I’m back with the second part of our Feature Designer post. This one with one-half of Dear Friends Designs, Trina. She finally slowed down enough to “chat” with me.

How did you get started in digital scrapbooking?

Back in early 2007 (yikes, can’t believe that was 10 years ago!) I was pregnant with my second child and making a wedding slideshow for my SIL of her old photos and her hubby to be’s old photos. Was having fun, then started searching for ways to make it fancier and stumbled upon digital scrapbooking! I used to sell Creative Memories, and was only about 4 pages in PAPER scrapbook for my oldest. I was instantly hooked, shortly after sold my paper supplies and never looked back!

What made you decide to design?

It has always intrigued me, I’ve dabbled with different types of designing, and never seemed to be able to leave a template alone and just use it. Got to the point where Colleen & I were both just making our own templates, so we hemmed and hawed and eventually bit the bullet and asked Ginger what she thought – she was so encouraging and excited for us, now its been 2 years! I so wish we started sooner!!

What do you use to create your designs (program, additional tools, etc.)?

I use Adobe Creative Cloud. I have been addicted to Photoshop since high school when I learned to use it for yearbook! I create EVERYTHING in Photoshop, fliers, applications, etc., I mean everything!

Describe your design workplace.

Wherever my laptop happens to be!! When we travel in the car, I make hubby drive so I can design and/or scrap. Sometimes in the chair or on the couch. When my back was bad before surgery I’d be laying on the living room floor! Now most often its on a desk right in my living room.

What is your favorite thing about designing?

That its work, that doesn’t feel like work, and I still get to scrapbook! Getting to know other awesome designers, and working with some pretty amazing CT! Also seeing what others create using our templates is motivation to do more! I love hearing back from our customers about how much they love our templates and how they’re perfect for them and easy to use!!

What is your favorite kit currently in your GS store and why?

Oooh – always tough to choose just one…hmmm….one of my favorites is still our Nifty 50 series! They were so fun to create (and so much work too) but I love all the LOs we get from them. As far as a regular template pack goes – a more recent one would be “My Happy Place” because the name makes me smile, and I love all the banners and different sized photo places!

What was your first job?

Um, good question! Babysitting if that counts, then I worked at a Pet Store, and an Espresso & Eatery, and a cashier at a grocery store, and then in the meat dept of the same grocery store – but I’m not entirely sure on the order of those! heehee!

How many languages do you speak? What are they?

I speak English, and “toddler-ese” (haha, but I’m usually pretty good at deciphering young kid talk!) I know a tiny bit of Spanish, and a tiny bit of sign-language. Wish I could say more!!

What’s your favorite holiday?

All of them! Any time that I can spend time with my family!

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

Not sure we have too many traditions, we’re almost always in different locations for each holiday, so hard to make traditions…

What three things do you think of most each day?

My 4 kids and everything they need for the day.
My never ending to-do list
What my “photo of the day” is!

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Warning: Hates Mornings!

Is there anything you wished would came back into fashion?

Nothing I can think of off the top of my head – not sure I really follow any fashion things anyway – I wouldn’t say I’m trendy like that – I just like to be comfortable! hahaha!

Do you collect anything?

Not really, I have a little collection of rocks from my younger days, oh but I do collect photos! haha! Of my kids and of bugs and wildlife (those are my 3 fave things to photograph!)

If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?

Teleporting, flying & wiggling my nose to get the house to clean itself!

Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

My family? Losing them would be horrible!

How would your friends describe you?

Depends on who you ask! IDK – ask Colleen?!

If you were a fruit or vegetable, which one would you be?

I’d like to think I’m sweet like fruit, but also pretty hardy like a vegetable. Ugh – IDK! Tough choice!

What would you prefer as a second home: Mountain cabin, beach house, or big city condo?

Mountain Cabin – with a lake haha!

What would you do on your dream date?

Funny – we were just talking about this – and I couldn’t come up with one! Depends on the day, week, month, season! I like to dress up and go out “fancy” but also like to take it easy, or rough it and camp, or go hiking, biking or geocaching, so really depends on the time of the year and my mood! haha!

Thanks Trina!!

Make sure to check out Dear Friends Designs GS Store, FB Page, and FB Group!

They have a sale running in their store until the 30th.

And make sure you are grabbing the daily download from this blog to get the special kit they have put together with Neverland Scraps.

Wow. We’re already a week into April. I should have gotten this posted for you last weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying the new month and the new challenges.

This month our featured designers are Neverland Scraps and Dear Friends Designs. Let’s talk to Wendy of Neverland Scraps and find out a few things about her.

How did you get started in digital scrapbooking?

After I had my middle child, I started seeing people sharing their digital layouts on the crafting board. I asked a lot of questions, saved a lot of tutorials and scrapped my first layout using Word. It was frustrating and shortly after I attempted my first layout, I discovered I had Paint Shop Pro on my computer, which made things a lot easier.

What made you decide to design?

I figured if someone else could create kits, why couldn’t I? I mean I did teach myself to scrap, why not teach myself to design using the same concept. I worked through tutorials, creating myself a kit. When I shared it with my fellow moms, they kept encouraging me. About a month later, I was approached to sell my products in a store and thus began my designing journey.

What do you use to create your designs (program, additional tools, etc.)?

Mostly Photoshop CS5. I was using a tablet, but that didn’t make our recent move. I’m still waiting a reimbursement, which until then won’t get replaced. Sometimes I’ll scan items in and extract them, however my printer/scanner also didn’t make the move!

Describe your design workplace.

I have an office, however it’s also the spare bedroom. When family is visiting in town, I try not to use my office to give them space. I have a desk that my father bought for me several years ago. It’s large enough to hold two monitors and my computer tower. I love my set-up. I have a calendar just for digiscrapping/designing with due dates and what not, as well as a single notebook with ideas and other things scribbled inside.

What is your favorite thing about designing?

Seeing people using the product in their own projects. Sometimes how they transform a template amazes me. When I see my kits used, I think of all the love that went in to designing that kit and now it’s shining through on their layout. Definitely the joy comes from the outcome of the product being used!

What is your favorite kit currently in your GS store and why?

You Are My Sunshine—many know a few years ago I took an extended maternity leave. That said child is also our 9-year miracle child. Since he’s been born, I’ve been singing “You Are My Sunshine” to him every time I rock him. Those days are getting fewer and fewer, since he is now 4-years old, and I cherish that song and the kit because it was created in love for the memory of singing that song, and others, to my son while putting him to sleep at night.

What was your first job?

I was a cashier at a store called Ames, which has been out of business for many, many years!

How many languages do you speak? What are they?

One – English

What’s your favorite holiday?

Valentine’s Day – it’s the day my husband and I were married!

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

We don’t really have any holiday traditions. We used to go to his family for Christmas one year and then my family the next year. However, with this current duty-station, we are too far for visits to either of our families.

What three things do you think of most each day?

1. God, how I’m thankful He allowed me another day on this earth.
2. Family, how I’m thankful they are mine to cherish and to love.
3. Home, how I’m grateful for the many opportunities that God has given our family.

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Warning – Shy, please leave to self.

Is there anything you wished would came back into fashion?

No, I’m not in to fashion. I am still wearing the same clothes from when my oldest was a baby!

Do you collect anything?

My children collect Precious Moments, but they say it’s my collection! I did buy, as souvenirs, the “You are Here” Starbucks cups from all the parks at Disney, as well as from our time in DC, since my son was born there. But other than that, we move too much to collect needless treasures.

If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?

Multiplicity – There are times I need to be in two places at once and it’s hard as a mom to decide what has more value over the other. If there were more of me, I could do more things in a day, without feeling like I had let someone/something down.

Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

The Bible –The verses are such an encouragement that if I did not have a copy, I probably become a different person, one that would disappoint my Lord and Savior.

How would your friends describe you?

I’m not quite sure and I don’t know if I would want to know!

If you were a fruit or vegetable, which one would you be?

Grape – because they can be both sour and sweet. While I try to be sweet in all that I do and say, sometimes my words/wisdom comes across as sour note to the listener, especially if we don’t see eye to eye. I’m not mean, but I also will stand my ground.

What would you prefer as a second home: Mountain cabin, beach house, or big city condo?

I already live in the mountains and I’m not too fond of the weather that the mountains bring every day. I don’t care for the beach or sand and my children are quite loud to share a condo with my neighboring walls! With that logic, leaves me the big city—if I could have that, can I please go back to Washington, DC?

What would you do on your dream date?

Go out somewhere with money and time not being an issue and I knew the children were being taken care of so I wouldn’t have to worry about them. I’d be game for whatever anyone wanted to share with me, as long as I didn’t have to worry about time, money or the children!

Thanks Wendy!!

Make sure to check out her GS Store, and her FB Fan Group. Also she has a great coupon for you to use this month:

She has also teamed with Dear Friends Designs for this month’s Daily Download.

Welcome to March. This month our Feature Designer is Maggie from Mags Graphics. She was wonderful about answering my questions so that all of you could get to know her a little better.

How did you get started in digital scrapbooking?

I’ve been scrapbooking in some form or another since I was 15 years old. My very first albums were made with construction paper albums, Elmer’s Glue, and quotes from magazines. When I went to my first Creative Memories party, I bought just about everything, ripped apart my old albums, and re-made them in acid-free, lignon-free, Creative Memories products!

In 2001, I became a stay-at-home-Mom. I started learning Paint Shop Pro to make animated graphics and stumbled upon the now-defunct Digital Scrapbooking Place and realized that I could merge my computer skills with scrapbooking!

What made you decide to design?

Once I realized that I could use Paint Shop Pro to make layouts, I wanted to figure out how to make the kits that I needed for my own layouts. Those early “kits” were, honestly, TERRIBLE, but I kept at it, joining small stores to get better and better. I’ve been designing as my “job” since 2009.

What do you use to create your designs (program, additional tools, etc.)?

I use Paint Shop Pro and CS2 to design. I use MyMemories Suite 8 for my own personal layouts – because it’s fast.

Describe your design workplace.

Why don’t I show you… I have my office in our basement – filled with my favorite NERD TOYS!

What is your favorite thing about designing?

I scrap with the kits I make so I love to be able to know that when my kids look through their albums, that most of the kits in there were created by me.

What is your favorite kit currently in your GS store and why?

I love the “NERD” kits – “Across The Galaxy” is a Star Wars-themed kit, “Wizard World” is a Harry Potter-inspired collection, and “Go! Catch ‘Em All” is a Pokemon Go set!

What was your first job?

Technically, I started babysitting when I was 9 years old. I made most of my spending money babysitting all the way up through high school and college.

How many languages do you speak? What are they?

Just English

What’s your favorite holiday?

Christmas. I could listen to Christmas music and watch Hallmark Christmas movies all year around.

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

I love celebrating Christmas with my family.

What three things do you think of most each day?

My family, my scrap business, and whether I can take nap.

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

WARNING: UNFILTERED!

Is there anything you wished would came back into fashion?

Peg-rolled jeans, and big 80’s hair 😉

Do you collect anything?

Um… Yeah! I’m a HUGE Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fan as well as a fan of Harry Potter, The Walking Dead, Outlander, Orphan Black, etc. I have over 100 Funko Pop characters and was one of Funko’s Fanatics of the week back in November.

IMAGES of my collection:

If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?

Telekinesis and I want to be able to fly.

Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

My cell phone.

How would your friends describe you?

Loyal, quirky, definitely unfiltered!

If you were a fruit or vegetable, which one would you be?

Neither. I’d be dessert!

What would you prefer as a second home: Mountain cabin, beach house, or big city condo?

Mountain House

Thanks Maggie. These answers are just delightful and make me smile reading them.

Make sure to check out her GS Store, her FB page, and her FB group. Also, make sure you are grabbing the daily download from the blog each day. She has a few coordinating packs in the store that go with the daily download.

And – now that you’ve read this far, I have a treat for you. Her store is on sale plus she is sharing a coupon with us.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Maggie as much as I have. Happy Scrapping!