Welcome to my world!

Hi, new friend (or old)!

The past few years have been nothing short of transformative. I changed careers, bought my own home, and settled into a lovely small town about an hour away from everyone I know. I started a wonderful new relationship after many years of being single, transitioned from raising a full house of kids to just one teen at home (I call it being “empty-nester-ish”), and—best of all—became a Grandma.

Through all those big life changes, one thing has stayed constant: my love for papercrafting, journaling, creative planning, photography, and storytelling.

Over the last few months, I’ve felt this pull to do something more with my creative passions—to share them, even if I don’t have all the answers. That’s how Crafty on Cactus was born! I’m so excited to connect, create, and make new crafty friends from all around the world.

I’ve been a devoted paper crafter since 1998, and even after all these years, I’m still learning. I’ve never considered myself “naturally creative,” but I truly believe creativity is something anyone can nurture and grow.

Here’s what I know for sure:
🌈 I love color.
🎨 I love the joy of creating something beautiful.
💖 And nothing beats hearing, “Wait—you made that?!”

So here I am, starting something wild, crazy, and new.
I hope you’ll stick around and craft along with me!

With love,
Elena