In The Cat Cave

"Are you happy crying Mommy? Or are you sad crying?"
"Oh Jane, Mommy is happy crying.  I won an award.  But it's our little secret."

Sometimes you get lucky once.
Then there's a handful of humans that get lucky twice.
And that's me.


Gulp.  I am so excited.

What does this mean?  Well, it means that the design team are given product to play with in order to showcase Stampin' Up!'s amazing products.

Its a great gig.  I highly recommend it.

This is Catherine Stockley and I in 2013 in Salt Lake City after I found out I was selected as a winner.  She was just as excited as I was and I was incredibly grateful to have her there with me.

Stampin' Up! Artisan.

This happened twice. The first time I was selected for this team was in 2013. Things were a little different back then. There was 20 stampers from North America selected as finalists.  You then went to Salt Lake City and found out live who the 10 Artisan Winners were.  When I received the news I was a finalist, I was on the phone with my friend Catherine on the way to Costco.  She had mentioned that the blog world was exploding as the finalist calls were made.  She had no idea I applied and I kept that information tight lipped. After hanging up with her I called my husband and asked him if anyone had called.... and somehow he said 'well, there's a message for you from Stampin' Up!'.  I knew what that meant. I bawled.  And I mean I really bawled. I felt a whoosh of pride.  I was astounded.  I couldn't believe it.  And well, the rest is history...

That moment changed my direction. It changed my focus.

It changed me.


Moving forward to the Now.

You see, I remember that moment in 2013.
And I wanted it to happen again.
It did but it didn't.
Not perfectly anyhow.

I could feel it in my bones this year. When I received the call from my friend Becky, I was at the swimming pool watching my two children swim... ahem.. my six year old was swimming but my bloody 3 year old was flailing around negotiating with the instructor about why he cannot float on his back. Its sweltering on that pool deck and I am allergic to something on the floor but you are not allowed to wear shoes.  To say I am currently in a state of frustration is an understatement. And my feet were ON FIRE.

Becky was on the 2013 Artisan Design Team with me and we've shared some close moments.  She now works at Stampin' Up! as a Creative Artist.  I love her to death and I can picture her excitement to have gotten to make this call to me.

I am certain I disappointed her on that front.

I'd like to get that call again. A redo, perhaps?

Ack.

I saw the call coming in from Stampin' Up!  on my cell phone.  I remember staring at it.  Thinking that its either A) Compliance or B) The Call.  I actually considered not taking the call because I was in such a state of disarray that I couldn't possibly handle it right now.  I had so much on the go and I needed some good news, although I can't remember why now.

I took the call.

"Hi Cathy. This is Becky. Are you alone?"

$%&*. 
"Yes. No. I can be."
YES YESYEYEYSEYEYSYEYYESYES. 
$%^&^ S*T 
Yahooooooooooo.
*lots of curse words* 

I am cursing under my breathe as I move into a corner so that the instructors can't hear me. Why now?? My kids are in private lessons so we pretty much have the whole pool to ourselves until the next families come in.  But I am now stepping on the ITCHY pool deck.  I am wearing way TOO much clothes for this bloody hot facility.  Jack, my 3 year old, is now starting to whine and cry for his Mommy. My face is so hot and I am giddy and annoyed all at the same time... Not now Jack, not now.  I ignored him.

I am a cool, calm, and most certainly collected hopefully soon to be Stampin' Up! Artisan.
I have everything together.
Yup.
No.
No. I do not.

This call was NOT like my first.  I couldn't say the words. I couldn't hear.  I knew what they were saying but I couldn't articulate.  They went into the expectations and I didn't listen. I already knew anyhow.  I wanted to say thank you and you are all awesome. And let's hang out. I just wanted to chat. But I didn't have time. I hung up and texted my husband.  "I have some news."

But now I am back to swimming mode.  Lessons were over and I had to get these hooligans dressed. ARGH. I brought leggings for Jane (6).  I can NEVER get them pulled up over her legs.  I wanted to call my husband to tell him the news.  The only one I could tell. And I started to cry.

Then she said it.

"Are you happy crying Mommy? Or are you sad crying?"
"Oh Jane, Mommy is happy crying.  I won an award.  But its our little secret."

And with that, I took a few moments to enjoy those whooshing feelings of pride.  Those feelings of being lucky and being blessed and thoughts of 'what did I do to deserve this'?

I'll remember that moment. She was proud of me and that made the moment even sweeter.

The story hasn't ended because now I need to keep this secret for weeks before receiving my award.  A tricky feat indeed.

Stay tuned,
Cathy

I've known Kaitlyn since 2013 and have been a fan since I met her.  She totally gets me.  Her style is very much like mine. Clean and simple with a pop of detail.  She was a Stampin' Up! Artisan and now works for the company as a Concept Artist.  She's the real deal folks.

I will say, I know that Kaitlyn is always clustering and so thats where my card came together.  I used the brand new Falling in Love paper that Stampin' Up! is releasing in January along with the Cottage Greetings stamp set.

I am off to try to finish a tedious puzzle my hubby gave me!!

Have a wonderful day and make sure to join in the fun this week!

Cathy

I can assure you that I can really relate to this "Let it Snow" challenge that TGIF is leading this week.  With three snow storms, this week I am in a winter wonderland.

I created this project with the intent to place it in a mason jar.  however, what I found was that I didn't have a short enough mason jar to gain the effect... and guess what? There was a snow storm today so I didn't get a chance to get out and get a new jar.


I figured that it was meant to be to use the project as a little statue amongst my Santa's village and Nativity sets.

Are you inspired by the snow? Make sure to share it with us at TGIF Challenge Blog by Thursday, December 23rd.

And PS. Did you see the Gingerbread House ornament?  Make sure to check out that project on the Creative Scrapbooker blog from last week.

Another snow blast is on the way!
Cheers,
Cathy

I look forward to sharing with you MY December 2016.
And so it goes.. why do I do it?