Gail Mallen
Jaine Toth
“It’s not good enough,” is one of the most common worries of folks new to crafting. That’s why Gail Mallen still has the very first card she ever made. She felt it wasn’t good enough to give to anyone. She admitted, “I’m my own worst critic.” I beg to differ on the quality of that first card. I hope, subconsciously, she’s kept it because it is actually so much better than she anticipated and it serves to remind her that her work is, indeed, worthy of being shared.
Two years ago, Gail, who has been a Robson resident since 2014, came to an Open House at the Creative Arts Center with her daughter, Sarah. When they reached the paper crafting area, she seemed intrigued and asked many questions. I demonstrated various tools and techniques and showed her around the studio. Noting her enthusiasm, Sarah encouraged Gail to join. She did and attended the upcoming card class, which was not an easy one for a beginner. You can see in the photo that for a novice, she made a terrific card. It opens from the center, like double doors, and inside has pop-ups on both sides. It was a challenging task for someone with no experience, but she succeeded.
Although she mostly goes to the studio on weekends since she still works part-time on weekdays, she enjoys attending during regularly scheduled sessions, when possible, because of the friendliness and helpfulness of the other members. Everyone is always ready to lend a hand with an idea or technique or piece of unfamiliar equipment. Gail said, “I tried other crafts, but never stayed with them.” She said of paper crafting, “This seems to be the best fit for me.” In addition to her own affinity for the craft, she believes the other members have a lot to do with it. “I feel welcome. And their kindness, sharing their talents and learning from them, makes a huge difference.” Their support works not only for her actual cardmaking but for her confidence.
One incident that really touched her was when she mentioned that she wanted to make a yoga-themed card for Sarah’s birthday since Sarah is a yoga instructor. But she didn’t find anything appropriate among our supplies. When she came in the following week, Linda Fletcher approached her with three cutouts of people doing yoga poses. She’d downloaded and cut them with her Cricut machine. To say Gail was touched would be an understatement. And she was able to make a card that Sarah loved and appreciated.
Gail said, “I enjoy working on cards. I tap into my creativity.” Then she joked, “I actually wondered if I had that gene!” She went on to tell me, “I can see improvement and I’m learning from my mistakes. I’ll start to do something and then say to myself, ‘Remember that didn’t work last time. Try another way.’” Recognizing her own growth spurs Gail to keep on creating.