Me, My Valentine & My Hate the Month of January disorder

I was once again successful and sent valentines to friends and family. (This statement seems like boasting but it truly is just rejoicing that good triumphed evil).  In some ways this was the easiest year ever, while in other ways it was the hardest.

Explanation please . . .

My mastery of photoshop has been improving.  I have taken classes online which have been incredible.  Trial and error has helped as well.  Then, when all else fails, I've used my greatest source of information, the employees of  Kimo's Kamera.

Kimo's recently upgraded some printing equipment making the possibilities almost endless.

When I would visit this store I would leave with idea after idea running through my head.  Then, I would arrive home and not want anything to do with it.

I hate January.  I hate the fact that it is dark.  I hate the terrible weather.  I hate that I've just finished a 'get ready for Christmas frenzy' to having nothing on my plate.  I hate, I hate, I hate and hate is such a terrible word.

If I could cuddle up in bed, add ten extra blankets (for the warmth and the weight), and not get up until the second week of February, I would.  The bear species has it all figured out, hibernation really is the answer.

I was interested in making a folding card, an accordion card, or maybe even a shutter card.  Then after staring at my blank file, nothing but whiteness glaring back at me, I would find a more enjoyable activity to pursue, laundry never looked so good.

As I ran out of time I went for simple, deciding that if I had the valentine printed on metallic paper the recipients of the card would be less critical of the fact that my card wasn't fantastically amazing.  Boy, do I worry way to much about what others may 'think' of me.

While reading an article in the Ensign last month, "Look Up," by Elder Carl B. Cook I new I had found the topic for my next relief society lesson.  And no one needs the message more than me.

What is my deal?  Not sending a card was not an option (is that a double negative?).  Failure would not help my frantically-trying-to-recover-from-the-terrors-of-January self.  I had to do this, to prove I have a little more value than the January demons in my head had been preaching.

Finally, the blank file began to have color, pictures and text.  With a tremendous amount of tweaking, resizing, and turning layers on and off, the card was finished!

While getting the card printed, Jimmy, who works at Kimo's, made me aware of the fact that I could use a mail merge and have my envelopes printed as well, complete with recipient addresses.

Do you know how easy this was?  Do you know how much time this saved, not just for this year but for future years as well?  The envelope ended up looking amazing.  It didn't have a bulk-mail look, instead it looked quite professional.  This process took about 1/10th the time of hand addressing.

I mailed the cards on a Thursday, and on Saturday, Andy's tennis coach had left a message thanking us for the card.  His message touched my soul and I new I had done a little good in the world.  This man is one of my husband's heroes someone who has made deep impression on him.  So much so, that one of Andy's dreams is to inherit enough money to retire from Novell and be a high school tennis coach.

I realize the tradition of sending cards is becoming ancient history.  But, it is something good.  It uplifts the souls of those who are on the receiving end.  Something I hope to continue for years to come.

P.S.  When Andy was finally able to talk to his coach this is the question he got asked, "What do I have to do to get the rest of the picture?" referring to the shot where you can only see all of Aysen.

Event occurred February 13, 2012