You know, the one thing about multiple hobbies is you can combine them -- Pony Express (or any topic) and Stamp Collecting; Hunting and Fishing; Birding and Nature Walks; etc.

I've been making greeting cards for over a decade.  My early cards were just that -- early cards.  Very basic and simple.  I've grown much over the years, many thanks to other crafting friends, my younger sister Jan (we share ideas all the time), and classes and Expos I attend.

Each Christmas season, my husband and I attend several Holiday Craft Shows/Bazaars to sell my handmade greeting cards, and his etched glassware and handmade chocolates.  We did the same thing last year.  The weekend after our last Holiday Craft Bazaar was a stamp show (for postage stamp collectors).  I am a part-time stamp dealer.  Since we had some chocolates and stamp greeting cards left over from the Bazaar, we decided to take them to the stamp show.  I mean, stamp collectors like chocolate, right?  And you never know when someone needs a last-minute gift or greeting card.  We just about sold out of chocolates and greeting cards.  (Remember, I talked about this on January 29.)  I also mentioned customers and dealers (vendors) wanted us to bring back the chocolates and stamp greeting cards to each stamp show thereafter.  We've done this twice since, and sales have been good.

What I didn't tell you back in January is a several stamp collecting customers were VERY interested in my teaching a class on how to make greeting cards using postage stamps (their idea)!  Plans are well under way, my samples are completed, and I have started taking reservations for the class.  Here are the samples:

Since I expect most of the attendees to be stamp collectors or their spouses, they will have no problems coming up with the theme stamp.  But, just in case, I am taking stamps for them to choose from.

I am supplying all materials.  These are beginner card makers, so for this first class, all materials will be pre-done -- paper cut to size, ribbon cut to size, etc.  The attendees will need to trim as needed and put all the components together into a card.  If you remember when you started making cards, you know how long it can take to put that first card together!

This class will be held at:

Evergreen Stamp Club Show

Kent Commons

525 - 4th Avenue North

Kent, Washington, USA

April 19 (Saturday)

12:00 noon to 2:00 pm

Cost is $20.00 for 5 cards.  Yes, only 4 are shown above. The 5th card is a surprise!  It will be a rubber stamp card to give them a taste of other ways to make cards.  If they enjoy this class, and want additional classes, the next class will include stamp and rubber stamp greeting cards with attendees doing much more of the work.  

I currently have 5 open spots for this class.  If you live (or visiting) in the area, contact me to register.

I am holding another class in Edmonds, Washington area (north end of Puget Sound, whereas above class is at south end).  I already have 7 potential attendees -- and I do not even have the masters created yet!  Watch this blog for date, time and location, but I do plan on having it before Mother's Day so we can add in a Mother's Day card (or other special card if you wish).

Belgium Friends' visit update -- Looks like we will see our Belgium friends in the middle of their USA tour, about late April to early May.  Per their request, I've managed to put together a want-list, so stay tuned to see what goodies arrive from Belgium this time.  And, yes, I've been working on filling their box!

You may have been wondering why I haven't updated my blog as much as usual.  Many reasons -- my second cold in as many months, my husband off work and applying for Long-Term Disability and Social Security Disability (that's a ton of paperwork), his many medical appointments, and more recently, deep cleaning of the home.  We have been working on the master bedroom, which is large.  Half is for us, and the other half is to work on projects.  Everything is currently stuffed into the storage room; we move everything back today into their proper places.  Hopefully, at the end of the day, we will have a much more functional area for sleeping and working on other projects.  When the storage room is reorganized, then I will work on cleaning my craft room -- you know how that is!  I started the process -- there are several large piles of cross stitch and card making magazines in my front room for Stitchery Club members to take what they want.  If you are in our area, feel free to stop in and look at the stitchery and/or card making magazines to see what you want to add to your collection.  In the meantime, I have boxes of our previous years' tax returns in the craft room closet -- those will be shredded or put in the storage room, depending on age of tax returns.  This will give me more space in my craft room -- which I will be reorganizing.  I have acquired so many supplies the past couple of years (way more than cards I can make from them in the same amount of time), it needs to be better organized and reach-able.   So lots of work ahead of me, but very little card making.  Hope to get all this done by the end of April so I can start making cards for our summer craft shows.  Then, you will once again see loads of cards on the blog!

Have a great Easter everyone!