Since I was in junior high school I knew I was going to be in the creative world. Back then, I dreamed of becoming an architect. I took every class I could in high school and learned to draw technical drawings (drafting) with a T-Square, electric eraser, and mechanical pencils. Life throws you different roads and oceans, so I started working for the private sector and eventually my hand drafting, turned into drawing with a computer. I took many formal AutoCad courses and worked most of my 20’s and 30’s for large Fortune 500 companies in the design field. My favorite part of the drawings, was plotting them, and touching that paper. I got married and had lots of kids, and eventually my husband relocated our family to a new place. Moving to a new place was a blessing in disguise. I was lucky enough to stay at home with my kids, and started volunteering at their school. I had a simple task of cutting out shapes and letters using the industrial die cutting roller. I was amazed and thought, how cool was this machine and I was hooked. I always dabbled in scrapbooking when my kids where little, but it was simple. It was mainly journaling and buying packaged die cut shapes. So, I started taking classes at my local craft store. It’s one thing to walk into one of those mom & pop shops and see all the things you can make with paper, but without some training, sometimes you don’t get the skills to put them off. Which glue do you use? Why are some papers heavier than others? Which scissors do you have? Which paper cutter do you recommend, and then comes the big one….. Which Die Cut Machine do you recommend? That was a big one for me, as I am a frugal shopper. I didn’t want to regret my investment. I’ve always love the “deal” when it comes to buying products. The more you save, the more you can buy, right? Well, I became really addicted to crafting— scrapbooking, card making, flower arranging, bow making, shadow boxes, word books, and most recently, custom cigar boxes. More than making things, I became obsessive with hunting for craft stuff on Craigslist, garage sales, and the best place of all…. Goodwill! Or, what my mom and sisters call “The GW”. I was amazed that I could find the coolest Stampin Up wooden & clear stamp set there. I found a heat gun and xyron machine there to share with friends. More than shopping, discovering techniques, and learning, I just love creating things for my family and friends. It’s always challenging, but at the same time, easy for me. Most of time, I can just picture the whole creation before I even start. I guess it just comes naturally to me for some reason. My new dream is to continue learning and sharing my love for crafting. Regardless of what craft it is, I know the creations are endless, and dwell at the bottom of our hands.
“The Kraken” originated from legendary story of a massive creature that dwells at the bottom of the sea. When my kids where small and we would snuggle in bed, I used to grab hold of them with my legs and arms so they couldn’t leave me, so my husband called me “The Kraken”. I always liked that silly name, and I just changed the “K” to a “C” so it would sync better with Christine’s Craken Crafts.
