Turning Over a New Leaf…

During new release week recently at Papertrey Ink I saw this card made by Nicole and instantly fell in love with the pretty little flower stamps, and that sweet looking  fence!  I just had to do a little stamp shopping after that, and got my own set of the new Mini Blooms stamp set and the matching Mini Blooms dies, plus the Wrought Iron Background Basics set.  I CASE’d Nicole’s card completely using some SU! and Ranger distress inks, then added a sentiment from the Movers & Shakers stamp set, and some punched butterflies.  This card will go to a friend from church who had a birthday a few days ago.
Maybe you’ve noticed lately that a lot more of the cards I’ve been posting are for specific people?  A few weeks ago I posted here about how I was stepping down from some of my design teams, and a few of you have asked what’s next for me.  I think I may have insinuated in my blog post that I have some new design commitments in my future, but that actually couldn’t be further from the truth.  The reality is I am taking a break from design teams…. temporary or permanent, right now I don’t know.  But I do know I’m really burned out from the pressure of doing design work.  And I’ve accumulated SO many cards over the years as a result, many that I don’t feel I can actually use.  For some reason, I find it hard to combine the need for a card (a friend’s birthday, get well, etc.) with the “need” to design using certain stamps, paper, and other supplies.  So for now, my new “commitment” is my own list of weekly challenges… I start a list each week of people I need or want to send a card to… someone with a birthday, someone who needs encouragement, someone I need to say thanks to, and those people are getting cards, rather than me filling up box after box of cards I can’t use.  Plus, I just think part of the whole “design team” phenomena is having a desire to be recognized, to be acknowledged, maybe even to be adulated?  And I’m just done with that!  Don’t get me wrong… I care about what YOU, my sweet blog readers think about my cards.  But I’m done trying to impress people who don’t really care about the real me…. I’m done bawling my eyes out over how many times I’ve tried to get on certain teams and been passed by…. I’m done working ‘til the wee hours and sacrificing time with my family because “I have to go make a card!”  I would rather put a smile on the face of the lonely widow at church because I left a card in her mailbox, than worry about if Jane Doe at XYZ Stamp Company has noticed my card, know what I mean???  I hope this comes across in the nature it’s intended… I’m just trying to explain the new leaf I’m turning over.  It’s given me a lot more freedom and JOY the last few weeks, that’s for sure.  A friend even commented about how much happier I seem without the pressure of design work!  (Perhaps even a few of you reading this could stand to re-evaluate what you’re doing lately with your stamping?)  This certainly doesn’t mean that I’m not going to participate in challenges, and wouldn’t mind some short-term guest designer spots because it’s fun to try some new experiences.  But the whole big commitment thing… it’s time for a break!   :)  And Tammy is a much happier stamper as a result!
I wish YOU happy stamping!  And thanks for stopping by!