New Year... New ME!

Hello everyone!! It's a NEW YEAR... and a NEW ME! I hope you all are just as excited about 2012 as I am. The end of 2011 was a bit rough for me, but I took stock of my life and decided that I was better off than a lot of other folks in my area... so I slapped a smile on my face... made a bunch of New Year's Resolutions... painted a sign to hang on my wall as a constant reminder... took a deep breath and leapt forward with a new outlook on life.

Here's the sign. 

It gets a little crooked towards the bottom, but I was in a rush to finish it and hang it up. 

Oh well.

#1. Be Happy... I don't think this needs an explanation. Right?

#2. Use Up Craft Supplies... Hence the card photo at the top of this blog. I have enough craft supplies around this house to create anything I want at any given moment. I've made a conscience decision to NOT purchase another thing without figuring out how to use what I already have on hand. I look at things in a whole new light and have been much more creative about thinking 'outside the box'. Try it... you'll see what I mean.

#3. Sit Down To Eat... A lot of my 'meals' (if that's what you want to call them) are eaten standing at the kitchen sink. It's time to grow up and be an adult. So what if I'm eating by myself... that doesn't mean I can't be civilized. 

#4 Reach Out To Family & Friends More... Yeah, that's a good one for me. I tend to 'hole up' and shut out the ones who know me best. I need to remember that others need a phone call, a shared experience, a little shot of happiness as much as I do. It keeps people connected and makes life more interesting.

#5 Make Lists... I should have added 'and don't leave them on the kitchen counter when you leave the house' to this one. I get annoyed at myself when I return home and realize I forgot to run that ONE errand I so desperately needed to do. I get distracted easily.

#6 Eat Breakfast... Slamming a piece of toast in my mouth doesn't count. Start off the day with a clear head and a full stomach and things will go smoother.

#7 Shop Independents... Let's keep the Mom & Pops open!! They have mouths to feed too. Yeah I know, it's cheaper to shop at the chains, but every town is beginning to look the same and have no personality. Spending a dollar more for an item at an independent can be compensated for by purchasing less overall. In the long run your outgoing expenditures will be less, and the small independents will still be around to serve you.

#8 Moisturize... Some days I feel my skin is as rough as a crinkled old dry leaf. Especially my hands. UGH! 

#9 Pack A Healthy Snack... Every time I leave the house I make sure to pack a healthy snack. It keeps me away from the fast food and junk until I can get home to make something more nutritious. Most of the time it works; however every once in a while I just HAVE to have Peanut M&Ms, Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, or Snickers Bar. My wallet thanks me, as well as my heart and waistline.

#10 Create... Duh! I live and breathe to create... how about you?

So.... Did YOU make any New Year's Resolutions?? Are you still following them?