New Year's Eve 2016

It's hard to believe that I am entering my 5th year blogging about my so-called life and my love for handmade cards. I usually like to share a valuable lesson that I learned the past year. Right now, I am at a loss for words. The year went by way too quickly. I think even much quicker than the previous years. Oh well, getting older is definitely not for the faint of heart. Let me back up, getting older while watching your children get older is very challenging. Trying to educate while learning to let go? Definitely not for sissies! I am so fortunate though, to have such amazing kids. Sometimes, it surprises me that they are mine. Haha. Being with my son and listening to him talk about his passion for dance and self-expression is definitely very inspiring. His dream is for schools and society as a whole to recognize dance as a form of art and include it in their curriculums. He explained to me that he is not a dancer. He is a choreographer, a teacher and a motivator. This kid hustles like you won't believe to make his dreams come true. He truly makes me proud every single day. He definitely has a lot to learn about life, but I personally think he is on the right track. 

My daughter loves music. She loves musical instruments and she tells me all the time that being in Marching Band and Drum Line are the two things that get her up every morning to go to school. I wish she'd love school more, but to have that kind of passion for music at an age when it's so easy to just go online is very inspiring. Practices and competitions for band are very rigorous. Yet, she shows-up every single time while making sure she has good grades.  

I don't believe in resolutions anymore. I believe that when people want to change something about themselves, it's irrelevant when or where they want to make it happen. However, this year I will do my best to hustle more, to create more and to inspire more people to be creative. 

I CASED this calendar from my Upline, Karen Flores. I just changed the colors. I love red and black, don't you? We made this in our Giftables class and everybody loved it. 

Well, this is it - my final blog post for 2015. I wish you all the best of everything in the coming new year! 

Late Christmas 2015

I meant to post on Christmas morning, but I got up a little later than usual. I also cooked brunch for my family, since my son was home for a few days. It was wonderful to eat together and my kids enjoyed french toast and bacon. Then we went to see the new Star Wars movie and that was that...our Christmas was over. It was an awesome Christmas - just to wake-up that morning and find my children asleep in their room was priceless. I want more days like that. 

I took the day off today and so I have all day to putz around the house and be a complete bum. Actually, I started early by updating my planner and also starting a brand new Address Book. Oh yeah, I keep an Address Book - religiously! They still do exist just like my planner. I am very particular though. I only use the brand/artist, Lang. My old one was twelve years old. It was still in good condition, but it really bothers me when people move and I have to cross their old addresses. It makes me look sloppy, and I sure don't want that. So, this way - it's clean and on to a new year, right? Yep, I have issues. Smile.

I want to share this adorable goodie bags I made for my co-workers. I used the Gift Bag Punch Board (135862) to make the smallest bag. I was able to fit in a few Ghirardelli Squares inside. I also tried and you can put EOS lip balm and even a mini sanitizer inside. What a cute idea, right? And oh so simple to make. I think for Valentine's Day, I can use the same concept and just change the colors. 

Well, that's all for today...back to my recorded Hallmark movies. Thank you for stopping by.

To order products to create the adorable bags above, please click below. You can even conveniently print the Supply List on the bottom left corner. 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Catching Up to Christmas

I apologize for being MIA the past month or so. This is my favorite time of the year and also my busiest. Every year I make it a goal to be more prepared. But no, it never happens. I am exhausted, yet I cannot afford to slow down. I was somewhat under the weather for a few weeks and just self-medicated in order to keep chugging along. I am so ready for a few days off during the holidays.

I must admit that aside from being preoccupied with work and holiday stuff, I'd been feeling a little bit melancholic. I made a conscious decision to step away from Facebook. It was draining away my diminishing strength and I thought I'd try to disconnect. It has been a month since I logged-out and I have not missed it at all. My birthday came and went very quietly. I've never been one to make a big deal or to fret over getting older. However, I noticed that as I was approaching my recent birthday, I just had this dark cloud over me. I was easily irritated, bitter and just plain sad. I didn't much mind turning forty-five, but the thought of turning fifty in five years just made me feel crappy. 

Before Thanksgiving last year, I was very restless and anxious. I just needed to change something in my life. It felt like I was in a rut and I didn't like feeling that way. So, on one ordinary Saturday morning, I walked in to my hair stylist's salon and told him to chop off my hair. Just like that. He shook his head at first and asked me a couple of times if I was sure. I said, yes. I want it gone. I don't want to feel it on my neck and on my face. An hour later, I had this what's called "pixie cut", aka boy's cut. I enjoyed the ease and freedom for a few months. Then decided to grow it all back. So for the past year, that was the goal - grow my hair back long enough to be able to put them up. Because being in a rut is something I'd gotten good at. I don't know why I even try. Aughh!

For a few months I contemplated on leaving my job. I received a good offer from a bigger company with an almost comparable pay to my current one. Although I knew it was not a great offer (not one I can't refuse, so to speak), it didn't matter. I was so excited for a while about the thought of the unknown. The possibility of a new adventure gave me butterflies in my tummy. I was nervous, but in a good way, you know? In the end, after weighing my pros and cons, I stayed. I only allowed myself three days to mope around and sort of regret not leaving. After that, I focused my energy on our Company Holiday Party. That was when and where I realized why I am still here after eleven or so years. More than anything, I truly work for my employees. They are the reason why I do what I do. I work with such an amazing group of people. They are dedicated, hard workers and good-hearted individuals. I am so fortunate to know them. 

I CASED this card directly out of the Holiday catalog: Flurry of Wishes stamp set and coordinating Snow Flurry punch, Pool Party, Tip Top Taupe and Whisper White cardstocks 

I CASED this card directly out of the Holiday catalog: Your Presents stamp set and coordinating Holidays Fancy Foil Designer Vellum, Soft Sky and Whisper White cardstocks.
Kissing Technique - learned from 2015 Stampin' Up! Convention

It's Christmas Eve and I still have lots of gift wrapping to do. I am so excited to see my son tonight. I have not seen him since July and I have really missed him. 

Well, thank you for stopping by. Merry Christmas, everyone!

December 2015 Paper Pumpkin

One of the things I love about Paper Pumpkin is the element of surprise. It's like Christmas every month waiting for it. So far, I have always been pretty happy with the kits. This month's kit though...I really LOVE and wish Stampin' Up! would make the refills available to order soon.  

I hope you are already a Paper Pumpkin subscriber. If not, it is never too late to join the fun and creativity in a box. 

Please subscribe by January 10th in order to receive next month's kit by going to mypaperpumpkin.com and please remember to choose me as your Demonstrator: Melinda Pascual.

Thank you for stopping by!