Memory Mosaic

Yep, it’s October. And in my world, October is always crazy busy. One of the best parts is [inter]National Digital Scrapbooking Day which now has expanded to fill a week.<claps hands gleefully> That means October is a GREAT time to be in the GingerScraps Designer Spotlight!! As I mentioned on Tuesday, this month we again have two Spotlights, Memory Mosaic and WetFish Designs. I had a visit with Joy, aka Memory Mosaic, first, so her Spotlight will post first. Let’s get after it!

O: Joy, it’s lovely to see you again! Are you ready for a grilling?

J: <chuckles> Sure! Want to start with the business stuff?

O: Yes, let’s! I’ve linked this post to your Store (it’s the underlined, bold text above) so our GingerScrappers can check it out. Tell me a little about your design process.

J: When I started, I would just make whatever came to my mind… and I would start making papers, and then elements… with no real plan. Each kit would take me forever, because I wasn’t really organized, and just doing whatever came to mind. Then I got some help from an experienced designer, who is super organized, and now this is my routine…

Around November, I will make a spreadsheet for the upcoming year. I first come up with any on-going collection themes I want to do for the coming year… I then go through and add extra kits to fill in the month. My goal is to have 1 new release each week. (that doesn’t always happen, but It is on the plan. LOL!) When I get ready to work on a particular kit, I first search for a color palette I like, (if one wasn’t already provided to me) I also might search the internet for inspiration around that theme, if I’m struggling with that. I also make a list of any sayings I might want to use for word art in the kit. I have a general list for each kit, depending on the size, how many patterned papers, how many solid papers etc, and I have an elements list too. I gather up all my supplies, (templates if using) and put them in folders so they are easy to access.

I usually always start with the solid papers that I am going to have in a kit, and then move on to patterns. Once the papers are done, I start on the elements. Sometimes I just start with my general elements that are in every kit, buttons, tape, flowers, etc. But, sometimes I start with the themed elements for the kit, and then move to the basic ones. Once the papers and elements are made, I make a coordinating Alphabet. At that point, I send the whole kit to my daughter who does a Quality Check for me. While she is doing that, I work on getting my previews ready. Once I get the kit back from her, I work on getting it all uploaded, ads made and posted and the kit given to my creative team and often the creative team at GingerScraps.

O: I can so relate to your earlier self! Over the years I’ve developed routines that are a lot like yours, only I don’t have anyone to do QC for me. Lately I’ve had some logistical issues that really threw me off. What do you find to be the most challenging part of designing?

J: Well, life can get busy and crazy. It is sometimes hard to just make sure to make the time to design. Also I think the hardest part for me is previews, the uploading, the advertising. I am thankful for the help I have around me, but there are some things that we just have to do ourselves. Everything takes time, and I think sometimes, people don’t realize how much time and energy goes into just getting a kit from the “idea of it” to actually having it loaded in the shop.

O: YES!! All that unseen, internal work is still work. And sometimes inspiration has to be replaced with perspiration. When you’re stuck, where do you seek that spark?

J: Online; Pinterest and Instagram are great places to get inspiration… but sometimes, I have to walk away from the computer and go do something else. I have found that when I do other things creatively, such as drawing in Procreate for fun, or sewing or crafting…decorating my house for the season, these creative outlets often help to get my creative juices going and I can come back with inspiration and almost always the process comes together, much faster, then when I’m trying to force something.

O: I’ve gotten away from Pinterest a bit lately, but I’ve joined a few online communities where I’ve gotten some really great ideas. My phone is FULL of screenshots… and I’m noticing a definite similarity to a lot of those images. Trendy, I suppose. Do you try to keep up with digi-scrapping trends?

J: I am still working on this. I often do searches for trends on-line, I look at physical scrapbooking supplies, in shops, and also on-line, I try to talk to people and get their ideas and see what they like and don’t like.

O: Of course, you want to give people what they want. This “hobby” of memory-keeping is already quite niche, so there will be some specific demands; you get that, since you have “memory” in your brand. I’m sure that’s intentional.

J: Well, the name for my brand, “Memory Mosaic” came from my husband. When I was first getting ready to open a store, and put my designs out there, I was looking for a name… All the names I was coming up with were just things you might think of, “Scrapping with Joy”, etc. (which were fine), but I was wanting something different. When I talked to him about it, he almost immediately said, what about, “Memory Mosaic”, piecing together memories to make something beautiful. So it was born. My daughter made my “mosaic heart” that has been part of every logo I have made.

O: I love a family affair! My younger daughter enjoys crafty stuff and sometimes borrows my supplies or asks for help bringing her vision to reality. We’ve had some fun times and have had some true adventures. (We won’t talk about us out in her back yard in the dark, cutting down pallets with a power jigsaw, ‘kay?) What have you always wanted to try but just haven’t yet?

J: I would love to try soap making. I actually have a beginner’s kit to try, but have not made the time to do it. Maybe soon.

O: Sounds like me and resin art… got all the stuff but haven’t made the effort yet. Sometimes I think of all the things I want to do and become quite anxious that time’s flying by. So I have a glass of wine and read a steaming novel until it passes. How do you unwind at times like that?

J: I love to have a hot shower, get in my pjs, get on the sofa, with a drink and a snack, and watch tv, usually with my hubby. In the winter, I snuggle under a warm blanket.

O: Ooh, that sounds delightful! We’ve been having unseasonably warm weather for autumn so far, and even have a late-summer wildfire burning not far away. We’re still weeks away from our first frost. So no need for warm blankies. I’m still wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, my uniform from early May until whenever. I’m even going to purge most of the contents of my closet – I haven’t worn most of that stuff in more than 5 years. If you had to wear the same outfit everyday for the rest of time, what would you wear?

J: I love my wide legged jeans, a comfortable shirt, sweater, and flats. That could be my daily “uniform”.

O: Sounds very comfy! And versatile. Oops, sorry! That noise you hear is Maeve chewing on her new stuffy. It’s got the world’s loudest squeaker in it, perfect for a terrier. Do you have pets?

J: I am definitely a dog person. There have been very few times in my life when we did not have a dog. The hardest thing about having dogs, is that even with the best of care, their lives are relatively short, and since our dogs become part of our family when we lose them it is like losing a beloved family member, but the pain of loss has not stopped me from having dogs.

O: We have two, Claddagh is 10 and Maeve is 7. They’re soft-coated wheaten terrors. (ed. note: not a typo) You’re so right about losing them… Claddagh has a history of pancreatitis and one bout was so scary, even for this old retired ICU nurse. She looked AWFUL. But we want to have her around and healthy for as long as possible. So she’s on a special diet, although we refused to do the “vet$$$$$” diet. She gets a low-fat grain-free commercial food with a little granola topper. Weird, right? Grain-free food with grain on top. For her heart. What’s the weirdest food combo you’ve ever had?

J: In Ecuador they make an amazing peanut sauce, it looks like gravy and the first time I had it on some boiled potatoes, I thought it was gravy, so that was quite a shock, but I actually learned to love it, served usually on grilled beef and potatoes. (it is sort of like thinned peanut butter, but there is no sugar in it)

O: I love Thai peanut sauce, so maybe I’d like that too. Now, speaking of food, it’s getting close to suppertime, so maybe we should wrap up. Let me give the usual Spotlight spiel about the Daily Download and all that. Thanks for the visit!!

Yes, one of this month’s Daily Downloads is brought to us by Memory Mosaic. It’s a very autumn-y kit with a hedgehog!

Joy is also hosting one arm of the Designer Spotlight Challenge for October in addition to her usual Mini Kit Challenge. This is her mini….

And if all that (and the DSD extravaganza coming up) Joy has a coupon code for her Store!

Now, go check out her Store!!

CarolW Designs

CarolW has been a GingerBread Lady for s few years already, but this is her FIRST Designer Spotlight! She wanted to make up for lost time, so our conversation went on for a while… We touched on a LOT of stuff, so maybe you should grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle in. What I’m going to share with you is fascinating.

J: Carol, I’m so happy to see you in the Spotlight this month! I think you’ve been a bit of a mystery lady to most of us, so this is your chance to tell us what you’d like us to know. How about we start with what brought you to digital designing.

C: In 2009, while browsing the web by chance, I came across a scrapbook that I found quite magical. Since then, I have been crazy about it, and this is what I have persisted in for the longest time. I like making templates. Later, my mother told me that maybe I could try making templates and let more people use them. So I began my career in design.

J: [Please excuse the formatting snafus. WordPress isn’t playing nice today.] Oh, so you and I were cutting our teeth on digital scrapbooking around the same time! Where do you find your inspiration?

C: I usually think about which theme a color is more suitable for based on the color palette.

J: I think along the same lines, mentally sorting through my photos and kits to decide the basis for a layout. Do you have a favourite palette?

C: I like yellow, purple and bright color schemes.

J: I’ve never loved yellow, sorry… but I can definitely go along with the brights. What do you do when you’re in a creative rut? Do you have a place where inspiration just appears?

C: In parks or forests, I enjoy looking at any plants and flowers in nature and breathing fresh air. This way, my inspiration will come.

J: Who doesn’t feel better after being outside in nature? It’s a proven antidepressant! Is that why many of your collections have natural themes?

C: Yes, I prefer the themes of the nature series. I think nature can adapt to any occasion.

J: That’s so true. Is there a season or occasion you like to design for more than any other?

C: I like autumn designs. I think the colors of autumn are the most beautiful.

J: Hallowe’en is about my favourite time of year, so I agree with you. Do you like designing papers, or elements, or some other digital item most?

C: I love to design elements. For each one, I want to do it better. I keep comparing how to make it the most suitable and the most attractive.

J: That attention to detail is pretty obvious! Your designs are instantly recognizable and are always flawless. Is there a style or trend you’d like to try but haven’t found the courage to yet?

C: Graffiti style, collage style. I’ve always wanted to try, but I feel that I just can’t do them well no matter what.

J: I understand that better than you know. Grunge is hard to get right. I don’t think I can envision anything so gritty with your name attached to it. Can I ask how you came to your design brand?

C: It comes from my English name. My name only has a Chinese version. My surname is WEN. My English name, Carol, comes from my English teacher. She gave it to me when I was in primary school. I have been using this for so many years. The suffix “W” indicates that this is my surname: WEN.

J: Ah, that makes sense! I had a friend in nursing school who came to Canada from Beijing after the events at Tiananmen Square. She adopted an anglicized version of her name too, in order to fit in. I often wonder where she ended up. I hope she’s had a soft landing. How do you manage all the things you have to fit into your day, between designing, other commitments and personal stuff?

C: Every morning when I rest, I usually go to buy some things for my mother that she needs. After lunch, I started designing. Around four o’clock in the afternoon, I stop because I can’t sit in front of the computer for too long, or my head hurts. After dinner, I will go
shopping with my mother, or go with friends, or go to the movies.

J: That sounds like a nicely balanced routine you have. Do you have any advice to give someone who is new to digital design, or who is thinking about jumping in?

C: Perseverance and passion are gifts. Stay fresh forever!

J: Boy, does that last sentence ever resonate with me. So, enough about “work”. Like you, it makes my head hurt. Let’s talk about something fun! How do you unwind after a busy day?

C: I play games or watch my favorite TV series. I watched it with my father. Lying on the sofa, I poured a glass of ice water and discussed the plot and characters of the TV drama with my father. That feeling was extremely comfortable!

J: That sounds so cozy! I like being completely alone when I’m feeling stressed, and because I’m almost never completely alone, it’s a real treat. I’m going to put a sign on my studio door that says, “DO NOT DISTURB the CRAFTER. She may decide to hurt you.” My husband always seems to know when I’m trying a new technique or medium for the first time and throws me right off. Is there a hobby you’d like to try but haven’t yet?

C: Surfing, I’ve always wanted to try surfing once. I live in an inland area far from the sea, with no ocean around. When I travel, I always choose places with the sea, but I get seasick. So I have never gone surfing even once. So I really want to give it a try.

J: I think riding a surfboard is different from being in a boat. I don’t know that it would cause seasickness – your brain would be too involved in trying to stay on the board! Any surfers reading this want to weigh in? Let’s backtrack for a second. You mentioned a favourite TV show… what is it?

C: Criminal Minds. I really love this TV drama so much.

J: Oh, I LOVE it too! One of our daughters does a similar job for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but she says it’s not glamourous and they don’t have a private plane to fly around in. She’s also never arrested anyone and doesn’t carry a weapon. She always watched shows like Criminal Minds when she was growing up, and now that she’s living it, she prefers John Hughes movies instead. She watches Home Alone EVERY year at Christmas. Do you have a movie you could watch over and over and not be bored?

C: The Jurassic series. I like Jurassic Park and I also like Jurassic World!

J: My son loves those! Let’s play What If… If you could have any pet, real or imaginary, what would it be?

C: Dinosaurs!! I am very fond of paleontology and history. When I was in college, I really wanted to study archaeology, but that was rejected by my parents. I live in Japan and I really enjoy watching programs on paleontology and history. I also like visiting museums. I think dinosaurs are very magical animals! They are wonderful.

J: I should have seen that coming. 😀 If you could teleport to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

C: Egypt, I like Egypt very much, although I have never been there once. I want to see the pyramids. I want to see the mummies. I think that’s a very magical place. But because it was so far away from me, my plan never succeeded.

J: Coulda predicted that answer too. 😉 Don’t give up on your dreams! You never know when opportunity will knock. If you could live in a fictional universe, which one would you choose?

C: I want to go to Pandora. Yes, that’s because I watched the movie Avatar. I think Pandora would be extremely beautiful!

J: I think it would be too. I’ve never actually seen the movie; don’t the inhabitants of Pandora have um… special skills that you’d have to learn? Is there an Earth-bound skill you’d like to learn?

C: Driving. In fact, because of the car accident in 2015, I have never learned to drive. Even though I have fully recovered now, I still haven’t learned. I’m worried that when I’m studying, I might use the accelerator instead of the brake… This is really terrifying.

J: Yeah. It’s always a possibility, but it usually happens to elderly people. I do a lot of driving and I think soon I’ll be doing ALL of it. Hubby’s heading for the “elderly” realm. 😉 He’s kinda scary… Let’s flip this around. What flavour of ice cream would you be?

C: Vanilla. It has a fresh scent and is very gentle.

J: It’s uncomplicated. I’d want to be tiger tail… licorice and orange. It was my favourite as a child, and I haven’t had it in a LONG time. I have three tubs of ice cream in the freezer and none of them is exciting, just delicious. Do you have a favourite comfort food?

C: Noodles. Here, many people think that noodles can nourish our bodies and our spirits. Noodles are a very warm and nourishing food, so I think noodles can comfort me at any time.

J: Noodles are universal, aren’t they? Most cultures have them in some form. Now I’m hungry… Maybe we should wrap up. I’ll fill our readers in on the Spotlight particulars and link ’em up with the goodies. Thanks so much for your patience! Have a wonderful August.

Have you seen the sneak peek for Carol‘s Daily Download? Check this out!

Go figure… yellow and nature! Everything in Carol‘s Store is 40% off this month AND she has a coupon.

Of course, Carol is also hosting one of this month’s Designer Spotlight Challenges, in addition to her usual Daily Download Challenge. Between Carol and Neia, you could get in a quarter of the Challenges needed to earn the GingerBread Ladies‘ MEGA Seaside Serenity.

What are you waiting for? 😀

Neia Scraps

For our first Spotlight this month, I chatted with Neia, or Neia Scraps as she’s known in the GingerScraps Store. She’s sharing the Spotlight with CarolW, and I’ll share our (very lengthy) chat with you tomorrow.

I think we’ve all caught glimpses of Neia‘s sense of humour before, but this time she didn’t hold back. 🙂 You’ll see what I mean…

J: Neia, it’s been awhile since our last visit In that time you’ve been VERY productive!! Last time we talked I told you how much I love the way your design style has evolved, and I followed that up with buying something like a dozen complete collections. I’ll tell you, the Daily Download has me drooling. But now I’m wondering, how do you make it all work? Designing, commitments, family and personal time… how do you make it fit?

N: With coffee, good playlists, and a lot of controlled chaos. Sometimes I design while waiting for the pasta to boil. Multitasking queen.

J: I used to be really good at that, but since I retired, I’ve started to slip. 90% of the time it doesn’t matter, though. What do you most enjoy about how GingerScrappers (and others) use your designs to create their layouts?

N: It’s like watching someone decorate with things you love — but even better!

J: Remind me again, how did get into digital scrapbook designing in the first place?

N: Accidentally. One download turned into a hobby, then a passion… then 5,000 layers later, here we are!

J: Uh… I’m pretty sure it’s WAY more than 5,000. You don’t skimp on your kits by any definition! Let’s play “what if” for a few minutes. What would you choose if you could learn any new skill instantly?

N: Sword fighting. Not useful at all in real life, but imagine how cool I’d feel.

J: OMG!! I have this mental picture of you dressed like one of the Musketeers now! I’m probably always going to see that image when I think of you. My son-in-law teaches fencing, but I didn’t see you in the white jumpsuit. Nope, the knee-high boots, full-sleeved white shirt, vest and scabbard. And you look MAHVELOUS! To sort of stick with the fantasy theme, if you could be any age for a week, how old would you be?

N: Maybe 25 — young enough to eat pizza at midnight, old enough to know that was a terrible idea.

J: Hmm. when I was 25, I already had three kids. I wasn’t even seeing midnight. Ever. And the one time I ate pizza while nursing my son, he screamed the entire next day. Definitely a terrible idea! 😀 In a similar vein, if you could time travel, which way would you go? (I, of course, would go back and skip the pizza.)

N: I’d go to the future just far enough to see if someone finally invented self-cleaning laundry. Priorities.

J: Hahahahaha! That would be amazing! I have four loads waiting for me to get it into the machine. Maybe tomorrow. 😉 I’ll have to get the dog to move though. She’s sleeping in the doorway. If you could be any animal for a day, which one would you choose?

N: A spoiled house cat. Naps, snacks, and dramatic staring? Sounds like my kind of schedule.

J: Oh, my… yes! Bonus for me is hubby is allergic to cats, so he’d let me scrap in peace. He’s already bugging me about what’s for supper. I don’t know. It’s pretty hot so I won’t be grilling. Maybe it’s a mac-and-cheese day. What’s your favourite comfort food?

N: A warm bowl of homemade soup with bread. Bonus if I didn’t have to make it.

J: I make really good soup, but usually only do it in the fall. I won’t ever let hubby eat soup in a restaurant. The slurping would be embarrassing. I mean… it’s so LOUD! What was your most embarrassing moment?

N: I waved back at someone who wasn’t waving at me. Then tried to play it off by fixing my hair. Oscar-worthy recovery.

J: Too funny! I’ve done that, but instead of trying for the Oscar, I just put my head down and changed direction. You’re braver than me! So now I’m gonna talk about business. I won’t mind if you wander away.

Business? Well, I already mentioned the Daily Download. There’s only a Sneak Peek on the Blog, but I have an image of the full kit, and it’s FABULOUS!

There’s a coordinating mini-kit and some messy edges in the Shop. Of course, I have to have it all. If you’re in a rush and can’t wait for the DD, the entire collection is in the Shop. Half price, too!

This month, everything in her shop is 45% off—or even more on bundles!
And here’s a little bonus: spend $20 or more and get an extra 10% off at checkout. Use the coupon: NEIA-SL202510

Neia is hosting one of the August Designer Spotlight Challenges. Click on the underlined text to see what she’s up to. (ANY text that’s in bold and underlined in my Blog posts will be hyperlinked.) This is in addition to her regular, monthly My Memories Challenge. She’s so busy…………………………

Be sure to check out the Summer Scrap-a-Thon that started yesterday. The mega-kit reward for 20 Challenges is going to make you so thirsty! Check back tomorrow to meet CarolW.

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!