Goals We Set

New Year's Eve is a good day to look in two directions.  In Roman mythology, Janus is the god of gates, doorways, beginnings, endings and time.  He is often shown as having two heads, one facing the past and one the future.  I feel a bit like that today.

The opportunity on days like today is to look at the half full glass...give ourselves a pat on the back for all we accomplished this past year and plan how we're going to carry that success and set of accomplishments into the new year...

You could spend time on all the things that didn't get done, but why make yourself crazy?  There is always something more that could have been done or finished or started, but either they weren't important enough or didn't get to the top of the 'to do' list for a reason..... nuff said about the unfinished

OK, so I'll go first......

I wanted to lose weight this year and started out strong and lost some......didn't lose any more but kept off what I did lose......gold star

I wanted my personal scrap room in order and I did accomplish that, complete with paint and shelves and new light fixtures and all...... it's a challenge to keep it tidy but most days I can see at least a bit of the table top and the days I have spent in that room scrapping with friends have been amazing....

I wanted to blog more this year and that was a mixed accomplishment - some months more and some less, but I'm going to focus on the more and try to improve on the less next year.

My last goal (of those that I will talk about here at least) was to reach 5000 sales by the end of the year and, thanks to my excellent customers, I made it.....way back at the beginning of November.  So I looked at my sales and my stuff and said......why not go for more....and I set a goal of 6000 sales by the end of the year.....bold I know, but doable....

I'm short.  Only 65 items, but I'm short.   sigh.....  So I spent the obligatory 5 minutes thinking about what I could have done differently, about the sales I didn't make, the items I didn't list and then I stopped.  My business has taken such an upturn this year and I have been so fortunate that it would be absolutely stupid of me to be anything but happy about my accomplishments this year.

Which brings me to all of you.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.......

for your support
for your encouragement
for your business
for your feedback
for your friendship
for reading my ramblings
and for giving me a reason to keep doing this

I wish you and your families the very best of everything in the New Year.  Take a few minutes this weekend to be Janus-like.  Give yourselves all the credit you deserve for all the things you did and daydream about all the opportunities the next 365 days will bring.

You guys are the best.

Sue

p.s.  Since you read all the way to the bottom, you get a prize.  Free shipping on any order placed today...Mention JANUS in the comment section of your order at www.itsalwaysfabulous.etsy.com

Wandering Around the Blogopshere

So there is the blog feature that allows you to  see what blogosphere location they come from when they get to your blog (how cool is that?).  So I was looking and the list carries the usual mail and search locations along with some visitors from the etsy site.  But then there was an internet address that I didn't recognize so I went there to see what it was and I sure am glad I did.

Apparently, at some point, Sandi Manning in New South Wales Australia stumbled over my blog and  listed me on hers as a source of inspriation.  But, talk about inspiration, you should she her stuff.  She is currently working on a series of heart hangers (how perfect as we turn our attention to Valentine's Day) that are truly FABULOUS.  You have to see them.

You can visit Sandi's blog at http://puddleduckfarm.blogspot.com/

Today, I leave you with a great New Year's Eve image. 

Enjoy the day.

Whatcha Doin'?

I find myself with - oddly enough - very little to do.

Don't get me wrong, I have lots of projects and things that I 'should' do, but nothing pressing.....nothing with urgency......nothing that compares with the pressure of the time leading up to Christmas.....

Odd feeling..

I cleared the sidewalk salt off the front hallway floors, took the sheets from the beds in the guest rooms, got the holiday serving platters ready to pack and downloaded the pics from the camera and put them in their folders......gonna go clean off the table in the workroom and get to some of those scanning projects I've been meaning to get to.

I just listed some new colors in some great Chatterbox albums at www.itsalwaysfabulous.etsy.com - a couple of the colors perfect for Valentine's Day projects.  Never too early to get started on the next big gift making event.

Have a great week.  Carve out a little bite of peace and quiet somewhere - sometime.

A Long Sigh....

of contentment.....

The children and grandchildren have moved on to the other families......

There's just enough snow on the ground to make it beautiful but not enough to cause traffic issues...

It's just the two of us (not counting the dogs)

We've already watched A Christmas Story....we turn to It's A Wonderful Life now

We're thinking maybe a little turkey sandwich in a bit - perhaps a side of cranberry sauce and the last two pieces of apple pie..

We just downloaded the pictures from the camera and look back on all the fun....

Thinking about whether we need to go to Target in the morning for stockings to hang for the grandchildren next year

I'm wearing fabulous new slippers, a fabulous new ring and cleaning up the carnage that is the kitchen after two days with that much food, that many small children, and that much making at least one of everyone's favorite foods....

The only thing left is to share my best wishes for you and your families.  I hope that you all had the Merriest of Christmases and that you with join me now in a

sigh.......of contentment and peace.

One Last Sale - For Blog Followers Only

Before I wish you all a Very Merry.....I thought we would have one more sale.

10% off everything and free shipping over $50.

It's easy, it's simple and it's fun.  Remember - for every two gifts you buy for others....you must buy one gift for yourself.  It's a rule...

Hope you are all enjoying the holidays.  New blog followers are also eligible so tell your friends.

Please put the words VERY FABULOUS in your comments on the order so that I make sure to do the discount thing.

Have fun shopping.  www.itsalwaysfabulous.etsy.com

Sue