2023

Welcome to a new month - and a NEW YEAR. I hope 2023 is an amazing year for you. As is my tradition here on my blog, on the first day of a new year I share my Word of the Year and also some goals/plans I have for the year. I will do that again today - in this L-O-N-G blog post. But first, since it's the first day of a new month, there is also a new challenge at Crafting Happiness Challenges. 

This month's Card theme is... 

Celebrations

The challenge lasts a month, so you have plenty of time to make a card/project and post the link. You even have time to post more than one, as there's no limit to the number of times you can participate.

Here's the card I made:

Now it's your turn. I'd love to see YOUR links on the Crafting Happiness Challenges blog this month. --> HERE.

Stamp/Die Set: The Greetery Dad Jokes - Nailed it stamped with Taylored Expressions Inks (Cherry Pop, Mushroom, and Poblano Pepper) and VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink

Papers: Hammermill 110# White, Recollections Black, and SU Cherry Cobbler CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: CC Designs Banners, MFT Stitched Rectangles, and Stamplorations You Be You

Embellishment: Eyelet Outlet Nail Brad

* * * * *

Now on to the year 2023!

As I've done for the past several years, I've chosen a Word of the Year to provide some direction throughout this year. This year's word is Gratitude.

The word actually came to me some time in mid-November. Life was overwhelming me at that point and instead of being grateful for the blessings, I was dwelling on the struggles. I knew that I needed to turn my heart-attitude around and focus on Gratitude. I know this word will serve me well throughout 2023... and even beyond that. Although I will choose a new word next year (2024), hopefully Gratitude will become a life-long attitude.

Speaking of gratitude, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve on two amazing design teams...

Blue Knight Rubber Stamps is an amazing company with such gorgeous stamps. Many of them are realistic scenes, they nudge me out of my "cutesy" box, which I love. Lynn, thank you for letting me be part of your team!

Crafting Happiness Challenges (mentioned at the beginning of this blog post) is led by my friend Janis. The themes are always fun and the entries delightful. Janis, thanks for the opportunity to be part of your team.

I also have a couple more "things" in 2023 - but those haven't been announced quite yet, so stay tuned to my blog in the next few days for some fun news.

In addition to design team posts here on my blog, I'll also be continuing some beloved series/groups...

1 + 12 will be on my blog the 3rd of each month. I've chosen my ONE stamp for 2023 and let me tell you, it is much different than I've ever done before. (Wish me luck! This might be a very long year. LOL)

Crafters of Faith (7th of each month)

Three Musketeers (9th of each month)

Hot Mess (12th of each month)

Double Duty (22nd of each month)

Challenge Your Stash (28th of each month)

Catch Up Club (last day of each month)

The Dueling Darling group has re-formatted and we are now the Creative Crew. You'll learn details about that on the 15th of this month, when we post our first cards of the year for that group.

I will be continuing my personal Create with a Kit series and I have one new series for this year as well. As you probably know, I love to color... and I almost always color with my Copic markers, even though I own a variety of other coloring mediums (colored pencils, Karin markers, watercolor pencils, watercolors, and Zig markers, just to name a few). What's a girl to do. Start a new series, of course. I'm calling it my Alternative Coloring series. In this monthly series, I'll venture away from my Copics and color with something else.

As in past years, I'll have good reasons to make a lot of cards - 474 in 2020, 534 in 2021, and 499 in 2022.

Gratitude!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!