2013 In Review...

Well... I don't feel as successful about my personal blog as I have in the years past. 2013 has been a huge year for me, and I feel like there were a lot of other things going on, so here is a little breakdown!

The top three things/events in this year have been...

1) Going from no employment, to part time employment, to full time employment! Hooray for employment! I've currently got the most fantastic new job that has taken me to great places and filled my life with new friends and experiences. I love it, and I'm very excited to see what 2014 will bring! Which leads me to...

2) I went back to school (online), paid for by said employment, and became RAC-CT certified through AANAC to be an MDS coordinator. All those fancy letters mean nothing more than warm fuzzies to me, for finishing up some additional certs for my nursing license, that will last the rest of my career. (see above...) I didn't really see more schooling in my future, so this is a fantastic bonus for me.

RAC-CT certification. Woot!

3) I completed my first full year of treatment for Lupus (SLE) with minimal hiccups along the way. I've learned a lot about living with Lupus and how to improve my life over all. I've learned a lot about my medications and I've learned a lot about making changes to my lifestyle that really, can only benefit me in many ways. Overall, I am pleased and hopeful. And I don't think that I have let it slow me down much!

Top of the mountain to ya!

I'm also participating today in a list of my favorite creations of 2013. Most of these are cards for Operation Write Home, an organization that is more near and dear to my heart as ever. I continue to donate my time and crafting skills and supplies to them weekly, because it is such a fun and worthy cause. I'm glad to say that I'll stay on the blog team again next year, or as long as they will have me, and I've got tons more fun things planned for the future!

There may not be twelve, but here are the cards that I'm just chuffed about this year. My "cards for kids" crusade was successful and I really enjoyed making cards for the children of our deployed heroes. I sure want to do this again in 2014!

I really enjoyed doing a lot of heat embossing and decorative edge elements this year, as well as trying different coloring techniques.

Another favorite, embossing folders... I added more embossing folders to my collection than any other product this year.

I loved, loved, loved following along with deconstructed sketches this year. Their website has got me coming back for more, week after week, or at least as much as possible. In addition to the OWH sketches, I have used these more than any others.

I really did a lot of fancy paper piecing this year. I find myself doing this a lot because I have really enjoyed the "slow down" and spending a lot more time and effort onto single cards, rather than pumping out a big quantity of cards.

I made both of these with a fancy new Cricut cartridge by CTMH. And I love them.

More tiny paper details happened with the Hobbit card.

I made up this punch pattern for the Minions.. I do love the Minions...

And finally, NOT an OWH card, but one I created just for my hubby. All out of punches and hand-cut pieces and a little extra doodling. Yup, I went there!

Probably my most favorite OWH involvement of the year, took me to several churches, scout and school groups in my local area, to make "Hero Letters" for the troops.

My favorite video project of the year can be found just one post back from this one... about "repairing" B-plates for your Cuttlebug. It was a real hoot to make and turned out to be pretty popular...

Resolutions for 2014

More cards, tutorials and product reviews for OWH.

More sending of cards, to OWH and to my own friends and family.

and finally... my office friend and I have resolved to use an entire tube of Chapstick, from beginning to end, without losing, melting, breaking or tossing before it is completely empty. I'll let you know how that one goes.

Have a very safe and happy new year, everyone, and as always, thank you so much for stopping by!