"lf your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?"

The bridge is blogging and the answer is, "Yep. Apparently!"

After fighting it for so long, I've decided that it's time for me to start blogging.

I really don't know what to say, so I'll just introduce myself and we'll go from there.

I'm Kathi and I'm a Scrapper & Stamper. Now you all say, "Hello Kathi!"

I've been scrapping since June 27, 2000, so I'm coming up on my seventh anniversary. I completed 80 pages in my daughter's baby book that first summer doing a weird combination of desktop publishing and traditional scrapping. Yep. I was a "hybrid scrapper" and didn't even know it. Basically, I'd create a background color/pattern, position a title, captions, and journaling. Then I'd print the page, adhere the photos, and perhaps add a sticker or two. Most often, I'd take clip art, alter it on the computer, and either print it, cut it out or glue it down, or most frequently, I'd just drop it into place on the page.

Then in September 2000 we got our cable modem and joined the Internet. My CMC had told me that computer ink wasn't acid free, so I decided to look online for the answer. I found Scrapbook Addict, a message board, lurked for a while, then posted. My scrapping and my bank account have never been the same! I discovered the joys and camaraderie of an online message board, learned about cardstock, patterned paper, punches, scrapping magazines, and various techniques. I was hooked on both the internet & scrapping!

I also discovered that I'd have loads of scraps left that were great for cards! Eureeka! I'd be saving money by not buying Hallmark!

In July 2001 I was invited to a Stampin' Up party. I was really curious about stamping so I went, but I vowed to myself that I would not buy a thing. Yeah right. Un-huh.

So I started collecting stamps, stamp pads, and experimenting with those.

Sometime after that, I saw an ad for a design team for a kit club. I figured "what the heck" and sent in an application. I was accepted.

Since then, I've served on several design teams for kit clubs, online stores, an online message board, and a few manufacturers. I've also been lucky enough to have several layouts and cards published in a variety of idea books and magazines. I've also done demos and make & takes at CHAs and am about to start teaching classes.

Seven years of scrapping and six of stamping. My style's evolved. I've taken a few detours and branched into other paper crafts. I've enjoyed every second of it and I've made some wonderful friends. I hope to make more through this blog.

So there you have it. My first blog post.

Woo-hoo.

Now to figure out how to post cards and such.