English Rose / Candle in the Wind

 I tried to finish 2025 with my 100th Craft Roulette contribution, but just couldn't do it...even though I started one, yikes...I even finished it...yikes again...but I will post down the line some day.

My 100th...what can I say... I started out so different, but, it wasn't sitting with me.  I truly wanted something special.  I'm not sure I did it justice, but I sure traveled down memory lane with this one, and I suspect, I'll be chatting with many as we all recollect that time of our lives.

 First, the parameters are what lead me to using my Her Royal Majesty stamp set from Scrappy Boy.  It may not be available anymore, but just in case...I provided the link.  I adore this company, and it's offerings, there are so many fun stamp sets ... and if it's no longer available, there are so many other fun stamps that this company offers.  I'm not affiliated with this company, just a loyal customer, who loves the line!

 

 

 

 

So...here goes, this could be a very long post!

I'll start with the parameters first:

I chose to use this set based on the outdoor critter parameter...combined with the 1990s.  I remembered ALL the crazy "collector" Beannie Babies I purchased through one of my dear "Candy Bouquet" customers of mine...(back in the day, when we were cranking out tens of thousands of 3D solid chocolate roses for the franchise)  (That was a big gig) Of all those beannies, there are maybe 2...that I will not and would not part with, although I did find my stash of them, while I was ransacking my closest, looking for "English Rose". (The beannie that TY released after the tragic accident in honor of Lady Di.)  If I recall, the royal bear, was very hard to come by, and my customer, with her limited supply, saved me one, and shipped it to me...all the way from Kentucky!  (FYI...the other one is the Millennium)  

From there...I created my card.  

I stamped and colored a little purse to include among the white roses, and our little critter bear (if that is too far of a stretch for "outdoor critter"...I did add a butterfly, which fits the criteria)...the colors, 90s colors, that Princess Diana loved (pink was her favorite) and wore (who can forget the famous super yacht image of her wearing blue, dangling her feet above the blue ocean)...and for the textile parameter...  I used my much used, maybe the most used stamp in my craft room....my Stamping Up! background "Linen" stamp.  It's been YEARS since I was a hobby SU person, but I still have all my stash, and since Craft Roulette, I find uses for stamps that would otherwise never see the light! (yikes)  Linen isn't one of those...I use it TONS TONS TONS TONS...in fact, one of the ladies I used to swap with, nicknamed me Linen, because I'd praise how much I used that stamp...that and "True Thyme" cardstock...another must.

Before I end this very long post....who can remember where they were the night the news hit.  My husband and I were headed home from a Labor Day weekend BBQ at a dear friend's house.  We were just starting our journey to parenthood, which ended up taking a very long time,  we didn't know it at that time what struggles were ahead of us. Our friends had recently become new parents, so there was lots to talk about.  I remember the silence, once we turned on the news and heard of the accident.  It still tugs at my heart, the images of what was to come.  It feels like yesterday, and yet it's going on 30 years.  Since then, my family has suffered huge loss, from a nationally known violent crime, all the way to the recent loss of my Dad, who I miss terribly every day, and my sister in law, just a few months ago.  We have had great joy too...college graduations, new nieces and nephews (great), and so many blessings (my son's successful surgery at such a tender age..to remove that nasty tumor).  There were moments in this card that I wasn't sure if I did it justice for Diana or not...I know sounds a bit deep for a Craft Roulette card, lol...but for me...it felt good to recollect where we have come, through hard times and good times too. I know how hard things have been at times, and I know things get brighter eventually, and perhaps going back that far, and then recollecting all the in between...maybe if I didn't do the card justice, it did for me!

I have found good ole fashioned creative therapy playing with my supplies...and although I'll put in a plug for Craft Roulette , it has turned out being my "go to"... I encourage any and all, to find "something".  I can start another long post with the advice of "something" was given to me...and although I forget to practice it from time to time...I'm glad I did, and I'll spare that info for another post!

 So...tomorrow night, the wheel spins again...pop in, and then share!

Happy New Year to ALL!