Just Call Me Keyr & 2 Winners!

Here we are - another week has come and gone, and hopefully you have more to show for it than I do.. We attempted to potty train DS using the 3-day method - sad to say, all we got out of it was a lot of tears and frustration, more messes than I care to think about, and a sink that's overflowing with dishes!  Anyway, instead of dwelling on all that, let me show you the AWESOME new template set I'm releasing today..

 

{20% off Fri-Sat}

 

I love it when scrappers aren't afraid to try new things, and that's definitely something my CT member Keyr has going for her!  Her style is ever-changing, and it's always so exciting for me to see what she will create next!  This set of templates is based on some of her more recent layouts that are clean and simple - a GREAT way to show off your gorgeous photos!  They were a total hit with the rest of the team - and of course the SM CT got in on the action, too... Check it out..

 

 

---

 

And now for the winners... As part of my sneak peek, I announced yesterday that I would choose one random newsletter subscriber to win this new set of templates.. I also said I'd give away one $10 GC to my store for every 20 new subscribers I got... So, whether you knew about the contest or not, just by being a subscriber, you were entered to win!  How fun is that?!?  And here are the lucky winners:

 

Template set:  absees123s

GC: s.stein2

 

Keep an eye on your inboxes, you'll be receiving your prizes shortly..

 

---

That's it for me this week, but I'll be here next week with a beautiful new collab collection with an old friend of mine.. You won't want to miss it!

 

Happy Scrapping, and I'll see you next week!

 

A Chance to WIN!!

So.... I have another totally awesome product for you on Friday that I'm SUPER excited about!
Wanna peek?...

And guess what? YOU have a chance to win it!
All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter via the link in the left sidebar.

Thursday evening, I'll randomly select one winner to receive my newest product for FREE!
I'll also give away a $10 GC to my store for every 20 NEW subscribers I get!

Hurry - tomorrow could be your lucky day!!

Spolighting Whitney and Wendy

The end of the month is drawing near, but I{Jewelle} didn't want to let the month pass without spotlighting the last of our February guests.  Today we are going to be spotlighting Wendy and Whitney.  Let me first introduce...

 Whitney

{aka whitney}

My name is Whitney and I’m 22 year old student at the University of Northern Iowa. I’m majoring in secondary and middle level education and I student teach next fall- I can’t wait to be a teacher! I live with my boyfriend of 6 years and our dog, Spud, who is part Chow Chow/Australian Sheppard. We are pretty normal people who live a pretty normal life!

1. How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why?I have been digi-scrapping since January 2009 but didn’t start actually doing layouts until May 2009. I basically browsed, learned the tricks of the trade, and picked up a TON of freebies (like 30GB worth) during the first 5 months. I did paper before but don’t like to talk to people about it- it doesn’t even compare.  
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill?  Your weakest?  I think I’m pretty good at layering and shadowing. I love lots of layers! I also am becoming braver with my title work. I struggle with journaling.. most of my pages are journal free. I need a little work on clustering too but I’m getting better, I think LOL! 
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping? Take your time and make it your own! Also, use everything available to help you become a better scrapper like tutorials and challenges.  
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout?  I have an HP laptop and I use CS4- they are a perfect match and run beautifully.  When scrapping, I start with papers (or template), then elements, then pictures, then shadows & journaling. It usually takes me about an 1 ½ to complete a LO, sometimes longer if I don’t feel quite right about it. 
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week?  Oh man.. I hope I’m not the only one who spends 35-40hrs. a week scrapping. 5-6 hrs. a day isn’t that bad is it?! LOL! 
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks?  Lets see here.. I sit in the same spot, the TV is always on but I’m never watching it (unless Biggest Loser is on) and I ALWAYS have a Dt. Coke within reach. Usually, my darling boyfriend sits across the room from me on the couch and does his own thing, usually playing Call of Duty or Madden. 
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping? Sleep; which I feel I’m always lacking. I also love to bake and shop! 
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it?Go to Disney World/Land just so I can understand how amazing it is! I’m so jealous of all the fantastic Disney LO’s in the gallery. Plus, there are SOOOOO many great kits intended for Disney pics. 
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration?  ScrapMatters is so addicting. I love all my ScrapMatter’s Girls and there is always something stunning in the gallery to inspire me. I always get ideas and inspiration in the galleries of Linz, cnscrap, & loribear just to name a few!  
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why? I’m up for anything! J I do have a lot of pictures from when I went to London.. so that would probably be my request. 

Whitney has graciously agreed to show us some of her layouts.  Feast your eyes on this eye candy!

First Layout 

This is my first LO. I had no idea what I was doing but I don't think it turned out too bad. LOL!

 Favorite Layouts

This is one of my all time favorite LOs! The kit just worked perfectly with the colors in the pictures. I love all the clusters and scatters too!

I just adore this LO! I was so proud of it when I was done! I love the scattered flowers and the few colors used throughout. But the best part is that it includes a picture of my family!

 This is a favorite because I just love those lollipops! I love those colors together too with the black and white pics!

This is another favorite LO that I've done. I love the scattered paper flowers and the flowy strings. It makes me smile when I look at it! :-)

Most recent layout

Layout using Amber's products 

This fun LO was made with the Little Dude collab by Amber and Digi-Designs by Nicole. What a perfect kit for these pics! I loved all the grungy papers and the metal embellies!

WOW!  Weren't those wonderful?! To check out more of Whitney's work check out her BLOG and GALLERY

-------------------------------

Next lets say hello to.....

Wendy

{aka Neverland Scraps}

1. How long have you been scrapping?  This year will be four years. Have you ever paper scrapped?   Yes, over 12 years and stamped since my pre-teens. When did you make the switch to digi and why? I made the digi shortly after my youngest was born and I found I couldn't scrap as often as I wanted.  We also ran into some financial problems, making it harder for me to scrap.  When I found digital, the finacial aspect wasn't a problem anymore. 
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill?   Layouts with more than one photo as well as journaling.  Your weakest?  Confidence in my layouts as well as trying to break the traditional blocking/square layout. 
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping? Shadowing!  When I first started, for almost 6 months NONE of my layouts have any shadowing, no one thought to tell people about shadowing back then.  Now I push shadowing because it gives the paper the realistic lift/look that it needs to be completed 
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout?  To scrap I use Paint Shop Pro X2, however lately I've been dual scrapping and using Creative Suite 4 for some things and then going back over to Paint Shop Pro X2.  I am backwards in my scrapping.  I can not look at my photos and scrap with specific photos.  When I do this, I often get blocked and usually never finish the layout or hate the finished result.  I start with finding what I am in the mood to scrap.  I am a very emotional scrapper.  If I am having a bad day, my layouts tend to be darker in color, more thrown together, lots of layering and maybe not a lot of journaling.  When I am happy, playful, or feeling very romantic, my layouts tend to be my favorite colors (browns, reds, pinks, purples) and there most likely will be a creative title or lots of journaling.  Lately, I've been distracted while scrapping.  I am a homeschooling mom, so my mornings are geared towards the kids.  I turn the computer on and get a layout in mind, however I dont get to sit down and do anything with it until later that day.  Most of the time, when I sit down to scrap, I am interrupted several times by the kids or my husband.  Overall, on those days I can get a layout done in about 5 hours.  However when the family knows I WANT to scrap, I can get several layouts done in that 5 hour block.  Ultimately it depends on the interruptions this mother gets! 
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week? Oh this could be a scary number!  Lately I've been scrapping a lot to get my mind off things, so probably 20-40 hours a week.  However most weeks I spent about 10 hours scrapping because there is so much else going on that needs my attention.  
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks?  Lights off, no noise, peace and quiet.  However, that doesn't happen since my computer is on our bedroom and I get to listen to my husband playing his XBox games, watching tv or snoring away LOL.  
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping?   I love to bead, however our last move, the movers dumped all my beads and I've yet to sort them so I can finally start beading again.  
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it? Probably take more vacations since we never took vacations as a child.  We've been married 12 years on Valentines Day and our family just took our first family vacation this past March!  I'd love to take more vacations to scrap those wonderful memories and scenery. 
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration?  Everyone in the gallery inspires me.  Some even make me feel inadequate in my scrapping ability.  But then being accepted to teams like Amber's, even for a guest, take that feeling away really quickly!  But for the most part, I love going through the gallery and being in awe with peoples talent and ability.
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why? A military kit, and not one that is girly girl (pinks, etc)  a true US Army military kit, complete with dog tags, boots, camo, gear, tanks, tents (the big white ones that my husband spent his deployment living in...not a camping tent) crumpled notepapers, post cards, boxes, deployment flag, ranking, etc.  Obviously, we are a military family.  I am always  looking for a military kit, one that I can use for a long time to scrap the many adventures of our time in the service.  I own a bunch of military kits, but usually after one use, I've used all the military elements and the rest are just basic elements that I can find in any kit or create myself.  I know I should make the kit, but this is something that I want to scrap and not have to work on designing it....I want to go into a store and be amazed saying "wow, that's a kit I can use over and over again for the rest of our military career"  Seriously a military kit is the way to this girl's heart...I can scrap about our two princesses any day with a lot of kits.  But to scrap about my hero is a little difficult when there are so few to pick from.

 Thanks Wendy!  Now check out some of her inspiring layouts.

 

First Layout

I picked this layout to show you because it is one of my very first 12x12 layouts.  I am very proud to look back at this kit and see the feathering of the photo into the background and the stamped effect of the journaling. While there is no shadowing, no one told me about shadowing until a year later.  I still enjoy this layout in my printed albums.  I also look at the layout and think for a first time 12x12 layout, it really is a good start. 

 

Favorite Layouts

I have a lot of favorite layouts and each layout is a different style, which is maybe why I have a hard time picking a style to describe my scrapping! This first one is a layout that was created during last year's Amazing Digiscrap Race where we had to use specific directions.  I not sure why I like the layout so much, maybe its because it is one of the few moments of my daughter with my favorite Aunt and Uncle, or maybe because of all the different products that I used to come up with the end result, or possibly because of the layering and worn look of the main photo.  I'm not sure, but it is one of my favorite layouts:

 

Another favorite layout is this one using Stolen Moments "Into the Night" and one of her BLOCKED templates.  At first I wasn't sure if I was enjoying the direction of the layout, but after sitting back, taking in the tiny photo and the long paper pieces with the flower/paper clustering under all the blocking it quickly became one of my favorite layouts.  I love the photos because they are something that I took myself with my brand new camera (at the time of the photos) and they were not stock photos or anything that I "borrowed" from a friend or online. 

 

This one is one of my all time favorites because it includes one of the very few photos of my grandmother who died when I was just a little girl.  She was my favorite grandmother and played a huge part in my childhood.  In fact my oldest daughter was named after my grandmother.  This is a photo of my grandmother holding my sister for the very first time.  My father was drafted in the US Army and was stationed over in Germany where my mother had my sister. When his time was up, they traveled around the country before heading home to the states.  It was then that this photo was taken. When scrapped with Stolen Moment's Tenderly kit, it just adds the softness and beauty to complete the photo and first time meeting of grandmother and first grandchild.

 

 

This is another one of my favorite layouts and quite honestly I'm shocked at how many layers there are in this layout given it was a Speed Scrap layout! I love all the clustering, layering by the photos and then the cute playfulness of the hanging Mike element off to the side of the layout.  Its a cute layout, one that makes my children giggle when they see it:

 

Lastly I love this layout of the garden sights that we saw when we were at Disney.  I was in a wheelchair because I had broken my leg in eleven places earlier that year in January.  Because I was in a wheelchair, I was moving around the park at a slower speed and a lower height which allowed me to see things that I don't think I would have seen if I hadn't broken my leg or been in a wheelchair.  I love the blending of the layout, the colors of the photos and the overall beauty that Disney had brought right through the layout:

 

Most Recent Layout

This is my most recent layout.  I created it for a Speed Scrap at ScrapMatters.  As you can tell by the title, these are photos from the sights in downtown Atlanta during one of our recent day trips there.

 

Layout Using Stolen Moment Products

One of my favorite layouts of Stolen Moment's products would be this one using Everyday Elegance and one of her templates.   I love the overall layout with the photos and its flow--is simply beautiful!

 

Thanks Wendy!  Be sure to go check out her BLOG and GALLERY for more inspiration!

Lucky U!

Hello again!  So I finally finished up DS's first book - 78 pages to cover the first six months of his life! - and now it's back to designing for a bit - YAY!  :D 

---

 

Before I get to my release this week, I wanted to show you the beautiful team collab being released at Scrap Matters today, as well as a few extra special promotions they have going on..

 

 

 

This kit is truly stunning - you'll definitely want to click through and check out the detailed images to see some of the gorgeous pages the SM CT has put together!

 

---

 

Now, for my release this week, I have another collab to share with you..  I was paired up with Scrapmuss Designs for the February newsletter freebie from Scrap Matters, and we've created a great little add-on to go with it..   Here's the freebie that was an exclusive offer for Scrap Matters newsletter subscribers... {See, I told you it would be worth it to subscribe!}

 

 

 

And this is the add-on that's now available in the shop...

It's a cute little kit perfect for scrapping your grown-up St. Patty's day photos, or - as you can see from the CT layouts below - pretty much anything you want!  Here are some pages from my team, the Scrap Matters team, and the Scrapmuss Designs team.  Most of them use both portions of the kit, but there are a few that only use the Add-On to give you an idea of what you can do with it..

 

Happy Scrapping, and I'll see you next week!

 

 

Spotlighting Tanya and Amanda

I{Jewelle} am thrilled to be spotlighting two more of our February guest CTs today.  I'm sure you will love learning about Tanya and Amanda.  First up is....

 

Tanya

{aka TanyaH666}

I am a 28 year old hair stylist from southern California. When i am not scrapping i spend A LOT of time at Disneyland.  I am not married, but i do have a BF of 7 years (eek!).  I do not have any children so my family and puppies are really good sports about my constant picture taking of them.  I have admired Amber's designs for quite some time and I am so excited to be here!

1. How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why? I paper scrapped, stamped and made cards for about 15 years. Made the switch to digi almost a year ago. I had heard of it, but I always loved the look of an actual paper page, but hates the mess.  Then, at the scrapbook expo last year I picked up a book on digi and haven't looked back since
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill?  Your weakest? I think I am pretty good at clustering and I have mastered the art of weaving ribbons and strings. My weakest I feel is journaling. I have a hard time figuring out what to say and how to say it.
   
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping? To be patient. I know when I first started, I would become super overwhelmed by all there is out there. I would get upset that my LO's were not as good as some others.  The key is to find your own style and make it work for you, and to remember that there is always something new to learn.
   
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout? I use PSE6 (my laptop does not have enough memory to hold PS even though I really really want it!!)  I usually start with my picture and then the papers.  Sometimes if I have an idea in my head I will make myself a template and then go from there.  Usually I pull everything that I know I might want to use and then start placing elements. It usually takes me about an hour or two depending on my mojo and what is going on around me.
   
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week? Too much. Either scrapping or doing scrap related things pretty close to 40 hours a week.
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks? I sit on my couch and watch tv, I drink alot of iced vanilla lattes but do not usually snack.
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping? Go to Disneyland, which I usually do once a week.
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it? I want to do to Walt Disney World so bad. I went when I was 5, but I need to go now!!  I would also love love love to go to Paris.
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration?  Since coming to Scrap Matters I have learned so much.  I love the LO's and the products, they are wonderful.  The people are the friendliest that I have come across in a long time.  You can never go wrong with the LO's at Sweet Shoppe either.  It's just a different kind of wonderful.
   
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why? I would love a fun, summer colored Cruise kit, because I have a butt-load of cruise vacation pictures i need to scrap! =)

Tanya also favored us with a few of her layouts with a small description of each.

First or Oldest LO

This is one of my first LO's.  Everything I used were freebies that I had downloaded.  I was super proud that I had figured out how to use the brush tool to stamp the swirls on the yellow paper!! lol.

  

Favorite LO's

It is always so hard for me to chose!!  But here are some of my favorites "right now" =)

I love the face of my puppy Roxy, so this one is always one of my favs.  She is such a ham when I pull out the camera.
 

This LO was the very first time I mixed kits and elements!!  I was so proud of myself! 
 

This LO will always hold a special place because it was the first LO that I ever made where, when I was finished I thought "wow!  I really really LOVE this one!"
 

Most recent LO

This is my most recent LO. I LOVE Disneyland and alot of my LO's usually have something to do with my most favorite place in the world =)  I just got a scanner for Christmas,so I have been having a great time scanning old Disneyland photos!

 

Thanks Tanya for letting us get to know you.  Be sure to jump over to Tanya's GALLERY to check out more of her fabulous work.

------------------------------------------------

Next up we have.....

 

Amanda

{aka panders77}

Hi!  My name is Amanda and I am a mom to an awesome 2 year old named Zoe and an amazing husband named Kevin.  During the day I work at a professional theatre as a Ticket System Adminstrator (think marketing/ticketing computer work).  By night I am a crazy mom who loves to dance, sing and play with her kid and scrap whenever I get the chance.  I live in Cincinnati, OH.  I grew up here but just moved back after living in Chicago and California for many years.  I currently CT for Scrapmatters, Brittish Designs, and Tracie Stroud and I am the Leader of the Scrapmatters Girls!

1. How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why? I have been scrapping seriously since January of last year.  So one full year now!! Wow!  I have never paper scrapped.  I always aspired to, I even collected alot of supplies but only managed to craft with them.  LOL!
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill? My strongest scrapping skill is layering and clustering.  That is what I save for last because it is my favorite part!  Once I get there the layout finishes itself. Your weakest?  Getting started.  I sometimes drag things around for an hour before I finally settle on some sort of compositon idea!  Yikes!
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping?  Find a forum you like and jump into the challanges.  And if you are comfortable speed scrap.  Both of these things really help you get started quick and see alot of different styles and techniques.  And the challanges make sure you keep scrapping on a regular basis which is so important to growing as a scrapper!
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout?  I use PSE.  I open the kit I am going to work with and see if the kit sparks an idea.  Sometimes the color or theme makes me think of the photos I want to scrap.  Then I go grab the pics and edit them a bit.  I spend a while on editing.  I really should do that when they come out of the camera.  But I don't.  I almost never have anything in mind unless I am answering a challange.  If I am planning on that, when I am rocking my DD before bed I think through the instructions and try to work it out in my head.  Yes.  I am scrapping obsessed.  Isn't everyone?  It takes me a LOOONG time to complete a layout.  2-3 hours.  I am very slow.
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week?  I spend 2-3 hours a night generally.  I don't scrap on Saturdays (date night) and every once and a while I have other things to do.  Shocking!
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks?  I am on my couch with my TV on.  I have water.  No snacks but I generally take an ice cream break at some point.
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping?  I love to take pictures.  I am obsessed with learning more about my camera and everything that goes with that.  I also love to just hang out with my family. 
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it?  Go back to Disney world, again and again.  I love scrapping Disney.  I actually cry when I scrap the best pics.  I am such a sap.
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration?  Well, I ADORE Scrapmatters.  That site got me scrapping at a speed scrap and I haven't looked back.  Scrapmatters is full of amazing inspiration so I just hop into the gallery to find some inspriation if I need it.
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why?  That is hard.  I love purple so I LOVED Into the Night.  Let's say a great Easter kit with lots of egg coloring and easter basket.  I am always looking for that.  I know that is soo off season but I have so many easter pics that are just sitting there because I am just waiting for THAT kit.

Amanda has some great layouts to share with us too!

First Layout

My very first LO was a Valentines day card.  I did my first successful photo shoot with my DD, Zoe and wanted to put together something fun to send out.

 

Favorite LOs

Yikes.  I have an impossible time with this but here are a few that I like most recently!

 

I picked this one because I love the colors and the flow.  And all of my LOs start with a picture that I love and this one is my current favorite of my DD.

 

Blow Me a Kiss captures my DDs energy and enthusiasm for everything.  I love extractions and this one really makes this page.
 

My Whole Heart is also a favorite because of the photos.  I never get in any pics so to have GOOD ones of my and my DD is really special to me.
 

A Dream is a Wish is a favorite because I love that I was able to capture my feeling of magic surrounding Disney.  This picture was taken last spring when we took my DD there for the first time!  Sigh..I love that place.
 

Most recent LO

This is a template based on my Blow me a Kiss LO!!  I was so honored to have a template pack inspired by me.  I love the summery feel of this LO.  Espcially as I sit watching 9 inches of snow fall on top of 8 inches already on the ground!!
 

LO using Stolen Moments products

This is my Valentines card for this year!! Boy, I really feel like I have come a long way from that first card in both my scrapping and photography skills!! LOL!  That first one was pretty boring.  But Yummy Scrummy Love was perfect for this picture!!

 

Thanks Amanda!  Be sure to check out her GALLERY for more inspiration.

 

Sneaky Peeky..

Remember last week when I said you should subscribe to the Scrap Matters monthly newsletter to get an exclusive freebie from me?  Well, the time is almost here!!  For those of you who haven't jumped on the wagon yet, here's a little peek of what you'll be receiving in the newsletter in about.. say... 2-3 days.. :)

Soooo...  If you're not already subscribed, I suggest you head on over to the SM blog to add your name to the list.. The link is in the upper left corner of the blog.  Be quick, though - that newsletter could be coming out any day now..   ;)

Spotlighting Stefanie and Michelle

Hey all!  Jewelle here to introduce you to a few of our February guest CTMs.  There are SIX guest CTMs this month.  Today I am going to help you get to know Stefanie and Michelle.  Sit back, grab a drink and a snack, and enjoy!

Stefanie 

{aka Stefanie}

My name is Stefanie and I'm a mom to two active little boys ages 3 and 1.  I'm married to my sweetheart Chapin for the last 4 years and we live in Northern Virginia.  If I'm not scrapping you can find me hanging out with the family, cooking, reading, trying new wines or restaurants and just having fun! 

1.  How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why?  I have never paper scrapped, I'm not organized enough to have all the papers and stuff at my house.  I've been scrapping for about 3 years now ever since my first son was born.  I was looking around the internet trying to figure out something to do with the pictures and found some scrapbooking sites.  I was hooked immediately. 

2.  What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill?  I love white space and think I do a good job at those types of layouts. Your weakest?  extractions

3.  What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping?  Don't be afraid to ask questions at a site you are comfortable with and don't be afraid to try new things.

4.  Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout? I use Photoshop CS3 mostly.  Sometimes I will use Elements 6 if I don't want to wait for CS3 to start up.  It seems to take forever on my computer.  I always start with papers first, then photo and then elements.  I always try to match up a picture to a kit in my head before I put everything together on the computer.  Sometimes I have something in my mind and sometimes I do not, it just depends on the day.  A layout usually takes me about an hour maybe longer if I need to perfect shadows and such or if the kids are bothering me to help them with something.  LOL

5.  On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week?  I try to scrap something every day if possible, a lot of times my creativity is not there so the layout get saved to come back to or scrapped all together.

6.   Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks?   The kids are asleep, glass of wine next to me, Ipod on and husband watching something interesting on TV. 

7.  What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping?  Hanging with my family, cooking, trying new wines or restaurants and reading. 

8.  What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it?  Skydive but I'm deathly afraid of heights

9.  Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration?  ScrapMatters of course is my main source of inspiration.  The designers and scrappers there are phenomenal and I love to browse the gallery and the store for inspiration. 

10.  If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why?  I love tans, blues and reds together.  Maybe a beachy kit since we started going to Myrtle Beach with the kids and have fun doing that.  We also boat and fish with them so putting some of that in there would be fun also.  If not a beachy kit then maybe a wine kit with some deep burgundy and blue colors since my friends and I and hubby too love to visit wineries.

Stefanie also favored us with a few of her layouts with a small description of each.  Enjoy some eyecandy!

First Layout

This was my first attempt at a digital layout.  The reason I got into scrapping digitally was so that I could take all the pictures of my son and do something with them.  I was hooked after the first layout.

Favorite Layouts

I love this layout of my oldest Ben.  It just shows his great personality!!

 

Another favorite of mine.  This layout just came together perfectly the first time, I didn't have to redo and move things around and that is one of the reasons why I love it.

Most recent layout

My sweet boy Ryan when he was 7 weeks old.   

 

Favorite layout using Amber's kit Summer Sailor

This was taken from our trip to Maine which was one of my favorite vacations.  I love lighthouses and the New England coast, there is something so peaceful about that area. 

 Thanks Stefanie for letting us get to know you.  Be sure to jump over to Stefanie's BLOG and GALLERY to check out more of her fabulous work.

------------------------------------------------------------

Now let me introduce....

Michelle

{aka mhreen08}

My name is Michelle.  I've been scrapping for over two years.  I've been married for 15 years and we have a 3 year old son named Owen.  I'm in the Air Force and work as a translator.  We are from Texas, but currently live in Maryland.

1.  How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why?  I have been scrapping for a little over two years.  I never paper scrapped. 

2.  What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill?   I think my strongest skill is using white space. Your weakest?  My weakest skill is clustering

3.  What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping?  I would tell them to ask for help.  When I was starting out, there were so many things I didn't know how to do and it was very frustrating.  If I had just asked for help on the forums, I know now that I would have got help and encouragement instantly.

4.  Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use?  Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling?  Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you?  How long does it take you to complete a layout? It really depends.  Sometimes a picture inspires me or sometimes it's a kit or other product.  I usually do start with the photo though.  Most of the time it takes me 30 minutes to an hour to finish a layout.

5.  On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week?  Too much!  LOL!  Probably 10 hours.

6.   Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks?   I like to be quiet.  I do most of my scrapping really early in the morning, while everyone else is asleep. 

7.  What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping?  I love to read.

8.  What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it?  I'm not sure.  Probably something exciting and out of the ordinary for me.

9.  Who inspires you in the scrapping community?  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration? Definitely Scrapmatters and Elemental Scraps.  I spend most of my time at those 2 places.  Two of my all time favorite scrappers Monsu and Denise Beatty.

10.  If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why?  I really want a cute camera kit.  I'd love to see one with a bunch of cute camera elements.  

Michelle also was kind enough to share some of her fantastic layouts with a brief description!

First Layout
Zoo Day - This is one of my first layouts.  It's from our first trip to the zoo with Owen.  From the beginning I've been a simple scrapper whose loved templates

Favorite Layouts

 Pucker Up - I love this layout.  The picture always makes me smile.  Owen is such a kissy face boy and that's what this picture shows.

 

The Incredible Owen - Here's another of my favorite layouts.  It's just so silly and I loved playing around with photoshop to make the pictures look like a comic book.

Most recent layout
Our Digital Family - Here's the my latest layout.  I did it for a challenge at ScrapMatters.  The avatars are a pretty good likeness.  Just kidding.

 

Layout with Amber's products
Silliness - Owen is such a goofball.  He is always doing stuff to try to get us to laugh.  This is just one example of his silliness.

Thanks Michelle!  Be sure to jump over to Michelle's  BLOG and GALLERY to check out more of her fabulous work.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know these ladies.  Stay tuned next week for more CT spotlights!