My Own Creations

In case you haven't been following, I've recently been entertained with a company named Stampin' Up. It's a scrapbooking/rubber stamp company that sells all sorts of nifty things like inks, ribbons, paper, sticky things, punches, and crazy looking tools.

I've joined a little group of women affectionately called The Pampered Stampers. We get together once a month, eat junk and create until our hearts are content. Our Creative Coach, Tina, also hosts other small gatherings where you can learn different techniques or how to use a product, and you go home with some beautiful cards and other cute creations.

For years I have tried to follow in my mother's footsteps. She is so crafty and nifty...and, despite the similar the relation, it seemed like I was a lost cause. I have so many craft tools and papers and other things...nothing created...nothing finished.

Well, I have pulled out my craft tools, my paper, my sticky things, my embellishments, and I have started creating things on my own. I have been "blog stalking" and trying to re-create. I've had to readjust my budget and allow for creative purchases. The hardest part? Making my thoughts work. And making sure to find projects that I am able to create with the kids climbing all over me.

So, here are my latest: Thanksgiving cards to the family and a Going Away card for a girlfriend at work.





The Thanksgiving cards I used mostly products from Stampin' Up: the Earth Element colors, Happy Blessings (holiday mini), the scallop circle punch, and the 1 3/8 circle punch. Of course, as you can see, none of the cards are the same. Maybe this is my fault, but I'm still learning. I had fun doing these, and it took me probably all of two hours to complete them. Mind you, I also completed two loads of laundry, made cupcakes for DS' Fourth Birthday, cooked dinner, and did the dishes. Not bad.

This last card I made for my girlfriend at work using a technique DD and I thought was amazing and had to create TONIGHT (we did, it took some time to create, only because we don't have the right adhesives, yet). My friend is a hard-working, beautiful inside and out, under-appreciated woman. She's been at the office for quite awhile and is, in every way, under-appreciated. She finally got a job at another location, and a considerable pay raise. While in reality this means that my days will be a little rougher and I will miss her terribly, both professionally and personally, I am extremely happy for her. No one else deserves a change for the better more than she does. I hope that the grass truly is greener on the other side for her.

I know that these look a little rough, but I am still learning and practicing. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did creating them.