Changes at Papertrey Ink

It's not a secret.

I have been a fan of Papertrey Ink since they debuted their line of bold and graphic stamps eleven years ago.  Little Lady! Garden Thumb! I had to have them. And I used them, a lot.

For a long time, I was primarily a Stampin Up follower, and a demo for the company for many years. But after some time, I did get burned out and actually toyed with the idea of giving up paper crafting completely.

And then I had a brilliant idea. Why not sell off my collection of big and bulky wood mounted stamp sets, and use the profits to re-invest in some companies who offered good quality clear acrylics. Less pricey, takes up less space.

And truly, I just needed to venture off in a new direction. I wanted something cleaner, less cluttered. And Papertrey Ink was my Go To for a long time.

Nichole Heady, PTI co-founder, could make dryer lint and a used tissue box look good. I just loved her style. I purchased so many products based on her wonderful creations.

I noticed a lot of changes this year with PTI. Nichole was not creating nearly as often as she once did. And the offerings of PTI just didn't wow me like they used to. Too many kits, too much clutter. Don't get me wrong. I still love many of the members of PTI's design team. But things were different. And honestly, I wasn't shopping with them all that often any more.

So it wasn't a big surprise when Nichole Heady announced that she was stepping down from her position as creative director. Sad, but not surprising. People change, life circumstances change. And something that may have been your passion at one time can take a back seat.

There's an ebb and flow to life, isn't there?

Sometimes, I'm totally into paper crafting, and then weeks will go by where I haven't worked at my craft table. Needle art can be picked up one day, and neglected another day. Gardens need tending in the summer, but in the winter I can read good books.

Ebb and flow. Wax and wane.

I wish Nichole the best of blessings in her new ventures. And I'm hoping that PTI can recapture it's sparkle and style in the days ahead.

{Today's Brew: Botanical Blocks stamp set (PTI), PTI card stock and inks, black embossing powder, amuse studio ribbon}