I don’t have a project today but instead wanted to tell you my story and why I love Stampin’ Up! products.

When I was a kid, I dreaded Art class.  Dreaded it.  I remember being in class and while everyone was busy painting or drawing, and ENJOYING IT, I was sick to my stomach because I felt that anything I created was awful.  What a horrible thing for a child to feel.  I’m surprised that not one of my teachers picked up on it and tried to encourage me.  Or perhaps they did but I was too stubborn to take their words to heart.

You see, I felt and believed for a long time, that I was not creative.  It wasn’t until I started using Stampin’ Up! products that I began to feel inside that I was creative and that I actually could create something beautiful.

My philosophy is that stamping should be fun, never stressful.  One of the first products that made me do the happy dance were punches.  I didn’t have to even stamp straight! What I stamped could be as crooked as can be but after punching it out, it didn’t matter!  The same thing can be said for the Big Shot dies, especially when I use the Magnetic Platform. I truly love my Big Shot.  I can create an embossed background that makes a card pop or a 3D project that’s as cute as can be.

I stink at matching colors together.  Stampin’ Up! takes all the guesswork out of that for me.  On all the packages of Designer Series paper, the colors that match are listed.  Cardstock that matches all of their paper!  I can grab and accent or ribbon in the same color and I’m good to go!

Thanks to the internet, a world of ideas are just a click away.  I gather inspiration from stampers every single day.  It’s a wonderful community of people!

I hope that in some small way, I can inspire you.  If you don’t think you have a creative bone in your body, stamps, ink, paper, punches and a Big Shot will change your life!  Now that’s a bit dramatic, but oh so true!

Happy Crafting!

P.S.  The First Fridays Blog Hop is this Friday!  I hope you’ll join us!