SDC80: Out With The Old, In With The New

'Brave Girl'

Stampotique Designers current Challenge (#80) is Out With The Old, In With The New.  It's the last day of 2012 and I've been reflecting on this past year, so full of blessings and so full of struggles.  'Brave Girl' has been my catch-phrase for the year (yes, I most likely caught the phrase from Kelly Rae Roberts) and so I wanted to create a keepsake in celebration of doing just that, being brave and overcoming many of my fears.  This piece has been pretty much created from my collection of scraps.  The only things that are new are the white flowers in the bride's bouquet and the one in her hair.  I got a little 'brave' today and had a go at creating the two characters in this piece, the girl and the owl... drawing is a little out of my comfort zone, which is why I love stamps so much - especially this Stampotique tree!

Right at the start of this year I was in the midst of making one of the biggest decisions of my life, Joel had unexpectedly proposed in early December and I had yet to give him an answer (I made him wait about 5 weeks in the end)!  Yes, he can be quite a patient man!

I knew for me to say yes, I would need to be 'brave'... maybe it sounds funny to you, but being the age I was, having never married before, knowing that my life would never quite be the same, and not really having expected this possible change of marital status (I had pretty much resolved myself to the fact that I was going to remain single for the rest of my life) I was going to need to be 'brave' in trusting Joel and to be 'brave' enough to give myself to someone in a way I had never done before.  

Being a 'Brave Girl' kept ringing in my heart right the year through... I've had to face and deal with a number of huge fears this year... which to many would seem totally insignificant, but to me, they have been momentous.  I know that my faith in God, the encouragement of Joel and other close family/friends has enabled me to be brave and conquer fear, and for this I am very thankful!  What a blessing!