I recently celebrated my 5 year anniversary with Stampin’ Up! As I look back, I had so many reasons why I joined Stampin’ Up!
When I joined Stampin’ Up!, my youngest had just gone off to his second year of college and I really wanted to focus on what was next for me. I felt like I had checked off the parenting through high school box of life and it was time to forge a new path for myself. I was no longer needed on a moment-by-moment basis by anyone and I had some freedom.
I spent the first year decompressing from the stress of parenting two kids and reaching the goal of high school graduation and on to college and independence. I did some extra teaching in an after school program for kids that needed more help. It was grueling to work all day and then teach another 2-3 hours. One year of that was enough.
But man, that house felt empty and there really was a lot of free time to fill with something meaningful. I had spent that first year giving the house a good cleaning and organizing and I had actually created a real craft room for myself in the basement.
Out went the couch and gaming system and in came my cabinets and table. I create a space just for me.
I contemplated going back and getting another degree. I’ve always wanted a PhD…but what is the point? Plus, did I need one more tuition to pay? The answer to that was a resounding NO! To be honest the only thing that actually sounded like fun was Cryptozoology. Who doesn’t want to find out if mermaids and the Loch Ness are all real? I didn’t want to get a degree that I would actually use for anything more than fun stuff.
I started crafting a lot more now that I had more time. I pulled out the scrapbooking and stamping supplies and started creating. It felt so good. I’d been taking a lot of technology related classes and workshops for school and realized that I knew enough to create a blog and a Youtube channel and start sharing my love of crafting.
Somewhere along the way, I decided to join Stampin’ Up! to get that 20% discount on supplies and I was off. It was exciting and overwhelming and a little frightening, but I forged on.
I had hoped that I would get to know a lot of other like-minded people. I had a group of ladies that I had gotten together with for many years for crops and classes. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of them were moving on with grandchildren. Now I was meeting people via my blog and Youtube channel. I was invited to contribute on other blogs and I joined the Paper Craft Crew as part of the Design Team.
I love doing all of this! As the kids graduated from college and the house felt emptier, we decided to downsize and move to our dream locale. We had been thinking that it was time to move to where we actually want to end up when we eventually retire. Life got busy again and I didn’t have time to maintain my blog and videos and do all the moving and diy projects that sat before me.
Now I’m ready to get back to my crafting, blogging and video making!
I’m taking classes, meeting new stampers, and advancing my craft. Today I started taking a 6 day class on die cutting. Woohoo!
We did this hinged die cut rainbow card that was very fun and not all that difficult to create.
This card uses an alphabet stamp and one single sentiment stamp from Altenew’s Cotton Comfort stamp set.
How fun is this card???
I can think of many different ways that I can use this technique. I might not do this many layers again. The front of the card is thick!
I might do a watercolor or ink blending technique or even use some pretty background paper and just hinge one front layer. So many possibilities on this one.
I love my Big Shot. That is one purchase I made within the first 3 months of joining Stampin’ Up! I use that all the time. Taking a class to learn some new techniques to share with you just makes me feel like I’m getting more for the money that I spent when I bought it.
It felt like such a big purchase at the time with two kids in college. I have never regretted that purchase.
I also have to add that as these stamping companies spring up and as I browse through each new Stampin’ Up! catalog release, I have come to realize that they just keep adding more die cutting sets each catalog. Now it is unusual to find a stamp set that does not have a coordinating punch or die set. I always regret not purchasing the bundle.
This card today is a nice clean and simple way to use dies on a card. Just paper, adhesive and your Big Shot and dies. Simple and fun.
You can check out the die cutting supplies and the papers at mystampingstore.com!
Next on my list of things to get going with are my videos! I will share this technique in a video with you as soon as I can! I’m hoping that by mid-February, I have the rest of the unpacking done and my video camera going!
Thank you so much for stopping by. Happy crafting and remember to embrace the imperfections!
