Well, hello there! I’m Emily… wife to my handsome redhead, stay-at-home-mom and referee-in-chief to our twin big kids and twin baby boys… and jack-of-many-crafts. I am lucky enough to escape to my craft room during naptime and in the evenings, and this blog is where I get to share my creations with you! I’m so grateful you’re here, and I hope I have something interesting for you to read.
A bit about me:
I have always been “artsy.” I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a very supportive, encouraging, engaging family, and my mother and grandparents gave me every opportunity to stretch my creative wings in a variety of areas. I was always given the opportunity to go to art camps, drawing and painting camps, music camps, voice lessons, jewelry making lessons, foreign language classes, even cake decorating classes haha! A few of the opportunities really spoke to me, specifically the musical opportunities, and I ended up getting a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music, with the intention of giving vocal lessons. I live in rural Illinois due to my husband’s job, which made putting my degrees to use a bit difficult! 😉 I started papercrafting after my husband and I got married, when I was desperate to find the perfect thank-you notes. I determined that I could make them myself and save myself some money… boy was that a fantasy!!! That was the start of the (expensive) slippery slope, much to my husband’s dismay. After we started trying to have children, my papercrafting became a lifeboat for my sanity while watching what seemed like all of our peers have precious babies. When we were finally blessed with our beautiful babes, my papercrafting has remained a lifeboat for my sanity while at home with my minions all day!
While I started just stamping, the release of the Zig Clean Color Markers has brought to light my passion for watercolor. It’s difficult for me to create a card anymore that doesn’t have SOME sort of coloring on it. I am always eager to get out my markers, Distress Inks, or colored pencils after the kids go to bed and color the beautiful floral stamps that are in my stash. Unique color combinations are one of my favorite aspects of this hobby; I’m always on the lookout for a beautiful color combination, and I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to unique color combinations. I’m so obsessed that I even dream about interesting colors and patterns. I also love pulling inspiration from fashion, whether it’s color, patterns, or general style.
I started my blogging journey in 2011, mainly just dabbling here and there for a few years without really being disciplined about it. I currently help represent Hero Arts, Honey Bee Stamps, and Ellen Hutson as members of their design teams. I have recently started designing I really am lucky to have been given so many wonderful opportunities in this community.
Some trivia about me:
~I am 5’10” (which coupled with my last name makes me giggle)
~I love animals-we have a dog (Barney-aka the Barnacle) and two kitties (Joey and Chandler)
~I am a stickler for grammar, punctuation, and generally good writing
~I make beaded jewelry when I have a papercrafting mojo slump, and so I have more jewelry than I could ever wear
~I could live on dessert
~I sang the soprano solo for the Faure Requiem at The Kennedy Center (the peak of my singing “career”)
~I will watch a movie or TV show so many times that I can speak the dialogue with the characters. Some favorites: Downton Abbey, The West Wing, The Good Wife, Poldark, Supernatural (wide range haha), Friends, and I Love Lucy
~I love to shop (for clothes, papercrafting supplies, shoes, purses, stuff for my kids)… it always makes me feel better if I’m having a rough day
If you’re still with me, I appreciate your interest! I am so happy you’re here, and I hope you leave my blog inspired to add a little color in your life!