Hi, I’m Kathleen.
Welcome to my sparkly corner of the crafting world.
I’ve been papercrafting for almost 20 years. I started because I loved scrapbooking, wanted to go deeper into a hobby I loved, wanted to help my friends get great products, and thought maybe I could build something of my own along the way.
Turns out, I wasn’t just building a crafting business. I was building a table.
Things You Should Probably Know About Me
I will always choose the sparkle.
Glitter. Shimmer. Shine. Metallic. If there’s an option that catches the light, I’m probably choosing it. And if there isn’t? I’m probably wondering if we can add some.
I believe in following the instructions.
You don’t have to figure everything out yourself to be creative. Follow the instructions. Make the project. Learn how the pieces work together. Enjoy making it. Next time, maybe you change something. Maybe you don’t. Both count as creating.
I like finished projects.
I love pretty paper and new supplies as much as the next crafter. Probably more. But I really love turning those supplies into something you love enough to say, “I made that!”
I believe there’s room for your kind of creative.
Want to make the sample exactly as it is? Do it. Want to change three things? Go for it. See the hot-pink paper and immediately think, “Needs more”? Ohhhh. You should probably sit next to me.
Kathleen’s Top 10
1. Sparkle
Glitter, shimmer, shine & metallic. More is more.
2. Diet Coke
The official beverage of my craft room.
3. Soap Operas
Days, Y&R, B&B, General Hospital and Beyond the Gates. Yes. ALL of them.
4. Ava + Trina
My cats—and yes, they’re named after General Hospital characters.
5. Jeans + T-shirts
Especially shirts that make a statement about something I love.
6. Food
Chocolate cake. Cheese. Meat. Please don’t ruin the plate with vegetables.
7. Papercrafting
I’ll try almost anything involving paper. For myself? Scrapbooking wins every time.
8. Hot Pink
Bright. Bold. A little extra. Basically, everything a color should be.
9. Christmas
Sparkly, colorful and all about Jesus’ birth. Why not?
10. David Bromstad
My favorite HGTV host. If you’ve read this far, you probably understand why.
Why I Built This Table
I’ve loved three things for as long as I can remember: my family, taking pictures, and making things.
I’ve been crafting since I was little, and I’ve always loved hearing and telling the stories of the people in my family. Scrapbooking brought those loves together.
I made my first scrapbook page back in the 1980s at a little store in Livonia, Michigan. Later, my sisters and I made Christmas cards with stamps and embossing powder, and I started a crafting group at my church because I wanted more opportunities to create.
As the years went by, I kept sharing my projects and introducing more people to scrapbooking and cardmaking.
Then something happened at my bridal shower that I’ll never forget.
We went around the room, and each woman shared how she knew me. More than half said they’d scrapbooked or crafted with me!
That’s when I realized something.
I wasn’t just sharing a hobby. I was bringing women together around something we loved.
And I wanted to keep doing it.
The WOW! Moment
One of my favorite things about teaching is watching someone discover what she can make.
Sometimes a woman comes to a class and tells me, “I’m not creative.”
But then she picks up the paper, follows a few steps, learns a technique, and makes something beautiful.
And suddenly there’s that moment.
“WOW! I made that!”
I LOVE that moment!
Because I know she’s discovering something about herself, too.
You don’t have to know everything or come up with every idea on your own to be creative. You can start by following a sample, learning a new skill, or trying something you’ve never done before.
And with each project, you gain a little more confidence in what you can do.
That’s why I love teaching. I’m not just helping women make projects. I’m helping them discover what they’re capable of creating.
Making Room for People Matters to Me
Some of my favorite friendships have grown around craft tables.
There’s something wonderful about spending time together, sharing ideas, laughing, talking about our families, and celebrating what everyone is making.
Over the years, I’ve watched women come to an event to make a scrapbook page or a few cards and leave with something more — new ideas, new skills, and sometimes new friends.
I love creating a place where women can feel comfortable, ask questions, learn something new, and enjoy being creative together.
And I love what happens beyond the table, too.
The scrapbook pages we make preserve our family stories. The cards we send let someone know we’re thinking of them. The projects we give become little pieces of ourselves shared with others.
Creativity brings us together at the table. And the things we make help us connect with the people we love.
