ATC Swap Update & Heartfelt Gratitude

Hello Beautiful Friends!

Quick post tonight with an update. One of our truly amazing friends has suffered from some hardship and loss this week and therefore I have decided to extend the deadline. I hope this does not upset any of you but I believe that a death near to heart, the loss of an animal and of a close family friend is justification for some understanding and it is more important to me that she stays in our swap than to drop her out due to circumstances beyond her control. Knowing most of you and the hearts you possess I am sure you will agree. Deadline for mailing was set at October 22nd and if you are still able to make that deadline all the better, if not please feel free to extend the deadline with the ones who need it so very much. I am setting the new deadline for mailing to me to October 31st. I would like very much to be able to mail out everyone's swaps no later than the second week of November and I apologize to those if any, who felt rushed to get their cards to me. Some of you have started sending your ATC's and I love early birds...thank you so very much and your work is AMAZING..not shy of inspiring and delightful! Julie (JM Monroe), April Cole, Andrea Fields, Lisette Baker to name a few...thank you so very much for being punctual and I ask for your patience...I am sure the individual who I am speaking of is thankful as well and if she would like to reveal herself here I will leave that up to her but my sincere, deepest sympathy goes out to you and your family and I wish you peace and comfort in this difficult time. 

Thank you to those of you who have sent your packages out and included postage or a gift for me hosting the swap. You guys really are so awesome and it is greatly appreciated but unnecessary. The postage can get costly but you guys have all been so incredibly kind. Lisette Baker thank you for the package of blank ATC's...that was very nice of you...and April Cole for the extra beauties you included for me to choose from! They are breath taking!

This brings me to the heartfelt gratitude I am feeling tonight. 

I honestly have the best friends in the world. And the best kids in the world...my daughter Sam suprised me yesterday at work with just a visit from her but she also brought me a BOO Bucket!! She is so good at putting these together and I LOVE it so much she really put some cool items in it and she made my day...just seeing her pretty face and getting to hug her felt amazing! Thank you Sammy!! Mom loves you so much and you made me feel special and loved!

LOVE this figure she put in it..she is adorable!!

SWEET hand-towel huh? She got me striped skull socks too!! heh

I came home from work tonight and there in my mail box after a very long and stressful week thus far...feeling exhausted and spent of energy mentally and emotionally...full of anxiety..I find artful goodness in my mailbox from April Cole and Karen Young...ATC's from Lisette Baker with a package of ATC's from her...an adorable envelope and card from April Cole ...just because she rocks like that...JUST to say she loves me and have a good day April everything you make and send me and post is so inspiring and wonderful..you are a talented kind friend and I'm so thankful for you in my life.....Karen Ann...A. You post those things you made with the paper bag paper...their AMAZING and every single time you send me something...and I see your hand written letters and the beauty in your creations I feel RICH with friendship and gratitude. You are so kind and such a sweet sweet soul and I adore you. THANK you for the art goodies you sent and I ask you please do share the things you created or create..that was not solely my idea...not sure where over the years I heard of it think my sister did it one year for Christmas packages honestly...and I hope you were not offended that I shared the wonderful template here you sent me and what I did with it...I give credit and please anyone of you share an idea just tell me Deb dont share this please and I will 100% respect your wishes...promise! 

All of you ladies seriously made my day...I was near tears.

Equals...happy girl dance at the mailbox!!! :D

 I am not at liberty to really talk here about some of the huge huge stress in my life right now...I can say that in addition I have taken on many more hours at my day job to help out there and am lacking sleep lately...I feel constantly busy and feel like I never get to be with my camera and my art supplies nearly enough to satisfy my creative mind and soul...do not misunderstand me...I love my job and I work very hard and enjoy it for the very most part...it is just that I have not stopped for weeks...

I have so much desire to work on my art projects and would give a limb to have more time in a day..To be in a place where my creative mind is appreciated enough that I could pay the rent. To do that would require some type of mentor to tell me how to do it...I know I could without doubt. I very much envy those who have the ability to choose when they are able to work on their craft. I am limited these days to MAYBE one or two hours a night and that is after a very long day at work and my mind is exhausted...then I end up feeling so good with it and enjoying it so much so that I just stay up working in it...making one last final touch..one more added feature...and before I know it is 2-3am and I get little sleep and do it all over again so when I tell you that I am so looking forward to the weekend...you better bet the rent it is with ZEAL that I welcome the weekend!! 

My schedule this week..

Monday 12-830

Tuesday 12-8:30

Wednesday 12-830

Thursday 10am meeting...off for 2 hours back to work until 8:30

Friday 12-730

Saturday photos for a friends bridal shower...(looking forward to it but a busy long day must be there about an hour from here by 10:30am...

Sunday...day of fun...Greenfield Village here with come...with cameras in hand havent been there since 3rd grade...but it will be an all day event easily and then ...laundry for Monday and back to the same sort of work week. In between all of this...finding time for art..swaps...reading journaling kids love life parents who are....overwhelming at times with things they are going through separately...just feeling overwhelmed...

I love you guys and appreciate you...I need you to know that ...

and for my friend ANDREA :)

You have been such a great friend to me lately...I love the time I get to work on art things with you until the weee hours of the morning and love having a friend near by...thanks for the breaks from reality and the laughter...I love you dearly! xo

And so...I need bed...more to come over the next few days...if you have something you need to know or concerns about the swap please hit me up and send it to dcombs01@baker.edu..it wont be bothering me I check that email probably 30 times a day. No kidding. 

Love...+ good friends..art..happy mail...punpkin hot tea and raw almonds ;) 

xo

Stay tuned...new buttons coming soon!! Be sure to snag one and thank you in advance for doing so if you do! Your support means everything!