By Isabella Zarate
For as long as she can remember Mary Ellen Stites has had a love for crafts.
“I kind of have always been creative but I like quick and easy,” Stites explained.“I want results fast . . . that’s why I’ve done the paper crafting.”
For Stites, her idea of quick and easy crafting involves rubber stamping and cards. And unlike other crafters, Stites has transformed her hobby into a lifestyle of sorts.
Around three years ago, before the pandemic initially hit, Stites and her husband built 1200 square feet of creative playground, which Stites now refers to as The Creativity Nest.
Sharing her love of paper crafting, Stites uses the Nest as both her own studio as well as a classroom.
Before the Nest, Stites offered a few in-home classes of which often took place in her basement. Though, once her husband suggested the idea of expanding, Stites knew she wanted to create a place that would be accessible to everyone.
Now, The Creativity Nest is open and accessible to the public.
Stites and her studio host a number of events including weekly paper crafting, holiday card classes, and perhaps one of the most popular – M.E’s 3c’s: Coffees, Cookies, and a Card.
Every other Friday from 9-10:30 a.m. Stites invites people into the studio to create greeting cards while also indulging in coffee, fresh baked goods, and various other treats – all while socializing and getting the chance to meet new people with similar interests.
Aside from hosting her own classes, Stites hopes that the studio will one day bring in other creatives. She mentioned how her goal for the Nest was for it to serve as a creative space for a number of different crafts such as paint parties and even baked goods.
For more information, including upcoming event dates you can find Stites and The Creativity Nest on Facebook.
“Come enjoy and learn about rubber stamping and this craft we go crazy for.”
