What a month this has been!  Unemployment requirements have gone up, not much for bites on my applications but I do have an interview in two days, so I guess that is good news.  A few weekends ago, I spent some time with my Bestie, Karen, owner of Ornaments Etc by Karen.  We laughed, we ate, we created!!  I was so happy to create for those couple of days.  I have an order for 15 cards to have completed by the next couple of weeks and I have 11 of them completed.  I am very happy about that.  I am hoping to create some today as the past two days I have been looking for work and haven't wanted to create because of time.

This past weekend marked 5 months of being laid off and still not having a job.  This past weekend would also have been my 5 year anniversary with the company I was laid off from.

So today marks the 4 month point of being laid off.  After countless applications submitted, multiple interviews, I just can't seem to find work for myself.  And I have been certainly trying!  This week alone, I had 3 different interviews with 3 different companies.  Promising for sure, but the whole process is frustrating and nerve racking.  Many questions arise, like can I do the job that's being asked, is the pay okay, how about the drive?  All things for me to consider.  

Officially 3 months ago today, I was laid off from a job I loved.  This has been the longest and hardest 3 months I have had to deal with in a long time.  I didn't hear back from that company that I had the great interview last week with.  Total bummer as I really had high hopes for that position and felt I would have been a wonderful fit.  Oh well.

It's been a little bit since I have written and crafted.  Life has just gotten in the way.  I get to celebrate this weekend with my family which I am very excited about.  I am hoping to have more to celebrate as I had another wonderful interview this week and fingers crossed I hear something from them today about the position.  It sounds like a great fit for me and checks a lot of the boxes I am looking for.  It also would help me push myself a little bit with my driving anxiety.  Just far enough where I still feel comfortable.  We'll see though.  You just never know these days.  

It's the last day of April and I am still without a job.  After the rejections, no return calls and just plain ol' no communication, crafting has been my "go to" in between job search boards and other recruiting sites.  I haven't gotten outside much except for a few nice days of sun we recently had here.  But that's about it.  Crafting truly soothes my soul.  Sometimes I don't know where to start or exactly what I want to create but I just sit for a minute and let whatever comes together happen.  I especially love making things for others that are not expecting it.  Happy Mail they call it!  I'd like to get into doing more of that and creating more Artist Trading Cards with my info on the back to the crafting community.  I do hope to craft a little bit today as well.  It's rainy here in my part of NH today.  Perfect day to stay indoors and create.  Have a crafty day, friends!

I have been paper crafting consistently for over 15 years at this point in my life.  (Thank you to my good friend, Karen who brought me back to it!)  Back then, I used and still use to this day the Scotch Advanced Tape Glider.  Classic pink with the see through door so you know how much tape is remaining.  I have a love/hate relationship with this tool, let me tell you!  As a lefthander, if I am not careful, I will run the tape right off the side of my paper.  It's harder for me to line up the tape so I stay on the edge.  I hope there are others that feel my pain!  I have tried using this tool in my right hand and that doesn't really work well.  I am not that coordinated to do a good job on my project.  What I do is go a little slower than I would like, and watch where I am sticking the tape.  What do you do as a left hander using this tool?  I still love it and it's my go to for adhesive for many things, I just wish there was one made for us "lefty's"!

I have to be honest, the past couple of days have been hard.  Really hard.  I won't bore you with the details of the ups and downs, just know that the feelings are real.  Being laid off is not fun.  I did get an interview lined up for the end of the week which I am super excited about!  The job sounds pretty fun and it's close by.  We'll see.  It's just an interview but I am getting practice and gaining some skills on how to really sell myself during an interview.  Practice is never a bad thing.  

Today is Friday, April 10th, 2026.  Tomorrow will be two months since I was laid off from my job.  Internally, I struggle with the balance of looking for a job as well as hanging on to my sanity while doing things I enjoy.  I did book a haircut that I have been saving up for and I am also trying to book a facial that my good friend and member of my girl squad, Kathy, got me. 

This entry for today may be a bit longer than what you will see regularly from my blog.  Here's a tad bit more about me.