SHOPPIN....SHOPPIN....SHOPPIN.....

= DREAMIN!!!!!

That's what I've been doing for the past week.... okay... more....
I've been "SURFIN" around... making my lists.... gathering ideas.... yes DREAMIN!

AND........ getting VERY DEPRESSED! ... because, there are SO MANY TALENTED, CREATIVE, AMAZING, THOUGHTFUL, WONDERFUL, INSPIRING people out there.... EVERYWHERE!!!! I have found myself being VERY envious of them... and WISHING that I had just a LITTLE of the CREATIVITY....just a little.... OKAY! maybe more than a litt.e... It's been a rough few weeks... I HATE feeling like I'm stealing, (is that what it is.... STEALING?.... agh... ) others ideas... (can we call it "copying?"... that's just about as bad... dang!) I just WISH that a LIGHT BULB would CLICK on and I would have just a SMIDGE of creativity.... I hate that the darn little red-horned person sits on my shoulder sometimes... making me question "WHO I AM"... and "REALLY, what do I have to offer anyone"... if I'm "stealing or copying" from some one..... it's been a very frustrating couple of weeks... I've got to get focused.... again.....

BUT.... as I try to shew those whisperings away... and TRY really hard to stay focused.... I started evaluating... reviewing... regrouping... okay! GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER! There! I said it.... I need to GET IT TOGETHER! .... SO.... I hit the HEART of my Christmas planning... that dang "B" word always gets in the way.... B U D G E T!!!!

Part o planning the budget for Christmas is KEEPING to the budget ~ and sometimes that is VERY hard to do when your DREAMS our price the budget... SO, with that in mind, I decided I needed to "SHOP" around a little, gather some ideas, then decide just what "I" could make and do... what needed to be "PURCHASED" so I could make sure that I stay within my "budget" .... and really SEE if it is BUDGET friendly.... I've learned over the past few... okay... many years that when my WILD HAIR IDEAS come to surface, I've usually spent more MONEY MAKING my gifts then I would have if I just "purchased" them from all the TALENTED and CREATIVE people out there! (mostly, because I end up with a bazillion "TRIED" projects before I get to the "FINAL" product... if I even do!) BUT I LOVE trying to make them myself.... FrRrRrRrRustrating......

I have determined somethings will be better "purchased"... then my attempts to make them... Like THESE.... OH MY GOSH!!! I fell in LOVE with them! And I found that there were SO MANY on my list that would LOVE them too! It is still HOMEMADE... (just not by me)... AND they hold "heart value"... I totally fell in love with one particular.... this one.... (for myself... :)) THIS is the song I would sing to my baby girl... (yes, she is 8 - but still my baby :)) SHE was and IS my SUNSHINE! She brought SUNSHINE back into our lives... MY LIFE... after loosing several babies in a row.... yes she was a SURPRISE BONUS baby... (we were done... oh, we are done now!) and I didn't even realize that the sunshine was missing from my life until she joined us! OH! It just tugs at my heart.... and then there is this one... oh I have a friend that would LOVE it! And THIS one... a certain someone that I KNOW would LOVE it! I just KNOW who this belongs too! And this one .... this one.... this one.... this one.... this one.... OH my! and THIS ONE! I could SO almost be done with my shopping.... BUT the "B" word comes in...so, this is what I've been doing... decinding...thinking... pondering... and in some cases.... even praying.... is it wrong to "pray" about gifts?.... I surely hope not, because I've been praying for quidance... I need to know just WHAT will touch the heart of my receiveres.... that is what CHRISTMAS is all about to me... TOUCHING the heart... WARMING the heart... CREATING a memory.... GIVING with thought, as the Savior did for us.... making CHRISTMAS count... That's what it is about to me.

I have some "metal stamping kits" (alpha ones).... but I just can't seem to "PERECT" them... I waste SOOOOO much... Guess I need some lessongs... that is the other thing I pray for... TALENTED people who are willing to share their talents and teach a hard learner (in the sense of "I'm not very "QUICK" at catching on"... obviously)... maybe I should pray for "talented and patient" people to come my way.... :) .... but ... pay a visit to this talented lady! I'm sold! I love her talent!

And then... in my surfing... I found THIS creative lady.... this CRAFTY lady.... this THOUGHTFUL lady.... this INSPIRING lady.... this TALENTED lady.... this AMAZING lady.... and I JUST LOVE this idea..... and ........oh I better stop.... This post would NEVER EVER END..... there is just sooooo much out there..... my mind is SWIMMING!!!!! I've got to get forused... back on track....

Well, I better go... I'm feeling exhausted about now... this shoppin' is just exhaustin!
And ... I haven't even left my seat...

Anyone have any other "shops" I need to visit?
PLEASE... It's not a problem is it?