Designer Spotlight: June 2025

Twin Mom Scraps

You may remember Rebecca, aka Twin Mom Scraps, who was in the Spotlight in November 2024. Well, she’s up again! And since we talked about all the bread-and-butter stuff so recently, we decided to go with a bit more of a fun chat this time.

J: Rebecca, thanks for chatting with me again! Hold on while I fast-forward past the Christmas song that just came on my shuffle playlist… Ah. There. Now, let’s talk about the fun stuff, like food. What’s the weirdest combo you’ve ever tried?

R: Pickles and peanut butter on Ritz Crackers (don’t knock it til you try it!)

J: I like peanut butter on Ritz. I might even be okay with the pickles, especially if they’re the spicy-sweet ones from Costco. I just ate some spinach dip on tortilla chips, which wasn’t as nasty as it might have been. Do you have a favourite comfort food?

R: Any kind of soup. My chicken and dumplings is a favorite!

J: Mm. Not a soup fan, although I do like homemade turkey soup, and French onion soup. When I need a food hug, I usually go with macaroni and canned tomatoes. That makes me think of my dad. While we’re talking food, if you could have dinner with any two people, living or dead, who would you choose?

R: My mom and dad (both have passed away).

J: I was lucky enough to have lunch with my mom, who’s 89 now, and my sister, on Sunday. My dad passed in August. We talked about him a bit, and I could tell my mom misses him terribly. My sister is 14 years younger than me, and some of the stories we told while we reminisced were things she’d never heard before. We had some good laughs mixed in with the more serious moments. What’s the funniest thing you believed as a kid?

R: If I swallowed gum, it would not digest for 7 years

J: I think we ALL believed that! Now, if you could be any age for a week, what age would you choose?

R: 46…my current age! I am in the best shape of my life and feel great!

J: That’s fantastic! I wish… Let me think about when I was 46 for a minute. You know, that was a good time for me too. I was working on my dream unit and learning a ton of new skills. If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would you want it to be?

R: A second language!

J: Now, wouldn’t that be useful? My husband and both daughters are fluently bilingual, English and French. The girls are also fluent in sarcasm, so I guess you could say they’re trilingual! They’re pretty comfortable with social media, too; the older one is a TikTok-er and the younger is all about the ‘Gram. What’s your most used emoji?

R: I use this one way more than I probably should.

J: As long as you don’t smack yourself first, then use the emoji, I guess it’s okay. Mine is this one….

J: I spend entirely too much time on social media, or playing games on my phone. Oh, and watching too much TV! Do you have a guilty pleasure?

R: In general, I love re-watching shows I’ve already seen (some favorites are Dexter, YOU, and Ozark). My favorite movie is probably Crazy Rich Asians.

J: I’m not big on rewatching, but I’ve seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club probably a dozen times each. Maybe Arrested Development was about me. Now, before I let you off the hook, we should talk a bit about the obligatory design stuff. Do you have a favourite season to design for?

R: Fall and winter are definitely my favorite seasons to design.

J: Oh, the possibilities are endless for those, aren’t they? If you could collaborate with any of the other GingerBread Ladies – past or present – who would it be?

R: I have collaborated with Connie Prince a few times. I would love to collaborate with Aprilisa Designs…I love her kits!

J: Well let’s put it out there and maybe it’ll come to be!! Thanks again for torturing yourself with me. I hope you have a GREAT Spotlight month! For the rest of you who have hung on to the bitter end, Rebecca is cohosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge for June with Aimee Harrison, in addition to her regular monthly Memory Mix Up Challenge. And she’s gifting us with a special Daily Download kit. Make sure you check out her June Buffet collection Beach Vibes; it looks like a mini-vacation! Oh, and she’s having a sale…

 

Stay tuned for a couple of new tutorials coming later in the month!

Designer Spotlight (June 2025)

Aimee Harrison

This month we again have TWO Designers in the Spotlight. Many of you already know Aimee, or have used her amazing designs, and she’s been in the Spotlight before, so our little chat took a bit of a meandering path. How so? You’ll see!

J: Aimee! It’s good to chat with you again. I apologize in advance if you hear my son cacking in the background. Things are still not back to normal here and he’s spending all his time with Mom. I’ve got a movie on for him and he’s nothing if not easily amused. Last time we visited, we talked about all the meat-and-potatoes stuff related to your designing, so this time, let’s do something a bit more informal. You okay with that? Oh wait… there are a couple of design-related things I wanted to ask about… Do you have a favourite theme or occasion that you always turn to when you’re designing?

A: I love to design flower types, I never run out.

J: Your flowers are always so gorgeous! You’ve clearly had lots of practice creating them. Do you have a favourite season or holiday that you MUST design for?

A: Spring because I love the colors and new growth.

J: I love all the seasons for different reasons, but spring is special, isn’t it? There’s so many ways you can portray spring and spring-like subjects, and still have it be relevant and coherent. You mentioned flowers and colour… do you have any design routines or rituals you follow when you start designing a new collection?

A: I am very methodical in my designing. I design the packs first in a certain order, then I design the kit and each portion is designed in order as well. Makes sure I have a well rounded kit and collection.

J: It makes sense to have a formula of sorts, to make sure you don’t forget an important aspect of the collection. Do you think you have a signature element or technique that makes people know instantly that YOU designed something?

A: I think it’s my titles both in the kit and as a standalone pack. Also probably my Alphas.

J: I know your titles are a great feature, especially for the new-to-digi Scrapper who might not be ready to design their own. And I LOVE a nice, matching Alpha!! The literal alpha, although there are some very fine Alpha men out there. 😉 Especially in those superhero movies I’ve been watching with Adam. If you could live in any fictional universe, which one would you choose?

A: Harry Potter, I would love how convenient magic is.

J: As long as you could control it completely, it sure would be convenient. Do you have a TV or movie guilty pleasure?

A: I do. It’s Outlander.

J: Mmmmhmmmm. Speaking of Alpha males! Although Brianna holds her own. Strong genes. She and Clare have had to adapt to such huge shifts in technology but they make it look easy. If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would you want it to be?

A: How to paint. I would love to be able to do watercolors especially.

J: Watercolour painting is fascinating. The way the colour moves with the water on the paper, and how it can be turned into something beautiful with just a few strokes… I could watch watercolour videos all day! Oh, and alcohol inks, They’re really interesting too. Lately I’ve been watching some how-to videos on my tablet while I get myself into the bedtime zone. I find I can turn off all the intrusive thoughts by concentrating on the processes. How do you unwind?

A: I like to read.

J: That would be my idea of a perfect day, to stay in bed and read.

A: I would live in pajamas if I could. For sure!

J: One thing I can’t do near bedtime though is listen to music. I find myself singing the lyrics in my head, over and over and sleep goes out the window. The other night I sang the entire eight minutes and forty-two seconds of American Pie. In my head. I think that would be my go-to if I ever did another karaoke night. Do you have one of those?

A: Jolene, by Dolly Parton, I believe. I don’t sing karaoke very often because I’m terrible lol.

J: I didn’t say I was good, just that I know all the lyrics. 😀 Karaoke is Adam’s favourite part of his day program. He makes up for his lack of talent with great enthusiasm. Speaking of Adam, I think his movie is over. I should check on him, I suppose. But before we end this little conversation, I want to remind our readers that Aimee will be hosting one arm of the June Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular, long-running Color Challenge. And she’s also giving us a stunning Daily Download! Don’t forget to check out her June Buffet collection Jardinière.

Aimee has a coupon!

 

Check back on the 4th for Part Two of this month’s Designer Spotlight, Twin Mom Scraps!

 

Designer Spotlight: April 2025/2

Jumpstart Designs

Okay, so I’m going to warn you right from the jump… Sheri and I have known each other a LONG time, so this post is going to be … chatty. Maybe grab a beverage and a snack!

O: Sheri, remind me again, how long have you been designing?

J: Almost fourteen years!

O: I think I started collecting your designs very near the beginning. I have some kits and templates that go back to 2012! What motivates and inspires you when you sit down to create?

J: Color (sic), 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.

O: Pinterest can be such a rabbit hole! I have to limit my browsing time, otherwise nothing gets done. Time for the favourite child question. Do you have a current favourite kit in your store? <hyperlinked to Sheri‘s store!>

J: 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.

O: I LOVE that one!! I have the whole collection. I really like the way you use colour, and how your illustrations always fit the theme so perfectly. I also love fall, once I’ve got my garden put to bed and the days are still warm. It’s like life just slows down a bit. Since I’ve just given you a compliment, what’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about you?

J: 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!

O: Same, sister, same! What one word would your family and friends use to describe you?

J: Probably smart ass. LOL. Oops, that’s two words!

O: Well, I think it’s one word. Smartass, dumbass… right? I’d be called the same. Have been called the same. And other less savoury terms. Warning label?

J: WARNING: Subject prone to sarcasm!

O: This must be why we’re friends! Super power?

J: Being able to make time stand still.

O: Ooh, that’s a good one! But it could be dangerous in the wrong hands. You’d have to be careful when choosing when to stop the clock. Would it just be YOUR time that stops, or everybody’s? Yep, overthinking it again… Have you ever thought about time travel?

J: I’d go 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.

O: Well said! Pair time travel with being able to stop time and we could have a much better world. With the way things are right now, it’s sure not Shangri La. Seems like the people with big money are running the world and that’s a bad thing… What would you do if you had lots of cash, like a lottery win?

J: 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.

O: Mom and Nana Jan loves the idea of a family compound where all the people I love would be in one place. Labour organizer Jan would totally approve of your second goal. It’s something I tried really hard to get through to the young nurses I worked with who complained about having to contribute to the pension plans we had, and who didn’t want to put away a little money now in a retirement savings plan that our employer would match, to have a nest egg for later. If they could see my retirement investments now, after I’ve already been retired nearly 6 years, they’d maybe understand. It’s always a good plan to save for the day when you don’t have employment income. Now, let me slink down off my soapbox. Time for a fun topic: sing or dance in the shower?

J: 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

O: I do both! I have a waterproof Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom, Sirius XM on my phone and a gigantic shower stall. I mostly go with 60s and 70s hits and belt ’em out at the top of my lungs. Don’t care if the neighbours hear me either! When The Drifters start into On the Boardwalk, I can’t stay still. I love country music too; maybe I’ve heard something your parents have done. Since you’re from a musical family, can I assume you play an instrument?

J: 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.

O: My husband fancies himself a drummer, and even has drumsticks. But no drums… he just bangs on tables, books, couch cushions and sometimes (gently, with just his hands) on our son’s belly. What’s your dream car?

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

O: We downsized to one vehicle this time last year. We need an SUV or station wagon (I don’t think they make them any more) because of our son’s wheelchair so I put a lot of research into what we chose. We traded in my nine-year-old Escape and hubby’s six-year-old Fusion for a 2024 Kia Seltos and it’s great! We didn’t have to come up with a ton of cash either; the trades were quite generous. Even with the chair in the cargo area, I can haul a LOT of groceries! If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would you go for?

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

O: Mmmm, tacos!! I love a good fish taco myself. I’m not sure what I’d choose if I had to though. Gotta watch that good old Hemoglobin A1C… getting old really isn’t ideal. Other than necessities, what’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?

J: Hugs from my grandkids!

O: Yep, that’s it right there! Speaking of, I think I hear them now. Go get you some hugs, Grandma! Thanks for the chat!!

Now, before I forget, Jumpstart Designs is providing one of the Daily Download kits here on the Blog. She’s also one of the hosts of the Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular monthly Jumpstart Your Layouts Challenge – where you get a free minikit every month Are you playing along with that one? You should!! Don’t miss out on the COUPON either!!

 

 

 

Designer Spotlight: April 2025/1

Adrienne Skelton

One of the changes made for 2025 here at GingerScraps was to have TWO Designers in the Spotlight each month – as long as two Designers signed up. 😉 This is the first month where we have two who agreed to let me tell you their secrets. 😀 Since Adrienne got to me first, she’s got the Spotlight first.

J: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Adrienne! You’re a relative newcomer to GingerScraps and we really want to know you better. How long have you been designing?

A: I started to design back in the early 2000’s . In 2010 I had to take a health break due to illness. I have been back since 2021 and loving every minute of being back!

J: Ooh, that’s a long time. I hope your health has improved and stays that way! So, way back when what led you to begin designing?

A: I used to do paper scrapbooking, but at the time I had young kids and being able to afford buying scrapbook kits was expensive, so I decided to put my art skills to use and design something digital using Paint Shop Pro and from that point on I was hooked!

J: Somehow I knew you started as a paper scrapper. I think most of us did. I also think most of us would agree that only having to buy papers or set of embellishments once and being able to reuse them a million times, with zero spilled glue, is a huge advantage. You mentioned Paint Shop Pro… are you still using it to design?

A: No, now I use Photoshop and Procreate on my iPad, sometimes I will hand craft items and scan and use them.

J: I’ve seen some of your doodles and I love them! Do you have a favourite kid — I mean KIT in your shop?

A: 😀 That is a very hard question! If I had to pick one it would be She’s a Wildflower. I just love how this kit came together. I designed all my drawings and doodles using Procreate ( I love to draw even if its digitally) and put it all together with Photoshop. I think because this kit reminds me of nature so much! Being out among the wildflowers.

J: Those are the doodles I was just talking about! I think I’d print them on watercolour paper and use them for greeting cards. I like the colour palette you chose; it really fits the theme. Dear readers, if you’d like to get a look at the collection just click on the name above – it’s hyperlinked! Do you have any other talents you’d care to tell us about?

A: I am self taught pianist although I am not very good, I still enjoy plunking on the keys every now and then.

J: I took piano lessons back in the Stone Age but we didn’t have a piano for me to practice on. Being the Type A, ADHD-adjacent person I am, that just couldn’t continue! So I let it go. How would those close to you describe your personality?

A: LOYAL , very faithful and sincere, to a fault. I can sense others emotions and am very supportive.

J: You’re an empath! That can be really hard to live with, the psychic cacophony that can’t be turned off. What sort of distraction works for you, other than designing? Do you have an special vacation spot that lets you relax?

A: My perfect vacation would be laying on the beach somewhere listening to the ocean waves, feeling the cool breeze on my face, Or that could also be somewhere / anywhere in nature where I can be at peace with my thoughts.

J: Got it. I’m not really a beach person, but I do like to be alone somewhere I find mentally restful when I’m stressed. My garden fills that pretty well. What would you do with your prize if you won the lottery?

A: First I would make sure my family was taken care of. Secondly I would buy a house where I had a lot of land, a lake and plenty of nature.

J: So, pretty much what we did… although we didn’t win the lottery, hubby received an inheritance. We don’t HAVE a lot of land, we actually don’t own the lot our house is built on, we lease it. But we have a view lot with a pond AND a lake! Lots of wildlife too, although I’m not a fan of our dog’s bestie – a coyote. She doesn’t seem to know that big puppy isn’t a puppy at all! Good thing it can’t jump our fence. The angle is just too steep. If you had a warning label, what would it say?

A: Be careful and stay away when she is angry!

J: My daughters would slap that label on me for sure. It takes a lot to get me to blow, so when I do, it’s epic! And I rarely give any sign I’m heading for a flashover; it’s my super power. Would you like to have one?

A: I’d love to be able to see the future!

J: I think that would be awful! Imagine if we KNEW about what’s happening in the world right now this time last year, but were unable to stop it. That would be so bad. Anyway, I hope what’s in your future is a greatly successful Spotlight month. Dear readers, Adrienne is providing one of the Daily Download kits this month here on the Blog, as well as co-hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge in the Forum. That’s on top of her regular monthly All About Me Challenge too! She has a coupon for us!

I’ll be back soon with our second Designer Spotlight, Jumpstart Designs.

 

 

 

February 2025 Designer Spotlight

Cindy Ritter

Welcome to Part One of this month’s Designer Spotlight! [Excuse my pyjamas, I had a lousy sleep last night and haven’t yet ruled out a nap…] Cindy Ritter and I recently had a nice chat over slushy margaritas where she shared some insights into her creative process and maybe one or two personal details, too. Let’s get into it!

J: Cindy! Nice to chat with you again!! It’s been a minute. I’ve noticed lately that you’ve brought us some absolutely fabulous new collections. Tell me, where does your inspiration come from?

C: Usually music, I am very in tune with music emotionally and that often fuels my creative process. My recent “Reflections” collection is a great example. Inspired by the song My Distorted Reflection which is a song about self-acceptance. I’m also really inspired by colors, emotions and occasionally by random cool words.

J: Music has the ability to cut through all the distractions in life, doesn’t it? I hadn’t heard that song until you mentioned it. Tracked it down on YouTube and WOW! You really nailed it with this collection. [Insert enthusiastic applause here.] I feel like this collection is a bit different from many of your previous kits. Has your style evolved?

C: My style has gotten quite a bit more artsy. If I had to describe it in three words, they would be artsy, grungy and emotional. Since learning to use AI I find I am doing a lot more unique papers and elements and using less purchased CU. I’m also creating more hand-painted and hand drawn art than I used to. I prefer to create something unique that isn’t available anywhere else.

J: You’re certainly doing that! It must be so satisfying. Now, there’s no mystery as to your design “brand”. But IS there a story there?

C: There is no secret in the name, but there is a zebra hidden in my logo. A zebra is the mascot for people with rare diseases and health issues. I have several. In spite of them I have a very good life full of joy and people who love me.

J: AH! I wondered what the zebra meant. Over the 24 years of my pediatric nursing career, I cared for quite a few kids with rare conditions, and my son is a zebra too. Maybe you should create a “resilience” kit. That’s something ALL of the zebra folks have in spades. Your designs are already inspiring, but is there something specific that excites you  about how others use your work?

C: I love how creative they are! It’s also really cool to see my creations used in ways I wouldn’t have thought of, often the layouts are so much more beautiful than I even imagined!

J: There’s no limit to the creativity of our GingerScrapping community; the ingenuity of some of them is quite intimidating… but also aspirational! While we’re talking about aspirations, if you could live in any of the fictional universes, which one would you choose?

C: The Forgotten Realms, yep, I’m a D&D nerd!

J: Ha! My husband has always lived in a fantasy world, but I’m never sure which one he’s inhabiting this week. Lately he’s been talking about Tolkien a lot, so I guess he’s a Hobbit… What’s a movie you can watch over and over and never tire of?

C: Burlesque, I love the soundtrack!

J: And we’re back to music… What’s your theme song?

C: Beauty in the Struggle by Bryan Martin.

J: I haven’t heard that one, but I relate to the title. What’s your favourite way of unwinding after a day on the struggle bus?

C: Snuggling up with my cats, a cold beverage and a good book.

J: I’m not a cat person, and my dog Maeve isn’t a cuddler, although she’s good company. My mother has been terrified of cats since she was a small child, and so cats weren’t part of our world growing up. I always saw my mom as incredibly strong and fearless until I brought a kitten in the house and she broke a toe trying to get away from it. That’s also when I knew she didn’t really have eyes in the back of her head…

C: I believed my mom had special “mommy magic” that allowed her to always know what I did wrong. As a result, I was a pretty good kid, lol.

J: I relate to that too! Whenever I asked her how she knew I’d misbehaved, she’d say, “My spies are everywhere.” And I had no reason to doubt her! This has been fun! Before our audience departs though, I want to make sure they’re completely filled in…

Cindy is hosting a Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular monthly Word Art Challenge. You can find details in the Forum – just click on the hyperlink (bold, coloured, underlined) text! Don’t forget to check out her Store!!

And of course, Cindy has a special and entirely free Daily Download kit for us for the month. If you’re new to all this, the Daily Download is just what it says… the kit is broken up into smaller chunks and the bits are available for download for a limited time and the links are found here on the Blog.

As I mentioned awhile back, we now have TWO Designer Spotlights per month (most months… more about that in a minute), and this month our second Designer is Dani of JB Studios. I haven’t heard from her yet, so perhaps she doesn’t have time for a chat… which is A-OK! It’s always voluntary. As of now, we only have one Designer scheduled for May and for November. If you’re on a Creative Team for a Designer who ISN’T on the list, maybe nudge them. I’ll make it worth their while. 😉

Designer Spotlight: January 2025

J. Conlon and Sons

Well, look at that! Here’s our first Designer Spotlight of 2025. Allow me to introduce to you Jennifer, the J of J. Conlon and Sons. Jennifer is a relative newcomer to GingerScraps, but she’s not new to the world of digital scrapbooking design. Let’s get to know her! [Editor’s note: to avoid confusion, Jan‘s the “O” in the following conversation.]

O: Jennifer, it’s so nice to meet you! I enjoy your templates for their simplicity but I haven’t really done a deep dive into your kits. How did you find designing?

J: In 2009, after the birth of my first son, I started exploring online for ways to create a baby book using my graphic design skills. I didn’t even know the term “digital scrapbooking” existed at the time; I was simply looking for creative ideas. I was amazed by the array of products and layouts I discovered. As I began designing my own pages, I realized how therapeutic scrapbooking could be, especially as a gratitude practice. While I wouldn’t call myself a prolific scrapper, it’s something I find myself returning to time and again.

O: So we came to the digiworld around the same time. 2010 for me, but as a beginning digiscrapper, I was reallllllllllllllly bad. As time went by and my skills grew, I seemed to just gravitate toward certain designers and found my own style – classic and elegant but with a touch of whimsy. If you could describe your style using just three words, what would you say?

J: I try to mix it up a bit sometimes but I think my overall style is realistic, colorful and fun.

O: I appreciate realistic elements when I’m scrapping. Over the years I’ve developed a workflow that keeps me organized and productive. Do you have a process you follow when you’re designing?

J: This can vary depending on my inspiration, but I tend to start with a general theme, and I’ll put together a color palette inspired by that. I like a lot of color in my kits and on my layouts so I usually have at least 15-20 colors. Then I seek out or design some paper patterns. This is where the kit name can begin to form for me as the details start to fall into place. Once the main patterned paper pack is complete, I look for flowers, leaves, ribbons, etc. that fit with the theme. For example, in my 365 Little Things kit (the January Daily Download) I knew I wanted lots of brightly colored fabric flowers. Real flowers wouldn’t have felt as light-hearted as I wanted the kit to feel.

I wrote out a long list of word art and icon ideas that I knew would be the focus of the 365 Little Things collection. I created the simple icon illustrations in Adobe Illustrator—which were so fun to make! —and the word art for all the “stickers” in the kit. My scrapping style leans toward realistic so I will make a lot of my illustrations and word art into stickers, so they feel like a physical product.

The rest of the collection (extra papers, painted edges, pocket cards, etc.) will then be based off the kit. It’s so satisfying to watch it all come together!

O: It really is, isn’t it? I created a memory book for my sister using photos she took while on her first real vacation in about 20 years and gave it to her for Christmas. It was definitely a labour of love, but also deeply satisfying. I ended up with 31 pages! I tend to do most of my “work” in the evenings while watching TV. What does a typical day look like for you?

J: I am 100% a morning person. I not only just like to wake up early but I’m also at my most focused then. I get up around 5-5:30, make my coffee, and sit at my desk for work. In the afternoon, I’m taking care of house and family stuff. I will occasionally sit back at my desk after dinner to get something finished up but more often I’m reading or playing a game on my phone. And then it’s early-to-bed!

O: I HATE getting up early, which is a bad thing when you’re a nurse and you have to be at work and ready to rock-and-roll at 7 am. Now that I’m retired, you’d think I’d get to sleep in every day, but nope… I wish! Lately I’ve been in a real rut and have to force myself to be productive instead of scrolling my phone. Where do you find inspiration when your mojo’s blocked?

J: I like to look at the GingerScraps Gallery to see what people are scrapping. Like what life events or emotions are they documenting. Because that’s really what this is all about for me—pretty patterns and embellishments aside—it’s about the stories we are telling.

O: Oh, yeah! That’s a great source of inspiration. I usually get charged up while I’m prepping the Challenge Spotlight and end up in the Zone for a day or so. Sometimes I do something completely different, like make some greeting cards, play around with my Cricut or do some gardening, and that refreshes my creative juices. If you weren’t a digiscrapping designer, what creative path do you think you’d choose?

J: I went to school for graphic design and worked as both a print and web designer for 20+ years. I also dabble in all kinds of crafts and art techniques. This past year I played around with watercolors and collage. I’m currently working on a hexagon quilt that’s all hand-sewn so it’s taking forever but I can listen to podcasts and stitch away… it’s definitely about the journey and not the destination with that project!

O: I tried quilting. Not for me! My son and I dabble with watercolours – abstracts, since he’s developmentally disabled. It can be a lot of fun. His philosophy of life is that it goes on. What it looks like is up to us. Is there a quote or mantra that guides your designing?

J: “Done is better then perfect.” A former boss of mine said this to me and it has stuck around in my head ever since. At first, I thought she meant to just get things out the door even if they have flaws and I couldn’t get behind that ideology at all. Now I take it to mean that to be done means it is correct but you may still be futzing over the radius of a curved corner or if a button should be light teal or sea green. Little tweaks like that can become a waste of time.

O: Gina Krupsky, of Gina K Designs, has a similar outlook. “It’s better than horrible” is a healthy way to look at our work. Now, I have to ask… how did you choose the name of your brand?

J: My brand name, J. Conlon and Sons, was inspired by small company names I see on local vans and trucks all the time…lol. Like a plumber will have a van with a big logo that says “O’Hare and Sons Plumbing”. I wanted it to both identify me and be a bit generic. Fortunately, I was blessed with two sons!

O: Hey, that works! Do you have any guilty pleasures?

J: I love anything CIA-international-crime-action (Bourne Identity, HomelandJack Ryan) and quirky comedies (Schitt’s Creek, New Girl). I can watch any of these over and over and often have something on while I’m working.

O: One of my daughters is a BAU-type criminologist so I’m always watching true crime shows. Literally always! I LOVED Schitt’s Creek. Canada produces the best comedians, we really do! [We also originated pineapple on pizza, and put gravy on our French fries…] My husband could eat poutine almost every day, although his doctor would not like it… if you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

J: I may get caught on a technicality here, but I’d choose pizza but change-up the toppings. Pizza is my favorite “naughty” food. It would be hard to eat only one thing for the rest of my life but if I could have a salad pizza or a white clam pizza every once in a while that might work!

O: You’d get along well with my son! He’s a pizza fanatic. And now I’m hungry… It was so good to chat with you, Jennifer. I’ll let you get back to work. For our readers, don’t go quite yet! I want to tell you a bit more about Jennifer‘s Spotlight. In addition to providing all of us the Daily Download kit, she’s hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge on top of her usual monthly Template Challenge. AND… drumroll please! She has a coupon for all of us! [And it’s good for TWO months!]

Remember, any time you see a bold, coloured, underlined bit of text – it has to be all three – in any of my Blog posts, it’s a hyperlink! Click on it and it turns into a magic carpet, whisking you directly to the good stuff. Go check it out!

Designer Spotlight: November 2024

Twin Mom Scraps!

It’s my great pleasure to introduce to you Rebecca, aka Twin Mom Scraps. This is her first Spotlight!

One thing quickly became apparent when I was chatting with Rebecca… she doesn’t much like talking about her creative process, so we glossed over that stuff. Check it out…

J: Tell us about your path to designing.

R: I started designing back in 2008 (I think) and continued through 2013. Life got busy with young twin daughters and a booming business, so I took a 10 year retirement. Once my girls graduated high school, I decided to come back in 2023 (although, I never stopped scrapping and have completed albums for every year since they were born!)

J: Wow, I didn’t even start digiscrapping until 2010. Late to the party, as always. What are the colours you love to design with? Do you have one you really don’t like?

R: BLUE is definitely my favorite color. I don’t really have a least favorite, but I guess I am least likely to use the color ORANGE in my designs.

J: So all the “fall” kits are really hard for you, Got it! It’s funny though… I don’t love orange or yellow, but I LOVE scrapping autumn photos. While we’re talking about colour, do you have a green thumb?

R: I have a BROWN thumb. LOL. No matter how hard I try. Things go great for the first few weeks, but then always seem to take a turn…in the wrong direction.

J: I love growing plants, indoors and out. I get lots of compliments for my flowerbeds, and it’s a good feeling. Do I love the workload spring and fall? Not so much. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

R: It is a huge compliment when people say nice things about my kids.

J: I know what you mean! I like hearing nice things about my kids too, although I can’t really take credit for their greatness. None of them went the career direction I expected them to, but ended up being wonderful humans. What did you want to be when you grew up?

R: I think I wanted to be a veterinarian.

J: My oldest wanted to be a doctor, and she is… a PhD-type doctor in a related field. Second wanted to do something with athletes, and instead is a criminal behaviours analyst. Youngest was determined to be an engineer until his brain injury. Now he’s just the light of everyone’s life. We all end up where we’re supposed to, I think. If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead? Why?

R: Probably BACK in time, to give my mom a proper goodbye ☹

J: This time of year will always be difficult for you; it’s barely been a year since she joined your dad in the next world. I wasn’t there when my dad died, but I’m okay with that. He wouldn’t have wanted me there anyway. May I give you a hug? I’m a hugger. I can’t help it. I should put that on a t-shirt, like a warning to unsuspecting strangers. If you had a warning label, what would it say?

R: Don’t ask me a question, if you don’t want an honest answer. I often don’t have a filter.

J: That’s actually a super-power. People will always know where they stand with you. Kinda like Bette Midler. I admire her for that. Do you have a celebrity crush?

R: Paul Walker

J: Ooh, yeah! I can see why. Another one gone too soon. He was a fine actor… I know there are a lot of adjectives we could use describing him. What one word would your family and friends use to describe you?

R: Perfectionist.

J: Ouch. That’s gotta sting! But would you change that?

R: No, I’d worry less if I could

J: I can relate to that too. Thanks for the meet-and-greet, Rebecca. I’m just going to tell everybody about the business side of all this now. Safe home, ‘k?

As part of her Spotlight, Rebecca is providing this month’s Daily Download. Have you checked it out? Every one of us with kids will find it useful. 😉 She’s also hosting this month’s Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her usual Memory Mix-Up Challenge. She has generously provided a HUGE discount code for her GS store too!

Designer Spotlight October 2024

Cheré Kaye Designs

It’s still October, right? I can’t be the only one finding that time is compressing, am I? Before any more of this month disappears on me, let’s get to know Cheré Kaye!

We had a chance to chat last week. I’ll paraphrase our get-acquainted session for you.

J: Thanks for being willing to let me pick your brain for awhile. I think this is your first Designer Spotlight, so most of our GingerScrappers won’t know you. Why don’t we do the obligatory “why did you decide to start designing” thing and get it out of the way.

C: I was a card maker and paper scrapbooker for a long time. When my daughter came home, I wanted different products that I could not find in my local store, and I discovered digital scrapbooking. THEN, I wanted to make things that fit what I was doing even more specifically, so I started designing so I could have exactly what I wanted. It snowballed from there, and I never looked back.

J: I hear something along those lines a lot. Necessity (or simple desire) is the mother of invention. “Nobody’s doing it: somebody’s gotta do it, and maybe I’m the somebody.” But not everybody will share their creations, so thank you! Now, what tools do you use to create your designs?

C: Everything always ends up in Photoshop eventually, but my favorite program to start in is Procreate on my iPad. It just gives me so much freedom and it feels like ‘real’ art supplies without the mess. I love it.

J: I’m not an Apple person, so I know almost nothing about Procreate. It’s great that you’re able to move your work between platforms. One of the best things I learned was about hex codes, so I could coordinate colours. Do you have any favourite colours, or ones that you really hate?

C: I love jewel tones, like teal and coral and navy. I love the LOOK of yellow, but I have a difficult time with it, because it always ends up looking muddy if I’m not careful.

J: I like jewel tones myself. But yellow always makes me think of isolation gowns and that’s not a pleasant connotation! Had I known I’d spend so much time wearing them, I might have changed my mind about having a nursing career. <winks> What did you want to be when you grew up?

C:  I wanted to be a musician and an artist. I’ve had the opportunity to be both, so I know I’m really lucky.

J: Ooh, can you play a musical instrument?

C: I can play several, although I’m probably most proficient at the piano. I can also fiddle around with guitar, trombone, flute, and a few others. I also love to sing.

J: Wow! That’s awesome! My oldest grandson is learning to play the cello. I like to sing, but only for my own consumption. I do sound pretty decent when I sing in the garage – I’m refinishing some furniture to a 60s and 70s soundtrack. I seem to bite off more than I can chew, and wish I didn’t. Is there anything about yourself you’d like to change?

C: People pleasing. I worry so much about what other people think that it drags me down and I seldom do what *I* want to do. I would love to be able to still be kind to everyone else but have my spine firmly in place.

J: Mmm. Saying no can be really hard when that’s not how you’re wired. I know there are more than a few things I’d never do if I had the chance to go back and undo them. If you could time travel, would you go ahead, or back?

C: I’d go back just a few months and meet my granddaughter a little sooner. 🙂

J: <big smile> I hear you! I’d love to spend more time with my own three, but international travel is so expensive and unpredictable. What would you do if money was no object – a lottery win paid off all your bills and you can do anything?

C: Honestly, pretty much the same things I do now, but without the worry about our day to day needs. I’d pay all our bills, get us some reliable things that we need, give to people and organizations we know that need, and bank the rest.

J: There’s that people-pleaser again. So that opens the door for this: Aside from necessities, what’s the one thing you could never live without?

C: Probably my iPad. I use it for everything. My business, watching movies, exploring new ways to be creative, playing games, all sorts of stuff. I love that thing.

J: Technology. Our double-edged sword. It’s made our world so much smaller. I use it for so many things, but one constant is looking up recipes for foods I’d like to try. One of these days I’m going to make some runzas, after seeing Tim Walz talk about how good they are. Is there one food above all others that you could eat everyday?

C: For sure, sushi. I love it.

J: I’m more of a katsu/donburi fan if we’re having Japanese. Now I’m hungry. And I just realized I didn’t take anything out for supper. So I’ll have to run!! Thank you again for chatting with me!

Before I jet, I want to make sure I’ve done Cheré justice with this post. Make sure you check out her Daily Download, AND her Designer Spotlight Challenge. Cheré is generously offering a 40% off coupon for the whole month, with the coupon code Spot40CKD. And don’t forget she also hosts the monthly Word Art Challenge. I know there’s a lot going on right now in the store and the Forum, so I’ve linked stuff up for you. Wherever you see some bold, underlined text, that’s your link. Make sure you give it all a look!

Designer Spotlight August 2024

Magical Scraps Galore!

Well, here we are staring August in the face. I’m not going to lie, I have quite a bit of anxiety when I remember last August, and the wildfire we faced then. Thankfully this year I have the Olympics to distract me. I don’t usually watch much in the way of sports, and the Olympics is no exception, but this year, here I am, glued to my chair watching even sports I don’t like (looking at you, soccer!) and getting loud and proud of our athletes. That’s why this Blog post is a bit behind my original plan. But not TOO late! Let’s meet Marina, the designer known as Magical Scraps Galore. [editor’s note: Any coloured text in bold and underlined is hyperlinked for your viewing pleasure.] Our conversation took place before the Games started so I’m working from memory. 😉

J: Marina, thanks for giving me the opportunity to shine the Spotlight on you and your work. Why don’t we get the mundane stuff out of the way first, then we can get to know YOU. When did you get bitten by the design bug?

M: I’ve been designing for 13 years now!

J: That’s a good long time. I guess it explains the depth and breadth of your GingerScraps shop! What was the catalyst for you?

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: I joined the GS family at the end of April, 2013, so we’re cohorts in a way. This truly IS the friendliest scrapping community on the Web. I work on a laptop seated in a comfy armchair in my living room. What does your workspace look like?

M: I design in my studio at home, with my three 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 but I just love them! I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, and ArtRage.

J: What kinds of things motivate you when you sit down to create?

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

J: Same! Many of my layouts are trip-related or have either my kids or grandkids in them. I’m busy creating a memoir for my sister, who travelled to the East Coast last year, for Christmas and love to scrap travel photos. What would your perfect vacation look like?

M: My perfect vacation is a road trip with my family, hiking national parks and visiting small towns along the way.

J: I live in a tourist destination! This year has been quieter than usual, I think because of our wildfire last year. People are scared, rightfully so. Not a fun topic at all, so let’s change it up. Do you have a favourite kit in your shop?

M: What a hard question! It’s hard to pick just one, 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: Everybody says that, but what a fun collection!! I’ve been to Disneyland twice, once when I was about 12, and again in 1988 with my kids. I should dig out all those photos and do something with them. What did you want to be when you grew up?

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

J: And here you are, a travelling rock-star digital scrapbooking designer! What super-power would you wish for?

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

J: Amen sister! That would make life so much simpler. And healthier! One last question. If you had 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: If current events are any indication, you’re in good company! I’m not a cat fancier, but our neighbours have two beauties who sit on their deck and drive my dogs batty. Thanks so much again for chatting with me. I hope your Spotlight brings you all the best kind of attention in the Shop and the Forum.

Marina is not just the Spotlight Designer for August, she’s also providing the Daily Download. Each day a link for the day’s pieces is posted on the Blog, and it stays active for a full 5 days so you don’t have to worry if you miss a day. If you find you’ve missed a bunch of days, the entire kit will be released in the Shop at a later date. In addition to her monthly Surprise Challenge, she’s also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month too… just in time for the Summer GingerScraps Scrap-a-Thon! Check them out, they’re ALWAYS fun!!

Designer Spotlight July 2024

Designs by Lisa Minor

Has all the early July dust settled for you yet? We’ve slid into another heat dome and it’s hellaciously hot here. I know we’re not the only ones facing that right now; I thank heaven we’re not in Tornado Alley or in the path of Hurricane Beryl. Be safe, folks!!

I waited until now to share this convo I had with Lisa Minor because there was SO much going on the last week and I didn’t want it to be lost in the shuffle. Lisa and I have visited before, but we always find a way to keep it fresh. 😉 We started off with the usual ordinary stuff – I asked Lisa to tell me about her design space.

L: My workplace is in my kitchen with a view of our backyard, it’s a huge custom desk my oldest built for me.

J: Ooh, how nice is that? My craft space has a huge custom desk in it that I threw together with pieces from Michaels and a tabletop for Home Depot. I’m still moving things around to make it efficient. I think it’s almost there. I’ve been making a LOT of personalized cards for family members and July is the month with the most occasions. What kinds of things motivate or inspire your creativity?

L: Color, Color, Color! The bolder the better.

J: Yes! Colour is the foundation of art. What colours are your go-tos, and which do you avoid?

L: I love BLUE, it’s flexible and easy to work with as a designer and a scrapbooker. I think my least favorite is yellow. It’s difficult to find a good shade of yellow that goes with everything.

J: Same! But having said that, I made a birthday card for my son-in-law that has a gorgeous blend of Peacock Feathers, Lucky Clover and Twisted Citron Distress inks. Twisted Citron is definitely yellow and I love the way the card turned out. The anniversary card I made for my daughter and other son-in-law also has a bunch of yellow on it, but the main palette is teal. Anyway……….. Tell me about your dream vacation.

L: I would love to go to Ireland! It’s on my bucket list.

J: I think you know that I’ve been there twice, right? Let me know if you need any tips! Don’t kiss the Blarney stone – it’s gross! I really want to get back there one more time before I get too feeble. I’ve narrowed down the area where my mystery ancestor was born and need to see it for myself. It would be so much easier if I had a time machine and could just ask him. If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead?

L: I would go back and spend more time with my Grandma Flo! I miss her and would love to hear more from her about her life.

J: I don’t think I would want to know the future. I think it could ruin the present – but could be useful at the track. Are you a sports fan?

L: I love watching men’s soccer! Those guys are ripped, lol!

J: Not for me, although Canada is playing really well at the Copa América. I’m more of a winter sports person, although I do enjoy baseball. One of my girls played ladies fastball when she was a teenager and was on a AA team until she broke her elbow. Long story… What did you want to be when you were small?

L: I always just wanted to be a Mom – Wish Granted!

J: It’s the hardest job anyone can have, but definitely worth it! Fastball Daughter has always been a bit of a challenge and now she’s an adult, she’s finding out she has allergies, food intolerances and is neurodiverse, so a lot of things finally make sense. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

L: If I could broaden this a little, it would be ANYTHING pasta!

J: How do you feel about gluten-free pasta? 😀 I bet Fastball Daughter would love to be able to eat pasta again. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

L: I would like to be about 6 inches taller.

J: I already tower over my mother and sisters and am nearly as tall as my dad an brother, so that’s a hard pass for me! Now for the sill question most of my guests love to answer. Are you more likely to sing, or dance, in the shower?

L: Sing of course!

J: I love how my voice sounds in my big glass shower. Otherwise not so much. Thanks for chatting today, Lisa! Have a great Designer Spotlight month.

For our readers, don’t go away yet! Lisa has a very colourful Daily Download for us, links here on the Blog. Each segment’s link is active for 5 days, so if you miss a day or two you can still collect all the parts. If you just can’t check the Blog every day or you forget, the entire kit will appear in Lisa‘s shop for purchase at a later date. She is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month in addition to her Pinterest Challenge. (Click the links!) But that’s not all! She has a coupon for y’all, so go take a gander at her shop. (Click the link!)

Now, before it gets too hot, I should water my patio pots!