Hello

Happy Sunday!! I hope you are having a great weekend so far!

We have had a very busy... year ... it seems like. I ran through all of these words in my head when typing that last sentence ... weekend... week... month... few months... and year seemed to sum it up best!

Just a warning... I came back to add this sentence when I finished this post up... I am about to start rambling!!

Since I started this blog... and this hobby of crafting... I have struggled with time management. I have loved crafting so much that I really let it have too much of my time and brain space! :) As a stay at home mom of a little one... crafting was a way for me to do something for myself. I spent all day taking care of someone else... this was my outlet at night. However... it turned into me staying up way too late (still struggle with that some nights) and thinking way too much about publications, pub calls, design teams, etc... during the day! Over this past year I have done a lot of self improvements... or started on a lot of self improvements... and letting go of bad habits related to crafting were part of that. I have not applied to anymore design teams and am off of all but one (love my Avocado Arts). I have let go of the 'I have to submit and work day and night for a week or two so that maybe I will get one card into Paper Crafts' way of thinking! :) I still love Paper Crafts but I really had to get over it!! Like for reals!

I have gone back and forth with if I will start to submit again! I did submit a few cards for the latest March/April call and didn't get anything picked up. I started to resubmit them and then I finally decided that I am just done! It just isn't worth my time! And I don't mean that ugly... at all! I mean that as in my time is better spent as I have been spending it this summer... on my family/home. When I was able to make some money at it... I could really justify it more. The competition is so fierce now and it just isn't worth the stress or time! Let's face it.... there are way too many card makers out there that can kick my butt all day long! :)

That being said... it feels good to be done with that inner battle! Again... I still love Paper Crafts... if I didn't... it wouldn't have been an inner battle!! I truly think that God took the desire from me a while ago because my time for that was up... Kelley has just been trying to hang on. It feels good to just let go and trust that God knows what is best! I still want to keep up with this blog and I would still love to make money doing it (making cards/crafting)... doing what I love. I have no idea what His plans are... so for now... this is just a hobby again! I can't tell you how excited I am about that!!

So... my plan... craft for fun when I can... start catching up on my Project Life and posting those pages (I hadn't planned to share those).... and do more to promote Avocado Arts. They deserve more than I have given them so far! I am sure I will have some 'talk' posts... and who knows what else. I am really happy with my decision!! I should have quit fighting with myself a long time ago! Those of you who submit and are 'all in' to pub calls and design teams... you know what I am talking about.... hopefully! If not... you can just think I am crazy along with any non-crafty people who read this! :)

I think a good lesson out of all of this would be... sometimes it is good to step back from the things/activites (not husbands or kids... lol) that we let consume our lives and become habits. If we find that we are happier and more fulfilled during those 'down' times.... let it go permanently! Even though part of you still wants to hang on! There is a season for everything!!

Okay.... so I REALLY didn't plan to get into all of that but hey... I feel like I am starting new and as I have said before ... one of my issues that I need to work on... feeling the need to always explain myself! I obviously didn't win that battle with this post but then again... it feels good to announce to the world (aka ... the few people who read this) that this is my official fresh start! :)

So about the card... it is a super cute mini card that I made using My Minds Eye paper and washi tape. I got the hello stamp the other day out of the Target dollar bin. I thought I could use it for Project Life or for making cards.

I am going to quit typing now! If you stuck it out... love ya! :)

Peace!!