With All My Heart

It's the first weekend after the holidays and my plate is full and overflowing. Mom came to visit me and my two younger sisters for a month. Between the three of us we were able to spend a little bit of time with her. She also did so much for us with cooking, cleaning, baby-sitting and gardening. It was such a treat to come home to a clean house with dinner prepared on the table and all I had to do was sit down and eat. I teased her that she is our Filipino housekeeper. She stayed with me only a few nights here and there because both my kids are bigger and did not need as much looking after compared to my nieces and nephew. During those nights when she was with me, we watched movies and chatted over coffee in the mornings. I sincerely enjoyed those moments when I can talk to my mother as if we're equals, like we're just two old friends catching-up. Early yesterday morning, I dropped her at the airport and as I was driving away, it just dawned on me that I have grown. Surely I have been a full-pledged adult for over 23 years, but I have been so preoccupied with the process of it all that I have not completely noticed it even occurred. A simple dropping your mom to the airport and coming back home to bury your grandmother made me realize I really am grown. A part of me wants to be sad that I am old-er and a bigger part of me rejoice because I believe I have turned out just fine. Life truly is a cycle and it just keeps on going. Lately I find myself looking back in wonder if I had done some things differently, would I have been happier. Probably one of the symptoms of Midlife Crisis? Then again, I look at my family, my job, my arsenal of paper crafting tools and supplies, my little accomplishments in life and with a big sigh of relief and gratitude..."Thank goodness, I am where I'm at."

I have not been feeling inspired lately. It's awfully hard to feel creative when you're too busy to even smell the paper. Smile. However, last night I made sure I finished a sample card for my upcoming Valentine / Giftables class on January 21. Here's what I have done! I promise it is prettier in person. I have a couple more that I am working on and will share them with you next week.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set: With All My Heart (118134 - Wood) and (118623 - Clear)
Paper: Pretty in Pink card stock (100459), Patterns Love DSP (retired - was on clearance), Very Vanilla (101650)
Ink: Versamark Ink Pad (102283), Craft Real Red Ink Pad and Classic Real Red Ink Pad (103133)
Accessories: 5/8" Real Red Satin Ribbon (117286), Clear Stampin Emboss Powder (109130), Heat Tool (100005), Fancy Flower Punch (118073), Modern Label Punch (119849), Build a Brad (retired - was on clearance), Lots of Love Letterpress Plate (120983), Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439), Stamping Sponges (101610)

That's it for today's post. I have to go take down my Christmas tree. Smile.