Designer Spotlight

Designer Spotlight: November 2024

November 3, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

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!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer, GingerBread Ladies, Product/Designer Spotlight Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

Designer Spotlight October 2024

October 6, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

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!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer, GingerBread Ladies, Inside the Artists Studio Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

Designer Spotlight August 2024

August 3, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

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

July 7, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

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!

Designer Spotlight May 2024

May 2, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

Introducing Adrienne Skelton Designs

Adrienne Skelton is one of GingerScraps‘ newer designers, but that doesn’t mean she’s new to designing, as you’ll see when I let you in on our conversation. I wonder if she’s nervous… it being (inter)National Scrapbook Day on Saturday. What pressure! Let’s get to know her better.

J: Adrienne, thank you for chatting with me today, and congratulations on your very first Designer Spotlight! Let’s get the bread-and-butter stuff out of the way first. 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 love every minute of being back!

J: I’m glad to hear whatever your health issues, you’re not letting them hold you back any more. Distraction can be as good as medicine sometimes. What brought you to designing in the first place?

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: Oh, if I had a buck for every time a designer (or digiscrapper) told me the same story… My kids were already grown when I started paper scrapping, and I went right down the rabbit hole. I have a whole room full of paper, stamps, ink, punches, dies, embossing folders and cutting tools. Then I found digiscrapping – no mess, reusable everything, very cool techniques that elevate my layouts… and derailed my own train. But don’t feel bad for my paper supplies – I’m making greeting cards with all of it. What tools do you use for your work?

A: I use Photoshop and Procreate on my iPad, sometimes I will hand craft items and scan and use them.

J: I almost threw my printer/scanner/copier off the mountain the other day. But we don’t need to talk about that. Here’s one of those impossible questions. Which of your current kits in your GingerScraps shop is your favourite, and why?

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 it’s 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: Beautiful! One of my favourite songs from my teenage years is Wildflower by Skylark. “She’s a free and gentle flower, growing wild.” Same mood! And what a segué to my next nosy question… can you play a musical instrument?

A: I am a 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 for awhile as a child. I sometimes noodle around on my son’s electronic keyboard, but only when I’m alone. <winkwink> So not into self-humiliation. My friends and family call me a Type A. What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?

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

J: Ah. You’re an empath! What would you do 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: That’s sort of what we did with my husband’s inheritance, but without the land. We lease it, and have a beautiful view, surrounded by wildlife, flowers, birds and bugs. I fall asleep at night being serenaded by crickets and bullfrogs, punctuated occasionally by a coyote choir. So, does your desire to be rural influence your perfect vacation?

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: Sounds a lot like my sister’s place! What would your super power be if you had one?

A: I’d LOVE to be able to see the future.

J: Not me! I can dream up the most catastrophic of events without a crystal ball. Nope! If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

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

J: The more angry I am, the quieter I get. My kids were always more afraid of me when I didn’t say anything than they were when I was shouting. On that fine note, I’ll let you get back to your day. Thanks again!

Now, the rest of you, don’t go anywhere! In addition to her Spotlight, remember that Adrienne is providing this month’s Daily Download – the sneak peeks aren’t doing it justice, I swear! I hope you’re picking up each day’s bits; the download links are good for 5 days, so if you’ve missed one, don’t worry!

Adrienne is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular All About Me Challenge. I’ve linked them so you can check them out. And……

Have a great Spotlight Month, Adrienne!

Designer Spotlight: March 2024

March 3, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

Connie Prince

I think everybody already knows Connie. Some of us know her quite well, either as one half of North Meets South Studios (she’s the South half) with Trixie Scraps, or through her Shop at GingerScraps. But a Spotlight is a Spotlight, so she agreed to (another) chat with me. She’s had a hectic year so far, so this was a gracious act on her part… This is how our chat went.

J: Connie, thank you so much for taking a few minutes with me so I can introduce you to all the new folks in the GingerScraps community and to maybe give the rest a bit more of a glimpse into your creativity. I think this is our fourth Spotlight together, so I hope you’re not bored! Let’s talk creativity for a moment and then we can just gab. What are your most favorite and least favorite colors?

C: I love primary, bold colors. Pastels are my least favorite!

J: I think anybody who’s browsed your Shop would know that. <winks> We’ve talked about all the other mundane stuff, like what got you started and how your workflow goes a few times already so let’s talk about fun stuff! Can you play a musical instrument?

C: Yes, piano and it soothes my soul so much!

J: I know I’ve mentioned this before, that I took piano lessons as a middle-schooler. I wish I could have kept it up, but we didn’t have a piano at home and practicing was very challenging. I love music and, like you, I find it very therapeutic. This is a weird question so let me set it up for you. When we moved into our new house back in May 2020, for the first time in my life I had a BIG walk-in shower. I feel like we could have a party in there! I put a waterproof Bluetooth speaker in there and play my Amazon playlists while I’m unwinding. So, are you more likely to dance or sing in the shower? I do both…

C: Definitely dance!

J: Yeah, a good, non-slip base is really dance friendly. But boy am I glad no one can see me doing it! Good thing my family know I’m… um… quirky. What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?

C: Loyal.

J: Well, that’s a lot better than weird! And it’s an amazing quality to have. I wonder if I can guess your answer to this one. What would you do if you won the lottery?

C: Travel, travel, & travel some more!

J: Yep, nailed it! I “travel” vicariously with you through your Facebook fan group. Except when you cruise. I just can’t… the ICU nurse in me won’t. So, let’s shift to what your dream vacation looks like.

C: Anywhere tropical works for me!

J: I’ve done a few semi-tropical vacays – Florida, Louisiana, California – but the only truly tropical locale I’ve visited is Jamaica. I’ve never been a lie-on-the-beach-baking-in-the-sun kinda gal, but I’d absolutely go back to Ireland any time. England, Scotland and France too. Excuse me a second, I’ve got spaghetti sauce needs stirring. Ah. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

C: Steak and salad!

J: Hmm, not very tropical! <winks> So, tell me. Aside from the necessities like food, water, sleep and exercise, what one thing could you not live without?

C: My phone!

J: I know, right?! My husband doesn’t understand how I can use my phone as much as I do; maybe it’s because he needs his text super-huge so he can read it, he doesn’t really know where his phone puts things or how to get to them, and his fingers just don’t behave accurately enough for a phone keyboard. I don’t know. (I’ve had to teach him how to send text messages, and how to attach photos to them, as well as how to use most of the apps he has.) But I use mine for everything! It’s one of my super powers. If you could have a literal super power, what would you like it to be?

C: Manipulate time, I’d definitely make use of that one!

J: YEAH! Extend your tropical vacays!! Push back deadlines. Get out of things you’d rather not do just by skipping over that day. I could use that. Is there any one thing about yourself you’d change if you could?

C: I would love to master the art of being patient. I’m working on it, but it is for sure a big struggle!

J: I’ve been told I have the patience of a saint. I don’t know about that; there are some things that drive me absolutely crazy and my fuse is short when I have to do them. Anyhoo, I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll take care of the rest of the Important Spotlight Information. Thanks again for giving our community a little insider 411 on Connie!

As with all of our Spotlight Designers, Connie is the provider of the Daily Download for this month – links are found here on the Blog each day and are good for 5 days – and the host of the Designer Spotlight Challenge in the Forum. She also is the regular host of the #2024 Challenge that is in essence, a minikit challenge. This is what the March kit looks like. And did I mention it’s FREE?

So cute!!! The other Important Info is that Connie has a coupon for y’all… and a GENEROUS one at that!!!!!

Ready? Set? SHOP!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

Designer Spotlight February 2024

February 3, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

ScrapChat Designs

Hey y’all! How’s February treating you so far? This month’s Designer Spotlight is on Jill, aka ScrapChat Designs.

Some of you may remember that Jill was my guest here last April. We bonded over our shared enjoyment of a good bourbon. 😉 This time, she was driving so we had tea instead. 🙂 Since we’ve already covered a lot of the blahblahblah stuff during her last Spotlight, this time we just had fun.

O: Jill, it’s so good to touch base with you again! Let’s get the mechanical stuff out of the way and tell me how long you’ve been designing.

J: I started designing templates in May of 2021. Looking back it was such a random decision. I later entered a design contest. I did not win but it certainly gave me the bug to keep designing.

O: I remember your first template designs. I have some… What do you use when you’re creating?

J: I use both Photoshop and Illustrator to design. My skills in Illustrator are very limited but I enjoy the challenge of trying to learn new things.

O: Yeah… Cricut Design Space… I find myself doing my stuff in Elements then converting it to Cricut-friendly format using a free website. It’s less work! What motivates you when you’re designing?

J: When searching for ideas for kit, I often look at photos of my children and grandchildren. Looking at photos from my daughter and daughters-in-laws’ points of view often shows me what a customer might need such as a kit I did called Toddler Life. I imagined either of my daughter-in-laws scrapbooking their photo rolls. Occasions and accomplishments in the lives of my children and friends helps as well.

O: How sweet is that?! Do you have a favourite child …ummm… kit in the Store?

J: My current favorite is my For Your Service collection. Raised by a former Marine, appreciating the military service of our vets was a huge part of my upbringing. My youngest son is in the Ohio National Guard, my oldest is a Navy vet. I really enjoyed creating the collection.

O: Wow, we have something else in common. I was raised as an Air Force brat, married an Airman and raised my own Army cadet. Have you ever met anyone famous?

J: When i taught paper scrapbooking, I used to attend conventions each summer. I met Stacey Julian and Becky Higgins a couple times there.

O: I barely got my feet wet with paper scrapping before I moved to digi-scrapping, and now all that stuff I collected I’m using for card-making. Those 12×12 sheets of patterned paper make fabulous envelopes! Other than absolute necessities, what one thing could you never live without?

J: My photographs or scrapbooks. Photographs are an instant of time that we can return to by looking at them. The same photograph can be a source of a smile or a tear depending on my mood. I would be lost without photos of the past.

O: I LOVE that! I think most of our GingerScrappers do too. That gives me a nice little segué… If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead? Why?

J: I would go backwards. Born the last year of the baby boomers generation, I tend to be a bit old fashioned. Aging myself, I can say I miss the good old days or at least the people from earlier in my life. I would definitely go back and enjoy the time I had with my family and late daughter more. Appreciate things more rather than stressing as much as I did. Ah they say hindsight is 20/20 don’t they?

O: I’m so fascinated by history, I’d want to go back too. It would be hard not to want to change some things though, and that could really mess up the now. I’m absolutely sure I don’t want to know the future, other than in broad strokes, if you know what I mean. Can you play any musical instruments?

J: Nope! I thought I wanted to learn how to play the trombone when I was sixth grade. The band director was old, set in his ways and in a 6th grader’s opinion, mean. I think I went to band for about 9 weeks. After that I skipped band and went to gym. Seriously who skips a class to go to gym. I am one of THE most nonathletic persons on earth but went to gym to avoid band. I’m not sure how long it lasted but I remember getting grounded for a good long time when my mom found out I was skipping band.

O: OMG. I’m dead!! I took piano lessons for awhile when I was about the same age. But we didn’t own a piano – I had to practice on the piano at the elementary school. No supervision, no encouragement, not ideal. Then I broke my left pinky finger and that was my excuse to quit. My oldest grandson is learning to play the cello; it suits his personality to a tee – he’s very introverted and sober. If you had a warning label, what would it say?

J: “Easily distracted.” It’s best not to ask me an open ended question, something that isn’t just yes or no. You will get three side stories, one restart of the story and the answer to a question I forgot to answer that you asked yesterday.

O: Me too! I’m the queen of tangential storytelling! (To no one’s surprise.) What would you change about yourself if you could?

J: It would go right back to the above question. I would like to be able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

O: Well, that got heavy really quickly. Rapid change of subject: Tell me about your dream vacation!

J: Over Christmas we were blessed to be able to go to Lihue, Kauai in the state of Hawaii. Prior to going to Hawaii, I had never thought I liked the beach. Five days there and I’m hooked on beach vacations although I cannot swim. Long quiet walks on the beach with the sun rising or setting. Beautiful and perfect.

O: That sounds so relaxing! I’m not a beach person, so I’m not sure how my daughter ended up one. She and her husband are in Cabo San Lucas right this minute, doing beach stuff. They’ve been to Hawaii twice. The photos are beautiful, but they don’t make me anxious to go… Anyway, I know you’ve got to get on your way, Jill, so I’ll finish up. Thanks for giving our community another glimpse into your world.

Now, as always, I’m going to tell you all the things about Jill we didn’t talk about. For example, as the Spotlight holder this month, she’s providing the Daily Download all month. Check out the post before this one for a sneak peek. This full-sized kit is free for the taking! Each link is up for 5 days, but if you don’t have time to collect all the pieces, or if you miss some, the kit will be in the Store sometime after Jill‘s Spotlight is over. But wait, there’s more!! She’s also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge on top of the A Year of Blessings Challenge she hosts EVERY month. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also offering this HUGE discount on her entire store!!

I hope you’ll check out her Challenges and her designs. April was her best month last year, and YOU did that! See you Tuesday with a new tutorial I think you’ll love.

Designer Spotlight (January 2024)

January 6, 2024 by Jan Leave a Comment

Heather Z Scraps and Scrapbookcrazy

Better late than never, right? I had good intentions to have this post out to you before now. Heather has been very patient!

Our first Designer Spotlight of 2024 is a pairing of Heather Z Scraps and Scrapbookcrazy Creations. (Robyn has so far declined being put under the microscope.) Read on for a glimpse into Heather‘s and my visit.

J: Heather, thank you for popping by to chat with me. The ladies at GingerScraps will love getting to know you better. Now that Christmas and New Year’s are in the rear view mirror, it’s time to get to work! How long have you been designing?

H: I’ve been digi-scrapping for 10 years (almost 11), and designing for 8.5 years.

J: Ah! You started digiscrapping right around the time I made GS my digi-home, 11 years ago in March. What was the trigger for you to start designing your own creations?

H: I started digi-scrapping as a form of therapy after my sister passed away suddenly in 2012, and then I moved on to designing about a year or so later because I just love to be creative and wanted another outlet for my grief. It helped to keep me busy and to make it through some very sad/dark years!

J: I think you’re in good company here. I’m so sorry to hear you lost a sister so young. You’re a strong person for channeling your grief into creativity. Distraction can be very effective, allowing us to heal. Do you have a special place where you do your designing?

H: I design right from my couch! I have a laptop, so I sit on the couch and design while watching TV and hanging out with my family.

J: Again, you’re in good company! I sit in my comfy IKEA wingback chair with my feet on the coffee table. Do you have a favourite colour? Colours you really can’t use?

H: Favorite color(s) is teal/turquoise, and my least favorite would be brown or gray, probably.

J: Aha! I created a custom colour for you on WordPress! I like teal a lot, so much that it’s the main colour in my bathroom. What did you want to be when you grew up? [It’s a theme at our house right now.]

H: I wanted to be a veterinarian for a long time as a kid … until I realized you also had to put them to sleep. That’s when I changed my
mind! Then I went to wanting to be a teacher and now I’m finally living that dream … I’m working as an Instructional Assistant in a Multiple Disability Classroom (mainly autism, though). I love my job!

J: Mmm. Yeah, the euthanizing part would be really hard. I LOVE that you work with kids like my son, who is a pediatric stroke survivor. He’s 40 now; he was in kindergarten when it happened and when he went back to school after his stroke, the principal had worked miracles setting up a comprehensive program for him. She took advantage of a new division guideline for physical classroom size and carved out a wheelchair-accessible washroom and therapy space from the renovations. She also saw to it that every entrance was ramped and an elevator was installed so ALL students could get to the library on the second floor. The six years he attended her school saw innovation after flash of genius after brilliant idea and the school became a model for the rest of the division. [Bless you, Cathi Hill!] Are you the sporty type, or more of a spectator?

H: I love watching football, basketball and baseball. I don’t play any sports, but I love to watch my boys play these sports!

J: I’m a true Canadian cliché, I was a varsity curler in high school… you know, with the brushes and the big granite boulders. I prefer baseball to the other “balls”; one daughter played rugby and ultimate, the other ladies’ fastball. Makes for busy days! Describe for me your perfect vacation.

H: Anywhere with my family, really! But I love a trip to the Caribbean, staying at a really nice resort, all-inclusive, with fun excursions! I’m planning something like this for my family and I next year or a cruise. Not sure which yet.

J: Daughter #2 was married (the first time) in Jamaica. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. I’m not interested in cruising – my big boating adventure was a glass-bottom boat tour of Negril. What would you do if you won the lottery?

H: First, I would buy a house. Nothing fancy, but big enough for the four of us and my parents. Then I’d make sure both kids had college paid for in advance, and last I’d take us all on a fun family vacation! [See above!]

J: We’ve been in our dream house for almost 4 years now. Our 2024 tax assessment was a shock… $1,048,000. GASP!! We paid about half that when we bought it! So I suppose you could say we did win the lottery. If time travel was a thing, would you want to? Would you go backward or forward?

H: I’d probably go back in time. Although I’d love to go in to the future as well. I’d love to go back to the 50s/60s and early 1900s to see what life was like and perhaps change the future for the better.

J: I was a kid during the 60s. Life was so much simpler then. If I could go back to the early 1900s I’d want to spend some time with my Swedish great-grandmother. I have a million questions for her. I feel like I should come with a label: Will drive you crazy with her chatter! What would yours say?

H: WARNING!!! SAYS WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS THINKING!!!

J: Hey, somebody’s gotta do it! On that fine note, I want to thank you again for the visit. I hope your Spotlight month is very good to you.

Now, before I let Heather completely off the hook, I want to take a moment to remind y’all that she and Robyn are providing the January Daily Download, found here on the Blog. Every day a link to a new chunk of the (FREE) kit is posted and the link is valid for 5 full days. If you miss enough of the links you can still grab the kit from the Shop a few weeks after the new month starts.

As well, both ladies have coupons to their Shops!

Robyn‘s is here:

Heather’s:

Make sure you check them out! But that’s not even all… they’re both hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month. That’s on TOP of Robyn‘s monthly Template Challenge and Heather‘s Signature Challenge. They’re so busy!! I hope you’ll make them even busier… you know what I mean. 🙂

Designer Spotlight: December 2023

December 3, 2023 by Jan Leave a Comment

Scrapping Serenity!

Typing the word December is painful! But here we are… This month our Spotlight falls on Christie Dawn, also known as Scrapping Serenity. We had a lovely little chat and I’d like to share some of the fun with all of you so you too can get to know her better. Be sure to read all the way to the end, because Christie has some fabulous treats for us!

J: Christie, thanks for spending some time with me. I know my readers are interested in getting better acquainted with the GingerScraps Designers. How long have you been at it?

C: I’ve been designing for like 14 years! I needed a hobby after my youngest was born, and just started designing after scrapping for a while!

J: That’s a long time! Do you have a dedicated workspace?

C: Currently working on a laptop in Photoshop Elements 2022, on a lap-desk in my living room! Our 2 year German Shepherd puppy is super hyper and needs eyes on her at all times! 🙂

J: Ooh I remember the puppy stage really well. They get into mischief almost worse than toddlers! Do you have colours you prefer to work with, or colours you avoid when you design?

C: I DO! My favourites are purple and teal. I don’t love yellow and orange.

J: We’re kindred spirits there! I love blues, pinks, purples, teal and some greens but tend to avoid yellow and orange except in the fall. Do you have a green thumb?

C: I grew some veggies – tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers – this summer from seeds!! First time hadn’t killed something!

J: That’s awesome! I don’t have space to grow veggies. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve got a roast in the oven. I felt like I should put some effort into supper tonight. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

C: Pasta! Any way you can cook it!

J: I do love pasta. Even just plain macaroni and butter. Maybe I never grew out of the toddler age. Might be my super-power. If you could have one, which one would you want?

C: Mind-reading, having teenagers is hard! Mind-reading could really help!

J: Oh noooo! I don’t think I would ever want to know what my kids were thinking when they were teens! My younger daughter was pretty clear about what she thought of her parents. I’m still trying to process that. She’s 42. Aside from necessities, what’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?

C: Is a phone a necessity? Cause I definitely need that to play my Monopoly Go! 🙂

J: I can relate! I play Words with Friends, Design House and Wordle on mine every day. When I booked my son’s dental cleaning I asked the receptionist what we did before smart-phones. Did we really have to remember all the stuff we keep in our phones? But seriously, I need to win the lottery so I can pay his dental bills. What would you do if you won?

C: Pay off the house, the cars, the camper. Put plenty of money aside for my kids colleges and future houses. Buy a vacation house on the ocean… any ocean.

J: Being debt-free is fabulous. Fun question for a second… If you came with a warning label what would it say?

C: Caution – Brutally Honest – Don’t ask questions if you don’t really want to know the answer.

J: That’s actually a super-power. No pussy-footing around. I see it’s getting late. One last question for you: If time travel was a thing, would you want to? And which way would you go, to the future or the past?

C: I’d love to go back in time and tell my Grandma everything she’s missed and how much we miss her!

J: Oh, yes! I’d love to spend some time with my great-great-grandmother so I could ask her why she wasn’t able to settle in Canada. She tried. Three times. But every time, she went back to England. Anyway, thanks so much for the time and the chatter! I enjoyed it.

Before we close this down, I want to make sure all my dedicated readers know the business side of being in the Spotlight. Christie is providing this month’s Daily Download, found right here on the Blog. Here’s a sneak peek:

Isn’t that just so cute??! She’s also hosting the December Designer Spotlight Challenge, in addition to her usual Font Challenge. Be sure to check them out. But that’s not all!! She also has not one but TWO very generous coupons!

She’s practically giving her work away! Make sure you take a look at her store.

I can’t believe this year is almost over! Where does the time go?? I feel like I’ve accomplished NOTHING this year, but when I look at it objectively, I actually got a LOT done, just nothing to write home about. I bet you know exactly what I mean. But onward and upward. 2023 isn’t over yet!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

Designer Spotlight: August 2023

August 3, 2023 by Jan

Cindy Ritter Designs!

Remember my comment about updates in Tuesday’s Tutorial, that they mess things up? Well… it happened again. I couldn’t find my notes for this post. <fuming> All is not lost though. I’ve been able to recreate them. Now, let’s get to know Cindy Ritter a bit better!

Cindy and I chatted at length last week over margaritas on the patio. We got the housekeeping stuff out of the way early, so we could really dish later.

J: What do you use to create your designs?

C: I primarily use Photoshop but am trying to learn to use Illustrator and a tablet. I also use various types of paints, pens, papers and my scanner to create unique products.

J: It can be really challenging to learn new software. I’m trying to wrap my head around Cricut Design Space right now and really wishing there was a common lingo for these applications. I mean, what the heck does “weld” mean, and why didn’t they go with “merge”? I think I’ll need a glossary… Okay, now that we know HOW you work, let’s talk about WHY. What motivates and inspires you as a designer?

C: Most often I am inspired by music, my emotions and color. I absolutely have to have music when I’m working.

J: Oh, me too! I’m often inspired by song lyrics I find especially resonant. Tell me about your favourite kit in the GingerScraps store. Let me guess… it came to you in a song. 😉

C: My favorite is the Beautiful Struggle collection. It WAS inspired by the song “Beauty in the Struggle” by Brian Martin. Like many women, my life has been a series of struggles and challenges, so for me it was very personal. I collaborated with Aimee Harrison and Cheré Kaye and really enjoyed working with both of them.

J: It’s amazing! I LOVE IT!! (I linked it for our readers – just click on the title above and you’ll go right to the collection.) Honestly, who among us hasn’t struggled at one time or another? I think I might be able to guess your answer for this next nosy question: What are your most favorite and least favorite colors?

C: My favorite colors are greens, yellows and orange, I really don’t like pinks and purples.

J: Ladies, take a look at the collection… See any pink or purple? Me neither! Cindy, since you love green, do you have a green thumb? What do you grow?

C: I have a fairly green thumb and do pretty well with green and blooming plants but I don’t have much luck growing anything edible. I live in an apartment so I do container gardening and love growing anything blooming that can survive the heat of Mississippi summers. My current favorites in my garden are Hibiscus, Rock Trumpet, and Bromeliads.

J: In Mississippi you get heat AND humidity. Here, we get the heat but it’s tinder-dry, which is why there’s so much smoke in the air all the time. <sigh> Our HOA has very strict rules about planting anything that isn’t drought-tolerant and every house has drip irrigation to minimize water use. Water is one of the necessities of life for everything. Aside from necessities, what is one thing could you not go a day without?

C: My cats! All 3 are rescues who weren’t old enough to be away from the mama cat when I got them. Bowie and Ziggy have both been with us for over a year now. Our most recent rescue, Phoenix, was only 4-5 weeks old and under a pound when we got him recently. He was brought to us on July 18th by a neighbor who found him injured in her driveway. Apparently she knows I’m a crazy cat lady. Lol

J: I’m not a cat person, but I get the desire to take care of living things who can’t take care of themselves. That’s why I was a nurse for 25 years. 😉 Perfect segué… What did you want to be when you were small?

C: As a child I dreamed of being an artist. I spent most of my working years as a floral designer and also worked as a graphic designer. After I retired I taught myself scrapbook design. My childhood dream is my reality.

J: That’s fantastic! Who says dreams don’t come true? As a fellow retired person, I have so many things that fill my days. Are you a sports fan, or a gamer?

C: I love to play Cribbage. My grandmother taught me to play when I was young and now that she’s gone it brings back pleasant memories of time spent with her. I’ve taught my grandson to play and I hope that years from now playing cribbage will hold pleasant memories for him.

J: Ooh, yes!! I learned to play Cribbage when I was about 10, but I don’t play it well. My late father-in-law skunked me almost every time. When we had a family retreat for my parents’ 60th anniversary, we taught our son-in-law to play. He’s brilliant and caught on right away, now he loves it too! We also got him interested in curling. Such a Canadian thing. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

C: I’m torn between teleportation and time manipulation. Having ADHD, I get distracted very easily and am usually running behind schedule. Both of those would be helpful in getting things done and getting where I need to be on time.

J: I grew up in a military household, so if you’re only 10 minutes early for something, you’re already late. Teleportation would really be a boon for that! I’m also a serious procrastinator, which means I spend a lot of time in conflict with myself. What would you do if you won the lottery?

C: Give each of my kids a house and the money for college. Anything left I would use to help the homeless.

J: Every time I ask that question of designers, I get a variation on those answers. Which leads me to remind everybody that Cindy is providing this month’s Daily Download (and it’s a-freakin’-mazing!) and has already posted a template freebie on the GingerScraps Facebook page. If you’re on FB and haven’t seen it, LOOK FOR IT! You won’t be disappointed! Of course, Cindy is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month, in addition to her usual Real Moments Challenge. But if all of THAT wasn’t enough, she’s also put her entire store on sale at 40% off (with bundles and collabs excluded, naturally). But wait! There’s even MORE… Spend $12 or more and you can get an ADDITIONAL 15% off with the coupon code SD_cindy_8-23. What are you waiting for? Go shopping!!!!!!!!! (If you see me with a cartful, just look the other way, okay?)