Friday, April 26, 2013

I Love the Smell of Photopolymer in the Afternoon...

You know, when you buy as few stamps as I have in the past two years, the smell of them hits you like a rare and wonderful blessing.

I'm reminded of that scene in When Harry Met Sally, but I'm not sure why, because the joy that comes from the smell of high-quality photopolymer rising from a freshly opened U.S. postal service cardboard box can't be faked. 

Maybe I just love When Harry Met Sally. Who's with me?

Of course you are. Meg Ryan is adorable.

Anyway, here's what I sniffed.




This order came from Ellen Hutson's store in record time, and as usual includes a little thank you card and gift of ribbon.

I want to thank y'all for the recommendations of stamp companies to check out. I think my favorite new-to-me recommendation so far is CAS-ual Fridays. I've seen the name around on blogs but had never looked that closely. Good stuff! In fact, as soon as I opened the box and snapped this photo, I put the CAS-ual Friday set Breathe to work.

I bought this set because it's got some lovely, encouraging sentiments in it that will be great for friends and family for years to come. Right now, I have a friend who hates the month of April--the cruelest month--for very good reason. Bad things happen to her every single April. Not "oh, I got a paper cut" sorts of bad things, but "loved ones die" sorts of bad things. Every. Single. April.

If I believed in curses, I'd believe she was cursed. It's really awful.

I usually give her a card or little treat in April, and we try hard to joke about it. This April, however, has been no joke and particularly hard on her. It's all just so very sad.

She's already gotten a sympathy card this month, and here's her end-of-April card from me.






I curved the April on the block to follow the curve of the swish and rather like how it distorts the word a bit, making it look a bit awkward and unbalanced and squashed on top.

She won't, of course, be able to "just let the grief go" (that has to be lived through) but she can let April go, and move into May with a hopeful heart. She's one strong lady of faith, and I know this sentiment is perfect for her.

I hope April has been kinder to you than to my friend. Is there a particular day or month that makes you feel cursed? Or perhaps blessed?

I've never had a "bad" day or month, but I've always loved November (so many birthdays, including my own, and Thanksgiving, and pumpkins and fall leaves and mums and crisp blue sky and sweater weather and so on!). My son Nick observed at the age of three that all good things happen on Thursdays. It's shocking how often that turns out to be true in our family.

What about you?

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts (April), CAS-ual Fridays (swish and sentiment)
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink white
accessories: black half pearls, Corner Chomper

20 comments:

  1. You're going to love CAS-ual Fridays stamps. They are amazing, and will fit your style perfectly. And the owner (Michelle) is as sweet as they come. Enjoy your new goodies!

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  2. Oh... so happy to see you new toys, Susan! I'm so glad that you love CAS-ual Friday Stamps and they sure are perfect for your friend who is having a tough time in April. Sometimes we all need to be reminded to just--breathe! Love your beautifully stamped card BTW!

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  3. Oh my goodness, this made my day! I'm so happy you've discovered my stamps, and hope you'll get lots of inky enjoyment from them. Your card is awesome and I'm sure you're sweet friend will really appreciate it.
    Hugs!!!

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  4. Lovely card Susan, I'm sure it will bring some comfort to your friend.

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  5. This is AWE.SOME. I NEED that CAS-ual Fridays stamp.

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  6. You've said so much with such a beautifully simple and lovely card ... it's sure to be appreciated. Anita :)

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  7. WOW! Love your card and deeply envious of those fab CASual Friday images too - ENJOY!

    Kathyk

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  8. Simply perfect. I'm sure your friend will really appreciate this card.

    CAS-ual Friday stamps - one of my favourites!

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  9. Lovely card. CAS-ual Friday Stamps are one of my favorites too! :)

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  10. Your friend will love this card, and will treasure your friendship even more than before. The card is beautiful. Years that end in "0" with the first days of the month are a bit scary for me. But, knowing that God holds me in his arms, I can get through anything life throws at me.
    New stamps sets are the bomb! A whole world of experiences opens wide. Have fun with them. Bev

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  11. I'm with you on When Harry Met Sally - fabulous movie!

    I don't have a particular bad month, but a hard period - mid December to mid January. I nursed one of my three closest friends through that time period a few years ago as he died of cancer, and I still find it hard to get through those weeks - the memories are so intense. But I do have a favourite month - April - I just love spring and here in Vancouver, Canada, April is stunning - cherry blossoms, plants coming to life in the garden, a chance to get out and work in the soil.

    Speaking of the companies we all recommended to you, River City Rubberworks' new website is up and running. Check out the Kay Foley sentiment stamps - you, with your love of words, will probably enjoy some of her quirky cleverness.

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  12. Susan - happy new stamps day :)

    Your posts are always inspiring, and today your eloquent words hit a nerve - I hope your friend finds some peace in time, with you as friend it will be easier.

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  13. Love the card, what fun to get new stamps in the mail. I find it slightly encouraging that someone else dislikes April...that has always been a bad month for me; I thought I was the only one!

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  14. I've always tried not to tie bad happenings to the day/date, month or time of year they happened and for the most part have been successful with that. But, for many years after my parents deaths, fall was just a depressing time for me. My mom passed away on Sept. 30 and 4 years later my dad passed away on Oct. 11. Both of them had been in good health and died very suddenly so it was difficult to accept both times. It doesn't hit me so hard anymore... time does lessen grief, I guess.

    I'm sure you'll enjoy your new stamps. I hope to get to try some of the CAS-ual Fridays stamps one of these days.

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  15. I love the card and how you made the 'swoop'.
    I used to love November for the exact same reasons that you do (my birthday is also then) but for the last 4 or 5 years, family health issues and passings have occurred in November and December. In fact, last year I jokingly told my parents that we would forget about December from now on. Seems strange that things happen around the same time.

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  16. Such a lovely card Susan! Its nice to let others know we are thinking of them - I need to remember to do this more often.

    I found during my teenage years Wednesday were just bad bad bad. And for the last 5 years my Gran has been ill every Feb and March - its so strange that its the same time every year.

    Enjoy your new stamps! Oh and btw I lurve the small of good quality photo polymer too! My bf catches me sniffing my stamps from time to time he he xx

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  17. I don't have the personal sorrows in April that your friend does but April does have a bizzare amount of tragedies. We had the Boston bombing and the warehouse explosion in Texas this year, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and a football hero of mine died April 18, 1996...it does seem to be a cursed month.

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  18. We had to buy DVD of "When Harry Met Sally" incase the VCR died.

    I don't have an unlucky day or month per say, but the numbers 11/11 are my superstition; be it time or date and I've no idea why.

    2012 was bad health year for me,but it did make me decide on full retirement that spring which is the good news.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!