“When I give someone a card, it is not just a card. It is art. It is unique in such a way that it becomes part of your home. It becomes something that you can put in your home. You can put it on your mantle or you can make it an ornament. My cards are not just something you read and then put away, I make them in such a way that they should be displayed,” says Natasha Profeiro.
Natasha has been making handcrafted greeting cards for a number of years now and has cemented herself as one of the go-to creators in Guyana. If you have had the chance to receive a card made by Natasha, then you know that it ups the card game.
Born in Venezuela of Guyanese heritage, Natasha moved to the North-West District in Region One (Barima-Waini) when she was nine. Her grandfather had just passed away and her father had to return to Guyana to take over the family business.
Not knowing one word of English, Natasha’s life was changed when she came to Guyana. She had to overcome the language barrier, but she persisted. At the age of 13, she moved from the North-West District to Georgetown, but because of her difficulty understanding the English language, Natasha did not really pursue schooling.
A few years after moving to the city, she began babysitting and it was then she decided that she needed to be more serious about her education. She sent herself back to school and later began a career as a Spanish teacher at School of the Nations in Berbice.
“Teaching was never something I really wanted to do. I tried many things and it just never fitted. I lost interest very quickly and one day I woke up and came with the idea of making handmade greeting cards. The first thing I did was to buy some cardboard and I used to cut them with a knife on a glass table and I made some cards. My friends and family bought,” she said.
After she made the first set of cards, Natasha was encouraged to pursue her newest venture so she made the necessary investments and began her journey. She bought a machine to help her cut and shape cardstock she would use to create her masterpieces.
Her work began to speak for itself and from there, it started to spiral to greater heights.
“I love Christmas, so at first, I started with just Christmas cards, but then I started to make wedding invitations and all kinds of cards. Everything I made handmade after that. Anything you think I can do, I do. I have always been a crafty person and as a kid, I would always make cards with paper.
“Christmas is the only holiday I prepare for and when I started making cards, I didn’t focus on birthdays and anniversaries so I later branched off into those areas.”
So, if you are looking for a special kind of card for any occasion, particularly for the holiday season, be sure to ensure that it is from Natasha. She does not disappoint.
