It’s a New Day

While many of you have been stuck at home during quarantine, I have been working as a nurse.  It’s gotten to me.  I’m a hospice nurse and you never get used to dealing with death. Everyone who passes affects me and my co-workers.  We’ve been fortunate that we haven’t had anyone with Covid die but we have had some patients who have had Covid.  And, yes, they lived.  They stayed home. They didn't go the hospital. They were sick but they lived. That has given me hope.

The worst thing for me has been the anxiety.  

Anxiety from not having the “proper” PPE when we have had it ingrained in our heads since we were in college that we needed to wear it properly or we could get sick and die.  

Anxiety from being told that the PPE “isn't good enough” despite knowing that one surgical mask for the whole day is probably not.  Or, is it and we've been mislead all these years?

Anxiety from having to wear a thin, yellow “surgical” gown that tears the minute you put it on.

Anxiety from not knowing who to believe and anxiety because people in charge don't say the same thing.  

I have been fortunate.  I have my papercrafting.  I’ve been doing a lot of scrapbooking.  I’ve gone through many years of pictures.  It’s been therapeutic.  I have not been able to find my groove to make cards.  In March, I couldn’t even put my Paper Pumpkin kit together.  I did 3 cards a few weeks ago and couldn't do more.  Yesterday, I gave the rest of the kit away to a friend.

Yesterday, I decided I needed to just start over.  I needed to bury my head in all things Stampin’ Up! and get back to doing what I love.  So, I crafted. I did a video.  I texted with my friends.  I forgot about my full time job.  It was the best day I have had mentally in a very long time.

I organized my craft supplies.  That was the best.  I realized how much stuff I had and how much I don’t use.  I have Stampin’ Up! stuff from 2010.  I told one of my friends that I wished I hoarded toilet paper like I hoard embellishements.  It was cathartic and it also made me realize I had to use my stuff and stop hoarding my paper.

Paper. Designer Series Paper to be exact.  I have such a hard time cutting it up sometimes.  Especially the pretty ones, the blue ones, the green ones.  So, I devised a plan. 

I had purchased some of the new Stampin’ Up! products in the product preorder last week.  One of the perks of being a demonstrator is that we can order some stuff before the new catalog launches (and the new 2020-2021 Annual Catalog is launching on June 3^rd).  Yesterday morning, I did an unboxing video with the new products. Check it our here.  

Have you ever done a video?  The filming is the easiest.  The editing takes time – taking the stuff out you don’t want everyone to hear.  Like a cough or a sneeze, or when something falls and crashes, or when you can’t find something, or when your setup isn’t quite as organized as you thought so you waste time looking.  I like to watch videos that are helpful and to the point.  Some chatting is good; too much can be bad when you want someone to like your video.

The worst part of doing a video for YouTube is the uploading.  It took over 3 hours for my video to upload yesterday.  It was during these 3 hours that I organized and decided to use some of the gorgeous new paper from our upcoming catalog. 

Here are the cards I made. 

This paper, from the Flowers for Every Season Designer Series Paper, does all of the work.  It is stunning. 

The cards also show off our new 2020-2022 In-Colors.  Misty Moonlight, Just Jade, Magenta Madness, Bumblebee and Cinnamon Cider.  The blue is my favorite.  Yes, I say it all of the time and if we had every shade of blue available I would be happy.

The new ink is not available yet.  So, I stamped the Smile sentiment in our white craft ink on the new cardstock.  The Smile sentiment is from one of the new stamp sets called Lovely You.  The script on this stamp set is beautiful.

The ribbon and the gems are upcoming as well. 

One of the best things, in my opinion, in the new catalog is the Lovely Labels Pick a Punch. This is the punch that I used to make the banners on these cards. This punch allows you to do 6 punches.  It is great.  

I hope you watch the video and subscribe to my youtube channel. 

My advice to you today is to use that paper.  It will be hard (and having scraps left will be hard, too).  I may hoard the scraps...just saying.

Happy crafting and peace to all of you.  

And, thank you, for reading and for letting me be a bit too chatty today.

Megan