Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday season, and now that the kids are back to school, everything will get back to normal (whatever that is).  It seems like everyone I know is sick with the flu,  and most of them are going back to school still sick, including some of our teachers.  I know that every time I go north to visit relatives for the holidays, I come back sick, and usually spend my New Years in bed.  I didn’t travel this year, and I’m not sick, and have not gotten this flu yet (knock on wood), so things are good!  I hope those of you that are feeling ill, will quickly feel better.

Well, with a New Year, comes evaluation and resolutions to make changes to improve your life.  I have one that has been on my list for the last two years, which was to find an attorney and take care of living wills and trusts and add my kids to my deeds and such.  Another repeated one is to relax more, and I’m not talking lifestyle, because my husband affords me a great one.  I’ve read and reread "Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff" and it makes sense when I read it, but I don’t put it into practice, and I worry and preoccupy myself with every little detail you can imagine. 

I also want to get back into shape, toning and exercising more often. I was doing well from last year’s NY list, which was to work out and get healthy for the April cruise we took.  After that, I went on a leave of absence from my gym. So I started running around the lake again, and I also finally broke down and paid more for my WII FIT than it’s worth, but I can tell you that I’m unable to walk or sit down on the potty (its kind of like falling onto it) today because I did too many lunges yesterday for my thighs to handle.   

I also put reading more often on my list, although the past year I’ve become a more frequent reader, especially with my Kindle. Anyway, I read three more books since Christmas, two of which I purchased with a gift card to Barnes and Noble, and one on my Kindle.  I just love spending 8.99 for a book!  I’ve opted for more books and less card and scrapbook magazines.  Ok, so not really.  I’m just reading more books. 

I’ve got some on my list about improving my relationships, especially with my immediate family members.  And lastly, I think that now more than ever with the current state of the economy,  creating a budget, paying off my credit cards from last year’s IRS tax bill, and putting more of my money into retirement has become a higher priority.   With this comes a lot of groundwork which I’ve never done the homework for.  I never shop with lists, never had a budget before, and we pretty much buy what we want, eat out whenever we want, and go wherever we want.  Yes, I’m very grateful.  But I’ve got MORE than a latte factor going on here.  lol  

So, this process has led me to a very difficult  and painful decision.  I’m not one to throw in the towel especially when there is passion involved!  And believe me, there is a lot of happiness and passion involved.  I have decided to stop being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator effective January 15th.  My website at Stampin’ Up! will go away at that time.  I really tried from the onset, and in so many ways to make this a business for myself.  I created classes, demonstrations, open houses, hostess parties and attended craft fairs.  I spent a lot of time and even more money on my projects, both websites, supplies, tools, the products for classes, tons of marketing materials, catalogs, bags, etc.  You name it, I have given it a try.   I definitely applied my optimism and took the "If you build it, they will come" approach, and made sure that I had all the latest and greatest and remained creative at all times showing off the stuff I love.  I see people doing it successfully so I know it can be done, but personally, I’m not willing to wait 5-7 or more years to make it happen. Anyway, it turns out that this just isn’t the right business for me, no matter how much I love it. 

I haven’t decided what to do with Paper Charms yet.  I have some more ground work to do about changing it from a LLC to a sole proprietorship, and if that can be done with ease, I may keep it.  I’d like to use my stash of products, and see if I can make a go of selling finished product in an online store. I own the company name and all the domains as well, so we’ll see. 

I’m happy to report that at least I will be going to the beaches in Maui, Hawaii in September with my husband by using one of our Marriott timeshares!  I’ve wanted to go my whole life, and can’t wait.  I hope it’s as romantic as it is in my head!  

Well, romance is just around the corner, isn’t it?  Valentine’s Day is our next big holiday to celebrate.  We have a tradtion of having an entirely RED day, with our clothes, our decorations and candles, and everything we eat!  It’s kind of fun, and my son still doesn’t know how in the world I can make heart-shaped pancakes in the morning with Strawberry syrup!  lol  Anyway,  here’s a card using the new "Love You Much Bundle", which you can download the flyer to here.  Enjoy!

Love Card

	Stamps *  Love You Much Bundle Paper * Old Olive card stock * Riding Hood Red card stock * Very Vanilla card stock Ink * Riding Hood Red Classic   Stampin’ Pad * Old Olive Stampin’ Write marker Accessories * Stampin’ Dimensionals * Scallop Edge punch * Sewing machine and thread

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