It's been about a week since twopeasinabucket.com announced they will be closing.
It happened so fast, I had no idea it was even going to happen until we got a heartbreaking email from Kristina about two hours before the announcement. And I'm still so so so so so so sad about it. I joined the 2Peas community in May of 2003, over 11 years ago! I was just about to graduate from high school and I had been working at a local scrapbook store for almost two years. That's where I was introduced to the world of scrapbooking, and where I should start this post.
Oh my heart just ACHES looking at these photos! It seems like FOREVER ago! It really was though. I spent so many hours in this scrapbooking store. It's where I learned the art of scrapbooking.
Right before I left to go to college the store was sold to a new owner, she moved the store to a different part of town, and a few months later, the store closed altogether. And so it was with many local scrapbook stores across the states.
It was while working at Yesterdays when I flipped through magazines and saw people had purchased their supplies on twopeasinabucket.com. I was intrigued! An online scrapbooking store? Sold! So I signed up for an account and made my very first purchase on June 15th 2003. I can even tell/show you what I bought because there's a record!
I remember Pulp Paper Products albums were the bee's knees! I remember conchos and that I bought NYC and DC stickers because we had just gone on vacation there! Oh the memories! Seriously, the nostalgic part of myself is having a heyday right now.
When I went to college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah I got a job at Pebbles in My Pocket. They were upgrading their computers and it just so happens the same company had just updated the computers at Yesterdays. Proves it's not what you know, it's who you know. I worked at the store for a year and then I went on a study abroad to London.
When I got back from London I was looking for a job and saw an advertisement in the newspaper for an editorial position at a scrapbooking magazine. I didn't know much about editorial, but it said scrapbooking and I was all over it! I interviewed with Tammy and got hired to be an editorial assistant for Paper Trends magazine. I worked for Northridge Publishing for nearly nine years. I had so many different job titles and tasks and each and every one was oh so fun.
One summer I worked for about 6 months at Archiver's as a sales gal and teacher. That was fun, but I was overwhelmed trying to do student teaching, working at the magazine, and doing late night crops. I stopped working there when I got a job at American Crafts! Which is my next story:
I graduated in December '07 with a degree in Art Education. Not a whole lot (as in, there were none) of art teacher job openings in the middle of the year. However, I read on Kelly Purkey's blog that she was leaving American Crafts and since I was still super in love with scrapbooking I wanted the job! So badly! I interviewed with David and over Christmas break I found out I was hired! For the next 20 months I designed paper and stickers and rub ons and ribbon and every kind of scrapbooking supply imaginable. It was THE COOLEST thing in the world to see scrapbooking bigwigs using supplies I designed on their projects. When we moved from Utah to California I asked if I could still be on the Design Team. Eventually I started managing the Design Team and the blog and still do that to this day. American Crafts is the best scrapbooking company in the world :) And, while most scrapbooking stores and businesses seem to be going under, American Crafts continues to grow and for that I am so grateful and thankful.
It was while working at American Crafts that I started uploading my layouts to 2Peas. I finally found "my style" while working there. Bright, colorful, happy, clean. Granted, this example is the beginning stages of my scrapbooking, and it's a random size (6x12), but nevertheless, here is the very first layout I uploaded to twopeasinabucket.com on September 20th, 2009:
From then on whenever I made layouts I uploaded them to 2Peas, 256 total projects.
I remember dreaming of becoming a Garden Girl. But it's not something you can try out or apply for. Invitation only. And then, on December 8th 2012, I got the email I was wanting for soooooooo long from Jamie. Yes, I kept it, because I'm nostalgic, it's part of the scrapper in me. Here it is:
My response. Haha. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!??!!??!?!" Classic :)
I made nearly 50 layouts as a Garden Girl. Every time I made one I would ask Chris, "Is this Garden Girl worthy?" Because I always felt like the layouts I made had to be my best ones for the gallery! 2Peas pushed me to try new techniques and make some of my all-time favorite layouts. Here's nearly all of them (I've uploaded them in full size to my scrapbook galleries 1 & 2).
I will miss 2Peas. Such a huge part of the scrapbooking world. I will miss the boards and the friends and the shopping of course! I am so grateful to Kristina for giving me the chance to promote her store. What a tough and brave decision to close. Thanks again for everything 2Peas!
Though stores may be closing and brands folding, I will go to my grave with paper, scissors, and glue!
LONG LIVE SCRAPBOOKING!
When I went to college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah I got a job at Pebbles in My Pocket. They were upgrading their computers and it just so happens the same company had just updated the computers at Yesterdays. Proves it's not what you know, it's who you know. I worked at the store for a year and then I went on a study abroad to London.
When I got back from London I was looking for a job and saw an advertisement in the newspaper for an editorial position at a scrapbooking magazine. I didn't know much about editorial, but it said scrapbooking and I was all over it! I interviewed with Tammy and got hired to be an editorial assistant for Paper Trends magazine. I worked for Northridge Publishing for nearly nine years. I had so many different job titles and tasks and each and every one was oh so fun.
One summer I worked for about 6 months at Archiver's as a sales gal and teacher. That was fun, but I was overwhelmed trying to do student teaching, working at the magazine, and doing late night crops. I stopped working there when I got a job at American Crafts! Which is my next story:
I graduated in December '07 with a degree in Art Education. Not a whole lot (as in, there were none) of art teacher job openings in the middle of the year. However, I read on Kelly Purkey's blog that she was leaving American Crafts and since I was still super in love with scrapbooking I wanted the job! So badly! I interviewed with David and over Christmas break I found out I was hired! For the next 20 months I designed paper and stickers and rub ons and ribbon and every kind of scrapbooking supply imaginable. It was THE COOLEST thing in the world to see scrapbooking bigwigs using supplies I designed on their projects. When we moved from Utah to California I asked if I could still be on the Design Team. Eventually I started managing the Design Team and the blog and still do that to this day. American Crafts is the best scrapbooking company in the world :) And, while most scrapbooking stores and businesses seem to be going under, American Crafts continues to grow and for that I am so grateful and thankful.
It was while working at American Crafts that I started uploading my layouts to 2Peas. I finally found "my style" while working there. Bright, colorful, happy, clean. Granted, this example is the beginning stages of my scrapbooking, and it's a random size (6x12), but nevertheless, here is the very first layout I uploaded to twopeasinabucket.com on September 20th, 2009:
I remember dreaming of becoming a Garden Girl. But it's not something you can try out or apply for. Invitation only. And then, on December 8th 2012, I got the email I was wanting for soooooooo long from Jamie. Yes, I kept it, because I'm nostalgic, it's part of the scrapper in me. Here it is:
I made nearly 50 layouts as a Garden Girl. Every time I made one I would ask Chris, "Is this Garden Girl worthy?" Because I always felt like the layouts I made had to be my best ones for the gallery! 2Peas pushed me to try new techniques and make some of my all-time favorite layouts. Here's nearly all of them (I've uploaded them in full size to my scrapbook galleries 1 & 2).
I will miss 2Peas. Such a huge part of the scrapbooking world. I will miss the boards and the friends and the shopping of course! I am so grateful to Kristina for giving me the chance to promote her store. What a tough and brave decision to close. Thanks again for everything 2Peas!
Though stores may be closing and brands folding, I will go to my grave with paper, scissors, and glue!
LONG LIVE SCRAPBOOKING!
You did amazing work for them ... I will miss your posts for them! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful scrappy opportunities you've had. I joined the scrapbook community late in the game, around 2009. I'd been dabbling since I was a kid though as my mom was a creative memories hoarder :) I am devastated by the loss of this scrapbook giant, but I am optimistic about our scrappy community. Even without all the stuff, people who love to scrapbook will still find a way. I've begun my transition over to SB.com, and I am keeping up with my own blog and guest blogging for a local craft/scrapbook retreat business. I love Northridge. I subscribe to their Scrapbook Trends, and I was even published once. It was the first time I ever tried out. I fulfilled that dream and marked it off my list. Now I'd like to serve on a DT again. It's been a few years since I tried out for one. Garden Girls was definitely the creme de la creme of DT's. I will be sad to miss out on such inspiring designs and classes.
ReplyDeleteHugs from a fellow scrapper!
Gabi from Denton, TX
Thanks for sharing the walk down memory lane! I am terribly sad to see 2peas closing. The worst part is the gallery disappearing...so many years of work and inspiration, especially all the resources from the Garden Girls over the years.
ReplyDeleteForgot to add...how crazy that patterned paper used to be 30 cents a sheet??
ReplyDeleteA great post, I'm sure you will find another place to showcase your amazing work
ReplyDeletemy heart definitely broke a little last week when i read the announcement. lately, i find myself worrying about all of the local brick and mortar stores that are closing and quickly thinking "well, i can just go online and place an order...". unfortunately, i think those options are slowly shrinking, too. it's hard to picture a scrappy world without 2peas, but no matter what, i will continue to create and photograph and memory keep as long as i am physically able! ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories with Two Peas. Even for a non-serious scrapbooker like me, Two Peas sure had an impact on us. You put your heart and soul into your work. All your pages now truly are a keepsake for a special time in your scrapbooking life. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYour response to their job offer is so perfect! And I'm loving how you ended this post, live long scrapbooking! ;)
ReplyDelete