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In the Fall of 1997, when Internet Explorer introduced Outlook Express with it's stationery capabilities, a new era in Cyberspace communications was born. With it, the ability to use and create one's own stationery designs for use with email and News Group messages, created an excitement and interest that I'm sure even its creators never envisioned. As the cyber multitudes dove in head first to experiment with its new capabilities, the need for an area where folks could get together to discuss, ask questions, display and gather unique stationery became evident. The answer to this need came in October of 1997 with the creation of a new NewsGroup dedicated solely to the fun and marvels of stationery creation. From the very first day of its existence, a lady named Shaun started posting beautiful stationery creations. Her work instantly became very recognizable and word of what she was doing spread with amazing speed throughout the NGs. Many flocked to the NG daily to see and gather her latest offerings. She created her stationery with images that tiled down the left side of the page, with margins set in such a way that the user's text would begin just to the right of the image, and not cover it. In addition, she made matching email buttons for each piece that could be added to the stationery and hyperlinked to the users email address. Sound familiar? It should. This set the standard by which the majority of stationery being used and created today still adheres to at its core. In addition to generously displaying her own creations for the enjoyment and use of others, she was also very quick to offer supportive and instructional comments to the stationery creations being posted by others. Her constructive critiques were highly sought and valued, and were also very demanding of her time and energy. But she never complained. Far from it. She gave of herself unselfishly. Shaun was asked, so many times on the board, how she did what she did, and she was always forthcoming with the instructions. Eventually, to save herself from having to repeatedly type out the same answers to the same questions, she created a set of instructions that she could just attach to her replies. These very same instructions, as well as others are what I have made available on my Outlook Express Stationery Tips and How-To's Page. They were re-posted time and time again by others in other Newsgroups and were indeed how the majority of the early stationery creators, as well as those just starting, learned their craft. Shaun had become a legend in her own time. As you already know, if you've been through my other pages, I consider my 'home NG' to be the msn's Over40's NG. It was a happy day for all of us there when Shaun decided to join us. While we at the 40's board are very 'html friendly' we are not a stationery board. Here Shaun could be herself, sharing with us a little more about Shaun the woman, the wife, the mother. We delighted in getting to know her. When she posted in August that she and her family were making a move to a new home in a new State, we all shared in her excitement. She posted her 'see you when I'm all moved and back on-line' post and was sent off with lots of love and good wishes. Some of us shared the same thoughts with her in email and then waited for her return. The return was not to come. Instead we recieved the very sad and very shocking news that Shaun had very suddenly and most unexpectedly been called to Heaven. Cap had lost his dear wife and the love of his life. Christie suffered the loss of her Mother and Tiffany had lost her Grandma. The 40's board has lost a very dear and much loved member and all of cyberspace lost a living legend. The sad news swept very rapidly throughout the various Newsgroups, especially the stationery Newsgroups. Tributes to this great lady poured onto the boards by the hundreds. Cyberspace went into shock. It went into mourning. Time passes by. Shaun is still missed greatly and always will be. Her presence on the Web will live on in the hearts of all who came to know her as well as in the multitude of beautiful creations she made. Creations that were collected and saved by so many. Creations that are still being used and shared today and will continue to be so. So thank you Shaun. Thank you for having shared so much of yourself with us all. We love you. We miss you. We'll never forget you. Your friend, KathyL
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