Fall in love with Fall

I’ve been making greeting cards for years, and it all began in 2016 when my mother became ill and suffered a severe stroke. At the time, I was living in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, while she had just moved from Chicago, Illinois to McAllen, Texas to be closer to family. Honestly, I was a bit annoyed by her move—I grew up in Chicago and loved visiting in the fall every year, spending a month between October and November. We’d celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas together, and I cherish those memories of us in the Windy City. When she became ill, I had to figure out a way to earn extra income to cover flights and help with her needs. Being an only child isn’t easy, especially when caring for a parent. A friend and co-worker at Montessori Schools, who was a Stampin’ Up Demonstrator, invited me and a few others to a card-making workshop at her home. I was instantly hooked, signed up right away, and started ordering my own supplies. Soon I was making cards for friends and earning enough to cover little expenses here and there. It was a blessing, as most of my paycheck went toward flights and sending money to my mom. Sadly, she passed away in 2017, but I kept creating cards for every season and occasion. This project became a refuge, helping me cope with the loss of such a special and courageous woman I was lucky to call my mother. Love you always—I’ll never forget how each year, we fell in love with Fall.