Designer Spotlight (November 2021)

Jumpstart Designs!

How the heck is it November already? Before we know it, Christmas will be here… and Jan won’t be ready. Given! New month, new Designer Spotlight. This month I’m chatting with Sheri, the creative mind behind Jumpstart Designs. Sheri is a relative newcomer to GingerScraps, but I’ve known her for years and was so happy when she joined our little digi-family. (She might not remember, but once upon a time I was on her creative team.) Our chat went sort of like this…

J: Sheri, let’s get the business part of this out of the way first. Tell me how long you’ve been designing.

S: Ten years this last July!

J: Wow, you’ve done a TON of designing in that time. Your (amazing) portfolio is HUGE! Where do you do your best work?

S: Our main family room is kind of long so I use one end of it for my office because I have windows on two sides that keeps this beautiful fall sunshine coming in. I have a desk with three large monitors because I’ve always got Photoshop, Illustrator, multiple folders, and several different browsers and tabs open all the time. I generally have music or television streaming in the background. I just recently purchased a new PC system and a stand-alone disk station. My “techie” son keeps my system in optimal working order, and I have no idea how I would do this without his help because it seems like something is always needing to be fixed or tweaked. I also have a tablet and just recently got an iPad so I can play around in Procreate. I keep my work area very organized because my brain is already in chaos mode, and I need all the structure I can get. Oh look! A shining thing! Or in my case… another email, memo, new event to add to the design calendar, or another deadline I’m running close to. I’m a great planner, but not nearly as good about keeping on top of it.

J: I think you do a brilliant job of keeping all those balls in the air. We’ve got the where, now let’s talk about the why. What inspires and motivates you?

S: Color, and spending time on Pinterest and similar sites. I always have a bunch of ideas of what I’d like to design and do differently but finding the extra time to play around with new ideas doesn’t seem to happen very often.

J: The way you use colour has always drawn me to your designs… which explains why I have a gigantic folder of your stuff. I won’t get into the whole Pinterest rabbit hole! Which of your current collections is your favourite and why?

S: EARLY AUTUMN WHISPERS. Fall is my favorite time of year and I wish it could stay autumn all year long! I try to enjoy every minute of this season before the cold and snow sets in.

J: Ooh, that’s a beautiful one! Oh look… it’s in my Downloads folder. How did that get there? 😉 Tell me, what one word would your family and friends use to describe you?

S: Probably “smart ass”. LOL (oops, that’s two words)

J: Right… okay! So what would you do if you won the lottery?

S: Probably buy just enough property in the mountains to build a few little homes so my kids and grandkids could all live with me forever. If I had my way, they’d be with me no matter how old they get! Oh yeah…. And I guess saving for retirement might also be good idea so I don’t have earn a living until my last dying breath.

J: We did something like that after my mother-in-law passed away. Except that our grandkids don’t live anywhere nearby and we haven’t seen them in a long time. But we have the mountains! And we’re both retired, so there’s that. Next up, a really odd question that I found on a human resources website: Are you more likely to sing, or to dance, in the shower?

S: Neither! I’d probably trip and fall over the edge of the tub, and God help anyone who’d have to hear my voice! That’s one talent I did NOT inherit from my parents. They were both musical and had a country-western band for many years. They were even good enough to play for President Ronald Reagan when he came through town back in the day, but it’s better for everyone if I don’t attempt singing myself! LOL

J: Wow! How cool is that? I love country music. But can you play a musical instrument?

S: I played the piano for many years but haven’t touched one in a long time. I also bang on our bongo drums now and then and have always thought it would be fun to be a drummer.

J: A minute ago you mentioned your parents and your grandkids. Speaking of both previous and succeeding generations, if you could travel through time, would you go forward, or back? Why?

S: BACK IN TIME for sure! I’m not too thrilled with society these days. I think we’ve lost our collective minds and I fear for how things will be for my children and grandchildren. I miss the good old days when most people valued self-reliance, integrity, and knew how to be respectful of others.

J: I hear you. We’ve really lost the best part of our society, where we all looked out for each other. There was a lot to be said for how much more respectful the world was a few decades ago. What has been the best compliment you’ve ever received?

S: That I must be a good mother because my children are awesome! Some days I question my parenting, but I’ll take that compliment any day!

J: Yes! I ‘ve always said our jobs as parents is to raise responsible, independent and genuine adults, with a good helping of courtesy and caring for others. What would your dream car be?

S: I’m an SUV sort of gal but ultimately I’d just like one that’s paid for, haha.

J: Hahaha! No car payment is a good place to be. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

S: Homemade tacos! Actually, anything Mexican with lots of cheese!

J: YUM!! Too bad I took pork chops out for supper tonight. Now, if you could have one superpower which one would you choose?

S: Being able to make time stand still.

J: Just think how much more we could get done in a day! (Or not. I’d probably just curl up with a book!) Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

S: Hugs from my grandkids!

J: I adore kids. All kids. If you came with a warning label, what would it say? Mine would say “Harmless old woman who WILL talk to your children in the grocery store”.

S: WARNING: Subject prone to sarcasm!

J: Maybe that’s why we get along! Last question, maybe the most difficult. Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

S: No clue but several years ago I was told that I looked like Jaime Pressly so many times that I finally had to watch that sitcom called “My Name Is Earl” just to see who she was. I think the only resemblance was in the “dumb blonde ponytail” I did sometimes. LOL

I don’t know anything about her, but I’d love to have her figure!

J: I can see the resemblance! I love the role she plays in “Mom“.

So ladies, Sheri’s entire store will be 50% off for the month, on top of her free Daily Download and Jumpstart Your Layout Challenge kit (and I can’t wait for them!!), maybe with some minor adjustments around Black Friday. She has given me permission to share a bunch of links with you, too. She has a highly-talented creative team, and you can see their work in Sheri’s Gallery. [Remember, whenever you see coloured text in my posts and it’s not someone’s name, there’s a hyperlink attached – just click and go!]

Newsletter

Facebook (and TWO freebies!! Here and here.)

Instagram

Pinterest

Thanks for chatting with me, Sheri! Enjoy your time in the Spotlight!!

Designer Spotlight October 2021

Have You Met Christie (Scrappin’ Serenity)?

I’d like to introduce you all to Christie Dawn, whose wonderful designs are sold at GingerScraps under the Scrappin’ Serenity banner. We had a nice chat so I could know what to tell you about her. Here’s a transcript of our chat for your perusal.

J: Christie! So nice to see you! Let’s get comfy and get to know each other. First, tell me, how long have you been designing?

C: I started dabbling in 2009 and opened my first store in 2010! Wow…hard to believe it’s been 11 years!

J: Hey, that’s about the same time I started learning about digital scrapbooking. When I look at those first layouts, I cringe. I know why I wanted to start digiscrapping – saving money, not having to clean up, and being able to use kits over and over and over. What made you decide to design?

C: I was a stay at home mom, and I just needed an outlet.  I loved Scrapbooking, so I figured I might as well try it.

J: I didn’t actually start paper scrapping until 2005, long after my kiddos were grown up. When they were little I did things like counted cross-stitch and crochet. If digiscrapping would have been a thing then, I’d have been all over it! What do you use to create your designs?

C: I mostly design in Photoshop Elements 13, I should probably upgrade, but it still works, so why change!?

J: No kidding! If it ain’t broke… I do all of my digital stuff on a Dell laptop, sitting in a wing chair in my living room. Would you mind describing your design workplace?

C: Most of the time I work at home, downstairs, on my desktop.  But I do have a laptop I bring when we go camping and have worked from the RV many times.

J: My “other” creative space is a work-in-progress; I have so many boxes I haven’t even opened after our move… 17 months ago. Organizing it all is a big job! But back to you. Which of your current kits in the GS shop is your favourite? What makes it so?

C: Currently my Favorite Kit is – Gamer Girl.  We are big time gamers in my family!

J: My husband is a big gamer too. I’m not. Words with Friends is enough for me! Do you sing, or dance in the shower? I’ve been known to dance in mine a time or two…

C: Definitely Sing!  If I were to dance in the shower it would probably lead to a visit to the ER. lol.

J: I can relate – it didn’t end up in the ER but I discovered the shower base needed some no-skid strips that way. Here’s another odd-ball question: If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead? Why?

C: I would go back in time and spend more time with my Granma.  Miss that lady so much!

J: I’d love to spend a few hours with my mom’s paternal grandmother. Maybe then I’d know more about her than just her name… Do you have a favourite colour? Are there any colours you really DON’T like?

C: Purple, Pink, Teal or Black are my favorite colors.  I tend to dislike oranges, yellows, and reds.

J: We’re kindred spirits! What would your dream car be?

C: A 1967 Mustang! We actually found one on FB market place and bought it about a year ago…but it still needs a lot of work!

J: How awesome is that?! Will you paint it purple? You don’t have to answer that. Last nosy question. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

C: Love me some Sushi!!

J: You can have ALL of mine. Thanks for letting us peek into your world. Now I should spend some time outside before it gets too cold. Enjoy your month in the Spotlight!

Faithful readers, Christie is hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month and is providing all of us with her Daily Download kit. And… she has this little gift for everybody. Check it out!!

Well. 2021 is 3/4 over already! I know most of us will be happy to have this year in the rear view mirror. See you again soon!

 

DD: SEPT SPECIAL POST

This is a special file for the September Daily Download that contains corrections to several elements. We have placed these in one zip file to make it easier for you to download.

Heartmade Scrapbook and all of us at GingerScraps apologize for any inconvenience.

https://bit.ly/3ulowzz

This link will not expire.

DD: SEPT 23

https://bit.ly/2YbH0qb

Remember, the download is kept up for 5 days, and then it is taken down. If you miss pieces, the kit will be available for purchase on the first day of the following month.

 

DD: SEPT 22

https://bit.ly/3ysIR6j

Remember, the download is kept up for 5 days, and then it is taken down. If you miss pieces, the kit will be available for purchase on the first day of the following month.

Designer Spotlight: September 2121

It’s HeartMade Scrapbook!

Today I’d like to introduce you to one of our newest designers, HeartMade Scrapbook – who is also known as Ngoc! She very graciously agreed to let me pick her brain, and now I get to share what I’ve learned about her with all of you.

J: So tell me, how long have you been designing?

N: I’ve been designing since May last year (2020).

J: Ah, another CoVid convert! Welcome to GingerScraps!! What made you decide it was time to hang up your Creative Team hat and jump into designing?

N: In 2020, the CoVid-19 epidemic broke out, I have more time and I want to try a whole new field. And there’s really a lot to learn, but I’m very happy with the design.

J: I think all of us would be thrilled to have more time. What tools do you use in your design process?

N: I use Photoshop and Illustrator.

J: Well, you’re way ahead of me. I’m still plodding along with Elements. What’s your design motivation/inspiration ?

N: My main motivation and inspiration are my kids and the life around me. I want to be a memory keeper!

J: Most of us would say the same. It’s pretty much the whole purpose of our community. Now I’d like to know which of your kits currently in the GingerScraps shop is your favourite, and why.

N: Cool Summer: Because I like pastel colors and summer is my favorite season!

J: Abrupt subject change!! What would you do if you won the lottery today?

N: I will buy a farm in the countryside to grow vegetables and flowers.

J: That sounds like a LOT of work! Are you more likely to sing, or to dance, in the shower?

N: Yes, I will sing sometimes, even though I’m not very good at it.

J: Everybody is a star in the shower! Weird question… If time travel was possible, would you go forward in time or back, and why?

N: I would go to the future, I want to know when covid-19 will end.

J: You and all the rest of us! 🙂 It has really turned the world upside down, hasn’t it? Design-y question again. What colours do you love, or NOT love?

N: My most favorite colors are pastel & bright colors. My least favorite colors are dark and heavy colors.

J: I love jewel tones most. And I’m so happy there are designers who do too. Last question, another one about favourites. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

N: It’s PHO Vietnam, widely known as Vietnamese noodle soup, is a highlight of Vietnamese cuisine. I can eat it everyday and never get bored – Vietnamese people love eating PHO for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Despite looking simple outside, PHO has the fascinating complexity of textures and flavors. Normally, PHO Vietnam is made of rice soft noodles called “banh pho”, some slices of meat, traditional herbs and is served with consommé which is made by the simmering bone of the chicken, pork or beef.

J: I’m missing out, clearly! I’ve never had pho. But to do it justice, I think I’ll wait until my CoVid-damaged sense of taste goes back to normal (if it ever does…) since all of a sudden I’ve developed an extreme distaste for anything containing onions.

Now, before we go, Ngoc has a gift for us! She’s got a 50% off coupon for her store. Thank you so much for visiting with us, sharing your talent, and for the gift!

 

 

 

 

The coupon code is HMS-SPOTLIGHT and it’s valid until midnight September 30th.

Designer Spotlight – June 2021

Hey Y’all! It’s MAGICAL SCRAPS GALORE!

First, I want to apologise to Marina (the creative mind behind Magical Scraps Galore). We were supposed to do this chat over coffee a couple of days ago but I got knocked off schedule. So without further ado…

J: Thanks for agreeing to share a little bit about yourself and your creative process with our faithful GingerScrappers. Let’s start wit how long you’ve been designing.

M: I’m celebrating my 10th anniversary this year!

J: Wow! That’s a long time. You clearly have a passion for it! How did you get into designing?

M: I started creating my own digital papers and embellishments for scrapping our second trip to Disney World, since the digital offerings were very limited back then. It didn’t take long to realize that scrapbook design was my passion, and I started participating in the design challenges hosted by MouseScrappers. I opened my first shop in 2013 and I’ve been part of the wonderful GingerScraps family since 2014.

J: Well, that explains how you named your shop, doesn’t it? I came to GS in 2013 and quickly found it to be the friendliest digiscrapping site on the Web. What tools do you use to create your designs?

M: I use Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate.

J: You must be very proficient, using three different platforms. That must mean you have a dedicated design workshop. Can you tell us about it?

M: I design in my studio at home, with my two cats sleeping by my computer or on my lap. Sometimes they like to sleep ON my computer and they mess with my designs, LOL! I have to be very careful!

J: I’m not a cat person but have two dogs. One of them likes to “help” me too, by flipping my elbow up when she thinks her input is needed. She’s one of my favourite subjects though; my inspiration for scrapping comes from a lot of places. What provides your design inspiration?

M: My main motivation and inspiration are my kids and my trips around the world.

J: Do you have a favourite kit in your store? I know, it’s an unfair question.

M: It’s hard to pick just one, that’s mean, it’s like choosing your favorite child, LOL … I have several kits that I love, especially my travel collection, but one of my favorite kits is Magical Memories, it’s all about my happy place and it’s a reminder of all the magical moments I spent there with my family.

J: I’ve been to Disneyland twice, but a long time ago. The memories we made on both visits are definitely magical. On a somewhat related note, if you could have a superpower, which one would you want?

M: Teleportation, so I can travel anywhere in no time and with no jet lag!

J: YES! That would be amazing!! I used to wish I could teleport home from the hospital after a long day at work. It would be even more valuable for travel. With all the globetrotting you’ve done, have you ever met anyone famous?

M: Yes, I met Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films)

J: Interesting! The famous people I’ve met haven’t been that kind of famous. Did you ever want to be famous when you were growing up? What did you want to be?

M: I wanted to be a flight attendant or a rock star

J: Ah! So fame was in there! You might have met more rock stars as a flight attendant though. I once met a songwriter on a flight from Chicago to Edmonton, Alberta. His SONGS are famous, but not many people know who HE is. So, last question: If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

M: Warning: Crazy cat lady!! LOL! I’m a huge cat lover, and if my family would let me, I’d have 10 cats or more!

J: I should have seen that coming! Thank you so much for the visit. I think our readers know you a bit better now. But ladies, don’t forget, Marina has the Daily Download throne this month as well as being in the Designer Spotlight. She’s created a beautiful summer-fun kit and oh wait!! Stop the presses!!! She’s also got an add-on bundle for even more amazingness!! Look at this sneak peak…

Cats and flamingos!! Before I forget, Marina also has a coupon for y’all. Check it out!

Thanks again, Marina! I love bringing good news to the GingerScraps world!

Designer Spotlight: April 2021

The Cherry on Top!

Lisa, the designer also known as The Cherry on Top, didn’t have time to sit for an interview so she instead sent me a little bio. Here she is in her own words:

Lisa-Lisa here, from The Cherry On Top.
I grew up State side, where I worked as a teacher.  What a wonderful job to have.  I often found myself underwhelmed by the typical curriculum and so I created a lot of my own, more visually appealing activity sheets and encouraged the kids to also show more creativity in their work. History can be pretty boring for most. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that even teenagers liked to construct scrapbooks to show off their knowledge of historical events.  I didn’t realize, at the time, that I was actually “designing” digitally.  I had next to no program or computer experience.  I even struggled learning how to do e-mail.  Ha!
I originally started scrapbooking traditionally and took those skills with me, over the pond, to Belgium, where I presently reside.  I wanted to make something that I couldn’t find anywhere in paper format.  So, I scoured the internet looking for images and “pieced” together exactly what I needed.  Funnily enough, I thought I invented digital scrapbooking, until I stumbled across the digital scrapbooking world.
I dove in the deep end!  After a couple of months, I was on a praise team at Scrap Take Out where I met a lot of fantastic designers like Fran B and Amanda from A-Manda Creation.  Slowly, I worked myself on to Creative Teams.  At one point, I was on 28 teams.  Talk about a junky! Ironically, I despised templates.  I still cannot get over the grudge I had against them.  Until I realized what a wonderful starting point or catalyst they can be.  Especially, when your mojo is low or the inspiration just isn’t there.  Now, they are my passion.
I find ideas for templates, everywhere.  In an advertisement, greeting card, sketch, nature…I’m always coming up with new ideas, techniques and I make designing unique, easy to use templates my main objective.  They truly are a wonderful tool and certainly an excellent way to learn how to digital scrapbook.  They save so much time, too.
I started off using PowerPoint to scrapbook.  I know, right?!  Then I moved to My Memories for a few years and then Photoshop Elements.  I still mostly use Elements.  It is incredibly user friendly and perfect for designing templates, for the most part.  Occasionally, I jump over to PS when PSE doesn’t offer a particular function I need and I’m pretty sure, that one of these days I’ll morph over to PS, but I still have so much to learn in PSE.
I do design a lot of other products besides templates, but templates are still my favorite.
Thanks for letting us get a peek into your creative process Lisa! Ladies, don’t forget that Lisa‘s also presenting the Daily Download this month. And she has a $2 coupon for her GingerScraps store (linked above in pink): the code is tcotspotlight.
See you again soon!

Designer Spotlight: March 2021

North Meets South Studios!

Well, February sure flew by at our house, and March is upon us. This month’s Designer Spotlight is shining on the creative minds behind North Meets South Studios: Connie Prince and Tracy Anderson, aka Trixie Scraps. Their design styles blend so flawlessly, which only serves to reflect on their very long, strong friendship. Let’s get to know them a bit better. Ladies, get ready!

J: How long have you been designing?

T: I’ll celebrate my 13th year in business this October

C: I began designing digital scrapbooking products in 2004-2005ish, but officially selling in 2006.

J: Ah, so you both came to designing around the same time! Connie, what made you decide to start designing?

C: At the time the offerings were so limited, I was a paper scrapper and want to add unique elements to my layouts which I began to make digitally and print. It didn’t take long to realize I could do the whole thing digitally so much easier!

J: I think that’s fairly common, and it’s definitely part of my motivation to learn digital scrapbooking. What other craft let’s you have your cake (your digi supplies) and eat it too (use the same things over and over!)? Connie, what do you use to create your designs (program, additional tools, etc.)?

C: I use Photoshop CC, Illustrator. I also have a scanner that I use pretty often to scan things to extract.

J: I have 2 scanners and I don’t think I could live without them. Describe your design workplace for us?

C: It’s pretty minimalistic. I have a double monitor setup, that’s the most exciting thing about it lol.

J: I work on a laptop in my living room, about as minimalist as you can get! So, what motivates and inspires you as a designer?

C: I enjoy the process, coming up with an idea and creating it. The most rewarding part is seeing someone else use something that I’ve created to preserve their own memories.

J: That’s how I feel about my tutorials. I love browsing the Gallery and seeing layouts using some technique I’ve written about. Tracy, you’ve been awfully quiet… so it’s your turn! What’s your favourite kit currently in the GS shop, and why?

T: My recent “She Shall Not Be Moved” is my favorite because it speaks to my faith. And I love the colors!

J: What would your perfect vacation look like?

T: Sitting on a beach somewhere next to Connie with our guys. And preferably with some of the “mommy juice” she makes in my tumbler.

J: Hmm, that sounds… interesting! Maybe we need a recipe for that! Tracy, are you more likely to sing, or to dance in the shower?

T: Sing… I love to sing and serve on the praise team at my church monthly.

J: I love music. It’s a big part of my every day. I’m listening to folk music right now in fact! Let’s talk about another favourite of mine… food! If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

C: Chicken wings, hands down I am obsessed! However, if I could only eat at one restaurant the rest of my life it would be Waffle House.

T: Anything Italian, provided I make it.

J: I never used to like wings, and then my friend Patti’s hubby cooked some and I too was hooked. I love Italian food too. While we’re on a favourites roll, Tracy, what are your most and least favourite colours?

T: Least favorite is easy: orange Favorite is harder to choose… I like blue, purple and pink pretty equally.

J: I’m not overly fond of orange either, but yellow… ICK! Connie, what did you want to be when you were small?

C: I can’t really remember wanting to be anything in particular, I played school a lot so maybe a teacher? I did grow up and get a degree in education, but I didn’t really enjoy teaching very much so I retired early 🙂

J: Teachers are so under-appreciated. I think they’re super-heroes! Tracy, if you could have a super power, what would you like it to be?

T: Mind-reading. I am often too trusting and also often unsure of where I stand with people. It would be nice to always know what someone was really thinking!

J: Ooh, I don’t think I’d want that. I tend to think everybody is just tolerating me, and to have that confirmed would be pretty awful. Have you ever met anyone who’s famous?

T: Yes, I’ve met a handful of athletes because my husband owned and operated a sports memorabilia company for over 10 years. Among the list are Joe Frazier, Magic Johnson, Alfonso Soriano, Joe Torre, and Julius Erving. But there were a bunch more, too!

J: Cool! The famous people I’ve met are only famous in narrow circles, but that didn’t stop me from fan-girling all over them. That’s a good segué into this: Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?

C: Cameron Diaz, she’s just quirky enough!

J: And she looks like you a bit, so that would be believable! Tracy, can you play a musical instrument?

T: When the pandemic started, I began taking piano lessons. I’ve come a long way in the last 10 months or so!

J: I took piano lessons when I was a kid, but we didn’t actually have a piano, so practicing was a problem. Same with learning to drive… While we’re talking about celebrities, what celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee Connie?

C: Dolly Parton, she’s a hoot!

J: She definitely is. I feel like she needs a warning label: Liable to make you laugh and cry in the same moment. If you had a warning label what would it say?

C: I would have a bunch, but definitely: If you leave cookies unattended she will eat them!

J: I’m there with you! Tracy, the last question is yours. Aside from necessities, what’s one thing you couldn’t go a day without?

T: Coffee. I mean, I *could* go without it, but I wouldn’t want to!

J: And why should you have to?? Thanks so much ladies for sitting down and chatting with me. Our GingerScrappers have gotten a glimpse into your worlds and I hope those who aren’t already huge fans are converts now.

Before I sign off for today. I want to make sure you all remember that Connie and Tracy are hosting the Daily Download and the Designer Spotlight Challenge for March. To go along with their month in the spotlight, the North Meets South Studios‘ entire store (bundles excluded) is 40% off the whole month of March!

Designer Spotlight January 2021

Wow… it’s already 2021! I know we’ve all been relieved to see the last of 2020, and are hoping for a much better year ahead. Let’s start it off right with some conversation. I’d like you all to get to know the two amazing women who are in the Designer Spotlight this month: Aimee Harrison and Cheré Kaye. Be sure to read to the end, because these lovely ladies have a little gift for you!

Let’s get comfy and chat, shall we? (I’m not really a Grand Inquisitor, I just play one on TV.)

Jan: How long have you been designing?

Aimee: I have been designing since June of 2009, two weeks after I discovered digital scrapbooking. I knew it was what I wanted to do right away.

Cheré: I’ve been designing since 2007, with a short break in there to bring home my daughter.

Jan: You’ve both been doing this a lot longer than I have! No wonder you’re so good at it! Next question… Cheré, what made you decide to design?

Cheré: When I first started, I was doing paper scrapping, but wanted something specific to print out for my page and couldn’t find it.  I started playing around, and my design career was born.

Jan: I can relate! That’s how I’ve built my tutorial business. Aimee‘s turn… what motivates and inspires you as a designer?

Aimee: My motivation and inspiration is color and my own photos. I love color and it inspires me in so many ways. Color combos, photos that showcase a scheme, Ginger’s spectacular palettes to us each month. They all inspire me completely. I love color and you can probably tell by the bright colors in some of my collections.

Jan: I love the way you use colour; your kits have a definite elegance. Cheré, you’re up! Please describe your design workplace.

Cheré: I have a small corner of our living room.  I love my setup. There are two walls so I have a bulletin board and a calendar, and pictures of my family.  My computer is on a small corner of the desk, and I have bits of paper everywhere because I’m always writing myself a note or sketching something out. It’s perfect for me.

Jan: I work in my living room too, but I don’t have a setup like that! Just a laptop, a zillion scraps of paper and a good lamp. How about you, Aimee?

Aimee: I work at a big table in front of four big windows in my bedroom. I love this space because it has plenty of room and I can look out over our front yard and watch the birds and squirrels. It’s also lovely to watch the sunrise, which really inspires me.

Jan: I have 4 big windows in my space but I see sunsets. I’m okay with that! Cheré, next question is for you. What is your favorite kit currently in your GS store and why?

Cheré: My favorite is probably Dear Prudence, shortly followed by Star of Wonder.  I love the muted colors of both sets, and how they really showcase your photos.

Jan: You’re right, they are such soft and versatile kits. (Click on the titles to see the kits!) This one is for both of you. What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?

Aimee: Sleepy, lol! I have narcolepsy and sleepy is how I am 100% of the time. But I try to not let it get me down. One of the reasons I love designing is because I can make my own hours. I need a lot of naps. But I can work at any time that I am awake and that makes a huge difference in my quality of life.

Cheré: Hopefully, it’s kind.  I put a high value on being kind to other people.

Jan: Wow… narcolepsy! I was always sleepy, but it was from shift work. Cheré, I know you’re kind. You’re one of the first people who reached out to me when I came to GingerScraps in those Night Owl chats. So tell me, what would you do if you won the lottery?

Cheré: I’d pay off bills and treat my family to a nice vacation.  (Then go straight back to designing, because I love it!)

Jan: They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Aimee, this is a weird question, but enquiring minds want to know… If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead? Why?

Aimee: I think I would go back in time. I am not sure if I would go back so many years. I think I would go back in time to where my parents were alive and other family members so I could appreciate them all the more. I may be a huge history buff but I would want to live the life I have been given over any others.

Jan: I think a lot of us would do the same, love the people in our lives more obviously. So let’s give Cheré an odd question now, to keep things fair. Are you more likely to dance or sing in the shower?

Cheré: If I tried to dance, it would end badly.  Haha.  I do love to sing, though.

Jan: I’ll let you know how dancing in my shower works out… Speaking of physical, Aimee… What is your favorite game or sport to watch or play?

Aimee: I love to watch soccer. I wish it were a big sport here in the US as it is all over the rest of the world. It gets me fired up like no other. I love the Spanish team Barcelona and Leo Messi is my favorite player. I also love to watch Greco-Roman wrestling. In high school or college. I was the wrestling manager when I was growing up and have a great love for that sport.

Jan: Nope. Not a fan of either. I worked with a lot of doctors from South America so soccer was always on in the breakroom, and my grandmother loved wrestling so it’s not like I haven’t been exposed. Cheré, I love gardening so do you have a green thumb? What do you grow?

Cheré: I have ONE plant I can keep alive here on my desk.  The rest of them I either kill or my cat eats them.  My mother tried to teach me about plants – she could grow anything – but it must have skipped the generation!

Jan: I’m doing the same with my daughter! Here’s one for both of you. Can you play a musical instrument?

Aimee: I used to play the French Horn. I still think it is the most beautiful instrument there is. When I hear it, it stops my breath.

Cheré: I can play the piano, the guitar, the trombone and the flute.  I also love to sing.

Jan: Such talent! Some of my favourite pieces of music have French horn in the intros. A friend from high school played the flute in our orchestra and me? I can listen to music all day long. Now, what did you want to be when you were small?

Aimee: I wanted to be an archaeologist. I was very passionate. Still am. I pursued that dream well into college and when my narcolepsy became too bad to be able to pursue it any longer I decided to design scrapbooking kits.

Cheré: I wanted to be a musician of some sort.  I did that for a while, and now I just sing for my family.

Jan: Archaeology would be fascinating! But not a great profession if you’re not awake to enjoy it. I sing, sometimes at the top of my lungs, but I don’t have any talent. Now I have one of those dreaded job interview questions. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Cheré: I would lessen my anxiety.  I’m a pretty chill person – I don’t get angry easily at all – but the anxiety thing sometimes drains my energy.

Aimee: I would get rid of narcolepsy. If that was impossible, I would change how easily I get stressed out, lol. I think that is directly related to how tired I can get, though.

Jan: Stress, anxiety – two sides of the same coin, I think. I know them both well. And that’s a great segué into our last topic. Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

Aimee: My Kindle. I listen to videos with it while I work and I read it when I’m done. I get so much use out of it that it could have been named after me. I go everywhere with it.

Cheré: Probably my iPad.  It plays music, I can keep up with the people I love, and I do most of my artwork on it.

Jan: You two are more alike than you are different. But your design styles are so different. I’m excited for the Daily Download. It’s going to be epic! Now before we rinse out our mugs and head for home, remember I mentioned Aimee and Cheré had something for you for sticking with this post to the end? Both of them have coupons for 50% off EVERYTHING in their stores for the entire month of January- excluding bundles, of course. Aimee‘s coupon code is: aimeeh-GS-SL-50 and Cheré‘s is CKH-SL-GS21. Their stores are linked at the top of the post by clicking on their names. If you’re not flat broke after the holidays, maybe you should take a look!

See you all right here again at the beginning of February with a brand-new Designer Spotlight.