful day of Monday. . .dun-dun-DUN. . .November 1 rolls around! I really would like to give this a good shot this year. I just don't feel completey ready. Oh well-perhaps it is like having a baby. . .you never are completely ready!

Speaking of Baby. . .yeah. . .no! Nothing on that front yet!

I'm still looking for a job. I applied at Sublime Chocolate here in Allen yesterday! Still keeping my fingers crossed they will call. What fun would that be? I think working there would be so incredibly enjoyable! And so up my alley! We'll see. (Of course, this afternoon, I had to watch Chocolat! If you haven't seen that movie, you must!!)

Not much else going on for me. I'm working to get things ready to open a shop on Etsy soon. I hope it does well. I have some cards made, but I need to make more. I've ordered some shipping supplies, and as soon as they arrive, I will be in business! *squeal!!!*

Chicken Marsala for dinner tonight. Yummy. Kevin and I will just chill and go to bed early because we both didn't get enough sleep last night- went to bed too late and up too early. Fun Fun!

Oh, and tomorrow, I will make some pumpkin bread and some pumpkin dip! It is perfect weather for both! Yum yum!

Take care all you beautiful people! Hopefully, I'll have some art and cards to post soon!