back to basics

I still remember that thrill in 2001 when I first discovered, and then fell in love with, rubber stamping...a neighbor was having a Stampin' Up party and she invited me. I had no idea about rubber stamps or stamping or what to expect, but hey, I am always up for a get together with my neighbors- so I figured what the heck, and went...little did I understand what was happening!


...I was instantly hooked. I felt like had found my 'place' in the craft world when I discovered rubber stamping. At that same time, I also found my very first Somerset Magazine- it was the Volume II Gallery magazine...I was standing in line at AC Moore and the magazine rack caught my eye...I wandered over and my eyes roamed around and fell upon the beautiful earth colors of the Gallery Cover...I picked it up and I felt like I was coming home. The art was so beautiful! I connected with it in a very deep way.


Now some of you might be rolling your eyes and thinking, "Come on already...we are talking about rubber stamps and a craft magazine", but there are others out there who will understand what I am saying. I felt like I had found kindred souls - others who were just like me. The connection was immediate and strong and has remained so ever since.


Over the course of 8 years since that Gallery issue and my first Stampin' Up party, my art evolved...from stamping I went into altered art. That evolved into collage. That awoke in me my old passion for water color painting and color pencil. When my last child moved out, I took over her room and converted it into my studio. A place I had wanted my entire life. It was a heady experience. I was now a 'real' artist! Never mind that I had a career as a package designer for the pharmaceutical industry- THIS was art to me...


Fast forward to now...I wanted to make a card for a wedding shower. I looked through my collection of hand made cards but none were for a wedding shower...so I went about making a card, the first in over 3 years. I had forgotten how much I love rubber stamping, how much I loved making greeting cards!

I have fallen in love with rubber stamping all over again!

I am once again perusing stamp stores for that perfect stamp...only today it's on the Internet, as most of the brick and mortar stores are gone. And a very serendipitous thing happened - I attended the wedding shower yesterday and as fate would have it, I sat at a table with a woman who is a Stampin' Up demonstrator! She is having a Christmas demo get together at her house and of course I'll be attending...

In some ways I feel like I have come full circle. Back to the beginning...back to basics. Back to rubber stamping!