Greeting cards created by Lynda Sparks (photo by Jaine Toth)
Lynda “Sparkie” Sparks (photo by Jaine Toth)
Jaine Toth
What an appropriate nickname. “Sparkie” may have developed from her last name, but it could just have easily come from her personality. This was especially evident as she took me around her home sharing the various craft projects she’s worked on over the years. Her enthusiasm and huge smile simply sparkled.
A resident of Robson Ranch since 2009, she’s been a member of the Paper Crafting Club since its inception in 2012.
Her first forays into paper crafting were scrapbooking, both family and travel-related projects. With more than 20 scrapbooks completed, she said, “I ran out of room, so I switched to making greeting cards.” Then she proceeded to bring out boxes filled with her various cards, which she has for both personal use and sale to others, costing much less than store-bought cards and being so beautifully and lovingly crafted. Friends and neighbors who can’t or don’t have time to make their own cards are grateful that she’s become a prolific and talented card maker and appreciate being able to do their greeting card shopping right here at the Ranch.
She’s made many a crewel piece, a couple of which, from a distance, I thought were oil paintings, so steady and deft are her stitches. She also worked with clay and pottery, teaching this craft in summer school sessions to elementary school students when she was only 18. Today, cardmaking has become her craft of choice. As one who doesn’t like to be idle, yet requires a certain amount of rest, she told me, “I like to keep busy while watching TV. I can cut and punch pieces for later assembly onto various greeting cards.” She’ll take a graphic she likes, punch it out, and then color it in while immersed in a favorite show. Though she uses the same graphic many times, she gives them their own unique coloring combinations and then varies the sentiments on different cards. Similar yet not the “same ol’-same ol.’”
Sparkie also enjoys using paper that already contains a design and then adding various embellishments to give it a bit of pizazz—so it sparkles.