Where To Start!

 

 I know that your all wondering where I have been right! Lol. Well Christmas was

 great with family but after the New Year we all became really sick with a nasty

  flu virus. We are on the mend now and finally getting back to our old selves. My

 Christmas decorations are still not down. Yes I know! Time to get it down.

 We are doing it this afternoon actually. Things have been extremely busy here

 now that school is back in session but it has been a very slow process

 with us both not feeling well. I had so many things that needed working

 on and changing for this New Year, and like this devotion below

 states, I turned around and January was more than half over.

 

 I sat down  to my table and held my head in my hands feeling extremely overwhelmed

 and not sure if I had what it took to get the old gusteo back again. With other things

 in my life having more importance and family life needing more of my time

 and focus, my creative life had walked out the door. Some of you may

 have noticed that I didn't share a Clear Dollar Stamps Release this month

 and that is because I needed to take a break from creating for Design Team

 commitments.

 

 My need to create for commitments when my mojo was very low,  made it such a

 chore  to do and not enjoyable like normally. Don't get me wrong design team work is

 amazing  and such a blessing, but when other things need to be completed and you

 know that your creating with only half your heart, you know your not being fair to the   
team and yourself. So in saying that, I have decided to take a break from design team

work and  Guest Design work. My goal is to only create when I have the time and to do

 it without no obligations. To create for me and to really enjoy the process. Now if my
 creations fit into some contest where I can win more supplies than fine, but  if not, no

 big deal! 

 So there will be times when there will be post that share cards and layouts. Other times
 there may be other crafts shared, or maybe just some encouragement for the day. Then
 there will be days that I am just having a break from blogging & working on other
 home projects.......such has the book that I am writing. I know that this is where God
 wants my focus right now, but other things that I love to do seems to get in the way.
 Like I was reminded by a sermon by our Pastor during a summer service, the things
 we love are not bad, but sometimes we need to place those things to the side and focus
 on what God is calling us to do. So I guess that is what is in front of me right now,
 Homeschooling, and writing!! And if creating happens in between then that is great
 and if not, no big  deal.
 
 So there you have it! I hope that you plan to stick around and if not that is okay too. I
 pray that you will be blessed with the inspiration of others and also that your New Year
 is off to a great start with loads of focus and goals that are being met.

 Okay I am off to take down my Christmas Tree. Lol.

 Blessings
 Dana ..... Just wanted to share this word of encouragement below.

 

When You're Not Sure What To Do Next... The New Year comes and we have high hopes. Yet soon after the ball drops our expectations can too. Reality hits and our good intentions can be dashed with one question:  What do I do next? We look around and the possibilities can be   overwhelming. So we freeze. Then life gets busy and before we know it the pages of the calendar have turned.  But it can be different for you. What do you do? The next  thing. Solomon, that wise king, said this: "Whatever your  hand finds to do, do it with all your might" Eccl. 9:10.  Here's what I think is the smartest part: If it's something  your hands find to do it means it's right in front of you.  What's right in front of you today? That's where you start.  Stretch out your hands, open your heart and do one little  thing. Just the next thing. You've got five minutes. Ready set go... - Devotional encouragement by Holley Gerth  For more words of hope and encouragement from Holley, visit  her blog Heart to Heart with Holley and subscribe to receive free  devotional emails.

Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop

Yay! Another opportunity to see some amazing new stamps just released by Hero Arts. It all starts tomorrow at the Hero Arts blog and of course there are prizes as well. Make sure to join in the fun all week long.

Happy New Year

Hi Everyone:

Just wanted to share some of my favorite cards of 2012. So I guess you would say that this is a "Year In Review" sort of post today. I had so much fun making these cards and I hope that you were inspired by my creativity and imagination.

January

 

February

 

 

March

 

 

April

 

 

 

May

 

 

June

 

 

July

 

 

September

 

 

October

 

 

November

 

 

Love this Santa Bag!

 

 

December

 

So those are my favorites of this year. I could have added a couple more but I think this is good. I want to thank you all so much for coming here and visiting me and giving me so much support. I won 't lie, this year has been a difficult year for me and most days my mojo was totally out the window. But it was the kind words of so many of you that helped me to push forward and commit to the goals that I wanted to reach. So without you and my faith in God, who provides me with strength even when I don't have any of my own, I would not have made it through another blogging year and a year of fun and imaginative creations. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love you all. Wishing you much happiness, laughter, and love in this new year.

 

Big Hugs

Dana