A few days ago a local Mi Wuk Village acquaintance texted me, asking if I’d be interested in holding a class for her four grandchildren who would be visiting for a few days. Let’s see: we’re moving. Knee deep in boxes and mess. Can’t find the top of my stamping table. Stamping with unknown teenagers. Sure! Why not. For me, stamping is such a stress reliever and opportunity to just have some creative fun. The grandchildren are 17, 15, and 13 year old fraternal twins; in all, two boys, two girls.
How to prep for teenagers you don’t know!!!?? I usually stamp with older women who like flowers and need birthday, and thinking of you or sympathy cards.
I started out with a 4-1/2″ square Designer Series Paper bookmark. Nice way to break the ice. Girls went to one side of the table and the boys went to the other. They started out with the paper piece that was in front of them although, in my planning and silent opinion, they had swapped the ‘boy’ paper for the ‘girl’ paper. Lesson #1: What do I know?
The other paper I offered was the retired Classic Garage DSP (Designer Series Paper). Unfortunately I neglected to take photos of any of their very creative bookmarks. I did offer punched leaves to go on the Classic Garage pieces and they were used by all four! Plus the butterflies.
Next came the first card. I was already seeing that these ‘guys’ were all very creative and comfortable with going rogue.
They chose various frogs from the retired So Hoppy Together stamp set, for their cards, for their own reasons: Left-handed, great humored Benson’s card:
Left-handed Kaycee’s card:
Chris’s card:
The reason I mentioned the left-handedness of Benson and Kaycee is that I am left-handed too and that made 50% of those present left-handed! (Their right-handed grandma was there as well.) Feels so good. 🙂
I just love this artistic freedom that each of these four hitherto unknown teenagers enjoyed. They just dug right in to the supplies at hand and did their own thing. Stamping with unknown teenagers should not be a fearful thing. But you should be wide open to outcome that might not be what you thought you planned. I’ll be back with the next card tomorrow. Believe me, their creativity is worth coming back for.
