The Hunt

"More stamps?" Marv queried as he tossed me the envelope that arrived in today's mail. "No, just one stamp," I replied. "I had to have this one." "Do you buy every stamp you like?" he asked. "Ah, no," I said, and that was the end of the conversation. He doesn't really care, and I don't care if he does. I know my limits, and I certainly don't buy every stamp I like or anything close to it. Like I said though, I had to have this stamp.

If you've followed this blog, I love trees and birds. In the summer, trees offer shelter from the hot sun, and in the fall, they're at the heart of the color palette I love. With its leaves, I think the oak is the most beautiful tree in God's creation. In winter, however, I find its empty, gnarled branches to appear mean and spooky. As for birds, I love to wake to the early morning melody of the songbirds or hear the caw of a lone crow who seems to have something to say when no one is listening.

With regard to this stamp, I saw it a few weeks ago when blog surfing. I thought it was very cute but didn't make particular note of it at the time. That was too bad, because as it turned out I couldn't get it out of my head. I wanted it. I knew that finding it on the blog where I had originally seen it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Because of its size, I figured it almost had to be a wood-mounted stamp. I thought about different stamp artists but wasn't familiar with enough of them to begin to know where to look. I ended up starting my search with manufacturers whose names were familiar to me, and don't you suppose on the third web site I searched, Impression Obsession, the words "bird tree" brought up the stamp "Tree Birds." There it was - with options even - unmounted rubber, wood-mounted, unmounted with a permanent cushion, or unmounted with a repositionable cling cushion. I chose the last option and the rest of the transaction took less than a minute. It was a hunt, but all things considered, an unbelievably easy one, which has got to mean it was meant to be.

With little ones here tonight, I didn't have much time to stamp so my card is very simple. I colored the image with markers and added a simple, albeit appropriate, sentiment. It's another stamp that makes me smile - the best kind.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Brown Bag cardstock; Black, Outdoor Denim, and Twilight ink pads; Brown Bag, Heavenly Blue, Sunflower, and Garden Green markers; Impression Obsession Tree Birds stamp and Verve Stamps Here for You stamp set; Dove blending pen; and Sponge dauber.

Refreshed from the long weekend, I had a busy, productive day at work and a great evening with Grandpa, Bjorn, and Mathias. Every time I see those little boys, I am amazed by what they've learned since I saw them last. It doesn't matter if it's been a week or a day, there's always something about them that's new and wonderful. We talked about the upcoming fair and what we would see and do. Right away, Bjorn asked if Miranda was going to have her horses there, which means he remembers last year. The fact that we're making memories means everything to me. I want them to be able to take my love and maybe a little of my wisdom with them throughout their lives. That's what being a grandparent is all about, and I am so blessed to have this opportunity. Before I get any sappier, however, I'll say goodnight along with the usual, heartfelt thanks for stopping. Take care . . .