Forever in my heart....

This card is for the family of my dear friend Ellena who lost her battle with Lymphoma back at the beginning of November. I lost my "zest" for blogging around that time and sort of disappeared from cyberspace for a bit. When I came back, I wasn't up to discussing the reasons why. It is still so difficult for me to believe that she is really gone - I think that is why it took me this long to make her family's card.
E had a thing for owls, so I just had to include them somewhere on the card. :)

Ellena was a dear friend and fellow scrapbooker. She was a Stampin Up Demonstrator - when I first met her years ago, I actually thought of her as "the competition" and treaded carefully since she was in "the business" first. Ha - no need really, we quickly became each others customers! And of course, in the stamping world we can never have enough - variety is the spice of life right?!?

Ellena or "E" as most of us called her, was always smiling - we shared so many great laughs together! She was kind and generous, always willing to participate in an event to benefit a charity - such as our Annual Stamping Pyjama party. Despite her failing health, she attended this year's event - we were so honored to have her there! She was a true fighter, right to the end - it was evident that her intent was to "live with cancer" rather than die from it and that is exactly what she did.

Though I am sorry that she is gone, I am a better woman to have known her and call her my friend, and for that I am fortunate and truly thankful. E - you will remain forever in my heart.

Hugs,
Shanna :)

p.s. I would like to enter this in the Paper Sundaes challenge this week which is to "cut it out".

What I used:
stamps: CTMH
papers: My Mind's Eye - Quite Contrary
Embellishments: twig, Bella Bling, ribbon