Grateful for You: Celebrating Our Crafty Journey in 2025
- Dec 14, 2025
- 7 min read
What a year it has been! When I first started my YouTube channel, I never imagined the incredible community we would build together. Your support has been the glue holding this crafty adventure together, and I want to take a moment to say a heartfelt THANK YOU. This post is a celebration of the journey we’ve shared, the fun we've had, and the friendships we've cultivated. Let’s dive in!
Reflecting on the Start of This Blog and E-mail Newsletter
It all began with a simple idea: share my love of papercrafting and connect with fellow paper people who understand the magic of a good die cut and the joy of a perfectly folded card. Starting this blog and email newsletter felt like opening a brand new stamp set--equal parts anticipation and “let’s do this thing!” So far, it’s meant one blog post and a handful of email newsletters, each one sent with care, curiosity, and a little creative courage.
These early days have been a mix of excitement and a few nervous butterflies fluttering around my craft room. I still remember hitting “send” on that first newsletter, fingers crossed that it would land in the right inbox and bring a smile or spark an idea. Even with just a few posts and emails under my belt, your kind comments, thoughtful messages, and encouragement have already made this feel like more than a solo craft session. It’s the expansion of a blossoming creative circle, and I’m incredibly grateful for every person who’s stepped inside.
Crafty Industry Journeys in 2025
This past year also pulled me out of my craft room and into the wider papercrafting world, both in person and online. I had the chance to experience events from a few different angles, sometimes working or demonstrating, sometimes attending with a tote bag and an open mind, and always soaking it all in. From helping at the InkyStamper booth at Stamp, Scrap, Art Tour to wandering events like Inky Escape and Stamp & Scrapbook Expo as an attendee, each experience added another layer to my love for this creative industry.
Online events became just as meaningful. I attended workshops and retreats hosted by a variety of companies and communities, each one offering fresh ideas, new techniques, and that familiar feeling of crafting alongside friends, even from miles away. One of the biggest highlights for me was teaching my very first online class. Sharing a handmade treat bag tutorial and connecting with crafters of all skill levels was both humbling and energizing. Hearing feedback, answering questions, and watching others try something new reminded me why I love teaching and sharing in the first place!
Across all of these events, the common thread was connection. I loved watching people try products they once found intimidating, discovering new-to-me companies, and even diving into techniques I’d never tried before. (Hello, gilding flakes!) Most of all, these experiences gave me a creative recharge that sent me home buzzing with ideas, eager to make all the things, and feeling a deep sense of belonging in this wonderfully welcoming community.
An exceptional highlight/bucket list item/dream come true was attending Craft Roulette's inaugural live event, Paperganza! It was an incredible experience that I will never forget and also can't wait to repeat!
Several friends and I roadtripped it to Kansas City by way of Iowa, and just may have happened to stumble across the one and only Taylored Expressions! While in Kansas City, we even took a jaunt to the local crafty shops and found the fabulous Dare 2B Artzy and also an adorable little wonderland called Purple Pinky Promises! Wow what gorgeous shops those were, and all the folks were so incredibly welcoming and accommodating! We did super cute make & takes, stopped for a few selfies, and of course left each location with way more supplies than we had when we arrived! LOL #NoRegrets
Paperganza itself was an absolute dream. I love words, but I just cannot find the right words to express how much gratitude I have for everyone involved in taking this dream from a "someday" to a "today." It was beyond memorable, and we all shared so many laughs, so many crafts, and yes, even a few (happy) tears. After speaking with some of these friends for years, getting to hug them in the flesh was just unbelievable! If you are a Craft Roulette fan (and if you aren't--you gotta jump on the bandwagon, it's the BEST!), just a heads up that Paperganza 2.0 is coming our way in August 2026--and of course yours truly will be there! Here are a few snapshots of the incredible trip. Way too many friends to name them all, but you might see some familiar faces in the groups!
Card Chaos and the Beauty of Creative Community
Card Chaos began with a simple hope: to inspire others the way I’ve been inspired, and to show that anyone can make something beautiful in just 15 minutes. What started as an idea sketched out with excitement and a healthy dose of nerves has grown into more than 20 episodes (what?! 😍) filled with creativity, encouragement, and just the right amount of delightful chaos. If you’ve ever joined one of the live card challenge sessions, you know just how much fun they are. Each challenge nudges us to think outside the craft box, try new techniques, and create under a time crunch, also known as a "goal" not a requirement! The energy during those lives is contagious, and watching everyone’s creativity unfold in real time is a highlight for me every single week.
But these challenges have never been just about making cards. They’re about building confidence, connection, and community. Seeing your projects pop up in the Facebook group during the show or shared on social media feels like a virtual high-five, and I love how we cheer each other on, celebrating progress and creativity over perfection. I’m continually amazed by the people who show up week after week, the guests who bravely say yes, and the kindness woven through every episode. From one of my crafty besties Jenn Gross kicking off this adventure as my very first guest, to another crafty bestie Alison Heikkila stepping in as guest host when I was out of town, to the grace and understanding shown when I had to cancel a show due to illness, each moment has reinforced why Card Chaos matters to me--why all of YOU matter to me. ❤️
As I look ahead to the coming year, I’m overflowing with gratitude and excitement for an incredible lineup of upcoming guests, along with the launch of a new monthly spinoff, Card Chaos: Put the CAS(E) in Chaos. What started as a 15-minute challenge has become something so much bigger, and I can’t wait to see where we take it next, together.
The Party Before the Party: Tailgate!
And speaking of live creative camaraderie, Craft Roulette Tailgate has become another joyful chapter this year. If you’ve been hanging out for my little twice-monthly pre-party, you know it’s all about celebration, connection, and getting hyped for the main event in that unmistakable Craft Roulette way. Craft Roulette itself is a live card-making challenge show built around spinning a wheel to generate random prompts that spark creativity—whether you’re crafting along in the Chatterbox or sharing your finished cards afterward, it’s a space that invites everyone to play, explore, and be inspired together.
I’m deeply grateful to the Craft Roulette team for welcoming my Tailgate as a way to celebrate their show and the culture that supports it. Their encouragement has made this pre-party feel like a warm front porch where we gather before the creative fun begins, and the enthusiasm from the community has been nothing short of heart-lifting. Thank you for letting me cheerlead with you, and for showing up with that same generous spirit that makes Craft Roulette feel like more than a show and more like a family. ✨
A Heartfelt Thank You and a Look Ahead
This past year has been a bit of a creative whirlwind, filled with learning curves, happy surprises, and so much connection. I’m incredibly grateful to have had you along for the crafty journey at whatever point you joined me in 2025! Your enthusiasm, encouragement, and willingness to show up and create right alongside me truly fuel my passion and keep the ideas flowing.
Thank you for reading, watching, crafting along, and sharing your projects, your kindness, and your time. Whether you’ve been here since the very first newsletter or you’re just joining in now, you’ve helped shape this space into something welcoming, supportive, and joy-filled. It’s a reminder that creativity doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful, and it’s always better when we make things together.
Looking ahead, I’m buzzing with excitement for new projects, more live sessions, and yes, maybe even a few fun surprises (definitely fun surprises--and some that have me bouncing in my seat to share!!). Before we officially close the book on this year, there’s one more blog post coming your way. A little countdown of my Top 10 favorite projects of 2025, filled with makes that made me smile, stretch, and maybe fall a little more in love with papercrafting. I can’t wait to share it with you and keep growing this amazing community together. Here’s to another year of cutting, folding, laughing, and creating side by side!
