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I have been thinking about all the wonderful friends and all the kindness I have found here at SCS. It is truly amazing and I would have to say it really has given such goodness to my life.
I was thinking about the first time I posted a card here; I had been a stalker for awhile, not feeling too sure about posting. When I did, a wonderful thing happened....I got a few comments. I actually couldn't believe it at first.
One of the most supportive people here was a fantastic lady named Maddy Mason. She encouraged me, inspired me with her art and mentored me when I needed help navigating my way here. She is no longer here on SCS but I still love and appreciate the time she took to comment and answer my questions.
So, today I want to know.....who inspired you or mentored you when you first arrived here?
I have such fond memories of our wonderful member, Mothermark/Cindy. I was very new and looking through the gallery. She had posted a spectacular Valentine's Day card. It was the most elaborate, beautiful handmade card I had ever seen.
I sent her a PM and told her so. She wrote back and got my address - and sent that lovely card to me in the mail!
We corresponded back and forth, here and in real life. We exchanged special cards for quite a long time. I will always remember her kindness, enthusiasm and encouragement!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I have such fond memories of our wonderful member, Mothermark/Cindy. I was very new and looking through the gallery. She had posted a spectacular Valentine's Day card. It was the most elaborate, beautiful handmade card I had ever seen.
I sent her a PM and told her so. She wrote back and got my address - and sent that lovely card to me in the mail!
We corresponded back and forth, here and in real life. We exchanged special cards for quite a long time. I will always remember her kindness, enthusiasm and encouragement!
Cindy is an amazing person...so kind and so generous. I remember when I was the FS she made a card and sent it to me! She is super creative and funny too!
So many people here have inspired me just by posting their cards, sharing their ideas and techniques, leaving comments on my cards, and sharing their personal stories about how stamping affects their lives and the lives of those around them. I'm inspired by the moderators, the dirty girls, and all the other people who volunteer their time to keep this site such a vibrant and fun place.
I hesitate to name specific people only because I've had SO MANY people willing to encourage me and answer questions over the years. I am so thankful for all of them.
I must, however, single out Nancy Littrell. She is so generous and helpful in answering questions and providing instructions and encouragement. She is a wonderfully creative, talented woman. I probably would have given up on stamping several times over my years here if it hadn't been for her help. Kitty747 (Kittie Caracciolo) and Sweet Miss Daisy (Anna Wight ) are two others also come to mind for their help in my early days.
Really, this whole site is filled with hundreds of people who quietly inspire and mentor every day.
The first person to inspire me is someone we both know and love, Susan Raihala. She continues to be an inspiration and has become a wonderful friend. I literally gasped when I first saw her CAS cards; there's a reason she's the queen!
Now, if you were asking about the most recent person to inspire me, that would be you! That woodgrain tutorial - love! And the results are spectacular!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I also can't narrow it down to one wonderful person... There are so many! I haven't posted many cards here of late, I have an active Pinterest gallery though but in earlier years many people were super supportive and encouraging.
I am more involved in this forum than the gallery and there are so many kind, funny, encouraging... people who I love to see posting and I bet you will ALL reply to this thread it is just such a wonderful community and I have been a happy participant for nearly 10 years.
Check out my Pinterest board for the last 2 cards I made today! ... (Shameless plug...)
The first person to inspire me is someone we both know and love, Susan Raihala. She continues to be an inspiration and has become a wonderful friend. I literally gasped when I first saw her CAS cards; there's a reason she's the queen!
Now, if you were asking about the most recent person to inspire me, that would be you! That woodgrain tutorial - love! And the results are spectacular!
Susan is a friend of mine too and she is wonderful!
AWWHH...thanks for your kind words and so happy you liked the tutorial...I need to do more I guess.
hugs
Nancy Williams (nwilliams6) and Nancy (stiz2003) were the first people to leave the kindest comments in my gallery after I posted my first few cards. I have never forgotten their warm kindness when I felt so exposed putting my stuff out there for all to see!
My experience with this year's HYCCT Challenge was another heart-warmer. And there are so many people who post here on a daily basis that I really look forward to reading, because they always provide advice, support, humor and perspective. Thanks for making this such a vital community--y'all are good people!
You're really going to make me say this? Ok, but as a card carrying curmudgeon, I will deny it tomorrow. Just saying.
No one person. I am a sponge and just soak it up all over the place. I am not all over the net so I dont know, but..this is just the *most amazing place* to me. It's more than one stop shopping for tips, lessons, inspiration and support...it's like that AI stamp where the girls are all under a quilt....it's warm, it's "we've got your back", it's we will laugh and cry with you. Or give you a poke when you're making yourself nutty. It's just very very cool. It's any given person, on any given day may say something or post a card that resonates with me or knocks my socks off.
I have described being in the gallery like sitting under a giant tree that is dropping beautiful leaves (cards) that I sit and wonder at in the warm sun. All different ones. Some I can see through, others make me laugh, others pull at my heart, some jiggle, some shake, some sparkle, some unfold in fun ways....I could spend all day in there. I'm like that scene in the movie The Jerk. "I dont need anything...well, just this....and this. Ok...no more...and this, and this..." My favs is swollen with inspiration and tips.
Dh is learning to stop asking me why I am laughing, going "oh!", sighing, or whatever when I am on the computer. 90% of the time, I'm looking at something here.
I am SO sorry I did not come here regularly till last year. What a loss. But I have forever (hopefully) going forward.
(((shudder)))) ok. Enough of that mushy stuff. I have stamps to go org!
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Early on, Faith (markie's mom - still miss her) and Judy (StampingQueenJAR) and Stephanie (SmilynStef) and Anne (it'sapassion) and Karen (Barber) were kind and helpful. As the years have gone by (I've been here awhile), there have been way too many to name, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving them out. Suffice it to say that I love SCS for ALL of the kind, helpful people here, and this is a great thread, Karen (you are one I've been watching for the past couple of years, FYI...) ;)
When I first came to SCS a wonderful woman named Bev (Ravioli Girl) showed me such kindness and sisterly love. I was terribly saddened when, after a long crafting hiatus, I returned to SCS to find that she had passed away.
Another person, Barbara Jay, who still posts now and then, was kind enough to give me her email address so I could pick her brain about various crafting techniques and tools.
For organization ideas, I follow around Sue (gregzgurl) like a puppy dog!
I think a lot of us here on SCS can thank Amber (sprtchick) for providing a few tools to help us expand our creativity. I know that she has been a huge blessing to my craft life.
I like to tell Poppydarling that I "blame" her for getting me into art journaling and mixed media. And I'm so glad she did! It has sparked a tiny bit of artist in me that I did not know I had.
And just yesterday, Linda (uncbballfan) gave me some advice and sent me a bunch of links that hopefully will take away my talent to turn all colors into an ugly brown. (Seems that I'm very good at taking something pretty and making a complete mess of it!)
There are many, many more ladies on this site who have provided encouragement, tips, ideas and links through posts and private messages. I am so happy to be able to take part in these conversations. I am also saddened to learn that many helpful ladies have moved on, either by their choice or the choice of others.
It's more than one stop shopping for tips, lessons, inspiration and support...it's like that AI stamp where the girls are all under a quilt....it's warm, it's "we've got your back", it's we will laugh and cry with you. Or give you a poke when you're making yourself nutty. It's just very very cool. It's any given person, on any given day may say something or post a card that resonates with me or knocks my socks off.
I totally and completely agree!
I also wanted to make sure that this was posted more than once, just in case our card carrying curmudgeon tries to deny writing it!
P.S. My son used to holler from the other room, "are you talking to me?" or walk by and ask, "What are you laughing at?" Now, he's used to it. Mostly, he ignores my laughing or verbal comments though now and then he'll come in, kiss me on the head and say, "I'm glad you are having fun with your online friends."
Early on, Faith (markie's mom - still miss her) and Judy (StampingQueenJAR) and Stephanie (SmilynStef) and Anne (it'sapassion) and Karen (Barber) were kind and helpful. As the years have gone by (I've been here awhile), there have been way too many to name, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving them out. Suffice it to say that I love SCS for ALL of the kind, helpful people here, and this is a great thread, Karen (you are one I've been watching for the past couple of years, FYI...) ;)
I have a wonderful and talented neighbor across the street that gave me a handmade card several years ago I got to spend some time with her in her studio and was like a kid in a candy store. So many beautiful papers, stamps, inks, die cutting machines, etc.
Needless to say, she is my mentor and taught me so much about paper crafting. Since then, I have my own paper crafting supplies and machines and techniques and hope to soon have a studio of my own! I will be forever grateful to her for opening the door to a whole new area of creativeness. Even today, we still talk and show one another our "new" tools,dies, inks, machines, etc.
Only recently did I find "splitcoast stampers" and I am speechless with the beautiful creations in the gallery and grateful for the tutorials! Although still in the "lurking" stage, I read the forum faithfully and look forward to the "weekly inkling". Who knows, someday I may post one of my card creations too.
I will be forever grateful to my neighbor.
Only recently did I find "splitcoast stampers" and I am speechless with the beautiful creations in the gallery and grateful for the tutorials! Although still in the "lurking" stage, I read the forum faithfully and look forward to the "weekly inkling". Who knows, someday I may post one of my card creations too.
I will be forever grateful to my neighbor.
Be brave and post away! We're a very kind and encouraging community and our comments on cards reflect that. It took me a few years too but I'm glad I jumped in. Find a challenge that inspires you and post the card you make for it and I'm sure you'll be wowed by getting comments. Welcome to the community.
Only recently did I find "splitcoast stampers" and I am speechless with the beautiful creations in the gallery and grateful for the tutorials! Although still in the "lurking" stage, I read the forum faithfully and look forward to the "weekly inkling". Who knows, someday I may post one of my card creations too.
I will be forever grateful to my neighbor.
I agree with Gail - jump right in! I was here, lurking, for nearly three years before I got brave enough to post anything in my gallery or join one of the challenges, but my fears were COMPLETELY unfounded. Everyone here is SO kind and SO encouraging, and will always find something nice to say...
I think it took me about two years from coming over from twopeas to view something someone had linked to in the gallery here before I signed up for my own, and then it took me a while longer to start a gallery here. ( I was absolutely certain as soon as the powers that be knew I was not a SU demo I would get the boot) ( don't ask me why that is just what I thought) So, I was very very quiet in the beginning. Now, I am sure there are people who would love to pop a cork in me some days :mrgreen:
so, early mentor's I had were all involved with the RAK group and most of those ladies I don't see their names come across the screen in here anymore. but, the first one to come to mind is OregonStamper (kitty) and the person responsible for me being here is peebsmama (Susan) and some of the first people whose galleries I stalked were BadSherry & Flaxychick, DawnL, & Kittie747
I think it took me about two years from coming over from twopeas to view something someone had linked to in the gallery here before I signed up for my own, and then it took me a while longer to start a gallery here. ( I was absolutely certain as soon as the powers that be knew I was not a SU demo I would get the boot) ( don't ask me why that is just what I thought) So, I was very very quiet in the beginning. Now, I am sure there are people who would love to pop a cork in me some days :mrgreen:
so, early mentor's I had were all involved with the RAK group and most of those ladies I don't see their names come across the screen in here anymore. but, the first one to come to mind is OregonStamper (kitty) and the person responsible for me being here is peebsmama (Susan) and some of the first people whose galleries I stalked were BadSherry & Flaxychick, DawnL, & Kittie747
Quiet in the beginning.... and now 79000 posts later!
I have a wonderful and talented neighbor across the street that gave me a handmade card several years ago I got to spend some time with her in her studio and was like a kid in a candy store.
I want to live in YOUR neighborhood!
You know, they make retirement homes on golf courses with restaurants. Maybe one day they'll make a tract of homes where the center of attraction is a big papercrafting rec room with an ice-cream shop, coffee shop and stamp store! Darn...if only I'd won that Powerball!
I like my neighborhood very much and my mentor (across the street) is just lovely. Although our card making styles differ, she will forever have a special place in my heart for introducing me to this wonderful hobby. I am learning new techniques all the time.
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement.
I would have put that powerball money to good use!
Karen, what a great idea for a thread! Many people inspire me these days but I thought I'd go back and see which members first commented on my cards. I lurked for a year or so and then got brave in December 2009 and posted my first card. Redbugdriver commented on it and I was thrilled. Looking through early 2010, there were some people who frequently commented on my cards - bon2stamp, gregzgurl, TrishG, Shelia, Miss Boo, AmyLovesNormaJean, ravengirl, and JBgreendawn. I'll always be grateful to them for the encouragement I got from those comments.
I'll never forget the first time one of my cards was listed by LateBlossom (Susan Raihala) on the CAS Favorites thread - I was thrilled! I followed her both on SCS and her blog and thought I wanted to be just like her. But I could never pull off her very CAS style and one day she wrote a great post on her blog about everyone having to evolve the style that was most comfortable for them - such great advice!
Along with LateBlossom, the stampers who inspired me in those early days were hobbydujour, Rox71, Benzi, hskelly, AmylovesNormaJean, bon2stamp, Cook22, artystamper, Biggan, and papierbleu. Some of their cards are still in my favourites list from 2010!
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
You know, they make retirement homes on golf courses with restaurants. Maybe one day they'll make a tract of homes where the center of attraction is a big papercrafting rec room with an ice-cream shop, coffee shop and stamp store! Darn...if only I'd won that Powerball!
I agree about so many of the inspirational stampers previously mentioned - Kittie, Beate and Susan Raihala. I would like to add that Michelle Woerner, Texas Grammy and Lacyquilter are ones I followed early here on SCS and still do.Thanks so much all of you!
__________________ My word for the year 2024 is CLEAR
Thank you Karen, for beginning this delightful look back and tribute to our community! I've been thinking on this for several days and just like Susan (susanbri), lurked, overwhelmed for almost a year before I posted my first card. I recall being PETRIFIED looking at a white base. The early commenters on my cards encouraged me in my art. MichelleGoodrich and Maddy Mason were faithful in the beginning and set an example that I try to follow to this day.
I so enjoy seeing the VAST body of work which happily resides here on SCS. Over the years I have made such deep, deep friendships with women here...friendships that have included phone calls, emails, texting during sports events, meeting in 'the real', of course cards, and even more priceless, prayer warriors I can count on without asking.
Each one of you: {U} know how our HE{arts} came to be.
The acceptance of my quirky style and a place to park it along with long absences for living my other passions is a gift I will treasure forever. Thank you, wonderful friends for giving me my wings...
__________________ Susan~~~One4Joydaily I'm a FAN CLUB member, U? MY GALLERYof visual Delights MY BLOG
I used to love the Carol Duval show and when I had spare time (kids napping) I would pay special attention to when she had guest who did paper crafts. I loved her show and was disappointed when she stopped. I think she started a lot of crafters out there as she did myself. We need more Crafting programs. Does anyone know of any? There is always room for more knowledge of paper crafting right??
I was a Carol Duvall fan as well. Nothing even similar to her show is on the stations we get. Wish it were different. Martha Stewart used to have crafting segments on her show (sometimes paper crafts) but that is no longer available either. Liked all of them!
Great question. I have been inspired by so many people here at SCS. So many great artists and friends. A few stand out who really have shaped me into the artist I am today. Faith-Markie's Mom, Cindy -Mothermark, Susan- One-4-Joy each encouraged me to develop my own style. There is one person who has probably inspired me more than anyone else and that is my dear friend Pam -Bailmac.
Fabulous topic! And a great way to honor people that inspired, mentored us.
My first encourager was Michelle Goodrich, who always had a kind word to say about my card. She specifically looked for cards with no comments and commented on them. I'll never forget her.
BertLady was the one that I looked up to because of her signature line:
"We'll be friends until we are old and senile,
Then we'll be NEW friends!"
I have that signature line plastered every where. I thank you, BertLady.
Discovering the challenges here on SCS was gold to me. Getting involved in the challenges by participating in them brought such joy into my life. I still do that today and still learn something new ALL the time.
This is just one of the best communities to belong to. Thank you everyone that makes this place great!
__________________ Susie
Stampin' Up! demonstrator
Growing through challenges
I log on here quite a few times every day when I'm at work (yes, I'm one of those lucky ones who can do that!). I love seeing what everyone's making and get lots of good ideas for both cards and little papercrafts.
I'm the only girl at work (I'm the office manager for a crew of 7 electricians) so there's no "girl chat". I get that here!
I belong to Pampopular's monthly swap and love all the cards I get there. I've CASE'd a few of Sophie LaFontaine's cards; she uses CTMH stamps frequently and I own a lot of those. I admire her work :smile:
On a personal note, fellow SCS'ers who I think are awesome: Karly1020, Buggainok, Forest Ranger, LateBlossom, Ncrosarian and Barbaralynn. Wonderful women and wonderful stampers!!
I was introduced to stamping over 20 years ago by a fantastic CTMH (then DOTS) demo and "Kay" is still a very good friend to this day :p
__________________ Lorraine
Wife to an awesome DH, Mommy to an adorable DS who is on the spectrum for autism, and Twin Sister to Linda
I think she just hit burnout. She sold off ALL of her stuff (I bought a few Ketto stamps from her) and moved on to other things. Dini (Dina Kowal) took over as "artist in residence" here on SCS after that...
I must confess to not being able to remember back that far... ;)
Like Susan, I checked out my gallery from those early years and realized that it was the fact that people took the time and energy to comment was the greatest inspiration to me. For a while it wasn't just one or two people, but all the people I didn't know who made the effort and said, "great job!"
But there were people who I got to know more and who I talked to more. Among those who had a major influence on me is Susan Raihala (lateblossom). We have done a lot of talking about design over the years, and I cherish the relationship developed with her.
Some people have influenced me in other ways as well...dini, Cook22, biggan, my fellow Punchkateers...and many were so generous with their comments...girlgeek101 comes to mind.
I reserve the right to come back in and add to this list at any time!
I was thinking about this the other day to. Who were my mentor's in stamping. On another forum I wrote about my mentor in die cutting. That made me think of stamping.
Mine has been the men in my life. My Dad who saw how much a little girl loved stamping on his leatherwork and he went out and bought her first few stamps, her sketchbook & her colored pencils and encouraged her to stamp. When she wanted to heat emboss he bought her a big bottle of Corn Husker's Lotion and her first heat gun with embossing powders. As you can all see this was before all our resources in stamping.
My husband who encourages me every day. When we go to the stores he comes running up to me with new stamps sets he has found that he thinks I might like. Who always asks questions on how I make all these cool beautiful things.
My brother just passed away this Fall. I am going to start crying writing this. He always encouraged me by getting me new stamps, and coloring tools. He was always asking me to make cards for everyone he knew. He was always so darn proud of me. All the hours he spent patiently while I showed him everything in my sketchbooks. He always was making sure I was being creative.
All the guy friends in my life. They have been more encouraging and loving than my own girlfriends. They are always finding things for me to create with- candy wrappers, greeting cards, new paper. They think I am a magician.
Those are the ones that inspired and mentor me most in my real life.
Online life- I don't want to leave anyone out over here. You will all post something and it is so inspirational to me and sometimes confusing, lol. I think some of you have Ph.D's in stamping especially when it comes to ink knowledge.
Inspired or Mentored You?
