Paper Arts & Crafts Designer
 

As a young girl, I always loved to collect and play with paper.  I guess you can say in a way I took after my mother and grandfather as they were both clothing designers.  There was always paper around. 

When I went to High School, I joined the Vocational-Technical School in the county and took up Hair Designing.  Again as you can see, my hands always had to be on the move.  However, after High School, I decided not to continue that trade as it just wasn't for me, so I went out into the work force. 

I married and had my wonderful son Chris, who will be 26 years old.  Being in a not so good marriage, I devoted my time to my son and we use to do all kinds of crafts.  He was always proud of what "mommy" made.  I became more and more involved with all different type of crafts.  This involved anything from making beaded ornaments to painting ceramic houses.  My family had always told me to open a craft store, but I knew I would end up bringing everything home to play with.  It just wasn't right at that time. 

During my second marriage my husband, son and sister kept telling me over and over again to do something with my art instead of just creating and putting it away for a later date.  I just didn't feel it was good enough for people to want to buy anything.  We are our worst critic as they say. 

Then tragedy struck.  My husband passed away at the age of 43 and my mother passed away 18 months later of breast cancer.  Well, this was when I devoted all my time to making Angels and Cards.  I formed a group called "Angels for Hope & Bottles of Wishes" and there are 31 of us who send Angels in many mediums to people who are ill or even depressed to give them a little pick me up.  Then, there are the "Bottles of Wishes".  These are made either in polymer clay, beading, or collage and sent to people who are suffering from cancer.  I felt at this time that I was doing something for a purpose and letting others know that there are people out there who care, even if they don't know us.  

After one month owning this group and meeting such wonderful people online with the same love for paper as I have, Paper Crafting Designs soon evolved.  I have learned so much that I just don't know where to begin.  I never stick with one medium, I always do more.   I have to admit, the favorite medium of them all is Parchment a/k/a Paper Lace.  It is so relaxing and you never create the same design, they all come out different and one of a kind. 

In 2004, I was diagnosed with Stage III cancer, and I am now a cancer survivor.  My saying for life is: "forget about yesterday and the past; live for today and think about tomorrow".  So with this thought, I concentrated even more on my art.  

My work has been published by Design Originals in the book titled "Paper Play" which made its debut at the ACCI in 2004.  In February 2005, my group Paper Crafting Designs and I have been published in the Stamp & Scrap Magazine.  For more samples of my art work, please visit my website: www.angelfire.com/nv2/carbonescorner.   

These are dreams I never thought would come true, but as the saying goes, "someone is watching over me".

Check out Toniann's work here!