Happy Friday, Studio Calico friends. I think you'll love this month's Member Spotlight - we adore her bright and warm style and couldn't wait to share more about her with all of you! Meet Naomi Atkins :
Hello! My name is Naomi Atkins, and I'm very excited to be featured this month! I love being a part of Studio Calico and sharing in all of the awesome inspiration that is found here everyday! I could sit on the computer all day and browse the member gallery, but my days consist of either cleaning up messes, fixing emergencies, cooking, or snapping photos! We only have a tv for watching movies, so scrapbooking and sewing are my ways to relax! I have an amazing husband Jonathan, and five wonderful children Katlyn, Elise, Everett, Weston and Camille. They are my daily inspiration, and make my life interesting and complete! I spent eight years teaching Legal Research and Writing classes at a local college, and then went for a major career switch, sort of accidentally! Ten years ago, when I got married I told my husband, "I'm just not creative." I am so grateful for my awesome business partner Nichole and we started the business Inspired and Enchanted Photography two years ago and haven't looked back since! We have a busy wedding season and a lot of families and newborns as well! My interest in photography began with my love of scrapbooking and my desire to take better pictures. I would sit in awe over pictures I saw on photographer's websites and wanted mine to look the same. Since I spent enough money on years and years of schooling already, I figured I was going to have to teach myself. Lots of books, online forums and practice later I have my business which I love! My love of scrapbooking has grown through all of this.. I truly love this hobby! Only since I quit my teaching job have I had time to start posting things online and getting more involved and I haven't looked back. I love learning new techniques and being inspired by all of the amazing ladies on here. I have been published several times in Scrapbook Trends magazine and am on several design teams.
What are your top 5 favorite products and why?
1. Patterned paper!!!!! I can never have enough, and yet I always seem to have too much! It's my go to supply for scrapbooking, and often the source of my inspiration. Nothing makes me happier than to recieve a beautiful stack of patterned paper! I really love mixing lines when I put paper together, which is why I love Studio Calico kits so much. Getting the kit has really taught me to open my eyes as far as color combinations, and putting papers together that I may not have originally picked out to coordinate.
2. My Canon Mark II (soon to be the Mark III!!). I simply cannot scrapbook without a good photo. Scrapbooking drew me to photography, but the photograph is what makes the layout for me!
3. My Sewing machine! I simply cannot seem to "complete" a page without a bit, or a lot of sewing. Zig zag, straight stitch, paper piecing, you name it, I love that finished, handmade look that a page has when it's been sewed. I only very recently made the switch into fabric as well!
4. Thickers! I love the texture that a nice, thick letter adds to a layout.. it is the perfect finishing touch. I can't seem to have enough of them either! Plus, they are so easy and fuss-free to add a great title.
5. My cameo. I've tried about every die-cutting machine out there, but the Cameo takes the cake. It's pretty easy to use, and LOVE to cut titles and sayings with it.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I love to see what other designers do with their pages.Even if it's a layout that is not my style, I still find inspiration from lots of other styles! Magazines always, and still continue to be a great source of inspiration. As i've grown as a scrapbooking artist and photographer, I now see inspiration everywhere. Catalogs, book jackets, typography, etc. And of course, Pinterest. I LOVE pinterest. I have to admit though, sometimes pinterest stresses me out. I'm such a crafty person..I like to sew, scrapbook, bake, etc. and I get so overwhelmed by all that I want to do yet never have the hours to complete, sometimes I just have to turn off the computer! It's like "inspiration overload" if that makes sense to anyone :)
What is your favorite color and/or color combo?
I have access to lots of color.. my husband works for Sherwin williams, so I have a fondness for color cards! I can't say I have one favorite, although I love aqua, light pink, and brown. I also am very inspired by color palettes on pinterest. Since I love patterned paper so much, just seeing particular colors together in a palette will get my mind going!
Tell us a bit about your design process.
Almost always starts with a photo. That's why I scrapbook large photos so much. I am not so good with journaling, but for me a pictures says a thousand words. I try to take the emotion that i've captured in the photo, and convey that into my layout..whether it be soft and sweet, or playful and silly. I know this will seem weird, but i often know I want to scrapbook a page based on a certain photo or stack of papers. I lay in bed at night when I can't sleep, and imagine my photo and paper, and think of what i want to do with it. It is often where i come up with my best ideas! Sometimes, if it's a really great idea and I don't want to forget it, I will actually get up and write it down, which doesn't thrill my husband so much!
Tell us a bit about what else you do since we know you are creative in more ways than just scrapbooking.
I love all things creative. We don't have television channels, the kids can only watch videos.. so crafting is how I relax. I love to bake and read as well. I just started sewing.. I recently made my first outfit for my one year old daughter, and I just finished my first quilt top, a chevron style thanks to a quilt along, "Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night." She did such an amazing job taking you step by step through the process. I just have to bind and quilt it yet! I really enjoyed that project! I loved putting the fabric combinations together, just like I do with patterned paper!
Thank you so much for letting us feature you and your awesome work, Naomi! If you'd like to see more of Naomi's work, please stop by her gallery here at Studio Calico or her blog.
It was so lovely having a little peak into your creative process and getting to know you better through this interview. What beautiful and sweet layouts you've shared. Thanks for the inspiration.
xxx
Posted by: Natalie Elphinstone | 09/14/2012 at 11:54 AM
Lovely work, Naomi! You definitely have an amazing talent for this craft! And such adorable photos, too!!
Posted by: Lillian Child | 09/14/2012 at 04:29 PM
There is something soothing about your LO's, they are stunning and indicate and subtle simultaneously. And I am in awe that you are a self taught photographer.
Posted by: Natalie Stewart | 09/14/2012 at 07:50 PM
Ok wow you work is very bautiful.... I started being crafty when I was 19. (by the way I'm now 40;) I learned from my mom how to crochet then I got into sewing pillows then curtins and I got into making quilts and once my daughter was 6 months I started scrapbooking and making cards now I still do all of that but now I make my own stationary sets and play with canvas. I also love to cook bake and read when I get the chance,,,,
Posted by: Jessica Monte | 09/15/2012 at 11:03 AM
precious !!!!
Posted by: isabel | 09/15/2012 at 01:40 PM