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.

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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.