Today is my last day with Creating Keepsakes.

After 12 years with the company, I have chosen to resign as an employee of CK. I am doing this with nothing but the best feelings. It’s just the right time for me to step down and move forward. I am so grateful for the ride that I’ve had and want to assure you that ride is not over. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not dying. I’m not quitting this hobby. I’m not running away. I’m totally here. (And so is CK. I wish them all the best!)

I’ll never forget that day in 1996. I was a young, newlywed college student. As I was coming home between work and class, I picked up my mail. I started heading upstairs to our apartment as I sifted through the pile. And there it was. A little mailer piece that introduced an up & coming magazine called Creating Keepsakes. A magazine about scrapbooking. A whole magazine dedicated to scrapbooking!? This was my hobby.

A short time later, I happened to meet the magazine editor’s mother in church one Sunday. Clarine Downs. Mother of Lisa Bearnson. The rest is history. My first article was published in the 4th issue of CK.

[ copyright Creating Keepsakes ]

My niche in scrapbooking (and what I was really known for in the beginning) was creative lettering. The next thing you know I’m writing a couple more articles, traveling to teach at a consumer show, making a television appearance and ultimately becoming an employee of CK. I was their first Creative Editor. And I really didn’t know what I was doing. ; )

Fast-forward. I can’t even count how many articles I’ve published (I have had something in every single issue). No idea how many consumer shows and trade shows I attended. Taught class after class after class. I did 9 books. Made some QVC and other TV appearances. Traveled to visit various scrapbook stores. Left the country a few times to spread the good word of scrapbooking. Created a handful of products. All the while, brought 3 beautiful little people into the world with my husband David.

So many good memories. So much that I learned. I feel like I grew up with CK as I was only 21 years old when they took me on-board. I don’t even have the words to express gratitude to my dear friend Lisa Bearnson. And so many others at CK who became my friend. But it was Lisa who saw something in me in the first place and helped me to realize that my passion & my gift could reach so many. Giving me the opportunity to be involved at that level opened so many doors.

Who knew that I would get to share ideas on a global level? Who knew that I’d have friends from South Africa to Canada to New Zealand because of a hobby? Who knew that scrapbooking was going to actually explode into the industry that it became?

I feel so blessed to be a part of it all and look forward to continual sharing. It’s what I love to do.

(Yes, I’m still blogging.)