(Updated September 2023)
In 1998, I was visiting my sister in Wisconsin. We lived in Massachusetts at the time. I had always loved photography and had my photos in albums, some of which were the "magnetic" ones. I had learned about the importance of photos being safely preserved in acid and lignen free environments and set about removing photos from those in magnetic albums. In the Milwaukee, Wi region my sister took me to my first Scrapbooking store and I was hooked! I knew then that I wanted to redo all of my albums with embellishments! And as the saying goes, "the rest is history."
Autumn has always been my favorite season. Having grown up in Michigan, I enjoyed the four seasons and especially the beauty of the changing leaves in the Fall. One of the first things I began collecting were decorative leaf paper punches. With living in New England as my canvass, there were plenty of autumn colors in photos to archive.
It didn't take long and I soon had a variety of paper crafting tools and the recreational sun-room became my craft room. The "Scrapbook Nook" was "born". Upon returning home from my sisters, I discovered that the Boston, MA and Nashua/Salem NH regions had some great scrapbook and craft stores. I found in scrapbooking a hobby that I was passionate about. I discovered friends at church who shared my passion. Every week we would get together in one another's home to "crop". Soon, I was opening my home to other friends and neighbors,
The first "Scrapbook Nook" was located in Westford, MA.
When the Nook first began, the decorative paper punches filled 4 of these units of bins (pictured above) with over 1000 paper punches in the Nook! Over time some were given away or were worn out. In the latest Nook, they are organized in Ikea Alex drawers.
Next came the Sizzix Die cut machine. I wondered it it would be a good purchase. Turns out that it was - especially as I purchased practical dies that I would use over and over again. Today, the Nook has advanced to newer models of the Sizzix machine and progressed as well to electronic die cutting machines such as the Cricut and Silhouette.
I began with the Cricut and have over 130 cartridges. I found the Silhouette to be my electronic die cutting machine of choice as I could establish a library of images online, which is something Cricut would later do. As I write this blog entry there are over 21,000 Silhouette images and templates available in the Nook's Silhouette library.
The Nook has followed my husband's career development as well and has been relocated along the way. The Nook found a place in our homes in Grantham, NH, Ketchikan, AK, Yuba City, CA. and now that we are retired - in the Raleigh, NC region. In each location it has been not only my "happy place" but a place others have enjoyed coming to - not only for creativity but great conversation and laughter and even healing tears.
The Grantham, NH "Scrapbook Nook"
Ketchikan, AK had 2 "Nook" locations - the first is pictured above while
the second is pictured below.
The second Nook location in Ketchikan was the largest space it has ever occupied and it had a view of the Tongass Narrows where one could view passing cruise ships and float planes!
Mike's career took us from Ketchikan back to CA where we had lived years before, only this time to a different city. Pictured above is the Nook in a home we rented when we relocated.
After we purchased our home in Yuba City - this is what you would have seen when you visited
the Nook!
On Thursdays every week, women gathered in my home. While scrapbookers were the visitors most often to the Nook in MA, NH and AK - in CA - card makers frequented more than scrapbookers. Nevertheless - both were welcome! I am blessed to have been able to establish this special place in my home where friendships grow, hearts meet and creativity is tapped. It is a joy to share the Nook with those who come - may it always be a place where people will find...
To tour the Nook in Yuba City - click on this link:
Spring 2017 - the Nook was remodeled! Carpet was removed and laminate flooring put in! Alex Ikea Drawer Units are now what tools and supplies are stored in! Time to update the tour! Stay tuned!
There are 3 Nook Facebook Groups. One is for local folks that come to the Nook. There you will find planned events. It is a "closed" one - only accepting members that I am personally acquainted with or attend the Nook - for security reasons.
The other 2 groups are public. They contain the same information regarding techniques and more, as the private local group. They just don't have the current crafting events.
Here is the first public group that you may request to join:
Here is the group, previously private, that is now public: It has photo memories of past events and scrapbook and card examples as well - you may request to join this one as well:
Check out my Pinterest Boards where you will find CARDS by themes (made by me as well as separate boards of themed cards made by others) in addition to TECHNIQUES, TIPS, TUTORIALS AND TOOL and much more:
Want to get a better sense of who I am and my journey:
On December 16, 2016 I recorded a Facebook Live Tour of the Nook - If you have Facebook check out my personal video posts or Scrapbook Nook Group video posts.
In the Spring of 2017 the Nook was remodeled!
Check out this link:
Here is the introductory blog entry to the Nook - now is NC!
Such a lovely history of your Nook.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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