(1) Who are we? Part 2

As I set forth with this little dream of mine to share creativity with others I did not anticipate the number of hours of "work", as in not crafty, creative, fun stuff "work", that it would take to just keep going once the store became a reality. With that reality came the realization that I could not do it all by myself. I don't just want to sell stuff to people. That's not who it is that I am. If someone purchases something from me I want to provide them with as much knowledge, information and inspiration as possible. I felt that I was failing in that regard because I just didn't have enough time. I felt that I wasn't able to share enough projects with our customers; I just wasn't doing it all justice any longer. That is when we, Karen and I, made a decision that we needed help.

Life just happens to happen. I have always admired Debbie Olson. The incredible precision with which she completes a project - her artistry and creativeness, these have always shone forth in my mind. Debbie and I became friends - she is a wonderful woman and I feel so lucky to now call her my friend. I believe we were brought together. Debbie became the first to assist us by sharing her beautiful creations, using the Lockhart stamps, with the stamping world. Debbie, thank you for being such a pleasure to work with. Thank you for being my friend and colleague. You are sweetness personified. Your wit and charm are priceless! I loved spending time with you this summer.

Debbie, with her husband Rick and son Benjamin, live in Norway, Michigan. After attending her first rubber stamping event in November 2000, Debbie was thoroughly hooked. Stamping provided the perfect creative outlet.

Favorite things to stamp include nature, especially flowers, and vintage images, but Debbie also has a great appreciation for clean and graphic images as well. She adores embellishments--the more the merrier!

Debbie was privileged to be in the very first Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen Team and has since served on several design teams, including Technique Junkies Turbo Team. Currently Debbie does freelance concept design and home schools her son. She enjoys blogging about stamping at www.debbiedesigns.typepad.com.

Michelle Wooderson, or perhaps better known as Mish is also a dear friend that I have known for a number of years. We met at a Stampin' Up! convention several years back after having gotten to know each other on Splitcoaststampers back in the very beginning of SCS. I have always enjoyed Mish's wonderful attitude towards life. When I learned that she was looking to expand her business I knew that she was someone I could always count on, laugh with and look to the positive in life. She makes me want to come and sit on her front porch amidst the beauty and sip lemonade with her! After that we could go down into her craft space and giggle for hours as we busy ourselves stamping. I know she would come up with some funky wonderful fold, or pocket, or... Someday Mish I am going to show up on your doorstep you know! Be prepared – Mish has completed her first kit and it is a KNOCKOUT. I hope to get everything completed and get it up on our site ASAP. Watch for an announcement soon!

Michelle resides in Kansas with her husband and two daughters. Her favorite hobbies include attending and coaching her kids’ sporting events, cooking, gardening, canning fruits, vegetables and jams, decorating, photography, sewing, and paper crafts. She loves the vintage style and get lots of inspiration from old quilts, fabrics, dishes, furniture and found objects she finds at yard sales and flea markets. Michelle’s background includes a degree in Interior Design with lots of emphasis on art, and she has been published in Paper Crafts magazine as well as serving as a design team member for A Muse Art Stamps and on the Dirty Dozen team at Splitcoast Stampers. Her favorite part about paper crafting is sharing ideas, tips and giving someone the gift of something homemade. You can check out her blog here: www.michellewooderson.blogspot.com

Trudee Sauer - I love Trudee's giggle! If you have heard it you know exactly what I mean. If not then you must envision the most contagious laugh imaginable. During this last year I have had the opportunity to get to know Trudee and listen to what her dreams for her future might be. Trudee thank you for now helping fulfill my dream - the dream of bringing creativity to others. She does such an incredible job of putting "her touch" on each piece she creates. Always look for that glamorous bling – you’ll know Trudee was there Ü

To Trudee, home is the mountains of Western North Carolina. She is Mom to 3 beautiful dogs and a little old man cat (age 17). Trudee has been a crafter for most of her life, but found stamping and papercrafting in 2003. The moment she made that first card, she knew she had finally found her bliss. While she currently works full time for a major US bank, she is actively pursuing a career in the paper crafting industry. Visit Trudee’s blog at www.trudee.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com

Now I arrive at the next adventure in our tale. We are so thrilled that both Cindy Lyles and Sharon Harnist said “Yes” when we invited them to work together with us to share their talents and ideas with others using the Lockhart Stamp Company images!!! Who are these new girls?

Cindy Lyles - altered artist extraordinarie. Cindy has been a fan of the Lockhart images for some time. I know this because she has quite the collection already. The things she has made have always enchanted me. She works with jewelry, Ranger products, 7 Gypsies and... I am SO excited to see what it is that Cindy is going to create with the Lockhart stamps. I have known Cindy for some time as well and have been so lucky as to spend time with her on two occasions - first at a Stampin' Up! convention and then at a wonderful retreat with some dear friends. She is a FABULOUS teacher. I must tell you that she does EVERYTHING fast! Man, does this girl move - she accomplishes so much in such a small time frame!!!

Cindy is the owner of a fabulous on-line E-bay store called Starlitstudio. I would like to invite you to visit her store. The customer service she provides is five-star! She carries a wonderful assortment of altered art embellishments and a host of other wonderful goodies! I have learned SO much from Cindy - her willingness to share information with me when I first started - I can not thank her enough.

I’ve been playing with paper all my life, and creativity was expected and encouraged in the home I grew up in. In continuing the tradition, creativity is encouraged in my home with my children as well.

From a creative childhood, to working for international collectible companies in the product development arena, creativity has always been a major force in my life.

In 1999, the local need for unique invitations, thank you notes and so forth, designed and delivered became the cornerstone of my business, called “StarLitStudio”. I create mostly at night, when the house is quiet and the stars sparkle brilliantly in the night sky.

This business developed into not only custom invitations and design work, but an online store, providing embellishments and ephemera for the do-it-yourself crafter, specializing in the 7gypsies product line.

I am ever so thankful that what I do for a living is what I so enjoy.

Cindy Lyles, StarLitStudio

Visit Cindy's Blog at: www.starlitstudio.blogspot.com and her store at StarLitStudio.

And finally we have sweet Sharon Harnist. That southern accent will just get you every time. The lilt in her voice just makes me grin. I “met” Sharon when we worked together on the Thomas Kinkade team. Again she is someone whose work I have always admired. The books, altered items, scrapbook pages and cards she has made are all exquisite. We were actually on the phone today because I just was jumping up and down in my chair when she shared a project she was working on. She is yet another wonderfully talented individual that blows my socks off!

Sharon is a native of Texas and has been involved in many different types of crafts all her life. She started scrapbooking in 1996 and was first introduced to rubber stamping in February 2004. Shortly after, she became a demonstrator and instructor of rubber stamping, cardmaking & scrapbooking in May of 2004.

Sharon's favorite papercrafting projects are coloring stamped images, altering 3D items, cardmaking and scrapbooking her two young daughters' photos. She has been married for almost 14 years and is currently a stay-at-home Mom, developing a career in the papercrafting industry. You can visit her blog at: www.paperfections.typepad.com.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank these women for sharing their creative talents with the crafting world on behalf of Karen and myself. We look forward to the year ahead and to sharing many fun new ideas with you all.

To close I would like to extend my most heartfelt thanks to all of YOU! I could not have this business without you! I would not be able to work together with those I value without you! Thank you for being here, thank you for supporting us with your hard earned dollars. Please know that we will always do our best to continue to provide you with as much creative inspiration as possible. You make this possible for us - we thank you!

Well this crazy old computer - LOL! It has really messed up my post. Or perhaps it's the fact that I'm REALLY, REALLY tired and it is a human error - Ü. I think I will leave it as is for tonight and will attempt fixing it in the morning :D Sorry for the weird spacing and misplaced pictures!