Hello to all you lovely visitors to Pandrapops Crafting Joyful Moments. ❤️
My early crafting years..
I’m Helen Armstrong and I have been a keen crafter for most of my life. My amazing mum started my crafting journey from a very early age whilst sitting at the family dining table gluing and sticking. Or both of us would lie on the living room floor drawing masterpieces from our vivid imaginations.
We even took our love of crafting to the beach, building fairy tale castles and collecting pebbles to paint or turn into collages.
School and beyond…
Strangely though my crafting did not continue during my school years. I have always been a little bit shy of letting others see my work and in school. This meant I would prefer to copy the teacher than let my imagination take over. This lasted until I started in the Girl Guiding movement. It was here I was able to experiment with all types of creative things. I was having immense fun with other like minded individuals.
During this time, I also began to understand that to create something didn’t take much more than a pen and paper. I would often go into my own little world during the school day doodling in my books. Using the time to plan my next project for when I went home. It was a release from the pressures of exams and the expectations of those around me.
Crafting again…
Fast forward to having my own family and introducing both my children to paint, paper and crafting bits and bobs. I felt there was nothing more enjoyable than letting their imaginations run riot over a project. Watching them take paint, pipe cleaners and glue. They could make a train, dinosaur or imaginary object.
Sadly though as these amazing young people turned into tweens then teenagers and then young adults they stopped crafting. This was because their creative adventures took them in other directions.
However I still live in hope that one day they might ask me to craft with them once more.
So what about Pandrapops…
So what about Pandrapops, the name comes from a nick name we gave our daughter 24 years ago. As a family we like to play with words and make things up.
In the past 10 years I have tried and left behind many crafting attempts. This includes, sewing painting, and scrapbooking. I even used electronic cutting machines and occasionally made cards for family and friends.
However a year ago I was diagnosed with depression and I needed something to do in my evenings. Rather than watching television or mindless scrolling through social media for hours on end. I decided that as I was always at my most calm when being creative, I would give stamping and die cutting another go.
As someone who has ADHD and probably holds the record for flitting form one thing to another. My dear Father in law called me a butterfly on many occasions due to this trait.
I have kept up this new hobby which has now turned into a business of sorts for almost a year. Hence Pandrapops crafting joyful moments was born. It also enables me to gain so much pleasure from the things I create and share with others and seeing the creativity of those around me. It leads me back to those heady days of being at the dining room table with first my mum and then my children.
Why STAMPIN’ UP!®️
Why STAMPIN’ UP!®️? I love the versatility of the products and how they can be used individually or together to create the most spectacular gifts, cards and whatever your imagination can produce.
The journey I am on forever expands my learning, I’m hopeful this will inspire others to take part in and come along for the ride with me.
Thanks for reading
❤️ Helen
