A Little Love, A Little Resolve, and A Challenge (FMS #16), Personal Challenge (PC#1)

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Hey y'all.

Do you make resolutions for the New Year?

I try not to really make resolutions for the new year anymore. Know why? Let me tell you. I've discovered in my 29 years here on this earth, *tee-hee-hee* Why, yes I do have 29 years here on this blasted earth, Thank you very much, now where was I? Oh, yes- I've discovered in my 29 years here, that resolutions are very much like diets, in that we start out with the best of intentions only to break them because, lets face it, they probably weren't very realistic to start with in the first place, and then because we feel so very bad about the fact that we let ourselves down by breaking our resolutions, we indulge ourselves in something totally in-appropriate and usually start ourselves in a downward spiral of overindulgence that leads to self loathing that can take months at the gym and months in the wallet to recover from. You can stop with the vigorous head nodding now, because I know you know exactly what I mean.

So instead of making firm resolutions each year I simply resolve to try... To try and do more, to do better, well, u get the idea. It's just so much easier that way. If I mess up I haven't failed, I tried, maybe I just need to try a little more.

Some things I'm going to try this year, I'll put it out there for everyone to see- after all, if no-one knows then it's a little easier to not try as hard.

With regards to my little blog here- 1- I'd like to enter a challenge a week. It may not always happen, but it's a nice goal. 2- Try to keep up with the EWT's. There again, may not always happen, in fact may not happen this week due to all the things going on in my life right now, but like I said the goal is to TRY. 3- Post at least 3 times a week. Should be easy, that's where I'm at now. 4- Increase my followers- Don't really know how to do that other than to just keep doing what I'm doing. Am at 4 on Google now. I know I have more that follow me in readers but no way to check that. Maybe I should change that to more page hits, hmmmm.

In life- The usual- 1- Take better care of my self, Make time for myself. 2- Make my finances a priority so I can sell my house and buy a condo & start saving more for retirement. 3-Work on my Stampin'Up business 4-Finish my first novel (I'm half way through and start the second one (plot already started) 5-Work on finishing the degree I really don't want so I can have it out of the way to pursue other options 6- Look at other life/career options

For Fun- 1- Make more time for Friends and Family 2- Make more time for stamping and other creative ventures 3- work on other blogs

Wow! Maybe I should have put sleep in there somewhere!

Well, to work on Numero Uno up there way at the top I have a new challenge entry. Now I know I had intended to show you a card with product from the new Mini in it but I saw this challenge and new what I wanted to do and so the other card will get posted tomorrow. In fact it will get done today for a scheduled post for tomorrow, so I hope you'll forgive me. It's just when I do previews, the preview gets all the hits and the blog post never gets hit, so I feel like the doing the post is kind of not needed. Know what I mean? ):

Here's the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches-

Pretty simple and straightforward, and I knew right away exactly what I wanted to do, colors and everything. Love it when that happens. It almost worked out that way too. I had hoped to use my new heart framelets, but too big, but I used some leftover pieces I had from a swap and I'm so happy with how it turned out. Ready for the card? Here it is-

Do you love it? I LOVE it! So quick and simple and yet so striking. I tell you what, I would love to receive this card for valentines or just anytime. Also, I think it's a great masculine card, even though that's not the direction I was going with it when I started. And I just looked at the other cards that have been submitted and none of the other cards look anything like mine. Yea Me! Ok- Basic recipe- Basic Black card base 4 1/4 x 8 1/2 folded in 1/2 to make a square then layers of Real Red and Whisper White with the Whisper White going thru the Big Shot and the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder (love that one). They are separated by a band of Basic Black and Real Red. The individual layers are all Tombowed together and then separated by dimensionals. The final touch is the three little hearts punched out of Red Glimmer Paper with the small heart punch and popped up with dimensionals.

Here's the inside-

I added one small glimmer heart and left the rest blank. I could be "artistic" and say "I left it that way for the sender to write their message of love", but truth be told. I'm waiting for my new Valentine's stuff to arrive from SU. (:

What do you think? I hope you like it. I like it so much I think I'm going to make it one of my Valentine's Day StampCamp cards (with one of the new Occasions Mini Stamps inside of course). Quick, Easy, Big Shot, Punches, Occasion items, Pretty, what's not to love, right?

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I hope it inspires you to create and to maybe do a sketch challenge yourself.

Card recipe-
Cardstock- Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White. Glimmer Red
Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
Punch- Sm Heart
Accessories- Tombow Adhesive

And for those of you who have read my recent posts- I have been able to get my follow up appt. moved up to tomorrow afternoon so I should have some news one way or another then. All prayers and positive thoughts to this point have been appreciated and any more would be so as well. Here's a little video for you....
He says- I know that I can count on you like 4-3-2, you'll be there, cuz that what friends are sposed to do. This is especially for my sister who is taking the afternoon off to sit with me at the radiology department tomorrow afternoon just in case and for any and all of you who have ever said quiet prayers and thoughts for me or those important in your life. Enjoy-

Till next time,

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It