my story.

my crafty story that is.

It shall be a long one. Feel free to read or skim over. (:

My mum was a crafter. She was a knitter and a cross sitcher. She would sew up pillows, doona covers and fix my torn clothes (very often i might add), she would knit my baby cousins clothes and jumpers for my Dad. When I was 6 she taught me to knit. At first I would just put the wool around the needle as I sat next to her, other times we switched places. I knitted singlets for my teddies and scarves and hats for myself and baby cousins.

I picked up many crafts over my childhood. Cross stitch and long stitch. Sewing teddies and dolls. Needlework and other paper projects.

During 2007 (I was 13 then) I was a crazily obsessed beader. I would make jewellry for presents, for myself or to sell at school. I was the girl that carried around a love heart shaped box full of handmade earrings and necklaces in little ziplock baggies for $1 each. Making about 10c profit. (I really had no idea back then). I started to use the internet, searching for ideas and inspiration. During one afternoon I came across an online beaders forum. I had never seen one before but was fascinated at the thought. I joined the forum. I didn't chat much, but found a lot of cool resources.

During October of 2007 I visited a friends house. With her i went to her friends house. She was a scrapbooker as was her mum. They had shelves and shelves of stuff. I had always loved scrapbooking. I was given kits and occasionally bought a magazine. I looked at the layouts and didn't really think that someone had actually made each page. (crazy, i know). At this friends house we scrapbooked together. I couldn't believe you could put things like buttons and ribbons!! on a page. It blew my mind.

When I arrived home that day I wondered if there were scrapbooking forums like the beading one I had recently joined. I did a google search and came across Scrapbooking Memories. I joined their forum and started to chat. For me, it was alot more welcoming than the beading forum. I found we could talk about other things other than just scrapbooking. I began to get to know many women and form friendships with them that I still hold today. Lisa (scrapwitch), Jodie and Kayla Renee to name a few. I saw that they all had blogs and I wanted one too. Not that I had anything to share, I just wanted to be in the scene.

After creating my blog, I realised that, apart from the page I made at my friend of a friends house, I had nothing. No supplies other than an album and a 'Dummies guide to scrapbooking'. I came up with the idea to take photos of my beaded jewellry and put them on my blog. I put up how much each cost to make and asked if anyone would like to send me that amount of scrapbooking supplies for the item of jewellry they wanted. I advertised on Scrapbooking Memories. Almost everything was 'sold' and the packages came rolling in. The generosity of these women completely shocked me. Some who wanted to swap a $10 necklace, sent an overflowing pizza box full of a variety of things. I had no idea what chipboard was, so in one package, the woman wrote out what it was and what you could do with it. I was sent stickers and flowers and buttons and paper. Sure it wasn't the latest stuff and the most expensive but for me, at the time, it was all so gorgeous. My mum and dad couldn't believe the community I had joined. How helpful it all was. I remember one woman was going through some hard times and many joined together to create an album for her.

Sometimes I wish scrapbooking product was like that again- where it didn't matter if you only owned a little shelf of supplies from 5 years back- whether you used the paper from the reject shop or from an actual scrapbook store.

So, i started to scrapbook. Being inspired by many scrapbookers and learning the ins and outs of the scrapbooking world it became my new hobby. Beading was being pushed aside and scrapbooking moved in. Dad set up a big desk in my room and I couldn't stop. I joined swaps and posted blog posts. Although, I wasn't a very 'good' scrapper, i enjoyed myself and was constantly sent RAKs and was given many words of encouragment. I couldn't believe that any of this was possible! This whole world behind the computer screen. One that most hardly knew about.

During 2008, one of the women working for SM put out their first call for a feature article they were doing on young scrappers. I submitted straight away and was shocked when I received an email back with a YES! I couldn't contain my excitement. I called Dad up at work and I could hear him tell his mates, mum gave me a big hug and my sister, Gloria, said 'what, like a magazine, you?'.

Since then, I have continued on with scrapbooking, moving into the mixed media side of things too. I am constantly learning and being blown away by the encouragment and kind people out there.

I wanted to thank you all. Whether you have been following my blog since the very start, or whether this is your first time visiting. Your words of encouragment over the years and your generosity has really taught me many things other than just scrapbooking and mixed media. I have developed great, strong friendships with many across the other side of the globe. A lot of people wouldn't understand these friendships but I know a lot of you reading this blog do.

So thankyou all. If you have managed to read all of this too, congratulations. :)
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I will be back after Christmas with some projects, etsy shoutouts and photos. Much love! xx