Do you remember when you first started cardmaking? Or papercrafting?
My journey began in 1996, after moving across the pond to a new country. Learning that I loved to craft, an invite from am elderly neighbor, turned into an afternoon that would change my life forever.

I remember seeing her art room, filled to the brim with wood-block stamps. Not like the supplies of today, but still so impressive to a budding card maker. The supplies seemed endless...Scraps of speckled paper, embossing powders (in five colors!), edging shears, punches and adhesive. O my. It was a world I instantly fell in love with!

I recall one of my favorite ways to finish off cards at that time was with an adornment or two around the sentiment. Perhaps with a corner punch, or photobook corners...Remember those??!!
To think how far we've come!

Today's card reminds me of those old designs, yet it is nothing like them. 

To make my card, I paired supplies that we could have only dreamed of existing at the time...Clear stamps, dies, and markers to color our world. 

To make my card, I used the Jumbo Criss Cross Background with some paper strips (which I saw on the TSM Instagram feed - how creative?!).Around my heat-embossed Scripty Sentiment, I knew I wanted to add adornments. Thinking back to those days and how I would finish my cards...Minus the photo corners ;)

I used the beautiful Bloominious stamps and dies to make my wreath accents, and a tiny Heaps of Heart to finish things off.

We may be far from that world in so many ways, but I find myself thinking how lovely it is to look back and pay homage to our roots.
Our dear friend who introduced me to this world recently passed, and I'm not sure if she ever knew the full impact her kindness had on my life. But then again, isn't that what acts of kindness are all about? We rarely know who we may be inspiring, encouraging, or supporting through the generosity we share with each other.


How did your stamping journey start? Has anyone ever introduced you to something that ended up shaping your life in a significant way?

Thank you so much for visiting :)

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