Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine Special Thanks! Blog Hop

Hi everyone,

I'm back today to participate in the Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine Special Thanks! Blog Hop. The hop starts at the one and only Jennifer McGuire's blog and you should be arriving from Alicia Thelin's fabulous blog.

Sadly, after many years of inspiring paper crafters around the world, Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine is ceasing publication. I can't remember when I first starting receiving this awesome magazine but I'm sure it was a Christmas gift from my parents. At the time I was very active in the Hero Arts flickr group and when I started seeing a few fellow members' names and cards in Paper Crafts I thought I'd give this submitting thing a try. I submitted a couple of cards and had nothing picked up. I figured my work just wasn't good enough. About a year later, I saw a call that really appealed to me and thought I'd give it another try. I submitted three cards and had one picked up. I was OVER THE MOON! I tried for the next call and once again had nothing picked up. Again, I gave up...until I saw my name and card in print. Then I was hooked! For the next 3 years I submitted to just about every single call and had quite a few cards published. Unfortunately, after a very stressful move last year I just couldn't get back into it.

Before I share the card I made for the blog hop, I thought I'd share my TOP TEN favourite moments with Paper Crafts:

 1. Having my first published card! I will never forget that feeling.
 2. Hanging out with other card submitters for the acceptance parties over on the Paper Crafts facebook page and Virginia Lu always bringing the music. :)
 3. Being part of various Paper Crafts blog hops.
 4. Being a Cover Girl for the first time! (and the second...and third...and fourth.
 5. Getting to meet Susan R. Opel, P. Kelly Smith, and Teri Anderson at CHA Summer 2012. They were all so sweet. I was a nervous wreck, lol.
 6. Getting to work on a whole section of Paper Crafts Tips and Tricks (heat embossing) and knowing they had confidence in my abilities even when I didn't.
 7. Being a WCMD 2012 winner and getting to know the other winners through facebook.
 8. Being invited to try out as a Go-To-Gal (even though I didn't give it a go it was a huge honour to be asked).
 9. Being a Stamping Royalty 2013 winner and getting to know the other winners...again through facebook.
10. Been invited to participate in various private calls for submission.

BONUS - 11. Having a card published that I made with the help of my son. :)

I have such great memories of working with Paper Crafts Magazine. From Susan's endless cheerleading to being challenged to try new things, my confidence as a card maker grew greatly and I got to know so many wonderful, encouraging women. For that, I thank you Paper Crafts...

So that son I mentioned having a card co-published with? While I was doing the cross-stitching for this card he asked if he could get in on the action too...so this one was another joint effort :)

Supplies:

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Thanks Clear Stamps	Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Really Big Thanks Die and Stamp Combo	Simon Says Stamp Screen Elements Dies	Simon Says Stamp Complete In Stitches Release	Sizzix Big Shot Die Cut Machine
Tonic Studios 12 Inch Guillotine Paper Trimmer	Martha Stewart Scoring Board	Martha Stewart Medium Footed Stamp Mount	EK Success Cutter Bee Scissors	Versafine Onyx Black Ink Pad
LIfestyle Crafts Quickstik Tool	Simon Says Stamp Black Cardstock	Neenah Desert Storm Cardstock	Neenah Solar White Cardstock 250 Sheets	Neenah Solar White Cardstock 25 Sheets

InLinkz.com

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your next stop is Winter Sims' blog.
Sarah