Appreciate What Is

Anyone who knows me or has followed this blog will understand why I love the sentiment on this card. They are three simple little words that speak volumes. My card is simple, too, and while I suppose I could have squeezed some hardware in somewhere, I didn't want to.

As for the stamped design, I find myself unable once again to reveal where and from whom I received my inspiration. At some point during the past couple weeks, I saw something similar somewhere out in the blogosphere. It reminded me of a sunset. If I come across it again, I will edit my post.

For this card, I embossed the flowers on glossy white cardstock and sponged in the background with Sunkiss Yellow, Topiary, and Hollyhock ink (in that order). It would have been a 10 minute card had I not learned - the hard way - that an Embossing Bud is a necessity if you're embossing on glossy cardstock. Had I used my original piece, the stamped design would have looked like a sunset in a dirt storm.

Materials & Tools: White glossy cardstock; Black cardstock; Topiary textured cardstock; Black, Topiary, Sunkiss Yellow, and Hollyhock ink pads; VersaMark ink pad; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Hero Arts Anytime Messages stamp sets; Black embossing powder; Embossing Buddy.

Back to those words, I read somewhere not long ago that we spend 98 percent of our time thinking about either the past or the future. I thought long and hard about that statement and realized that it's probably accurate. If we're thinking about yesterday or even what happened five minutes ago, we're thinking about the past. More often, we're thinking about what we need to do, and when we are, we're thinking about the future. We spend very little time thinking about what is happening at the moment. To "appreciate what is" is to think about and be grateful for the moment. Staying in the moment, I'm going to sign off without any talk of what was or will be. If you know me, you've got it figured out anyway. . .