Pineapple Hello

My daughter gets annoyed that I can just approach a total stranger and start-up a conversation. I could be anywhere, in line to pay at a grocery store, at a restaurant, in the waiting room at our doctor's clinic, etc. I'm brave that way. I have always had such good luck, that the people I approach don't tell me to f__k off or completely snob me. I am not ashamed to admit that majority of my customers/students I've met (or poached) from our local craft stores. When I am in the rubber stamps area and I see people there looking around, I just simply ask them if they like stamping. They almost always say yes. Then I tell them about my cards class/events and hand them my business card. I figure the worst thing they can do is say no, right? What have I really got to lose? However, I know I have very few genuine friends. Aside from my mom, sisters and husband, I have only a handful of friends. The term friend is almost always used pretty loosely, but to me when I call you my friend, it means you know things about me that only my journal knows. It means you know what makes me laugh and what makes me cry. If I've allowed myself to break down and sob uncontrollably in front of you and I'm not hitting you with a stapler, then you're my friend. I've had friends in different stages of my life and although, I can chat-up a storm with a total stranger, I don't trust easily. In the beginning I put up an invisible wall. It takes a long time for me to decide whether someone is a friend, foe or simply an acquaintance. There is an old and universal adage, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer". There are people even after years of knowing them essentially, my invisible walls are still up when I'm around them. 

When I was a little girl in the Philippines, my maternal grandfather had influential friends come over all the time and I've observed that before they sat down in the living room, they'd all get their guns out of their backs and put them on the table next to their coffee. It always baffled me when they did this, so one day I asked my grandpa why. He said, "Well, when you're among friends the guns can be a little away from you yet not too far. When you're with enemies, they stay on you." As an adult I realize the gun is a metaphor for my invisible wall. It's up if you're a foe and it's down most of the time, but not always if you're a friend. 

Oh well, have you noticed pineapple everywhere? They are on shirts and blouses, on curtains, on papers, on home decors and yes, they are on rubber stamps. So, I am getting on board with the trend with this card. 

 Well, that's all for today. Thank you for stopping by. Products to create this card are listed below. I hope you'd give it a try. 

Pineapple Wood-Mount Stamp

$18.00

Pineapple Clear-Mount Stamp

$14.00

Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Chocolate Chip 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$9.00

Neutrals Stampin' Write Markers

$23.00

Stampin' Trimmer

$30.00

Big Shot

$110.00

Hello You Thinlits Dies

$25.00

Simply Scored

$30.00

Snail Adhesive

$7.00

Paper Snips

$10.00

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.