The Back Story

What an amazing few days it has been! Seriously. Some very big up's and down's. But I thought you might want to know the back story behind my Garden Girl invitation. I love "True Hollywood" stories. :) So I'll be a total geek and tell mine. LOL!

You know I've been playing around at Stamptoberfest on 2Peas. Ever since Inque Boutique was bought out and we haven't worked as designers for them any more, I've really missed stamping. I've told you before how cathartic I find it. So I was more than happy to have an excuse to be stamping again--and I love the Little Yellow Bicycle stamps so I was playing with both my "Frightful" and "Christmas Magic" stamps. That reminds me--I have an extra "Christmas Magic" stamp set to give away in the next few days. It's DARLING!!

So anyhoo, I'm playing along at 2Peas and loading stuff into the stamping gallery and feeling happy and dealing with some blues when I get a fabulous phone call from one of the companies I've stepped down from asking me to come back. It was an amazing opportunity, but I told them that I needed to think about it.

So I come upstairs and am checking my e-mail when I see a happy faced e-mail from Miss Melanie Bauer. "Would you like to be a gg?" was the gist of it. And that's when I lost all semblance of "cool." I was jumping up and down and screaming like a banshee. You see, ever since I discovered 2Peas I have dreamed of being a Garden Girl. I believe their designers are the among the finest, and I'm always going there for inspiration from the gallery or to read about good people's lives or their publishing successes, or to shop (of course). It's a great site for the complete scrapbooking package.

My e-mail reply was totally dorky: something along the lines of "Heck yeah, baby!" (I do live in Utah after all.) ;)

Unfortunately I had to turn down the offer from my other company, and I am sad to say "good-bye" to good friends at that position. But I am thrilled to be working in a community of such amazing people--I will NEVER forget how they supported and loved me during Joey's illness and passing. I am truly blessed to be involved with such amazing people.

So that's my story. (Told you I was a goober!) But I think it's great to get excited over things--the first time you make a layout that you love, the first time you get the publication request (I still love that), the first time you receive a check for your hard work, the first time you make a DT. And every time after that is just as amazing! Isn't this industry fun??!!

On a lower note, I learned that a very good friend of mine from college passed away earlier this year from cancer and I didn't know and missed his funeral. I am devastated as he left his beautiful wife and five children behind. He was a vibrant, happy person who made my transition from high school to college such a lovely time. I have spent many hours mourning his departure. I just cannot imagine the suffering his family is going through (and yet, on some level--I know). And I think about what all families go through as they lose their loved ones. It is such an unbearably painful time. My heart and prayers go out to those who are in that situation right now. I just wouldn't wish those awful moments on any one. And to my wonderful friend: Love you, Rob!!

(Note: the above card was published in Paper Crafts: Stamp It! issue of this year.)

17 comments

  1. A huge congrats Jen, definitely well deserved!!! I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

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  2. I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your friend, Jen. It's heartbreaking. Congtatulations on the new appointment to 2Peas, I can't wait to see you 'doin' your thang' over there. Thinking of you.

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  3. congrats my friend! no one deserves it more! but if you leave LYB i will hunt you down.

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  4. Anonymous8:08 PM

    congrats jen!

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  5. Anonymous8:18 PM

    I am so sorry about your friend.
    Hugs and prayers.

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  6. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend.

    Jen...WAY TO GO! I'm so, so, so happy for you. I so not surprised that you were asked to be a GG. You are amazingly talented and just such a wonderful, wonderful person.

    WAY TO GO!

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  7. WOWZEERS Jen! That's fabulous! You'll be a terrific addition to the garden! :D

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  8. Hi Jen! I just wanted to tell you that I love the card that accompanied this post. It seems to be for Mother's Day, but when I saw it I immediately thought "invitation". It would be great to send a card like this out with the date circled, inviting people to a party. I've saved it in my "scraplift" folder, and will be using it for sure!

    I love looking at all of your projects and this isn't the first one I've saved to replicate later. Thanks for sharing your work with us here - I, for one, really appreciate it!

    Lizzy



    Lizzy

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  9. Anonymous1:30 PM

    Huge congrats! Thanks for sharing your story!

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  10. I keep forgetting to tell you congrats. You are so awesome in so many ways! Good thing you posted the story. The 2peas website was too overwhelming for me, I kept getting stuck looking at all the cool stuff! You'll be an awesome Garden Girl!

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  11. Anonymous9:52 AM

    Jen,

    Congratulations on being asked to be a Garden Girl. No one deserves it more! I'm so happy for you!! Carol

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  12. Anonymous12:37 PM

    That Mother's Day card is just absolutely stunning!

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  13. love hearing the story of how your GG invitation came about. huge congrats ... you deserve it!

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  14. Congrats on the GG Jen, well deserved!

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  15. I wanted to stop by and give you a huge congrats, you'll be an amzing GG! So sorry to hear about your friend.

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  16. I loved reading your GG story!! That is one amazing dream come true for any scrapper! Congrats!!!! :)

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  17. Yay! It was fun to read all about it. Your talent never ceases to amaze!!

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