Scrap it all!

Hello all!  It has been far too long.  The winter was long, it's just starting to get warm in...mid May! 

I tend to only write on here when something is either gnawing on my mind or some sort of exciting event has happened in my life.  Today, it is the latter.  Ish.  Not so much an event, but a sudden realization.  I was going to keep it to myself, but heck, I have a blog and I'll write it down.  If you're crazy enough to read it, have at it!

The realization is this:  I may actually, in fact, be somewhat creative.  

I know.  It's crazy, right?

I have spent the majority of my life avoiding the creative process.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  It makes me uncomfortable and queasy.  I need structure and order.  That's why academics always came relatively easy to me.  The arts...not so much.  I left that to my siblings.  
Since mid-high school, I've toyed with the idea that I like to scrapbook.  I want to like it.  I like scrapbooks.  I love pictures and memories.  Scrapbooks are SO beautiful.  Mine are not.  Mine are sad and, well, pathetic.  I have no concept of color coordination and no imagination when it comes to layout.  

So, the cycle goes like this:  
I want a scrapbook.
I buy a scrapbook.
I buy all the stuff for a scrapbook (including TONS of pictures).
The scrapbook, photos and stuff sits there for YEARS - nearly untouched.

My wedding/honeymoon scrapbook is still sitting in a box waiting to be made.  I think I've managed about 4 pages.  Maybe.  We got married in 2008.

Fast forward to this past summer.  A neighbor was having a yardsale.  Apparently they either upgraded all their crafting supplies or decided they no longer wanted to paper craft.  Either way, I left with $15 worth of crafting supplies.  That's $15 in yard-sale items.  Needless to say, I suddenly found myself with a great number of stamps, ink pads, scrap paper, etc.  A friend had given me a hefty amount of scrapbook paper a year or so back (you know, for my scrapbooks!).  I found myself with no excuse.  Scott looked at all the supplies I came home with from the yard sale and asked what it was all for.  Now, I REALLY had no excuse.  

Still, the scrapbooks sat.  

Soon, it was birthday season in my family.  Both my and Scott's family birthdays are heavily centered in the fall.  We try to buy, in the very least, a card for each individual.  It's getting expensive! 

Enter brilliant idea.  I'll use my supplies to MAKE cards!  We'll save SO MUCH MONEY!

I sat there and stared.  Blank paper.  So many stamps.  I quickly pulled out all my scrapbooking supplies and found my 3-D stickers.  Dimensions really make a 'blah' card look amazing!  

My first few cards were less than stellar.  I didn't care much.  They were going to family anyway!  It's the thought that counts, right?

I learned 2 things right off the bat:

1) I really don't like the look of cards with JUST stamps.
2) Stickers can be just as expensive as buying pre-made cards at the store!

The clearance rack at Michael's became my best friend and then, in a lucky break, I mentioned to my sister that I'd discovered I actually kind of like making cards.  She had a bunch of card-making stuff sitting in her garage that she gave to me.  Suddenly, I had two paper cutters, more stamps and even some powder embossing tools!

In the last month or so, I realized I can look online for template ideas.  My Pinterest page has exploded with handmade card examples and techniques.  I've even started making cards for non-family members!

It may sound silly, but it is super exciting to me.  This realization that I just might be somewhat creative!