CHANGES ARE COMING

Hello!

Time is rolling along this month at a fast pace and I'm jogging along trying to keep up.  Does that sound like you?  Seriously, I don't know if it is just me trying to keep up or if everyone else feels the same way.  We live in a fast rapidly changing world of technology where once we lived at a slower pace where people wrote letters and waited for a reply, it seems unreal and most unlikely today! Personally, I'd enjoy a slower pace but NOT that slow either, there must be a happy medium. 

Speaking of moving along, have you noticed Sunshine and Lollipops is getting a face lift? A new and improved format arrangement?  What do you think so far?  We are moving toward changes in content and posting on a more consistent basis. My 2015 goal is blogging on a regular weekly schedule. After three years of blogging rather inconsistently,  I've come to the realization blogging takes more thought and more preparation time and more planning than I have been willing to admit and it is important to me. It is important to make more time in my schedule to produce blog worthy posts rather than scramble at the last minute to meet a blog deadline.  This stuff (planning, blogging consistency) doesn't come naturally for me because I'm more of a fly by the seat of your pants kinda gal. But I am trying to change my fly by the seat of your pants style in order to bring you better and more consistent content. To help me with scheduling I've purchased several calendars (pocket and planner) to jot my notes in (because I'm old school), AND printed out a free monthly blog planner online AND I'm making use of an online calendar.  I know, it's a bit overkill, isn't it? Perhaps this is where I go wrong in my effort to keep everything written down (little obsessive that way), but I DO love planners and calendars! How about you? What methods do you use to keep track and on schedule?  

Planning ahead is key to keep things rolling along so I've also created a fun way to track my progress each month in a mini three ring binder (previously a SMASH journal converted to Blog Journal).  It's strictly for blog post ideas and a visual way to keep track of my TO DO and NOTES. I'll share one with you each month.  Here's my January planner pages: 

Goals for 2015 

Monthly Blog Calendar 

WORD Reminder 

Please join me each week for posts featuring Sketchbook Tuesday and Travel Journal Thursday, Heartstrings (featuring crafts, sewing, Home Decorating) Knitting with a Mission, HeART Craft (features Paint/Paper & Collage and Monthly Calendars).  Looking forward to celebrating my fourth year in Blog land with you! 

Bee Creative! 
Suzy

A Little Valentine Love

Hello Everyone!


Valentine's Day was a week ago,  but I thought you might like to see some handmade Valentine cards made for those special people in my life.

                A vintage look made by gathering a rose tissue paper to make a ruffle along the  edges of the card.

                                  I gathered more pink tissue paper to give the heart an added dimension.

                                        I went for a Vintage Valentine with Modern twist look here.

                                                       This is the Sweet Heart Look.

For my girls. 

Hand stamped "lovelovelove" on background. Love Love Love the white XOX in white gel pen. 

I made these t-shirt nighties for my granddaughters. 

The gathered ruffles on the sleeves and hem are made from recycled t-shirts I cut up for this project. 

                                             The hearts are free-hand and hand painted.


 Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and that you had the opportunity to do something special for your loved ones too! 
Suzy

Blessing To Others

Hello Everyone! 


     I'm recovering from a bad cold that started right after Christmas, took me through New Year and into this week to get better. Can you believe we are already into the second week of January?! The Christmas tree came down a week ago and the rooms look larger and a bit bare without decorations. Truth be told, the less cluttered look is appealing and has me thinking about going on another decluttering mission to see what can be donated or given away. You know, the things that are cluttering up our lives can be a blessing to others when we just let them go. I'm working that as my mantra (Be a Blessing to Others by Letting GO) this year, getting rid of the excess and appreciating the simpler things in life.  
     Instead of bringing more projects into my home I plan to concentrate on some of the UFO's (Un-Finished Objects). Yes, it is time to sort through it all and see what is worth working on and what can go! I know that strikes terror into the heart of crafters everywhere and for many years I haven't been able to do it, but this is the year! I'm giving myself permission to Not Finish Objects if I've lost interest in it or just plain don't like it anymore. How about that? Pretty Bold isn't it? Why waste time on something that doesn't bring joy to your heart? Maybe I'll post photos of some of these things and you can let me know if YOU want them. LOL!  That's pretty funny considering readership on this blog. 
     Hope you will bless others by cleaning out, clearing up and donating your items to those who will enjoy them!
Have a blessed day!