Dear friends,
I wanted to let you know that the January release was my last release with Papertrey Ink, as I've decided to step down from my positions on the teams, both as a product designer and a design team member. This decision has been many months in the making and I gave notice more than a month ago, as I’ve been feeling like the Lord has something new in store for me. I’m not completely sure what all that is yet, but I’m excited about some new opportunities in the coming days and also, to see what new doors He might open and surprise me with. He’s good at that!
I'll always be grateful for Papertrey and the opportunities they have provided me! Back when Nichole Heady and I first met 11 or so years ago, I was so excited just to have met her, but then to have her invite me to join the Design Team was just such a thrill. To then go on to develop my Raspberry Suite product line less than a year later, was more than I could have ever even dreamed of at that time! Nichole was the best encourager, cheerleader and teacher for me in those early years. I truly learned so much from her, and wouldn't be where I am today, without her patient training and guidance as I learned a new skill and developed my craft. Thank you Nichole, Julie and Jane, for all that you've allowed me to do and the ways that you've allowed me to grow over the years!
I will immensely miss working with all of the girls on the Design Team -- current and past teammates! They've been such good friends to me and have not only inspired me with their beautiful work, but they've also made me laugh (many times! Ha!), encouraged me and cheered me on and even prayed for me and helped to carry my work load as I went through my small intestine transplant and recovery a little more than a year ago. They're gems, each one, and I'm grateful for all of the fun we've had together behind the scenes! Friendships like these are the kind that last, regardless of where anyone works.
I have loved spending the last ten years, working hard to create products (more than 240 of them!!) that I was proud of and excited to use myself, but even more than that, I've so thoroughly enjoyed seeing what the girls on the Design Team and all of YOU have created with those products! What a joy to be able to dream something up and see it become a real product that has hopefully brought joy not only to you, sweet friends, but also to the recipients of all of those gorgeous cards you've made! The Raspberry Suite product line has been my "baby" for the last ten years and saying goodbye to that has definitely been difficult, and yet I'm feeling the need to be obedient to what I feel the Lord telling me to do....even if it's hard. I also choose to look for joy in the midst of this change, because my joy comes from the Lord and isn't dependent on my circumstances. Circumstances can be hard - and don't I know it after years of being so sick!! - but joy can be found all over the place, even in the midst of the hard stuff as I've seen time and time again, if we just look for it.
I’m not going anywhere and will still be all sorts of crafty over here, paper and otherwise, so I hope you’ll all continue to follow along here at my blog and on instagram and twitter, where I'll be sharing all sorts of things to come! I have loved this job of mine and I’m looking forward to continuing to make pretty things....what a gift and a joy to be able to do that and share it with others! Such a blessing for sure! :)
Whether you've been following my Papertrey journey for ten days or ten+ years, I'm grateful for you! I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to serve you, to make so many fun projects, to work with so many beautiful products, and to have had so much love, support and encouragement and even so much patronage from all of YOU. You are the reason the Raspberry Suite product line has been a successful one and for that, I say THANK YOU.
Much, much love, sweet friends….
You are a blessing to me!
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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