When I share my Echo Print cards at live event I always like to open a card for visitors. There is often a little gasp of surprise when a new customer sees that the inside of the card is completely different from the front or the back!

Since a couple of weeks ago, Pittsburgh has been involuntarily huddled under a blanket of snow.  As a school crossing guard I stand out of doors a LOT. Which can be a perk when the weather isn’t so frigid, but this week not so much! I tell the kids I’m “battery powered” because I wear battery charged socks, mittens, and vest. They get a kick out of that, at least I think that they do. Ha!

The first step in the Echo Print process is perhaps my favorite... I take a little nature walk. Sometimes in my own back yard, or into kind neighbor's gardens (with permission of course), or just stroll down the road. I look for plant life that catches my eye or even stops me in my tracks and then evaluate to decide if it should press well.

To me the word foraging brings to mind the gathering of rare fruits of the earth…deep in the forest. Gathering as a squirrel gathers nuts. The “vibe” to me is super crunchy and survivalist. I think the word “forage” also carries a little of a “knowledgable naturalist” mystique to it and assumes some scientific knowledge.But let’s get real…what does foraging mean really? Very basically, it is to search widely for food or provisions-whether that IS deep in the forest, or at your local Aldi!