Monday, May 31, 2010

Welcome to My Little Creative Corner

Since I'm a writer by trade, I guess it's no surprise that I'm attracted to all things creative.

For as long as I can remember, I've expressed myself with words, with art and with things I made by home. As a young child, I wrote and illustrated countless books, a passion my own toddler-aged son has inherited.

In elementary school, I created a cottage industry around homemade hairbows, friendship bracelets, and friendship pins. In high school, I made earrings -- the bigger, the better. (It was the 90s, after all.) In college, I graduated to beading, a hobby I drift back to occasionally when I decide that my jewelry box is looking a little empty. As a young woman, trying to carve out my own signature style, I made purses from cigar boxes.

Through the yeas, I've tried and enjoyed a variety of crafts and creative pursuits: cross-stitching, needlepoint, decorative painting, pottery, fused glass, knitting and scrapbooking, to name just a few. Some I've abandoned completely, but many I return to frequently when I need to nurture my creativity.

Stamping is my latest passion. I was introduced to it during a Stampin' Up party at a friend's house last fall. And I can't get enough of it. The thing that I like about stamping is that it offers near immediate gratification; I can finish a project (or many cards, for that matter) in a fairly short time span. That's important because with a toddler, a husband, a house to run and a full-time writing business, I don't have a lot of time to devote to a hobby. But I realize that I need one -- for my sanity and my soul.

Some might think that working in a creative profession would be enough. But when creativity is your job, it often doesn't feel very creative. I still occasionally get excited about a particularly lyrical turn of phrase, but writing for a living is hard work. And it usually feels like it. So I need something else in my life that provides me that "look what I did" glee.

Stamping is that outlet. It's so much fun, and I'm truly proud of the cards that I make. I want to show them off to everyone and hear them say, "That's so pretty. How did you do that?" (In that way, I'm just like Jackson, my almost 4-year-old, when he shows me his latest project.)

This blog is where I'll be showcasing my homemade cards, scrapbook pages and other stamped projects. I'm by no means an expert in stamping. I have to work hard to create my cards, and I usually make lots of mistakes before I reach the finish line. With each project, I'll be honing my skills and learning something new. Some days, I may teach you something, but I'd wager that more often, I'll be learning something from you or one of the amazing crafters kind enough to share their knowledge and handiwork on the Internet.

Thanks for visiting this blog. I look forward to getting to know you better.

Happy stamping!

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