Sneak Peek 4/14

Hello Everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic week so far. I'm here this week with another sneak peek of a GORGEOUS new kit that Amber will be releasing on Friday. Amber has teamed up with Britt-ish Designs over at Scrap Matters to bring you this week's theatre themed kit.

Here's a little factoid for you... Both Amber and Britt have a background in the theatre - Amber has done some acting, stage management and box office management and Britt has done some costume designing - pretty neat huh?

This week I want to know what is your favorite play or show that you have seen either on the stage or the movie version. I have several favorites, Cats, Chicago and Phantom of the Opera are just a few. Leave a comment here with your favorite play and one random winner will receive this fantastic kit for FREE!! So come on.. leave a comment!

Amber will be here on Friday with the kit reveal and the winner!

Have a great rest of the week!

~ Kate

Spotlighting Wendy

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Time is flying for me right now, and I can't believe that it has been a week and half since I first introduced you to this months guest CT member.  Let me reintroduce you to her, and delve into some of her awesome layouts!

Wendy

{aka WenRob}

1. How long have you been scrapping? About three years. Have you ever paper scrapped? Three pages in my short paper career. I'm hugely crafty but it wasn't my thing.  When did you make the switch to digi and why? I was doing signatures on my mommy forum and my cousin directed me to digi scrapping. It was love at first page!
   
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill? The ability to mix kits or take kits with a particular theme and use them for something totally different.  Your weakest? I can't make patterned papers work to save my life. I tend to be a one paper scrapper most of the time.
   
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping? Take your time, you'll get it. Study artists that you admire and don't be afraid to ask them to show you how. I haven't met a scrapper yet who wasn't willing to share how they do something.
   
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use? I taught myself PSP and even though I have CS4 now I still use PSP for scrapping.  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 usually always start with a photo. I'd say 90% of the time I have an idea of what I want to do. 80% of the time my LOs are completely different then what I intended. I've learned it's a lot less frustrating to let the LO take you where it will rather then trying to make it fit where it doesn't want to. A LO takes me 2-4hrs easy even with a template. I tend to put stuff on and take it off, turn it, shrink etc. 100 times before I'm done.
   
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week? I average 2 LO's a week sometimes more. So maybe 10-15 hrs a week?
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda?  music?  snacks? Little ones in bed, TV for back ground noise.
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping? Take pictures of my kids and learning different ways to make my camera do what I want it to do.
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it? Hmmn, I've never thought about this. Get someone to take pics of me taking pics I think. My presence is sorely lacking in our albums and it's because I'm the one behind the camera.
   
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community? I aspire to layer like Britt and do simple classy like Denise.  Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration? The Scrap Matters gallery is so diverse and just bursting at the seems with talent! Any time I get stuck I cruise the gallery and I'm good to go.
   
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why? The scrapping community is sorely lacking in boy kits. So a boy kit full of all the things boys like and NO STARS, lol!

Wendy has allowed me to show of some of her terrific work.  Keep your eye out for how she creates multi-photo layouts with ease.  She is such a natural at that!

Oldest Layout

I couldn't find my first layout but this is one of my earliest. I knew next to nothing about scrapping or photo editing. I was pretty proud of my "home" word art.

Favorite Layouts

I just had SO much fun doing this LO. I really let go and piled it on. It totally shows off his personality. One of my all time favs!

This is one of my favorites because I had intended to make it simple and ended up creating this whole scene. No pre-made clusters here I did each little thing piece by piece. I bet there are 25 layers of blending in this! I also like that you can feel me here even though I'm not in the pics.

Layout using Stolen Moments Products

Loved working with this kit{Summer Sailor}, it fit perfectly with my Mission Beach LOs.

Most Recent Layout

This LO just makes me happy, they are my Sunshine!

Wow!  I am feeling so inspired just looking at these layouts. Thanks Wendy for sharing with us!  If you like to see more of Wendy's work check out her GALLERY

Do You Have Boys in YOUR Backyard?

Hello, hello!  I have another super fantastic kit for you this week - SO fun!  And it's a collab!  YAY!   Stacy - who used to be on my creative team - also designs under the name Stacy's Backdoor Designs.  She asked a while back if I'd be interested, and I gotta' tell you - I'm SO glad I said yes!  Check out the awesomeness we created together...

 

With all the spring and babies and froo I've been doing lately, I thought it was high time for a good old, grungy, messy, yucky BOY kit!  :D  {And I think it's perfect, even if I do say so myself...}  Check out these fabu pages from my team and a few of the Scrap Matters team..

 

So - for all you scrappers of boys {and even girls and cats}, be sure to check it out!  As always, it will be 20% off Friday and Saturday.  

Now to announce the winner of the kit from my commenting contest - which, btw, was SO fun to hear about all your favorite childhood games.. Seriously, don't you just wish you could go back?  Anyway.. by random draw, the winner is:  Gretchen!  Email me at the address in my sidebar to grab your prize :)

And now.. a bit of a freebie..

 DOWNLOAD

And don't forget to stop by Stacy's blog to grab hers as well!  Until next time - Happy Scrapping!