Here we go!

Ahhhh! What am I doing? Have I really ventured into this blogging world? But here I am. As Shatner says”: just say yes”.  So I asked myself, as my talented friends started posting their own amusing fabulous blogs, should I?  So here I am. 

I am a long time crafter, sewing, knitting, drawing, and scrap booking. I 1^st started scrapping in 2005.  Sure I would have no interest in the hobby and that really, I was going to my friends Creative Memories party only to support her.  Well look at that- I loved it.

So much, that I hosted my OWN party not long after! And this was my 1^st ever scrap page:

Now, many many years have passed since my 1^st discovering scrapbooking. I started by expanding my circle, realising that Creative Memories, although having simple, nice, clean, designs were not the only option out there. (To this day- I still believe they have the best albums!)

But my techniques were, how can I say this, not really expanding. Other than my cats, I did not have much to scrap.  Yes I was in a relationship (that was horrible) and I had (and have) amazing friends, but I did not feel I had the same passion as those around me.  What is making the 20^th layout of my demon spawn cat, vs. watching my friends scrap their children, family and weddings? So like many out there, I felt like a scrapfailler, and not a scrapbooker.

But now I have found new joy and gusto in it.  I was in a low period of my life before meeting the most amazing man, whom I married.  And now I could understand as I prepared our engagement album to display to our beloved guests, how much more joy this could bring. 

I have been now working on my honeymoon, and have started our wedding album.  It brings me great joy.  Something that I need at the moment, as having lived through many hardships, family dramas, good stress, work stress and illness, I am at an all time low. 

My sewing machines are collecting dust; my knitting needles are asking me to finish the projects that are hanging off them.   I have my own crafts room now, somewhere quiet just for me.

I am fortunate enough that I have an amazing group of women with who I have to opportunity to learn new techniques, tools and scraplift off.

Natalie ( http://mamanhall.blogspot.com/ ) has an amazing blog that I love to read! Besides having a passion for scrapping that blows my mind, she also links the blogs that I know are must reads; therefore she does all the leg work for me! 

Nathalie ( http://thecreativecellar.blogspot.com/  ) has a talent that I cannot help but be envious of! She is also part of the team at one of my favourite scrap stores: http://www.tinascrapbooking.com/ .

Sarah (http://handwrittenmemories.blogspot.com/ ) is one of my best friends and my main scrapping partner.  She and I have spent many hours ( and too much money – shhhh don’t tell our husbands) traveling and exploring many stores. Doing this, we discovered ( w our friend Diane)  http://auntieemsscrapbookingbeading.blogspot.com/, another of my fave stores. Sarah is part of the design team as well!

So here I am writing a novel.  Do I still feel like a scrapfailer? Not anymore.  I have realised that what are in magazines and online are works of arts, and in art you cannot compare yourself to other, only to yourself. As I look at my latest layouts I created yesterday at an all day crop vs. the 1^st one I ever done I realise how much I have learned and improved.  And that is all I can do.  And seeing, and loving, what I have created makes me happy.  I am hoping that I can create more and share.

What a difference a few years can make don't you think? :