The Creative Blog Hop..

Hi,

Hope you are all having a nice long weekend (in the US)

I got invited by Kim Young to join in The Creative Blog Hop. I was really touched that Kim asked me, as we are newish blogland friends - we met via Stamping Ground, during the WOYWW 5th Anniversary ATC swap.

We discovered that we have a fair amount in common and live not too far from each other in New York state.

So what is “The Creative Blog Hop”?  It is a brainchild of a blogger some time ago.  A blogger is tagged along with two others who then answers some questions and introduces three other bloggers the following week and so on and so on. There are no rules as to who you can invite or what art the blogger you choose undertakes - doesn't have to be card making.

I am only introducing one other blogger today - I'm not sure if that breaks the rules or not..I'm bending them anyway :)

I have to tell you a little bit about me, so here it goes..I wouldn't have really considered myself that crafty really, but since I first started 8 years ago..it would seem a beast has been awakened! I've always been able to sew, but papercrafting just seemed a bit odd to be honest! How that thought has changed...

I absolutely love making cards and I especially love sending them to my loved ones. Recently at a wedding a friend told me that she looks forward to special occassions, as she knows she will receive something beautiful from me - how lovely is that! Proving that snail mail is not a dead art and that people really do appreciate a pretty card.

So I went from a basic kit to a craft room that is an uncontrollable monster (one that I love and I am always itching to spend time in), I love new tools, seriously..it's a borderline addiction (I can count x5 new tool additions this year alone...).

I also love learning new techniques, but I was bit scared at first - 2014 has been my year to try, fail, try again, succeed!

I live in NYC with my Hubby and our 2 Furchildren, we relocated from NYC nearly 18mths ago and it's a lot of fun living here, but also a challenge being away from family and friends.

I used to have a website selling my makes back in the UK, but life in NYC is a bit too hectic to do my day job and sell in that volume. Now I stick to selling via word of mouth and a few local stores. As I am not selling so much, blogging has become very important. I set myself goaals and I try to post 5 times a week..meaning I have to make stuff, which is good for me, as making stuff keeps me sane :)

Here are the questions:

What am I working on now?

Stencilled background

Well, there is always something going on, but at this very moment, I am taking an Online Card Class - Stenciled. I've always wanted to work with stencils and started using them seriously towards the end of last year. I have just completed the first day of the class and I am pleased at all the new things I have learnt. I am also learning how to use watercolours and this is an ongoing process...I have come a long way in 2 months!

Watercoloured stripes

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Honestly?! I think the only difference between myself and other cardmakers is that I don't have a specialist area. I am not all about stamping or watercolours or stencils or mists or dies. I love it all! I am a big fan of the CAS approach, which I am attempting to adopt more and more.

Why do I create what I do?
Why not?! I do it all for fun. It's so much fun to sit at my desk and lose a few hours just playing with my stash, doing a class, CASEing an idea, learning a new technique. It's just fun and I believe everyone should have a hobby (although mine does seem to have consumed me!)

How does my creative process work?
This is simple..I make lists..I am a Project Manager by day, so lists are KING. I like to carry a notebook everywhere and jot down ideas. Then when I am at my desk, out comes the notebook and the fun begins!

Your next TCBH hostess will be Carole. I met Carole via WOYWW and we have become firm friends - exchanging stamps etc via snail mail. Carole made me the most gorgeous notebook - even before she knew I was a notebook addict! We have so much in common and being friends with Carole makes me happy, not only because she is so lovely, but because her work is gorgeous and she pushes me to try new things and to step out of my comfort zone.

Carole and her work can be found over at - 8thWonderArt - here is a bio about Carole.

I live in Yate, a small town close to both Bristol and Bath, in England. I was born in Bristol, but have a lot of American family in California and I’m married to Tom, who is half Italian, with most of his family living in and around Venice! Aren’t I lucky!
I’ve been crafting one way or another since I can remember: my Dad (who was a Canadian national), was a sign writer and artist, so I get my love of everything arty from him… my parents were so encouraging, I inherited Mum’s love of literature and everything else from Dad - he taught me to ice skate, play ice hockey, encouraged my love of riding, which meant lots of mucking out stables in exchange for lessons, cinema and art…. though I studied Film at university and that was as a mature student, fairly recently and used to write articles for a film magazine..but that was a long time ago. I love making cards : rubber stamping techniques most of all, but I also love altered and mixed media art and craft sewing. I’ve been blogging for three years and running card making  workshops with my friend Amy for two years, something which I really love to do.

Outside of craft my big love is animals: as a child and teen I was forever riding horses and we always had cats and a dog, but now our pets are our  adorable backyard hens which often feature on my blog. If I hadn’t been such a totally ‘arty’ person at school and so very bad at math and science, I would probably have become a vet. I’m afraid I’m not much into sport, except  equestrian and ice hockey and my team is the Anaheim Ducks, which I’ve been lucky to see play on quite a few occasions, including here in London.

I work for a local charity, a Volunteer Centre, which helps people find volunteer work , as well as helping other groups and charities  to find volunteers, we also provide training and advice. It’s an interesting and fulfilling job and I’m always surrounded by my lovely office volunteers.

This has been a lot of fun - thanks Kim for inviting me and thanks Carole for taking part.

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