BE A CATALYST

IN 1998, I ESTABLISHED MY FIRST CRAFT ROOM AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY FIRST CRAFT GROUP. WE LIVED IN MASSACHUSETTS AT THE TIME. II CALLED IT MY "SCRAPBOOK NOOK" BECAUSE AT THAT TIIME I WAS PREDOMINANTLY SCRAPBOOKING. I SOON LEARNED ABOUT OTHER CRAFTS ESPECIALLY CARD-MAKING AND I THEN REFERRED TO MY SPACE AS THE "NOOK". WIITH MY HUSBANDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT, I ESTABLISHED A GROUP IN THE VARIOUS PLACES THAT WE LIVED - MA, NH, AK, CA AND IN OUR RETIREMENT IN NC. OVER THE YEARS, I DISCOVERED VARIOUS CARD MAKING GROUPS ONLINE AND JOINED THEM TO BE INSPIRED AND TO SHARE WHAT I THOUGHT MIGHT INSPIRE OTHERS. SOME OF THE GROUPS ON FACEBOOK (THOUGH NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST) WERE: SHARE HANDMADE KINDNESS STAMP JUNKIES GINA K DESIGNS AND STAMP TV FRIENDS PAPERCRAFT MEDLEY ALL THINGS CARDS THE CARD MAKER'S CRAFT ROOM CREATIVE HANDMADE GREETING CARDS IN THE SPRING OF 2025, I SHARED IMAGES OF MY CURRENT CRAFTROOM IN MANY OF THE GROUPS. MANY POSTED COMPLEMENTARY COMMENTS TO MY POSTS AND INQUIRED AS TO HOW I SET UP MY ROOM OR HOW I DEVELOPED A CRAFT GROUP WHERE OTHERS WOULD GATHER TOGETHER. AS A RESULT, I POSTED IN MANY OF THE GROUPS THAT IT MIIGHT BE FUN AND HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE OTHER CRAFTERS ARE LOCATED AND PERHAPS PEOPLE COULD GATHER TOGETHER IN THEIR REGIONS. ONE GROUP IN PARTICULAR STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE! MARCI JO LOUGHMAN SNEE, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF STAMP JUNKIES, ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE! SHE SET UP 50 US STATE STAMP JUNKIE POSTS WHERE PEOPLE COULD POST THE CITY WHERE THEY LIVED.

THIS IS THE NC SJ POST

I POSTED AN APPRECIATION FOR ALL MARCI JO HAD DONE AND ENCOURAGED BRANCHING OUT TO THE WORLD! SHE SOON POSTED FOR THE NEIGHBORS TO OUR NORTH IN CANADA! SHE HAS ENCOURAGED THOSE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO REACH OUT TO HER!

I PERIODICALLY RETURN TO THE NORTH CAROLINA STAMP JUNKIE POST TO SEE IF THERE ARE NEW COMMENTS. WHEN I DISCOVER SOMEONE IN MY AREA, I REACH OUT TO THEM AND INVITE THEM TO THE NOOK! AS I POST THIS ENTRY, JUST THIS PAST WEEK THROUGH GINA K'S GROUP, I CONNECTED WITH A LOVELY LADY AND SHE ATTENDED THE NOOK ON THURSDAY.

WE LOVE SHARING HANDMADE KINDNESS. THE NOOK HAS AN INFLUENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. FOUR TIMES A YEAR WE GO TO AN ASSISTED LIVING FACIILITY AND CREATE CARDS WITH THE RESIDENTS. THE NOOK HAS ALSO BEEN A PART OF EVENTS AT MY CHURCH AND IN SUPPORTING SPECIAL CAUSES, SUCH AS A FAMILY WHO WAS IMPACTED BY CHILDHOOD CANCER. IN THE NOOK WE CELEBRATE ONE ANOTHER! WE DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR EACH BIRTHDAY. AT CHRISTMAS WE HAVE A SPECIAL LUNCH AND CRAFT THEMED YANKEE SWAP. YOU, TOO, CAN CREATE MEMORIES LIKE THESE:

I HOPE THAT IN SHARING THIS STORY THAT YOU ARE INSPIRED TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS. IT IS A JOY TO SHARE HANDMADE KINDNESS WITH OTHERS! LIKE ME, YOU, TOO, CAN BE A CATALYST!

SANDWICHES IN THE NOOK

WHEN USING DIE CUTTING MACHINES SUCH AS THE SIZZIX BIG SHOT. THE SPELLBINDERS PLATINUM 6. THE GKD INTRI-CUT, AND OTHER OR THE MACHINES FOR USING EMBOSSING FOLDERS - IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT "SANDWICHES" YOU NEED TO CREATE TO HAVE THE BEST RESULTS. SANDWICHES ARE THE ORDER IN WHICH YOU PLACE PLATFORMS. PLATES, DIES, CARDSTOCK (OR USING EMBOSSING FOLDERS).

SIZZIX HAS CREATED A HANDY GUIDE:

General Die-Cutting Sandwich: Multipurpose Platform (Tab 2): This forms the base of the sandwich. Cutting Pad: One cutting pad is used for most dies. Paper/Cardstock: The material you're cutting or embossing. Die: The die you want to use. Cutting Pad: Another cutting pad is used to top the sandwich. Specific Sandwich Configurations: Spellbinders Dies: Use a Magnetic Placement Pad over the die, then a Standard Cutting Pad. Cuttlebug Dies: Use Multipurpose Platform Tab 2 and Tab 1, followed by a Standard Cutting Pad. Sizzix Texturz Folders: Use a Multipurpose Platform Tab 1, NO TABS, and a Texturz Plate. Dynamic Embossing Folders: Use one Standard Cutting Pad on top. Thinlits/Framelits: Use the Big Shot Platform, Precision Base Plate, and Thin Die Adapter. 2 1/2 inch Embossing Folders: Use a Multipurpose Platform NO TAB and a Standard Cutting Pad. Standard Embossing Folders: Use two Standard Cutting Pads. Dynamic Embossing Folders: Use one Standard Cutting Pad. Key Considerations: Never run anything through the Big Shot without a cutting pad on top . Refer to specific instructions for the type of die or folder you're using . The Big Shot machine comes with a Big Shot Platform and a pair of Standard Cutting Pads, plus an adaptor for use with thinlits/framelits . Consider using the extended multi-purpose platform for larger projects .

A YOUTUBE SEARCH FOR "DIE CUTTING SANDWICHES" WILL YIELD ALOT OF GREAT TUTORIALS. HERE IS ONE ABOUT THE SPELLBINDERS PLATINUM 6: JACKIE HAS SOME GREAT INFO: EMBOSSING FOLDER SANDWICHES

BACK TO DIE CUTTING - THERE ARE ALSO ELECTRIC DIE CUTTING MACHINES SUCH AS THE GEMINI, THE EMPRESS, THE VAGABOND, SWITCH AND OTHERS. HERE IS A VIDEO ABOUT THE GEMINI AND THE SANDWICHES NEEDED: BEFORE CLOSING HERE IS INFO ON THE PLATINUM 6 BY SPELLBINDERS. IT IS NOT ELECTRIC. FOR OTHER MACHINES, PLEASE DO A YOU TUBE SEARCH.

FACEBOOK HACKED AUGUST 2024

On August 22, 2024 my profile on Facebook was hacked. I had a roomful of crafters in my Nook and was distracted. I have always been very careful but I was victim of helping a friend to re-access her Facebook account. Not only did the perpetrator disable me from accessing my profile and several groups I had created, but ALL of my photos in my profile and groups were removed. As of this date, any attempts to notify Facebook have been unfruitful - receiving no response.  The perpetrator also tried to sell a Honda Civic on my page and get people to make a deposit. I have never owned a Honda!

It is sad that years of memories have vanished. Life has been exceptionally busy and I haven't had time to access any backups I had to see what I may still have. Essentially my "scrapbooking" and creating memory albums has come to an abrupt halt. Going forward I will be sure to securely save elsewhere any thing important to me. It is sad that anything I had posted anywhere was now wiped clean. It is as if I no longer existed! I especially felt bad that the images of creations of those who had come to the Nook over the years and the memories we made were no longer present to be inspiring for others. 

I had considered not getting back on Facebook at all but for my craft group, it is the most effective way to plan events, manage RSVPs and provide information. 

It is a sad world we live in where people can be so evil and malicious. Choose kindness always in everything The Golden Rule still matters: Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. (Matthew 7:12)

LIGHTED SHADOW BOXES

 LIGHTED SHADOW BOXES

As a paper crafter who began with scrapbookiing and progressed to creating handmade greeting cards, I loved discovering other crafts with paper. While I have enjoyed making paper bead jewelry and handmade boxes, journals and other items, I discovered a real passion for lighted shadow boxes.

When I first started creating shadow boxes, I designed my own scenes using the plethora of wafer thin dies, the steel rule dies and the images that I could cut on my digital electronic machines such as the Cricut, the Silhoutte and Brother Scan and Cut. 

Here are some examples of my earlier projects:

Gina K Design dies were used in this project. Pictured above.

I  soon began collecting other village die sets as winter village scenes were among my favorites to create.

             

My next interest in shadow box designs were for the Christmas and Easter holidays.

First, I created them with individual dies but then I discovered SVG designs electronically. - SVG strands for Scalable Vector Graphics. In additiion to the ones that are in the libraries of the Cricut, Silhouette and such, I started downloading designs from Etsy.

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This was a gift for my sister and I loved the images she sent me after receiving it. The gift included a card that had a Pear Blossom Press light in it!  

                                  

                                                

                  

                                                    

I designed the following lighted shadow boxes for my granddaughters. The themes were tailored to their interests.

School Days

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The Dancers

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Baking Cookies with Grandma 

I love to create these! You can probably tell!

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The autumn farm lighted shadow box was created with a file downloaded from Etsy. 

I left Santa out of this design so that it could be on display beyond Christmas!

My craft room is decorated with a red truck theme, so I had to create this design to have on display.

 

I love this winter / Christmas design that I created with an Etsy file. 

        

Steel rule dies were used in addition to Silhouette and Cricut cuts and paper punched elements for this Autumn shadow box. 

                                        

The patriotic lighted boxes were created for a raffle for my County Chorus as part of a Patriotic Concert.

                              I created lighted shadow boxes as gifts for my County Chorus Directors.

For a Country Chorus Concert that featured music over the decades, I created the rock band lighted shadow box as part of a raffle basket. 

The next band lighted shadow box was created for my son who is a drummer in a band in Alaska.

                                        

Before I discovered fairy lights that had the button type batteries, these are what I used for the  boxes.

                                        

I learned the basic of creating lighted shadow boxes by watching the following tutorial on YouTube:

You Tube Tutorial

I compiled the following information to share with others - for the supplies I used initially. I hope that you find this helpful!

The following photos represent the process in creating a shadow box as well as a gathering of friends that learned to create them.

In closing, here are photo memories of my handmade cards, framed decor and lighted shadow boxes that have been donated to my church bookstore. 100% of the proceeds support Missions.

I hope this blog entry has inspired you. 

Caution: This craft can be addicting!