Change

Blog Candy Alert  HERE :)

There is at least one thing that you can count on in life :) , and that is change.   Long post ahead....a card at the end! 

If you haven't been able to tell out there, I've been laying low for the past week.  If you've been surfing the creative 'net the last 7 days, you will probably have already heard that Stampin' Up! has made significant changes to it's Demonstrator Agreement.  For the wider SU! population, the decision to sign the new agreement may not be so significant.  But for many of us Demonstrators in the blogging world, and for those on Design Teams, it has great significance. 

I have been a SU Demonstrator for 5 years.  It's been a big chunk of my life creatively that has been rich, it has given me wonderful opportunities, and I've made some really precious friends through it.  I love SU.

These past 2 years I've had amazing opportunities to work with stamps from other companies and also represent the Dirty Dozen for 6 months, I love my Design Team work, and feel very blessed and privilaged to work with Flourishes.  It's been a significant and wonderful part of my creative journey.

It's hit me hard because I feel like I have a 5 year old, and a 2 year old both of whom I love.  And SU is requiring me to choose between them.  If I choose the 2 year old, I can't have the 5 year old in my life, and if I choose the 5 year old I can never speak of the 2 year old again.  I want to say,  "but I love them both!".   (ok I realize I'm being slightly dramatic). 

So the past week has been a really tough one for me, I can't believe it's been this emotional!  I've tried to wait and not make any hasty decisions, hoping some things would be clarified.  I have a 10 for 10 Club with SU that I planned on starting in a few weeks.  I did a lot of thinking, praying and God gave me a question, "Can you represent SU with integrity in the year ahead?  And...do you want to?".  Sadly the answer was "no".  SU has the right to make these requirements, but in them doing so, it just took the wind out of my sails for representing them as a company.  So as of October 1st I won't be a demo anymore, and I've had to cancel my club with my girls (insert crying face here).  Sad, but the right decision for me and my family. 

Will I continue to stamp with SU?  Yep.  I wasn't sure I would be able to for a while, but I have far too much invested in my stamping cupboards not to.  I still love SU stamps and papers and inks and embellishments.... :)  but they are not my only love.  And I'm perfectly ok with that.  This is my personal blog and I want to create with what I love and what makes me happy....and hopefully inspires YOU along the way, no matter what company it's from!  And I hope you'll continue to stay with me for the ride. 

So last night, for the first time in a week I pulled out some new SU and created this fun Christmas card...

 

I used the wreath from Berry Christmas, because it's a "single row of circles" in the wreath stamp,  I decided to create fuller wreath.  I inked it in Kiwi Kiss and stamped it several times, turning each time and being careful to keep it in that circle alignment.  I stamped the berries and bird in Bermuda Bay, trimmed them out and popped them up.  I used the Petals A Plenty Embossing Folder for the texture (oh I LOVE this one), and stamped the snowflakes in both colors to tie it all together.  As a last touch I added white gel pen to the sentiment and the wreath to give it some pop too.

 

Thanks for being here friends and for listening! 

Recipe:  Stamps:  Berry Christmas, Ink: Bermuda Bay, Kiwi Kiss;  Paper:  Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Kiwi Kiss, Kiwi Kiss DSP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Scalloped Circles Bigz Die, Petals A Plenty Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, Bermuda Bay Dotted Ribbon, Oval Punch, Scalloped Oval Punch.