Embracing Life...the good and the bad

It is important to embrace life...all the highs, lows and curves in the road. If I could have one card that has been my anthem for this year, it would be this Embrace Life card I designed for a Stampin’ Up Stamp-A-Stack workshop. The clean lines of this oriental inspired stamp set help me find peacefulness. I love the hibiscus flower because it reminds me of my Florida surroundings and the ginger blossom papers used on the flower and patterned card element have colors that make me happy...something we all like to feel.

This year has been a challenging one filled with lots of illness among family and friends, a declining economy and other changes. It has been a year of soul searching, renewed spirituality and a time for me to “embrace life” and appreciate the simple gifts each day brings. 

This card uses the Embrace Life stamp set and some soon-to-be-retired In Color papers, inks and ribbon from the Stampin’ Up Spring/Summer ’08 catalog. If you are a fan of Stampin' Up products, check out my new Stampin' Up demonstrator’s website by clicking on the link under my websites or clicking on this link. The new Fall/Winter Catalog will be coming out in August so these products will only be available for a few more weeks.

Farewell to a Few Favorites

As the Stampin’ Up Fall/Winter 2008 catalog is about to premiere next month, it is time to use some of my favorite papers and sets before they are no longer available. Above, is a pull out card make-n-take project done at my July workshop. This can also double as a cool photo CD holder you can share with family and friends. It uses two In Colors that I will be sad to see go...Purely Pomegranate and Wild Wasabi (pg. 163)...one of my favorite greens! It also uses the friend stamp from the For A Friend hostess set (pg. 21) along with flower stamps from the soon to be retired Bud Basics (pg. 92) and Little Pieces (pg. 116) set. The felts are from the Flower Fusion embellishment set. Contact me before August 10th these to order these or other items from the Spring/Summer ’08 catalog before they are no longer available. The supply list for this project can be found on my new demonstrator's website at:

http://www.cwartz1.stampinup.net.