Monday 7 November 2016

My Crafting Journey

Hi there, my name is Irene, and I am many things. But the part that you'll see most of on this blog is my crafting side, my creative outlet - my own personal therapy. I have had a go at many forms of crafting.  I have tried beading, sewing, candle making and most recently, paper crafting.  Some might say that I go through phases but I like to think of it as a journey, my crafting journey. My "phases" have all provided me valuable tools to add to my tool kit.

For now I've become a keen paper crafter and the best decision I made was to become a Stampin' up demonstrator about two years ago. Not only because I now have access to their amazing paper crafting tools and products, but I feel as though I have become a part of an amazing community.  A community of people who share the same passion for paper crafting as I do. A diverse group of people from different walks of life and all very creative in their own way.  Warm, welcoming, very generous and giving.

Within the international Stampin up community, I'm a member of a smaller group of crafters called the 'Crazy Crafters', where the group leader is the amazing Kylie Bertucci. She is a wealth of resource and a beautiful person as a whole. I got introduced to this group by my dear friend and my upline (team leader) Carolina Evans.  If you don't yet know Carolina you should visit her blog, it is an absolute must read. Click here for Carolina's blog.

I'm also a member of smaller team called Carolina's Midnight Craft Studio, where we're very lucky to have Carolina as our ever loving team leader. You might have already guessed why the group is named so, and yes, it's because we are often crafting way past midnight. Like me, most of our members are juggling daytime work and families with young children and so the only free time we often have is after everyone has gone to bed. Yes, that might sound crazy to some, but sometimes, sacrifices are often necessary when you are doing what makes you truly happy.

So you might be wondering what I've been doing for the past two years. Why have I decided to get out there now? Well, I've been getting familiar with the art of paper crafting, trying to figure out what type of paper crafter I want to be and working on developing my own personal style. I have been practicing quite a lot, learning different skills and techniques, further strengthening my toolkit. Whilst in the background and with support of my husband, I have been working to develop a dedicated crafting space for myself.  After much convincing I can proudly say that I now have a crafting room all to myself.  It's filled with all the necessary paper crafting tools and products at my disposal and perfectly fuels my passion.  The past couple of years have been very important in not only mastering the skills to become a paper crafter, but also to become more confident in my ability and feel comfortable to share my creations with the wider world.  This journey is different for everyone, for me it's still very much a work in progress.
 
Now feels like the right time to begin sharing my love for paper crafting and I can attribute that to having just returned from attending a three day Stampin' Up conference in Brisbane with my group of Crazy Crafters. I must say, I'm feeling pumped, motivated and very inspired. What I found most beneficial in addition to the guest speakers and presentations, was getting to know the different members of the group. Being able to put a face to their names and meeting them in person, really helped me to feel connected. This, then helped me to feel more confident and now I'm able to share my creative self with not just this group of people but to new connections, through this blog.

Anyways, this is a starting point for me. I know that I have a lot more to learn and develop. It feels like I have began on this journey on my own and now it's time to join the pack. After all, it is said that there is strength in numbers, so watch this space. 

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with you.

-Irene

15 comments:

  1. Fantastic Irene!!!!!! Congratulations on your first blog post!!! Really proud of you, this is just the beginning.

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  2. Thanks Lovely, you've inspired me to get out there, it's only taken me two years...lol

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  3. Thank you for sharing your story Irene. I am looking forward to seeing your beautiful creations. I hope one day soon you join in on a blog hop. When you are ready.

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  4. Hi lovely lady. Congratulations on a new direction of your journey. Thank you for sharing your story,looking forward to blogging along side of you and the other Crazy Crafters of course very soon. ❤❤❤

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  5. Congratulations on your first blog post Irene. Thanks for sharing your story and so looking forward to seeing your creations and blog hopping with you in the near future. Hugs Juana :) xo

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  6. This is a fantastic first blog. Congratulations on getting it started! It was a lovely read and I look forward to reading more of your blog posts!

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  7. Awesome Irene! Thank you for sharing!

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  8. Beautiful post Irene.
    It was fabulous meeting you at Onstage. You are so funny!
    I can't wait to see where your blog takes you...
    Kayla. x

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  9. Hi Irene it was nice to finally meet you .. even if we only spoke briefly , I love how you have shared your story and look forward to viewing your blog posts .. absolutely beautiful photo of yourself .. take Care Deb xx

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  10. Thank you all for your encouraging comments, meeting you all really made a difference for me, so in some ways, the credit goes to you all. Love you guys, can't wait to go blog hoping together.

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  12. I love your blog post Irene, a great read, from the heart x Can't wait see more from you as you continue your journey with paper crafting. This is so very exciting 🙂

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  13. Awesome work Irene....welcome to the wonderful world of blogging.....careful it's get addictive

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  14. What a beautiful profile Irene. It sounds like the paper crafting world is giving back to you in many ways with the addition of friends and acquaintances and team members who inspire and support you. Welcome to our world or creativity.

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