Celebrate your unique talent day!

Lydia here - I'm sneaking in with a surprise blog hop for Iliana today!

I love those calendar sites that give you fun holidays for every day of the year.

I really need to keep one by my desk to keep some humor in my calendar.

Today is Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day, so I'm a guest in a hop with the My Sweet Petunia team, celebrating Iliana's unique talent as the inventor of the MISTI.

When I fell in love with stamping, I actually fell in love with stamping. Inking a stamp and putting it on paper. As I got more skilled, and got better tools, nothing replaced the love that has kept me making cards for more decades than I care to admit right now - stamps, ink and paper. You could take away my Big Shot, my heat gun - all of that, but the one thing you can't take away is my stamps and my MISTI.

The MISTI is the only thing I own that has actually revolutionized my one true love and made it EVEN MORE enjoyable, something I didn't used to think was possible.

So from the very bottom of my heart, I thank Iliana for changing not just my stamping, but for changing the crafting industry, and filling a need even the most experienced stampers didn't know we had. I'm even more thankful for her friendship, and so glad that this incredible tool brought a woman I love so much into my life. She has a very tender heart, a very large brain, and is one of the bravest people I know. She's one of those people I know I could call at 2 AM and she'd be there for me. (Not that I'm ever awake at 2 AM, and not that I ever make phone calls. But she'd be there!)

Her unique talent has greatly enriched my life, and Thanksgiving week is the perfect week to tell her that. So thank you, my friend. And y'all should all thank her for her storewide sale this week! The whole store is 20% off - no coupon needed. Sale runs through the 26th.

I also love pandas. That is a stone cold fact. So the card I made for Iliana today is featuring a set that made me scream in my hotel room in Salt Lake when I saw it - I'm surprised security didn't break down my door. It's the new Hi There Bear set from Concord & 9th. I paired the card with a BARC Wood envelope that I stamped with another image from the Hi There Bear set. Yes - the envelope is actually made of a beautiful wood veneer. I used the size linked below, which is smaller than an A2 - but I liked it because it made the bear more prominent. The self adhesive sequins (SQUEE) and the striped paper are from the upcoming Occasions catalog. Click here if you'd like a copy in the mail.

Hi There Bear BUNDLE [ C&9 | SSS | ELH ] Doodlebug EERIE EYES Sprinkles Shapes... [ SSS ] Stewart Superior Memories India Ink... [ AMZUS ] Arc BIRCH WOOD ENVELOPES 4 Bar ARCBW55 [ SSS | ELH | AMZUS ] Whisper White Cardstock - Thick [ SUP ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC | AMZUS ] Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth [ AMZUS ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Big Shot by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ]

Since I have a voice this week, I thought I'd do a video of the process for you, and share some thoughts about bears.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Since you're probably still in your stretchy pants, why not visit all the other blogs in the hop for your chance to win an original or mini MISTI - your choice!

Ilina

Ceal

Kia

Chris

Jeanne

Steph

Giovana 

you are here >>Lydia<< you are here

 Marci

Also - I've updated my searchable sentiment database to include the Occasions catalog, so if you are already subscribed, you're all set. If you aren't - you can do so here. Thanks for stopping by today! Please leave in the comments what YOUR unique talent is - I look forward to reading them! Loveyameanitbye.