Today is one of those amazing days where I can indulge in things I LOVE.  I LOVE Stampin’ Up!  I LOVE Angel Events! 

I copied this cute card from the Summer Mini Catalog – Gosh, there are so many great ideas in our catalogs!  I confess to this design ‘doing my head in’, a bit, to start with but I love the end result.  I sent it off to Lovely Jenny who has just signed her first Stampin’ Recruit.  YAY! 

There are lots of things I love about Stampin’ Up!  One which fits really well with attending Angel Lunch, today, is the fabulous energy which ‘pops’ out of the box when I open product I’ve ordered.  I find a HUGE SMILE crossing my face whenever a box arrives from Stampin’ Up!  Being ‘energy sensitive’, I LOVE finding Great Energy to bask in.  It’s really obvious when I receive mail from someone in an emotionally tumultuous state – the mail carries it through to me.  That’s why my cards are always given or posted with Great Deliberation … so only positive and loving energy is attached.

Another thing I love about Stampin’ Up! is the Statement of the Heart:

To Love what we do and Share what we love,

as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments …

in this we make a difference!

Isn’t that fabulous?!

While I don’t ‘teach’ others about Stamping, I do “Love what we do” and I do “Share what we love” … in the making of my cards, and in the giving of them, too.   I also apply this Statement of the Heart to my Angel world:

To LOVE what I do and Share what I LOVE,

as we Share the Warmth and Strength of Journeys Travelled

Hand in Hand.

Cool, huh?

Living Your Passion involves LOVING what you do; Doing Something which Makes Your Heart Sing.  It’s what comes through Stampin’ Up!  It’s what I share when I “Talk Angels”.  I am Living My Passion.

I LOVE Stamping!  And these are the things I LOVE most about Stamping:

Colour ~ Bold Brights, especially

the Bone Folder ~ it’s So Easy to get crisp folds on my cards and boxes

Stampin’ Wheels ~ mostly those which can be Coloured In … Easter Eggs … Cupcakes … Ooh La La!

Watercolouring ~ gentle and ’swishy’

Ribbon!

Stamp Sets ~ LOTS of images that coordinate ~ lots of choices in lots of themes ~ lots of different styles

Crystal Effects ~ for that added dimensional shine

Stampin’ Up! Mini Catalogs!!!

UStamp with Dawn ~ outstanding projects ~ fabulous contributors ~ family-like atmosphere ~ dedicated stampers ~ creative heaven ~ a month of indulgence

Stampin’ Blogs ~ lots and lots and lots of brilliant ideas (the top 2 cards are designs by other Stamper’s and I am Grateful for the Creativity )

Stampin’ Up!

I’ve been stamping again – a LOT – to the point that I think I have almost overdone it!  LOL.  But … I have a fabulous stash of cards ready to send off when I need them, and some stunning 3D projects to grace the craft room. 

Isn’t that Designer Purse and coordinating cards set fabulous?!  This project was from UStamp “With Love … 2010″ and created by Becky Roberts ~ stunning, stunning, stunning!  I revisited a designer series paper pack which has been quite neglected in my stash, recently, called “Haiku”.  I love the thought of the purse holding several cards and then given as a gift … hmm. I wonder if that’s a great workshop theme?

What are you doing, this weekend, which brings you Pleasure and JOY?

I’m Feeling the Love.

Thank Goodness!

I’ve been feeling sad, angry, sad, angry for days now and it’s so nice to wake up this morning and actually find that LOVE is resonating more strongly in my being than those other emotions and feelings.  I am Grateful for having made the Valentine’s Calendar (inspired by UStamp and Tracey Old!) because even though life has been traumatic over the last month, each morning I have been able to update the Countdown to Valentine’s Day widget and connect with just a Little Love.

Ooh, which brings to mind a Great Song for today – Good Lovin’ by the Rascals! [This is dedicated to my Great Mate Mark in Spain who has been unwell but has excellent taste in 'old' music - Be Well, Feel Great, My Friend!]  By the way, this is such a short clip that I am sure you will want to listen to it again … and again … and again.  LOL.

My ‘Gifts’ have continued to arrive in abundance.  David liked the way I listed what Gifts had been given to me each day this week so I thought I would add a few more …

• The Gift of Great Love ~ in the reading I shared with a lovely new friend, yesterday, I was allowed to access the most incredible relationship in one of her past lives.  It filled my heart and soul with Love, and the awareness of just what is possible when you are with your Perfect Mate.  Thank You.
• A card arrived in the mail from my cousin in Sydney ~ she was thinking of us and sending her thoughts and well wishes for our healing process.  I am So Appreciative.  Thank You.
• A notecard appeared in my letter box from a friend sharing with me how much she appreciated seeing me, this week, and how aware she was of the challenges of  ‘Walking Your Own Path’.  I am Very Grateful for her acknowledgement (and for receiving such a beautiful hand made card!).  Thank You.
• Family dinner, last night – oh, wow!  We are back in Harmony and it was so much fun!  A most enJOYable occasion.  Thank You!
• An email, this morning, from a friend who had read yesterday’s blog post and appreciated the ‘active listening’ and caring that friends can do … that’s how she sees ME.  I am humbled, and grateful.  Thank You.

And, finally, my Gift to Myself ~ I made 10 ‘Thank You’ cards during the aftermath of my nephew and father’s deaths.  They are simple but reminded me so much of Joel, and Dad.  I am So Grateful that I had the Thought, the Energy, and the Commitment to make them because 8 of them have been posted to the various lovely people who have been so supportive during this time.  Thank You.

I could not have had a better finish to the last few weeks ~ my ‘old’ week ~ than spending the afternoon Stamping with Kels and the Girls. 

It was a very relaxed but high achieving afternoon which began with making little toothpick decorations for our Valentine’s Cakes.  I got the idea from a fabulous picture on Constantly Stamping … Inspiring!  We progressed to creating our own Baskets of Love (an awesome UStamp project)which was Fun and Easy ~ especially when Kels came up with a Really Great Idea for using the pricking tool ~ and inspiring for ME because the girls really explored all the options (and boxes of Bling) for adding embellishments! 

We finished with the Butterfly card and I made one in PINK – I don’t like PINK much, especially Pale Pink, but the card is just delightful and I’m glad I chose the ‘challenging’ colour combo.

I am really looking forward to next month’s Sunday Stampin’!

Which brings me to the New Week/New Approach to Life plan.  I have been stamping, stamping, stamping.  It’s been wonderful to indulge during Summer Holidays and for the last couple of weeks of sadness.  I LOVE being Creative!  But, it’s now time to get onto the Business side of my life.

This week, Gentle Warriors is back to business.  Our first Angel Lunch is happening, tomorrow, and I am really looking forward to it.  Next week is the Oracle Card Reading Practise Session ~ always fun and enJOYable!  Like hanging out with the kids (oops! Girls!) for stamping, I always learn so much when sharing my knowledge of how to go about doing and giving readings.

Today, I am off to a workshop planning session with Lovely Norma.  I am always, always blown away by what 2 creative Gemini minds can come up with when exploring and planning something they are passionate about.  In fact, it’s just great to be PASSIONATE, in general!

I have learned a lot from following other folks’ approaches to the things they feel Passionate about.  People who Love What They Do and Do What They Love are HAPPY and I enJOY spending time in their Energy and Company.  I trust that people who spend time with ME feel the same way.

So, sad thoughts are now pushed back in my mind, just a little bit, and positivity is now in the forefront of my mind.  People and situations of a Happy, Uplifting, Empowering nature are now in my life.  Woo Hoo!  It’s a New Week, and A New Approach to Life!

A little “LOVE” music to inspire you today … while you send text messages of LOVE to your partner … The B52’s!