Hi, it's Waleska and I want to share another fabulous member of the Studio Calico community.
Name: Melissa Mann
Studio Calico Username: pixiegirl1981
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida - USA
Blog: http://www.iheartpenquins.blogspot.com
When did you start scrapbooking and what got you started? I started scrapbooking in 2005. My husband and I had just moved down to Florida from Maryland and in the process, I found the bag of memorabilia from our wedding in February 2004. Someone had given us a memory book to glue photos & cards in, and to fill in different information about the special day. I remember thinking that it would be fun to find some wedding themed stickers to put in the book ( I was QUITE the sticker fiend growing up - I owned every single Lisa Frank sticker available!). I went to Wal-Mart (oh, the horror!!) and found some wedding themed Jolee stickers and was feeling quite proud of myself! I told my Mom about it a few weeks later and she proceeded to tell me that I should go to JoAnne's because they had a larger selection of scrapbooking product than Wal-Mart did. It wasn't long after discovering JoAnne's & Michaels that I fell headfirst into this hobby!
What are your top 5 favorite products and why?
1. Stamps - I can use them over & over again! I have a small obsession with stamps and own a TON of them! I like using them with paint & ink.
2. Kraft Cardstock - I have to stop myself from picking up a sheet of Kraft for every layout I create. And even if I don't use it as the base of my layout, I will still reach for a scrap piece to create a punched embellishment or to type my journaling onto.
3. Mist - I love mist. Love, love. And I recently just tried out the Mr. Huey White. Yumm! I love all the different techniques & effects that can be accomplished with mist. A very versatile tool to have in your stash!
4. Punches - I only recently fell in love with punches. Within the last year, I'd say. Before that, I hated them. I don't know why - but, I just never seemed to have luck with them and I didn't know how to use them. However, that has changed. My favorite punch at the moment is the small Martha Stewart sunburst punch. I think I use that on every layout. And the Optic Dot Border Punch is pretty awesome too! I really love how easy it is to create custom embellishments with a few punches & patterned paper!
5. Chipboard Embellishments - I love how chipboard immediately adds dimension & interest to a layout or project!
What is your favorite Studio Calico product and why? All of it!! Seriously, I love all the exclusive papers & stamps that are included in the SC kits every month. And while I LOVE, LOVE the stamps, I really adore the patterned paper that SC creates. One of my favorites was the butterfly paper from the Cotillion Kit from September 2009. I still have a small piece of that paper stashed away ;-) I am always impressed with the quality and the design of the papers. They are unique and one-of-a-kind and always perfectly compliment the kits!
Where do you find your inspiration? I usually find inspiration from the online world: blogs, ads, decor sites...I also get quite a bit of inspiration from magazines. Sometimes the placement of text and/or photos in ads gives just the jumping off start for a great layout design!
Tell us a bit about your design process. Well, first I have to waste about an hour or so online ;-) Then, I usually reach for a folder that I keep sketches, ads, color combinations, etc in and find something that catches my eye. I find the patterned paper I want to use and then the picture(s). I play around with the placement of the paper and photo and then adhere all of it. Then I find the embellishments I want to use and save the title & journaling for last.
Tell us a bit about what else you do since we know you are creative in more ways than just scrapbooking. I love books. Oh, I love books. I will never understand this craze of being able to download a book onto an electronic device. NEVER. I love the feel of a book in my hand. My favorite authors are Janet Evanovich, Mary Higgins Clark, Francine Rivers, & Angela Hunt. One of my most prized possessions is my complete set of the original Cherry Ames series by Helen Wells. Also in the past year, I have really come to love cooking. I have been been determined to try a new recipe once a week and have come to enjoy the challenge of creating a recipe on my own. I can make a mean dish of Chicken & Aspargus with Pasta! Of course, I love photography - my Rebel is one of my best friends....and last but not least, I love playing the piano.
Thank you so much, Melissa!
