Friday, December 31, 2010

Best Wishes

The New Year is upon us...can you believe it! I hope everyone had the Merriest of Merriest Holidays this year! I can certainly say we sure did. Great family time, great friend time and super awesome food time. Way too much food time! lol! (which I will be working off all of 2011).

Despite all the chaos that goes into preparing for Christmas I can honestly say as always...it was awesome! I really enjoyed the time we found to spend with dearest friends and the new memories we were able to create with our kids.
Its all about the memories!



My Little People ~ Chistmas Day 2010
 Now here we go...heading into 2011. Wow, that came fast! I am really looking forward to bringing in this New Year. There is so much about bringing in the New Year that is so exciting! There is so much to look forward to. I love the idea of setting new goals, making a list of resolutions with John and the kids. Its like a fresh start! Its always interesting to hear what everyone has to say. Last year John and I wrote down our New Years resolutions for we thought maybe if they were written down we would have a better chance to sticking to them....some of them I think we may have to carry over from last year cause we ran out of time! LOL! Good intentions...right?!

So today...as we say goodbye to another year, lets all take some time to remember 2010 and relish in the memories, good and bad. For it makes us who we are!
And together lets all welcome 2011 with open arms and hearts and with excitement to see what 2011 holds for us all. I cant wait!


Michelle & John ~ Christmas morning 2010
 

Happy New Year everyone!
Best wishes in 2011

Michelle and Family
*******

Monday, November 22, 2010

Its only the beginning!

I know it has been a ridiculously long time since I have been on here! Somewhere between packing up a basement that had flooded, hauling half my house out to a sea-can (that now resides permanently in our yard) gutting a basement and starting a renovation, cleaning up the yard - getting it ready for fall & winter, getting kids ready to go back to school, redirectioning my business (is that a word?), a few retreats and a trade show, starting and finishing up with 3 kids in vollyball, and now hockey season is in full swing...I somehow seemed to have lost track of time! LOL! and next thing you know its November! The end of November yet!! My last post talked about how I was looking forward to more time...funny how that plays out doesnt it? We somehow think that maybe we will create more free time by making some simple changes in our everyday lives but somehow it seems as if I have ended up with less? Or did I? Maybe I am just spending my time a little more wisely? For I have managed to spend way more time with my family, countless hours following my kids around to vollyball with my camera (fun!) and I have managed to find a little more time to design. (which I never had time for before) So I guess its really all how you look at it right? I am still crazy busy but obviously with more of what I enjoy doing. So that my friends, I will conclude then as a good thing!
One of the things that I silently said I would  like to finally do is submit some of my designs and hopefully get published this year. (Kind of a bucket list thing - but not entirely)
So I did...I hunkered down and submitted a few of my latest and all time favourites to my all time favourite magazine "Canadian Scrapbooker" and woot woot - you will never guess!! I am soooo happy and pleased to share that little ol' me has been published for the very first time! I cannot tell you how absolutely blessed I feel that one of my designs was chosen. I know that there are thousands of talented artists out there who know exactly how I feel right now. Sooo exciting! And what was even more exciting is that this particular issue of Canadian Scrapbooker is thier 5th Anniversary Collectors Edition. What an honour! In this winter issue alone they published 30 never seen before artists! So there are 30 different artists right now from all over Canada that are as excited, if not more than I am right now!


So "congrats" to all of the newly published Canadian Artists out there! Be proud of your accomplishments, be proud to have been chosen to share in such a wonderful magazine and be proud that you are Canadian, I know I am!

So I guess that this is one thing I can check off my list of things to do...but dont be fooled..I am on a roll now people, its only the beginning!

Cheers to all, and remember to always...





"Live Life Creatively!"
Michelle

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

New Beginnings!

I am being honest when I say...when it comes to big changes in my life, I really have spent way too much time worrying about what others may think. Its seems silly really that we worry about things like that, but the reality is that we all do it at some point or another for whatever the reason may be...sometimes I think more than we would like to admit. What is everyone going to think? What is everyone going to say? What do I tell everyone? Because of course, they will ask! lol. These are just a couple of the things that has ran through my mind over the course of the past month. Its Funny, because worrying about these little things can hold you back, that is if you let it. Its actually the very reason that it has taken me so long to write this blogpost...until today.
    After a few long hard working days out in the yard...it rains. I love it when it rains after spending all that time out there mowing and trimming and making it beautiful and then the rain comes down as if to just give it all a fresh new start! Now I look out to see the rain has stopped and the sun is shining bright, the birds are singing and everything just seems fresh and new...as I said, a fresh start, almost like a do-over...a new beginning! It feels good, real good! Like a breath of fresh air. That is exactly how I feel today, refreshed and ready for a new beginning!
   Change for most of us can be scary, which is normal. It is scary to start something new, to end something familiar, whether its starting a new job, leaving your old home to go to a new home, starting a new school, or even meeting new friends. However, if we put all our fears aside and choose to not let it hold us back, the change can be quite welcoming and refreshing! It can be a door to new opportunities, new experiences, new memories and new friendships that otherwise you may not experience if it were not for change. So instead of letting the fear of change or what people may think or say hold you back, embrace it! Welcome it! For you will never know what may be waiting for you at the end of that new path if you dont take it.
That is what I have decided to do.
    Over the past month, my family and I have made some big decisions. One of the few decisions that we have made evidently brings big change upon us. We have decided over long hard deliberation to close
The Hope Chest's retail store. That was a huge decision for me. My store which I love and started from a dream is closing...and remarkably, and as scary as it first seemed, after I actually made the decision...It felt good! Remarkably great actually! I did, I will admit, experience all the emotions and thoughts of... what are people going to say? now what?...However it now occurs to me that this feeling that I am now experiencing, this fresh feeling of a new beginnings is... exciting! I am so greatful to have experienced all the wonderful times over the past 4 years and I am blessed by all the fantastic people I have met over this time. I could be sad about my decision but I am not..I am excitied! Everything that I have learned over the past few years by having my fantastic little store has enabled me today to embark upon this new creative journey with enthusiasm and excitement! I am excited to finally have more time...time to design, to create, and time to teach which is what I love to do! And most importantly, more time for my family! So, today as I embark upon this new creative journey, be excited for me, I am! Dont let your fears or worries about what others may think hold you back...follow your gut and trust me when I say, when you feel good inside you will know that those two steps forward that you took in a different direction were a good choice...you just never know what is out there waiting for you!
Thank you to everyone for supporting me over the past four years and I hope you will continue to follow along on this new adventure with me as I unfold day by day what is yet to be discovered.

...Living Life Creatively.
   Michelle