When people ask what I do, the simple answer is that I teach cardmaking and scrapbooking. That's true, but it's only part of the story.
The truth is, Great Minds INK Alike exists for a much bigger reason than paper, ink, and stamps.
Like many people, I started stamping simply because I enjoyed it. I discovered stamping five or six years before I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and I loved the creative process of making something with my own hands. There was something satisfying about taking a few pieces of paper and turning them into a card I couldn't wait to send to someone.
I never imagined that a hobby would become a business or that it would shape such a meaningful part of my life.
When I became a demonstrator more than 20 years ago, I started with one class each month. I enjoyed teaching, sharing ideas, and helping others learn. Over the years, that one class grew into regular Stamp-a-Stack classes, Scrapbook Nights, special events, and monthly INK & Go Kits that allow people to create at home.
While my business has changed over the years, the reason I continue doing it really hasn't.
Somewhere along the way, I realized this business wasn't really about making cards.
It was about helping people discover the joy of creating.
One of my favorite moments in class is when someone finishes a project and smiles because they're proud of what they've made. Sometimes people come to class convinced they aren't creative or worried they'll make a mistake. Then they leave holding a finished card or scrapbook page and realize they can do it.
As a retired first-grade teacher, helping people build confidence has always been something I enjoy. Whether I was teaching children to read or teaching adults how to make a card, the goal has always been the same—to help someone learn something new and feel successful.
That teacher's heart is still a big part of who I am today.
I also believe creativity is something we should enjoy, not something that overwhelms us.
That's why I prepare my classes the way I do. I want people to sit down and spend their time creating, not worrying about what to do next. I encourage everyone to personalize their projects because I don't believe there is only one "right" way to create. If you'd rather turn a birthday card into an anniversary card or choose different colors for a scrapbook page, that's exactly what you should do. I want the projects you make to work for your life.
Over the years, I've discovered another unexpected gift that this business has given me.
Friendships.
Some of the people who first came to class as customers have become dear friends. I've also had the opportunity to travel to Stampin' Up! events across the country, where I've met demonstrators who continue to inspire and encourage me. We may have started with a shared love of stamping, but we've built relationships that mean far more than the hobby that brought us together.
That's one of the reasons I continue to believe handmade cards and scrapbook pages still matter.
A handmade card tells someone, "I was thinking of you."
A scrapbook preserves stories that deserve to be remembered.
A class brings people together around a table where they can laugh, visit, learn something new, and encourage one another.
In a world where so much communication happens through a screen, I think those moments of connection are more important than ever.
When people leave one of my classes, I certainly hope they like the cards or scrapbook pages they created. But I hope they leave with something else, too. I hope they leave feeling more confident, encouraged, and connected than when they arrived.
That's the heart of Great Minds INK Alike.
Yes, we make cards.
Yes, we preserve memories.
But more importantly, we create opportunities to connect with the people we love and with one another.
If that's the kind of creative community you've been looking for, I'd love to have you join us—whether it's at a class, a scrapbook night, or through one of my INK & Go Kits.
After all, every day is a great day to send a card.
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