This is pretty exciting.

At a young age, my mother taught me to finger paint. I have a vivid memory of sitting at our kitchen table, her standing behind me, guiding my hands into the paint and then onto paper. It was exciting and new. I remember digging through her high school and college art portfolios, enchanted by her talents. My father has always doodled. I can point out his drawings in an instant... he has the most distinct style. I'm not sure how young I was when he first taught me to sew. By the time I step foot into my sophomore year mandatory home ec class, I felt like a pro... flying through the simple projects assigned to us. I remember kneading my first lump of clay... my first spin at the potter's wheel... and the disappointment of having one of many sculptures blow up in the kiln. I can still feel the file as it hit my finger as I sanded down that metal piece of jewelry... and the excitement that came from watching the solder melt. The art room where I spent most of senior year is still fresh in my mind as well, and the many firsts I experienced that year... calligraphy, watercolor, and air brushing.

I've had many artistic moments. I find myself getting just a tad emotional looking back at all these defining times. Defining... so strange that a simple paintbrush would shape the individual I am today. But that's where my passions lie. It's who I am. To the very core, I love all things that allow me to express myself creatively.

Two years ago, I took a job as the Creative Genius as Creations Galore, a title to this day, I don't think I yet deserve. I've been challenged by a new craft. I remember the moment I was told I would need to design three new cards every week. I had confidence.. and then panic. I loved graphic design and mixed media art... scrapbooking and card making couldn't be much different right?! Oh how I have learned, grown, and improved over the last two years. New tools, techniques, and processes to research. And what a passion that has formed for the paper crafting industry. I have so much more to learn and there's so much more room to grow, but I have to stop for a moment and reflect on where I've come.

Never did I picture myself so openly sharing my art and projects with anyone. And here I am with this new crafty blog, putting my artistic moments and life out there to be criticized. In the last few weeks, I have had such a boost of confidence to keep on sharing. Wonderful comments from readers, and a few acknowledgements from challenge blogs that I frequent. My first entry in the Tuesday Trigger Challenge over at Moxie Fab World got a big shout out, as I mentioned here. After a weekend away for the Thanksgiving holiday, I was notified that I had won the CPS Sketch #244 Challenge with this card... and was chosen as the Cream of the Crop over at Market Street Stamps. I'm so giddy. I'm a total craft nerd.... and I'm adding these to my defining artistic moments. Just another small victory in my life-long quest to use every ounce of talent given to me by my glorious God. 

Enough of all this emotional rambling... and on to the card that received the shout out as the Cream of the Crop!

I'm a huge fan of Market Street Stamps. They're made of a high quality polymer, which means you achieve clean crisp lines and can easily see where you're stamping (we call that precision). MSS is currently showing off sneak peeks of their new releases on their blog. I'm drooling already... Make sure to stop by the MMS blog and take a look at what the design team is creating! While you're at it, join the MSS Neighborhood! So many talented paper crafters can be found there, sharing their latest projects... and it's where Steph came across the card I made above. 

Thanks for encouraging me in my creative journey. Do you have any of your own defining artistic moments?