North Meets South Studios

This month we have two designers in the spotlight, but only one was able to join me for a chat. North Meets South Studios is a collaboration between two best friends, Tracy Anderson (Trixie Scraps) – the northern half, and Connie Prince, the southern belle. Connie and I had a wee visit and this is what she shared.

J: Thanks for agreeing to let me pick your brain, Connie. Let’s get the formalities out of the way first. How long have you been designing?

C: I have been designing since 2006!

J: That’s a LONG time!! You must really love it. What made you decide to get into design?

C: There weren’t a lot of digital scrapbook options back then and I wanted specific things for our family albums. I started making things and it just spiraled from there!

J: That’s a familiar story, Connie. Can’t find what you want? Create it yourself! And here you are, crushing it! What tools do you use to create your designs?

C: I use Photoshop, Illustrator, and a program on my iPad called Procreate!

J: Ah, the usual suspects… What is your favorite kit currently in your GS store and why?

C: Currently, I’m getting tons of use out of my Happy Plans collection. I caught the planner bug this year and it’s been fun using it for that purpose, too.

J: When I think of your store, this is pretty much exactly what I see! Now, to get a touch more personal… What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?

C: Loyal.

J: What an essential and valuable trait to have! Next, I already know the answer to this question because I’ve been following you for 10 years, but maybe there are folks who haven’t caught on.
Describe your perfect vacation.

C: Anywhere with sugar white sand & gorgeous blue water is perfect for me!

J: Yep, called it!! I’m not much of a beach person. I’m more into museums and cooler climes. Okay, so this query typically gets the same response from everybody. Are you like me, or like them? Are you more likely to dance or sing in the shower?

C: Dance for sure, I dance all over the place so why not lol!

J: I actually do both, with my own personal country music playlist helping me out. Bluetooth speakers are amazing! On to food: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

C: Salad, I can never get enough of a great salad!

J: I enjoy salad, but living in Canada, in the winter salad greens aren’t easy to find and are expensive. I just signed up for an organic produce delivery service and they’re sending greens in my first order. Can’t wait! Can you play a musical instrument?

C: Yes! I played piano when I was younger and my husband gifted me with a new one last year so I’ve had a wonderful time “relearning”.

J: I took lessons when I was quite young. We didn’t have a piano so I would practice at the school after all the rest of the kids went home. When we moved I lost that opportunity and that was that. I wasn’t destined to be a concert pianist anyway, so it’s all good.
What did you want to be when you were small?

C: Honestly, I just wanted to be a mama! I had the best mom and I wanted to be just like her!

J: I’m pretty sure you met that goal. Thank you so much for helping me let our GingerScrappers get to know you better. Now, before I let you go, I just want to make sure to pass on the rest of the Important Information! Connie and Tracy (in absentia) are hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month in addition to providing the Daily Download for March, right here on the Blog. Each piece of the DD is available for 5 days, but don’t worry if you miss some because the whole kit will be available for purchase in the Shop next month. Connie is also host to the monthly #2023 Challenge, and Tracy hosts the Show Us Your Hobby Challenge. Be sure to check them out!

It’s Miss Fish!

Many of you will already know Juli, aka Miss Fish. Lately she’s moved past mainly template designing and is bringing more of her talent to entire kits. I know I’m happy to see that! She’s also been in the Designer Spotlight before, so we talked about some different things this time to keep it fresh. (Since we both have the same first initial, I’m going by “O” today.)

O: Let’s get the bread and butter out of the way. What motivates and inspires you as a designer?

J: I love designing templates that make me want to stop what I’m doing and scrap a page. I often will plus in my own photos
and some elements to make sure designs will look good for my customers.

O: Segué ahead… What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?

J: Busy! Lol…I work full time, plus I design and we like to have fun with friends and travel. I’m not one to just plop down and relax.
I go all the time!

O: It can be exhausting, right? I enjoy traveling too, so why don’t you describe your perfect vacation.

J: Anywhere in Europe close to a train station so I could go on different adventures every day.

O: So is that what you would do if you won the lottery?

J: YES! I’d quit my day job and travel full time. I’d bring along my laptop so I could design and scrap in my free time.

O: Oddball question, that I can probably guess the answer to: are you more likely to dance or sing in the shower?

J: Sing.

O: Yep, called it! Do you have a green thumb? What do you grow?

J: Yes. Currently growing Brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, peppers, arugula, and some herbs. Plus my cat’s favorite, carnations.

O: I’ve grown broccoli but never Brussels sprouts. Now I don’t have room for much but I have some flower boxes and a small bed in the front yard. Most of my blooms are purple, white or pink. What are your most favorite and least favorite colors?

J: My favorite color is blue. My least favorite color is orange.

O: Oh, I don’t like orange much either, or yellow. Hence they’re not prominent in my garden! {Except the Stella d’Oro lilies the developer planted. They can stay. What would your dream car be?

J: Something red and fast but in an SUV size, maybe a Porsche?

O: That would be amazing! My daughter had a BMW SUV, but didn’t love it so she’s driving a VW Tiguan now. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

J: I would make myself able to actually remember words and why I walked into a room.

O: I can definitely relate! Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

J: My phone. I’m embarrassed to say how attached I am to it.

O: I’m finding myself falling into that habit too, at least until my eyes start protesting. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

J: Caution: probably crabby, feed for best results.

O: Hahahahaha!! Me too! Let me get you a snack, girl!

Before we disappear with our treats, I want to remind everybody that Juli is not just the IN the Designer Spotlight, she’s hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month AND is providing the Daily Download on the Blog too. Each snippet of the Daily Download is available for 5 days; if you miss one or two and are heart-broken, don’t worry. The entire kit will be available for purchase in March. (Egad, did I really just say that?)