In Need of an Update!

WOW...the holidays have been over for almost a month! So I am now wishing you all a Happy New Year and hope that 2012 is treating you well! I have to say this Christmas season was one of my favorites. Spending time with the girls and taking them out to all of the neighborhood holiday activities like the Christmas tree lighting, listening to people sing, and taking our picture with Santa really made this year special! Plus having my husband on vacation was also nice because we got to enjoy Christmas week together while the girls were off from school.

I know I always say this.... but I just love being an blogger/online writer and getting the chance to meet and interact with people from all over the world. I love writing positive posts that make someone's day better, and sharing information about handmade and independent shops that make a living from their passion and from making people smile. Last year I won a jewelry giveaway on my lovely friend Shawna's blog "Poppies and Sunshine" from the Etsy shop Rambles with Reese. When Reese emailed me it was no longer about winning a jewelry giveaway, but about making a new friend... a new friend all the way from Italy! You never know who is going to be on the other end or if this is just a quick email, nice to meet you, lets get this out of the way sort of thing. But when you meet people like Reese who care about who she is making her handmade product for you know she loves what she does, she puts that care and attention into her creative work, and you know you will feel proud to wear and share that piece and the person behind it with everyone.

So check out Reese's Etsy Shop and more about it on the post I did on AWS and about another sweet and kind Etsy shop owner Lindy who makes handmade greeting cards.

http://fashion.allwomenstalk.com/reasons-to-love-rambles-with-reese-jewelry/

http://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/fun-facts-about-etsy-shop-crafted-by-lindy/

Which brings me to other awesome people who are always so positive and put a warm, happy vibe out into the universe.... I know I don't have to name names, but if it weren't for some of these people, blogging wouldn't be so fun....

Casie from: TheNameisCasie

Heather from High Heels and Flip-Flops

Jacin from: Lovely Little Details

Shawna from PoppiesandSunshine

There are so many more names I can name, especially all of the amazing women who stop by my blog even when I have disappeared for a while. But I wanted to names these 4 amazing ladies because they are always so upbeat, positive, hard working, and always make me smile. Also because I feel a close friendship to them and feel that I can email them for advice and ask for their honest opinion on anything.

So this Christmas I made a lovely little gift for them being so awesome:

Okay this part might get a little mushy:

Thank you ladies for being nice, kind, sweet, and welcoming to a girl who always felt unliked and not good enough. In my personal life I have a loving husband and three amazing stepchildren and some great friends, but I only have one best friend (who I met in college) that has my back, who never teased me or put me down, who always encouraged me to do anything. She is a friend who Ive never had a fight with or didn't like something she did. She is a positive, warm, sweet person, just like you four ladies. Other people in my life have come and gone, ones I thought were my so called "friends" but were really talking about me, teasing me, or pushing me around. I don't call many people my friend and Ive learned who is a true friend and who isn't. So thank you for being awesome!