Get Well Blooms

College was a good time.  Not, "Wooooohoooooo!! It was wiiiiiiiiiiiild!!!!!" kind of good, but good as in, I learned a lot, grew a lot and found a lot of good friends.  It was, in many ways, the time of my life.

(I pause here to note that the phrase "time of my life" is popularized to mean "the best time of my life", but in actuality, it is a completely neutral phrase, and can easily also mean the opposite extreme.  In many ways, my college days were indeed the best time of my life; in other ways, they were the worst.  But you know what?  I am a believer that one has to experience the bad in order to recognize the good.)

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved my major.  I chose to study in the languages and literature department, which was one of the best decisions I've made in my life.  I've always been the bookworm, the child whose most scandalous behavior was to secretly speed read books in the young adult bookcases (when she was too young for them) after she read her way through the children's section of the library.  My mom recently found my old college textbooks when she was cleaning out a cabinet, and she remarked to me over the phone how amazingly dense my notes were all over the margins.  She exclaimed to my dad, "She really analyzed every single word!"  I laughed, remembering how much I enjoyed chewing on those glorious words and ideas.

I also really liked my peers in my department.  They were all such unbelievably smart and articulate and interesting people.  Some things get regrettably lost in my memory, but I clearly remember the first heady weeks of freshman year, which was when I became friends with Liz.  Liz was dynamic and articulate, a born leader.  Although we lost touch over the years, we reconnected via Facebook, where she often posts delectable photos of the meals that she cooks.  I also learned that she is dealing with some major health issues.  I always felt awful seeing her posts about yet another stint in the hospital or yet another medical test.

Liz is so supportive of my card-making even from long distance (she lives in Dublin while I'm in New York) that I wanted to make a special card for her.

I selected the brightest colors I had in my paper stash to infuse the card with as many good vibes as possible.  I layered the punch-outs from seven different flower punches to make up the blooms in the bouquet, and used little Swarovski crystals and glitter glue to bling them out.

After the card was finished, I looked at it, and it seemed so... Liz.  Vibrant, strong and gorgeous.  I also included in my package to Dublin an apron in a cheerful print, just in time for Easter.

I can't wait to see more culinary creations come out of Liz's kitchen, and I hope she gets completely well soon!