with gratitude to Two Peas.

The scrapbooking community was pretty rocked by yesterday's announcement that Two Peas in a Bucket is closing its (virtual) doors. I've read blog after blog today that all shared a common theme – a deep sense of gratitude to the founders of Two Peas for playing such a vital role in building a community around memories & connection. 

 My profile on Two Peas says that I joined in January 2005 – but I can tell you that it was actually a few years earlier than that. I know because I remember hearing about it, and patiently waiting for the dial-up connection in our townhouse to bring me to the site. Since we moved to our house in 2004, I had to have joined sometime before that. I wasn't active, and re-joined after a site redesign in 2005. I mention these details merely b/c I remember when. I remember when I discovered that scrapbooking was more than I had experienced at a Creative Memories party. I remember when I was fascinated by the "message board speak" that felt to foreign. I remember when I was awed by the amount of talent that showed up in the gallery. And I remember the huge role that Two Peas played in establishing my love of memory-keeping. 

So many friendships were formed on Two Peas Message Boards, and I've been fortunate to meet many of those friends "in real life." (Barb, Em, and I love to tell people that we met online – we get some funny looks)

I posted the first layout that I ever submitted for magazine publication on Two Peas – and was so proud to put up an "Out for Pub" graphic when it was picked up by CK (funny story – it was actually requested by Simple & CK & Scrapbook Trends in the span of 3 days – fortunately I was able to sub other layouts!) 

The Peas' excitement around magazine contests motivated me to submit for Memory Makers Masters – and that resulted in several years of crazy deadlines as a Master & then a contributing editor, lots of creative fun, dozens of publications, awesome design team experiences, and even more friends. 

I had fallen away from Two Peas as the industry shifted, and as life shifted. But it will always represent the beginning to me….and for that, I am so deeply grateful.