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I was just curious in learning how many of us here who frequent SCS pretty regularly are 55 or above. I am fully retired now and have more time to be here participating and I was wondering how many of you fall into that category with me. I would love to see your response. We could call ourselves "over the speed limit'!!LOL
I'm definitely over the speed limit - in age and energy level. I will be retiring at the end of 2018 and am looking forward to having more time for creating and sharing. Maybe after that I will have time to re-organize my dreadfully overflowing craft room!
__________________ SilverSnow Lois Malachi 3:10 "See if I will not throw open the floodgates of heavenand pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it"
I don't know why I've hesitated to chime in here but yep I'm eligible for this club too.
I'm a little less agile and the memory is shorter but I would not want to go back in time. Life is hard enough the first time and while I miss my kid terribly at times now that he doesn't live in the area, I'm very proud of the man he has become. besides modern technology makes connecting with him pretty darn easy these days
Add me to the club! I still work full time and I never seem to have much time to stamp. Hoping to retire in a couple years and have more time for crafts, sewing and gardening. We are a large group in the over 55 club!
__________________ Dianne
Getting Inky in Idaho! Proud Fan Club member
I'm joining the club too - I'm 67 (but fitter and more energetic than when I retired at 58 - I'm one of the lucky ones who was able to retire a bit early because I'd worked long enough to qualify for a full pension).
Loved reading this thread and knowing how many older-than-me stampers there are - gives me inspiration to keep going for years!
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
I shared this funny I read on FB on my FB page. It said, "The good news is I made it to the golden years. The bad news is there ain't no gold." I guess a lot of my gold got spent in my stamproom. I will have to stamp til I die, to use up all this stuff, but I will have fun working at it. LOL
__________________ LizThe joy of the LORD is my strength.Right Brain Madness --My blogProud member of the redDivasKSS certified multi-step stamperFan Club member since 2004
I'm joining the club too - I'm 67 (but fitter and more energetic than when I retired at 58 - I'm one of the lucky ones who was able to retire a bit early because I'd worked long enough to qualify for a full pension).
Loved reading this thread and knowing how many older-than-me stampers there are - gives me inspiration to keep going for years!
How did you become more fit and energetic that you were at 58? Old inquiring minds want to know.....and follow your example!!!
My job up until I was 58 was being a librarian - a fairly sedentary occupation. Since I retired, I've been volunteering 3 days a week with therapeutic horse riding for kids with disabilities - on my feet the whole time, outdoors, walking, handling horses. Also doing more gardening, giving my dog longer walks, and going to the gym once a week. Nothing radical but just being more active!
And I think I'm more energetic because I'm fitter, but also because I feel rejuvenated by the total change in my life activities - and because I'm happier and feel more free than I've ever felt before - getting to live life how I choose and do what I want to do. Retirement is wonderful!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeannemlehrman
How did you become more fit and energetic that you were at 58? Old inquiring minds want to know.....and follow your example!!!
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
I spent a good portion of my earlier married years moving around. But I have been in my present location for over 20 years, and I know that if I were to move, I would be very busy indeed. So Nancy, good luck on you move.
__________________ LizThe joy of the LORD is my strength.Right Brain Madness --My blogProud member of the redDivasKSS certified multi-step stamperFan Club member since 2004
I just turned 57 this month(June), I received some wonderful cards from the ladies who send out birthday cards I thank them all very much. Well I've had a rough road in the past few years with health so some days I feel older. Grieving the loss of my mom who died 31/2 years ago so it's been very hard, and another loss this past October. So I don't sleep well and tired a lot, I've been on SCS for quite a few years, but not very active. I posted pictures of my craftroom and some other crafts I've made before mom passed, haven't done much crafting since her passing and it's really getting to me. I have so much crafting supplies, I need to start using them. Just feeling drained. Hopfully one day I will pick up my crafts again, I just cry when I try to, it reminds me of mom, then my heart is just not into it. Have any of you experienced this. Thanks for starting this group of us youngins❤️🙂
No, as actually stamping makes me happy even when I feel down. I'm 72 and lost my mom when I had just turned 11. Wish I had had her as long as you had yours. I often think of how helpful she would have been through the teenage years, how I wish she had met my hubby of 50 years and how much she would have loved her grandkids and great grand kids and, in my sister's case, great great grand kids. Luckily, my amazing father did all those things before he passed.
I lost my beautiful Mom 3 years ago and I miss her every single day. I gathered some of the roses from her ceremony, pressed them in a heavy book then used my creativity/crafting talent to create a dimensional lattice heart with those rose petals inside and then framed the piece(s) for each of my sisters, my dad and each grandchild. My Mom would have loved them and having the framed piece makes me feel close to her. She was a wonderful Mom and lived to be 93...I am very fortunate to have her that many years.
Oh my dear, I'm so sorry for your losses. Losing a mom is such a life altering event. I hope that overall your grief has lessened at least some. In my case general depression makes me unable to pick up my stamps and and ink pad sometimes.
I hope you are able to regain your joy in crafting soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kimble73
I just turned 57 this month(June), I received some wonderful cards from the ladies who send out birthday cards I thank them all very much. Well I've had a rough road in the past few years with health so some days I feel older. Grieving the loss of my mom who died 31/2 years ago so it's been very hard, and another loss this past October. So I don't sleep well and tired a lot, I've been on SCS for quite a few years, but not very active. I posted pictures of my craftroom and some other crafts I've made before mom passed, haven't done much crafting since her passing and it's really getting to me. I have so much crafting supplies, I need to start using them. Just feeling drained. Hopfully one day I will pick up my crafts again, I just cry when I try to, it reminds me of mom, then my heart is just not into it. Have any of you experienced this. Thanks for starting this group of us youngins❤️� ����
__________________ Martha
Last edited by tigerlily55; 06-30-2019 at 06:30 AM..
Kimble, I am so sorry you are going through so much and I can empathize. I've also experienced health problems in recent years and I lost both my parents when I was in my mid-20s, over 50 years ago. My husband of 53 years died this past October. Lack of sleep has also been an issue and I know that affects my mood and energy level because every so often, I have a slightly better night and that's usually followed by a better day. I'm also experiencing a lot of sadness and haven't done any stamping for over two years, but I'm hopeful that will change since I'm currently preparing to move to a smaller place (another source of anxiety). Once I move, I want to reorganize my crafting things to sort out what I really think I'll use because, after 20 years in the hobby, I truly have too much stuff. I think once I make my stash more manageable, I may be more inspired to stamp again. But you don't have to move to do that; you can reorganize any time. And I've heard over and over that if you push yourself at first to do something that you really don't feel up to doing (like get back to crafting), it becomes easier with time and becomes a positive force in your life. I'm going to try; how about you?
Ingrid
I haven't experienced the loss of a parent in death, but I have experienced loss in several other ways, in several areas of my life---which was tantamount to the same thing you're experiencing. The whole thing sapped me of my joy, resulting in depression; & I couldn't do what I always loved, not crafting either-- I hadn't found Paper Crafting at that point, but another love of mine. It took time & taking baby steps. I also had my children & husband that encouraged me in my love & over time & taking baby steps I am back to doing my other love. It is a process of healing over time & I still am lacking in some of the other areas where there was a death of sorts, but I am believing that God will restore those other things to me in His time. Your crafting might even return in your love for a different sort of craft, or talent you have. Some of the things that returned for me came in a different form. All those things I lost came ALL AT ONCE & it was SO OVERWHELMING! But, like I said in time & maybe coming back in a different form, you will get back to where you should be. I don't want you to miss this one thing though that helped, Prayer played a big part in my recovery too! Take this time to ask the Lord to heal you & give you back the love you had for crafting. He DOES answer prayer! He only wants us to ASK! ;)<3
I love this thread! I can chime in as I just turned 62 in June, still working full time in banking but love my job so plan to stay in until at least 66 as that will be my full retirement for SS or close enough. I have friends who say they don't know what they will do when they retire, I have so many things on my list, I can't wait! It is wonderful to hear how many are enjoying stamping at any age and this is truly a wonderful supportive community. I have always done crafts, my grandmother and mom got me started, I found paper crafts when my son was born and i started scrapping. As he grew I had less time so I found card making and stamps. What a slippery slope that has been, lol, but I wouldn't change a thing. I have lurked on this site for over 10 years, don't post much and have a few cards I uploaded a few years back. but I have learned so much and been enabled a few times, lol, but you are all so wonderful, I come here every day because it makes me happy! T
__________________ Family faces are like magic mirrors. When we look at those who belong to us we see the past, the present and the future.
I love being retired and never seem to have enough time to do all I want to do-seems like my bucket list just keeps getting longer! I began stamping in my first grade classroom many years ago with little stamps from Hero Arts on my kids' papers and the hobby/addiction just grew from there! Oh, my...did it grow...and grow...but, hey- I just love it! Friends and family tell me they love getting their "special" cards, I've made new friends through the hobby and have old friends involved, too. Yes, I have spent a lot but my husband is a collector- in the past, it's been cameras, guitars, guns- we've had go-karts, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, Harleys, etc. So I think my hobby is somewhat less expensive than his! In any case, I'm not keeping score at this point in my life. Loving all the knowledge, laughs and help I've had through this site for many years- it truly is a place for ALL those who enjoy stamping.
I'm 63 and I have mixed emotions about retiring. My DH has Parkinson's Disease and sometimes my work is my "resting place". I don't have the mojo to craft very much, but I would rather have him with me as long as possible than to be alone with lots of time and mojo to craft.
__________________ Sharlene My Gallery - My Stampin' Up! Website "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalms 19:14
I will be 66 this year and have been retired for a few years. I love it! I've had lots of time to craft so I've started consigning my cards in stores, creating more scrapbooks, donating cards for local fund raisers and just having plain old fun with other crafty friends who join me. We are planning on moving soon but my husband has promised me we will keep looking at places to land until we find a nice big craft room for me. (perhaps it is because he has better control of the TV remote when I'm in the craft room! ) I have been downsizing my craft items in preparation of moving. Funny how things that I collected in the past I no longer use. I saved a couple of containers of eyelets for tags, and a few packages of brads but lots of things like that are going, going, GONE!
I just turned 57 this month(June), I received some wonderful cards from the ladies who send out birthday cards I thank them all very much. Well I've had a rough road in the past few years with health so some days I feel older. Grieving the loss of my mom who died 31/2 years ago so it's been very hard, and another loss this past October. So I don't sleep well and tired a lot, I've been on SCS for quite a few years, but not very active. I posted pictures of my craftroom and some other crafts I've made before mom passed, haven't done much crafting since her passing and it's really getting to me. I have so much crafting supplies, I need to start using them. Just feeling drained. Hopfully one day I will pick up my crafts again, I just cry when I try to, it reminds me of mom, then my heart is just not into it. Have any of you experienced this. Thanks for starting this group of us youngins❤️🙂
Actually I have experienced exactly this. My sweet husband of 36 years passed from earth to heaven almost 4 years ago. At first I thought I could keep crafting but he was my biggest cheerleader and the first to ever see any of my creations. I was "retired" since all my kids were grown and on their own. When he passed all my desire to create went with him. I did try off and on for a while but I had nothing in my heart to do so I packed most of my things away and thought I might eventually sell them but...
one day I decided it was time to purge it all or use it. It was just a few months ago that I went through all my stash and found I missed it all. I even still liked all of it (well most of it!) and found my creativity was returning. Not fiercely like it had been before my husband died...it was more quiet than that, but definitely the desire was there.
Your creativity will come back...though I can say it might be a lot harder for me to lose my mom (whom I'm very close to) over my husband (only because he was very very sick with a terminal disease and I was glad to for him to be out such agony) so maybe it will take longer for you. Don't give yourself any time frame. Just grieve and one day you will find you are grieving less, and then lesser still.
Now when I make cards I hear my husband's voice in my head exclaiming at my creativity, which I never thought was that creative but he made me feel proud.
You'll get there. Take your time
I'm glad to read all your comments on the subject of loss because my sister's husband passed away suddenly in March. We live in different states but I'm trying to console her and support her as much as I can. She is a quilter but can't seem to bring herself to do anything like that right now. Her sewing room is near her husband's workroom so when she goes into her room she just can't bear it.
I will try and let her know that her beautiful designs will come to her again in time. Thank you for writing about this subject.
I am 78, retired and a card maker. Recently my DH who's 80 asked if he could help me with my papercutting. I gave him my trimmer and he cut card bases for me, and that led to him using my scrap strips to make backgrounds. He glues the colored strips on the diagonal on index cards and then uses a scissors to cut off the ends. I would never have guessed he would want to play with paper!
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
I'm in this great club too! I'm 62 and still going strong with 5 full time daycare kiddos and 10 hr days. It really keeps me hopping and moving too. After doing home daycare for 33 yrs, I am now got my 'second generation' kids (I looked after their mom and her siblings!); I taught preschool for 9 1/2 yrs before that. Love seeing my little people's smiling faces.
Over the limit and can relate to almost all your stories. Wiser choices about new purchases, love retirement, experienced losses and as it seems the creativity which I love (it has always come back, thankfully after only a short hiatus.)
Was anxious about retiring but haven’t looked back. We’ve made it just over half a year!
Prayer and creating have been my strength. I have a list of family and friends that get a card from me every three or four months. Some more often if they have some life issues and could use encouragement. Unfortunately we are in that age group where losses happen more often. Sending notes of encouragement and creating helps me focus on others and as my sister says, Calgon takes me away!
I’ve budgeted five cards a week which is manageable. I’ve begun digging into my stash as sometimes the need is greater than the time to create it, and sometimes the losses overwhelm me and the creativity isn’t there. I plan to always enjoy the craft. My Dad asked me the other day if I still create cards. He’s in memory care so forgets a lot of things. I told him yes and will need to share more of them with him. I used to share my creations when I’d visit. Was so happy he remembered!! Now I’m taking more pictures of them to share next visit.
Thanks for sharing here! Love all the stories. Will add prayers for peace to return to those who need it! God does meet you where you are and will bring you comfort, peace and joy again!
68 1/2 - retired at 62 in 2013 to keep my mom out of a nursing home.. lost her in 2014.. lost a brother in 2014, another brother in 2016 and later in that year, by husband. Living alone can be lonely, but my papercrafts helps keep me focused. Luckily, kids aren't far away, and grandkids now driving so they can also stop in and check on me. LOL
I'm 78, will turn 79 in October. I love doing my paper crafting and have done it for about 25 years. I have a walled off garage bay for a craft room. It's big and holds way too much stuff but it's a wonderful pace to enjoy with my friends.
I'm 66 and have been part of this wonderful community since 2004. I really don't think I would've become a Stampin' Up demo if I hadn't found this place! In a couple of days, I'll have my 15th anniversary as a demo with SU!
As for being retired, I teach 6 piano students (back in the day it was more like 45!) which is all I really want because hubby and I have grandkids now, and we enjoy spending time with them. For the past 11 years, I've watched grandkids 1-2 days a week so our daughters can work part time, but now all the kids in one of the families will be in full-day Kindergarten (which he is ready for since he has an October birthday), so hubby and I will be watching just one little guy one day a week! We will need to find a way to see the other kids - going over late afternoon/evening to help with piano practice and homework, spend quality time with them, etc. I haven't worked full-time outside the home since I had my first baby 40 years ago, so I didn't have a big retirement or anything, just gradually less piano students.
And I've been having Stamp Camps since I became an SU demo. However, I had a major shoulder surgery in January and wasn't able to stamp at all until late April. And I haven't been able to have Stamp Camp yet - hopefully soon. I wasn't expecting 12 weeks in a sling and 5 months of physical therapy, but thankfully that's over!
Hubby retired in 2015 and we co-exist very nicely in our relatively large house. His office is across the hall from my Stamp Room, and we both LOVE to read. He stays active with tennis once a week and biking in the forest preserve. I can't do those things due to a bad ankle, a bad knee and fibromyalgia.
All of my SU customers are either my age or older and most of them have been with me for the full 15 years! I'm blessed with a wonderful group of stamping friends!
This is a great thread - thanks to whoever started it!!! :-)
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I turned 61 this month. I've stamped for 22 years. I love it, and I won't stop until I die - so the family will have to figure out what to do with my stuff! Hubby and I moved from Grass Valley, California to the Oregon coast two-plus years ago. I left a high paying job and a massive commute, and retired immediately. We left all the kids and grandkids behind, but they love to visit - and we see them for much longer periods of time than the rush of our working years. We also take our RV to visit them three or four times a year (and I bring my stamp supplies along). Four of the grandkids were here for three weeks, and I have to get back to stamping! I'm never bored. I have free monthly card classes for my friends and neighbors, and I've had one paid class so far. This is absolutely the best time of my life.
My 79th birthday is next month and I've been stamping since '96. I'm preparing to move and look forward to setting up my new stamping area which will be much smaller. I hope that will force me to simplify my stash. Over the years, I've bought far too many "extras" that I never really used.
It's all good
