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.