My story actually began back in 2002. I started crafting when a friend introduced me to scrapbooking and I took to it like a duck to water. Before that the last time I had used glue, paper, inks had been when I was in Junior School and I loved the relaxing feel I got when scrapbooking precious family memories.
In 2002 our lives changed when we moved from Hampshire in the UK to Houston Texas. I met a neighbour who knew I scrapbooked and asked whether I had ever tried rubber stamping. I said no and she invited me over to my very first Stampin Up demo as she was a demonstrator. She told me I would get hooked and at the time I didn't believe her. Well.... she was right! I loved everything about it and the fact that here I was, someone who didn't consider myself to have a creative flair for drawing, or paper or ink and I was making art! Stampin Up made it easier for me and I was drawn into this creative world.
Fast forward to 2005 and I returned home to the UK with all the stamps and ink I could bring! Fast forward three more years to 2008 and Stampin Up finally came to the UK and I signed up as one of the very first demos. Sadly, though my time with SU only lasted a year and I actually put away all my crafting tools and didn't do anything for a long time.
In 2015 I started up a small soap company and one day whilst looking for inspiration for soap boxes I came across Sam Hammond on YouTube making boxes. So I got out all my old SU stuff and had a go. I found I loved it so much I contacted Sam, became a Demo again and swapped soap for paper.
Twenty years ago I had given up my career to look after my children. When they no longer needed me and they went off to University I looked around for a part-time job. Even with my skills no-one wanted to hire me because I had been out of the workplace for 20 plus years. So digging deep and finding some confidence I decided I was going to try and start my own business and it was going to include Stampin Up.
It has not been easy and it still isn't but then starting a business never is. It takes time, money, committment and yes I believe a little luck. I am still my best customer but I have a small customer base and I am going to keep knocking on doors and building my little empire and hopefully, as it says in the movies, they will come.
One of my favourites places to hang out when I first started using SU was Splitcoast Stampers. A great forum with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for Stampin Up and now other stamp companies.
Imagine my delight when last month they asked me to be on their Design Team for the next few months.
Here are my projects for October:
Project one was to be inspired by the image and I used the Jar of Love set and the flowers from Botanical Builder Framelits.
The second project was a step it up card - I used the lovely stampset Wetlands with some watercolouring in the background.
The third project was a sketch and I turned the sketch around. I used the set Totally Trees.
The fourth project had to be a technique - so I used this great technique of a magic card which when it opens the sentiment is shown.
All the other Design Team projects can be found on Splitcoast Stampers in the gallery here
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting
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