Digital Scrapbooking Blog and Scrapbook Inspiration
from DesignerDigitals

January 24, 2012

Getting to Know you: Maureen Reynolds

Today we welcome our very good friend, Maureen Reynolds, to the GTKY spotlight here at Designer Digitals.

Maureen keeps very busy with her hobbies and travels and checks in often at Designer Digitals. As many of you know from recent threads in our forum, Maureen’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Our interview took place before this new development in her daughter’s life, so, I want to tell Maureen how much we all want to support her while she helps her daughter fight cancer. The good news is, according to an update from Maureen, there is good reason to count on the cancer being treatable in her daughter’s case.

For the interview, I asked Maureen to introduce herself in her own words before I start asking questions:

My name is Maureen and I have lived in Annapolis for over 20 years now and happily retired from 20 years in politics, having worked for one federal senator and then for one state senator - both women! I worked on my first national campaign as a 15 yr old teenager so those jobs were true to my early interests. I am also happy to be married to my second husband - ten years now. He is retired too but keeps working as a consultant which is good because it helps pay for our trips. We each have three adult children, so in the end I got my only-child-wish for a big family!

Other things about me that tend to come up when I do any of those All About Me quizzes - my first language was Lithuanian because I was being raised by my maternal grandparents during WWII while my father was in the Army and my mother was working in Philadelphia. I started speaking English at age 3 and have had ease learning languages ever since. I grew up in the suburbs of Washington DC and graduated from high school at age 15 - after skipping a grade. I was the class baby which is pretty nice now that I’m a lot older. I flunked out of college in my Junior year but went back after my divorce and got my BA at age 57! I considered law school but decided working full time and going to school was not the way to start a new marriage. Mostly, I don’t regret it.

I spent the 20 years of my first marriage outside the US, seven in England but mostly in countries that were in some sort of turmoil. In hindsight I can see how it gave me a broad view of the world and taught my children that the US way is not the only way and not even always the best way. I’m very glad that my three children are very open and tolerant of others’ beliefs and ways.

Regarding my blog title and my alternative user name - CookingMyLife - yes, I do love to cook! I started with Gourmet magazine in high school and learned technique from the old Julia Child videos. While my Nana ( the main cook in our house) was ready to embrace any convenience food that came along, and my mother was just glad to have dinner of any sort ready when she got home from work, I was ready to learn the very basics. This really came in handy especially in Malawi where I made my own bagels and dealt with butchering half a pig for the freezer. I may not have slapped my thigh to show a butcher what cut I wanted but I have done sign and hand language to figure out what part of an animal a hunk of meat may have come from in an open market. It made for a lot of laughs and a lot of learning. Dick and I love to try new foods when we go out or travel.

Today, I view that blog name as what most of us do in life…we cook our life from the ingredients we have on hand. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s …well, not what we had expected or hoped for but we eat it and go on. It may be a lesson to pick better “ingredients” or just learn new ways to work with what’s in our life.

Maureen, you are very savvy and up to date on all things related to Mac computers and digital scrapbook software. Did you start out as a paper scrapper?

I’ve never paper scrapped. It really didn’t interest me and mostly looked too cute which is not my style. Even in my digital designs, I’m not sure if I’ve ever used a button on a page and most of my flowers just collect digital dust. I’m willing to try new things, but, for the most part, less is more for me. Except for buying digi supplies!

When we remodeled our kitchen 3 years into our marriage, brave souls that we are, and I found the Kitchens forum on Garden Web where i could get almost real time answers to questions about kitchen remodeling. I learned that most people ‘graduated’ to the Cooking forum after they finished the renovation, and I found people who loved to photograph their food. Great cooks and wonderful photographers. I had used a 35mm back when my children were young but got sick of the weight hanging round my neck. I had a Nikon point and shoot and thought about getting more serious about my food photos but soon realized that was not my goal. I wanted to do something with the photos but wasn’t sure what. My creativity had an outlet in my cooking but I was ready to do something else.

My dh thought I’d like a Mac for this vague idea about photos so I got one of the original Mac Minis and Photshop CS. That program brought me to my knees back in 2003. Lots of tears and frustration trying to learn it on my own. The only thing I DID get was layers. I gave up on CS, broke down and got PSE4 and did a lot of googling about what to do with it. I only knew I wanted to play with my photos, not get perfect shots, and stumbled upon Designer Digitals in 2008. I loved Ali Edwards’ templates and eventually figured out what to do with them, especially after PSE6 for Mac finally came out. To say I was hooked is an understatement! I was so happy to retire and play all day long!

Capturing the food we eat on trips is still a big part of my scrapping. Event scrapping is my main work and though it takes planning, I love giving my husband more than just photos. He reads what I felt about a place and that stirs his own memories again.

Please, tell us a little more about your computer and the software you prefer.

After I had my first Mac, my dh went Mac for security reasons, and we are now a total Mac household. We both love new technology and can help each other out with tech questions. PSE is not in his realm though and fortunately I no longer have to do Quicken or the comparable software he’s now using to track expenses. I have gone from a Mac mini which went to our late granddaughter Bekah, to a 24” iMac which has now gone to my grandson in hs, to my current love - my 27” iMac. I use PSE10, as well as ADCSee and now the beta Lightroom 4. I love having things organized so I hope the combo of ACDsee and LR will get me where I want to be. I do use the folder system a la Cassie as my foundation. I truly believe ehds are our friends, or perhaps our enablers? I have a 2T backup ehd and a 1T that stores my digi supplies and older photos as well as my completed layouts. I also burn a dvd each month with my digital purchases, or in the bad?good? months, two dvds. Please say you understand!!

Oh, believe me, I understand. I am compulsive about saving everything on my EHD and on CD’s or DVDs, too. I often think I would have so much more time to actually scrap if I didn’t spend so much time backing up my photos and my supplies!

What about your camera? I think you have mentioned using your camera phone.

I suspect I am the odd one out in now only using my iPhone4 for photographs. With the amount of travel we do, I have tried to keep paring down what I need to take and really knew I didn’t want to go point and shoot any more and definitely not DSLR. If I were 30 or 40 my answer might be different. I am mostly happy with straight out of the camera, er iPhone, shots. I may play with them later in PSE but mostly I’m happy with “good enough”. It’s the story and memory I want preserved, not a professional quality photo.

I think that makes perfect sense to rely on the iPhone camera for ease of use. I think more and more people are finding their phones are always handy and the photo quality is really so good for capturing memories.

Since you often are traveling around the country and the world, what advice do you have for other travelers who want to scrap as they go?

I have gone in various directions with scrapping trips AND scrapping ON trips. I used to try and blog each night about the day but found that too stressful and too dependent on iffy internet connections. At that time I was using my dh’s laptop and the shared time was also an issue. I finally got a Macbook just for travel but have personally found that trying to scrap a trip while I’m on it is just too much for me. Cruises are a different story. That kind of trip I found I could do, and enjoyed doing a 23 day cruise book while on the cruise. I have all of my digi supplies copied on a 500GB LaCie ehd which is pretty darn rugged. I upload my photos from my iPhone each day and make my choices. I will often use a set of templates. Ali’s Bread and Butter and the original December Daily sets are my favorites. I will usually throw in a very artsy page now and then to break up the more linear look. I think if you plan to scrap while traveling it’s important to have some sort of predesigned plan. While scrapping is fun, it’s also important to actually BE on the trip you’re taking! Sadly, I’m not a daily journaler though I’ve tried. I now use the calendar, the photos, and receipts to recall most of what happened each day.

I think your advice to actually BE on the trip and be aware of every moment is so good. It’s why I take only a few photos at family events. There’s a balance that’s needed between trying to record the experience and being fully involved in the experience.

What about the 365 Project? You’ve been successful with it in years past. Are you doing it again this year?

I’ve really enjoyed the 365 project. Admittedly, I didn’t do as many layouts of ‘stuff’ as I might have done otherwise but that’s ok with me, since 365/Project Life/ P52 or any of the takes on a daily record, really work for my life as it is now. I think it’s especially important for those who don’t have children or partners in our everyday lives to remember to value the day to day bits of our own lives. I do believe the sacred is in the everyday, and if God is in the details, then this project is for me. I did start the year with a month or two of planned out layouts - gathering inspiration from the gallery - and that gave me a foundation to build on.

I also made a 365 folder with sub folders for each week. That gave me a place to put the things I thought I might use as well as a place for the psd, the 3600 and the web page when I was finished with each week. 2012? oh yes, I’m doing it again, but as always a trip came first! so I’m slow getting started this year.

Maureen, I’ve noticed your pins on Pinterest. It’s a place I love to go to get ideas, too. Have your pins on Pinterest led to scrapbook pages or home decorating or cooking ideas for you?

I love Pinterest! but have to admit that I do more pinning than using my pins! At least it keeps all those images off my hd and onto the web to share. I do also keep recipes I want to try there, and I have been more successful in using that board as well as the one of images I like to use for my iMac desktop. Some of those have been scrap layouts I’ve found here and there. Some of you may not know it but I may have one of your lovely layouts as my desktop image for a week or so! I always have great ideas about using those decorating pins too but I suspect they are going to stay eye candy for the most part. I really do love the genius behind Pinterest, don’t you?

Oh, I agree with you. Everyone should try out Pinterest for ideas! Before we both get back to our computers, let’s leave the folks with a favorite layout of yours from your gallery at Designer Digitals, Maureen.

This one is not my typical layout, but, I really should frame it because I do love it The photo was taken on a trip to Hawaii.
Hawaii

That page is simply lovely. Thank you so much for telling us more of your story, Maureen. May your scrapping bring you joy and maybe even work as therapy for the difficult days ahead while your daughter battles cancer. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Posted by digigrandma on 05:00 AM in • Getting To Know You

December 12, 2011

Getting to Know You: Thess

I’ve been admiring the beautiful travel pages posted by our next interviewee for a very long time. I am happy to introduce you to Thess from Sweden! She’s been a member of our community since 2007 and just recently updated her AKA card. Here’s her new AKA card how she describes herself:

My real name is Therése, but everybody but my mother calls me Thess. And it’s pronounced with a “T”, not “TH”...And my maiden name is Larsson! But with double S - very Swedish! I was born here in Sweden in 1969 and grew up in a small rural community, Mölltorp, with only 700 households. Everybody knew everybody and their business… My mother was a teacher at
the local elementary school and my father was a fighter jet navigator at the nearby Airforce base.

I have a sister, Tullie, who is two years younger than me. She now lives in Seattle, WA, with her husband who works for a big Swedish company there.

I LOVED school from first grade and onwards, but I’ve never actually graduated college…I was studying to become an electrical engineer, but life just got in the
way! I did, however, spend my Senior Year of High School, as an exchange student at DSF High in Henrico County, Richmond, VA. It was a great year and a fantastic experience! I made wonderful friends that I still keep in touch with, and the family I stayed with is still, very much, my family!

I met my husband, Leif, in a club on his birthday in 1997. He asked me to dance, then he asked me to his place for a nightcap - and I never really left… 18 months later, he proposed to me during a tropical thunder storm on Gili Trawangan - a tiny island off the coast of Lombok in Indonesia. Eighteen months after that, we got married here in Gothenburg. We don’t have any children. Simply because I’ve never wanted any… But Leif has a son from a previous relationship, and Alexander is now 20 years old. He’s a very talented golfer, and attends college in Augusta, GA, on a golf scholarship.

I think my sister and I have had cameras stuck up our faces since we were born! Our parents took a gazillion photos of us all the time! So taking up photography as a hobby was not too hard. I’m the one of all my friends who ALWAYS carries a camera! My friends give me a hard time about it, but they always call me afterwards
to find out if have a photo of this or that

I’ve always loved everything that has to do with music! I used to play the guitar, and I’ve spent several years doing ballroom dancing. Books are another passion! I read as much as I can! All kinds of books. I listen to audiobooks when I drive and when I do accounting at work, and my Kindle is never far from me.

And then there’s this thing I have about shoes… I’m 5’9”, but I love really high heels! When I travel, I buy shoes! Jimmy, Alexander, Christian, Manolo and Coco are my friends and they all live in my closet!

Thess, our digital scrapbook community is so fortunate to include scrappers from all over the world. Please tell us a little bit about what it is like where you live in Sweden.

I live in Gothenburg (Göteborg), which is on the west coast of Sweden. It’s about three hours north of Copenhagen, Denmark, and four hours south of Oslo, Norway. It is the second largest city in Sweden after our capital, Stockholm. Gothenburg was the port almost every Swedish immigrant to the US sailed from. My own ancestors left Sweden via Gothenburg and ended up in Minnesota…

This is a worker’s town. Lots of industries and the biggest port in northern Europe. Only Rotterdam is bigger. Volvo was founded here as well as SKF and Hasselblad. Gothenburg was given city priviliges in 1621 by King Gustav Adolf II, and we have a lot of history in the area as well as old buildings, churches and castles. Half a million people live in the city, and about a million in the Gothenburg area. Sweden as a whole, only has 9,4 million people.

You mentioned once in a post in our forum that you own a store. What kind of store is it?

When I met my husband, he owned a small chain of record stores together with his (then) business partner. In 2000, he bought his partner’s share. When record sales started to dwindle due to downloading, we quickly closed down every store but the one here in Gothenburg. We started importing music merchandise, mainly t-shirts, from the US. Today, we still have a huge store downtown Gothenburg, where we sell just about anything music-relate: T-shirts, bags, caps, pillows, throws, bar stools, books, posters - you name it! But we also sell CD’s and vinyl records. We have a screen printing-facility where we print t-shirts and stuff for some Swedish bands. My husband and I go on tour with some bands and sell their merchandise. And we just opened up a coffee shop on the second floor of our store! Filled
with memorabilia that we’ve been collecting through the years!

That is fascinating, Thess! You and your dh are entrepreneurs and I admire you for that! Since it is the month of December I would be interested to know about your traditions and customs related to the celebration of Christmas.

I love Christmas and traditions! But I have to confess that I’m not very good at keeping up with traditions since I don’t have any kids, and I work roughly 7 days a week during November and December. In Sweden, the four Sundays of Advent are important. We light a candle for every Sunday in Advent and have special candleholders to hold the four candles. This is the tradition I love the most! Maybe because I love candles or maybe because it takes less of an effort than putting up a tree! When Advent comes around, we usually start drinking Glögg! It’s similar to the German Gluhwein or the English Mulled Wine, but still different! You put raisins and almonds in it too! We also make Pepparkakor (ginger cookies) and Lussekatter. Lussekatt is a sweet bun, flavoured with saffron and raisins. Those are my favourites!!! We also drink a special soda/pop at Christmas time, called Julmust. It looks like Coca Cola, but tastes very differently. It’s more like a Root Beer, but a lot sweeter!

Then, of course, we have Lucia! On December 13th, we celebrate Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucy) of Syracuse! Processions of girls/women in white gowns with red sashes around their waists go through churches, schools, businesses and towns. The first one, depicting Sankta Lucia herself, wears a crown with candles on her head. The following girls hold candles in their hands. All the candles symbolize the fire that refused to take Lucia when she was sentenced to death by burning.

We have Christmas Trees and presents and Santa Claus just like almost every other country! But here, Santa Claus is Jultomten. And we open our presents on Christmas Eve (December 24th)! If you have children, usually a neighbor or family member, will dress up like Jultomten and knock on the door to deliver a bag full of gifts! On Christmas Eve we eat our traditional Christmas food - Christmas ham, glazed with mustard and breadcrumbs. Meatballs, prinskorv (tiny sausages), different kinds of herring and salmon and Jansson’s frestelse (Jansson’s temptation) - a casserole made with potatoes, onion, heavy cream and anchovies. And Julgröt! A porridge made of rice, that you eat with milk, cinnamon and sometimes malt syrup.

Today, Sweden is the least religious country in Europe. Your typical Swede rarely goes to church. But on December 25th, a lot of Swedes go to church early in the morning to attend Julottan (the Early Christmas Mass). Then we take it easy the rest of the day, because the huge annual retail sales start on the 26th… That’s our “Black Friday”!

I appreciate your taking time to tell us about your Christmas traditions so much. As you may have noticed, I am of Scandinavian descent and in our family we carry on many of the traditions you have described. Next, I would like to know about your travel albums.

I’ve completed 8 travel books since I started digiscrapping! And I have 5 or 6 in the making, as well as yearbooks from 2006 through 2011, plus, a wedding album for my sister’s best friend. With all these projects, templates are life savers! No, sanity savers!!! One of the books I’m working on right now (Med Cruise) uses Lynn’s “Lots of Shots” series as well as Katie’s “Stamped n Framed” series. I rarely venture away from Designer Digitals for templates! My sister (yes,
she’s a digiscrapper too now) uses another designer for her books, but I feel like Katie, Lynn, Cathy, Ali and the rest of the DD Team can read my mind and feel my needs.

So far, I’ve done all my printing with Shutterfly as 12x12 AND 8x8 books. They’ve been good to me. But I am looking closely at Blurb and had one of my travel books printed there too, just to see the difference. The books that exceed 100 pages will definitely be printed with Blurb, but, s long as Shutterfly works for me as a digiscrapper - I’ll stay there. I keep the larger books in our livingroom at home. The smaller copies spend the winter at my office, and the summer at our summerhouse!

With all the traveling you do, what advice do you have related to carrying the camera gear you need?

I always travel with a backpack from Lowepro as my carry-on luggage. It holds my laptop, my “big” DSLR, a couple of extra lenses, my point-and-shoot, all the chargers, extra batteries, memory cards and adaptors I might need. It also holds my Kindle, my iPod and other necessary things! It’s kind of big, and can get quite heavy when I need to bring everything - but it is so convenient to get everything into one bag! My husband has a slightly smaller version of the same backpack and will take his laptop, my “small” DSLR and his (waterproof) point-and-shoot.

Then I pack another (empty) bag in one of our suitcases. Sometimes it’s a more traditional camera bag, sometimes it’s just one of my bigger purses. My backpack stays where we stay all the time! I never take it out for sightseeing and stuff! I just move the things I need that particular day to the smaller bag! Wherever I travel, I bring at least one DSLR and one point-and-shoot. I don’t always take extra lenses. It depends on my destination.

I have a versatile Tamron zoom mounted on my 50D most of the time, and it gets me through most situations! I travel with a small EHD. I copy all my photos to it at the end of every day, as well as to my laptop’s HD, but I don’t erase them from my memory cards! I do this when I’m back at home and have made sure that I have additional copies of every photo in several places including Flickr!

I organize my photos in folders daily, so that they are easy to find. Pics from all cameras are in the same folder, sorted by time taken. When I start working on a new travel book, I edit all the photos I want to use in Lightroom before putting my pages together.

If I were to give anyone advice or tips on taking photos while traveling it would be this: PHOTOGRAPH WHAT YOU EAT!
My sister and I started doing this just to drive our mother crazy, and it still drives my husband slightly insane, but what you eat while on vacation is a big part of the trip! It doesn’t matter if it’s a curbside wok-stall in Asia, or a Parisian restaurant with a star or two in Guide Rouge!

And maybe this advice, too:
Bring extra batteries for your camera!!! Memory cards are easy to find all over the world. But batteries for your specific camera model might prove very difficult…And don’t EVER forget your charger!

Your travel advice is so helpful! What’s on your agenda for future trips?

Well, we are going to Oban, Scotland next week (Dec 7th-12th) for a wedding! I’ve promised the bride-to-be a book on that event and my husband has promised her to wear a kilt! At the beginning of next year, we are taking another cruise. My in-laws turned 80 during 2011, but we haven’t had time to give them a proper gift, so, we are taking them to Dubai, and then on a cruise in the UAE and to Oman!

My best friend and I are planning another long weekend during spring. She’s the one I travel with when I don’t travel with my husband. Right now, we are talking about going to Krakow, Poland. Or St. Petersburg, Russia. The jury is still out on this one!

And my sister asks me twice a week when I’m coming to Seattle to visit…
That might be a “must” for 2012?

This is all so fascinating, Thess, that I really hate to end the interview. Let’s leave the folks with a link to your gallery and a favorite layout chosen by you:

Thank you very much for all you bring to our community in the form of friendship and inspiration!

Posted by digigrandma on 11:05 PM in • Getting To Know You

November 29, 2011

Getting To Know You: akpatterson

Hello everyone!! Today I have a wonderful interview with akpatterson aka Amy!

So first of all, let’s get to know Amy a little:
I was born and raised in Minnesota, but spent a few of my high school years in Michigan. I went to college at Washington University in St. Louis where I majored in International Business and French. Junior year, I attended school and interned in Paris. My French is now a little spotty, but I still consider myself a Francophile. I love the country and its passion for its food and wine. Paris remains my favorite city in the world. After graduation, I moved to Chicago, where I eventually met my husband, Gage. For my first job, I worked as a software consultant. One project sent me back overseas where I was lucky to spend 3 months in southern Spain. After consulting, I found a job at a Chicago advertising agency, where I worked in database ######### for several years. Gage and I moved to NYC for a year but we now reside west of Chicago with our nearly 4 year old daughter, Lily and crazy little rescue Westie, Willy. I am grateful that I discovered Digital Scrapbooking. Besides being a fun hobby & creative outlet, I love that I am capturing our memories for Lily. I am a chronological scrapper, so to date, I have 2008, 2009 & 2010 Shutterfly “year-in-review” books lining our shelves. I have also created a special vacation album and am working on a baby album for Lily. It makes me so happy to see our memories neatly tucked away in these books! Lily has just recently started to grab the books off of the shelves and look through them by herself - that really makes me smile. My other passion is cooking. I treasure my time in the kitchen and one day hope to go to culinary school. In the meantime, I just started volunteering as a culinary assistant for classes at a new cooking shop in town. I am loving every moment of it!

1. I just love your beautiful pages… please tell us a bit about your process.
I typically start with the story since I like to incorporate journaling into most of my layouts. Then I choose the photo(s) that best illustrate what I am trying to tell…. Most often, I will use a template as my base - sometimes I change it up so much you can’t tell what I started with, but I like having a jumping off point. For this year’s album, I am using the same background paper for most of my layouts, so that goes on next. The fun part for me is embellishing with my stash of DD goodies!

2. How did you get started in digital scrapbooking? Were you a paper scrapper first?
I created an album on Shutterfly in 2008 using a Martha Stewart template. I was happy with the result, but then I stumbled upon their online gallery…. It was there that I saw the most gorgeous albums, many using DD products. I found DD, but I did not own Photoshop, so I didn’t do anything for a while. I discovered the Jessica Sprague online classes, which my husband bought for a Christmas gift (along with PSE). After those classes, I found my way back to DD, fell in love and a whole new world opened up to me… I dabbled in paper scrapping many years ago and have a few vacation albums, but I wasn’t passionate about it. (It also breaks my heart to open up the albums and have the photos or papers come unglued!) Something about having all of my supplies “contained” in my computer (and EHD) is wonderful! Also, I love that there are no mistakes - if something doesn’t look right, I just take it off or move it around.

3. What are your “tools of the trade”? What type of camera do you use, software, favorite lens, computer, anything else you use?
I love my MacBook Pro since I can scrap anywhere. I often bring it with me so I can scrap while I have some free time. It’s horrible though - if I take it to the gym I sometimes find my way to the lounge to scrap instead of working out For software, I recently upgraded to PSE 10 so that I could take Jana’s Blending class. I have a Canon Rebel T1i. For my birthday in May, I got my first add-on lens - the 50mm f/1.8. I love being able to achieve the blurred background for portraits, but that is about the extent of my photography “expertise” - at least for now! I love getting a great shot, but the most important aspect for me is capturing our everyday memories.

4. Do you have any advice for new digi scrappers? What are some of things that have helped you grow as a scrapper?
The Jessica Sprague classes got me up and running but after playing around at DD, I discovered Cassie’s tutorials, which are wonderful whether you are a beginner or looking to learn some new tricks. I am also halfway through Jana Morton’s Blending & Beyond class, which has taught me some great new techniques and adds a new dimension to my pages. The DD gallery is amazing inspiration and has most definitely helped me grow with new ideas.

5. I know you love to use a variety of product in your pages… so what are your top 5 all time (or maybe just right now favorite products/kits?
I am barely scratching the surface, but here are a few products that come to mind:

I love the Studio DD collection of Layer Works templates. They are wonderful as is, but also tons of fun to play with. Here is just one of many favorites:
Layer Works Little Hearts

For this year’s album, I am using one of Katie’s Classic Cardstocks as the background for most of my pages. The subtle texture is beautiful!
Classic Cardstock: Snow Fun

Andrea Victoria’s pattered papers are so fun to mix and match. The Love Blush collection is soft and gorgeous.
Love Blush Paper Pack

Katie’s Negative Sleeves are awesome. I love tucking elements into them!
Negative Sleeves No.3

Lynn’s Worn Page Edges are great for adding some roughed up texture and dimension around the edges. I use them often.
Worn Page Edges

I didn’t have a chance to mention stitching, loops or Ali’s words - other elements I use all of the time…

It was hard for me to choose a layout without Lily as my favorite, but I really love this one about my husband, Gage. It was a “Kayleigh” idea to scrap Facebook statuses and it is genius. I spent a nice amount of time going through all of Gage’s status updates and putting them onto my layout. I smile every time I read this page since it sums up his personality and dry sense of humor so well! (Another reason to love Digital Scrapbooking - adding stories and context to pictures will be such a treasure for future generations…)

Thank you for sharing with us Amy!

Posted by BrittanyLane on 10:20 AM in • Getting To Know You

November 15, 2011

Getting to Know You: LeAnne

When I saw the recently posted AKA card posted by LeeAnn (aka Digishoes) I said, Wow, isn’t she lovely? I am so proud to introduce one of our Designer Digitals members from my home state of Minnesota.

I asked LeAnne to tell us about herself by way of introduction and here’s what she had to say:

I grew up in a small town in Minnesota and was blessed to have both sets of grandparents and all of my aunts, uncles and cousins living within ten miles of each other. I have so many fond memories growing up of family holidays, birthday parties and time spent at my Grandma’s neighborhood grocery store. Following high school graduation, I went to college at Gustavus Adolphus College in an even smaller Minnesota town. I majored in International Business with a Japanese emphasis. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a year living in Japan while in college and even more fortunate to meet my husband while at college. After college, I spent several years working for a Japanese import/export company. But, I soon realized that I wanted to pursue a career in a different field. I returned to graduate school at the University of Minnesota and received my Masters degree in Speech Pathology. Over the years, I have worked in several school districts, helping children to improve their articulation, language and fluency skills. I currently work for a private speech company, which allows me to be flexible in my scheduling of clients and allows me to spend the majority of my time being a stay at home mom for our three children. My family currently resides in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

LeAnne, you mentioned in the description of the first layout you posted here at Designer Digitals that you were originally a paper scrapper. When and how did you get started creating digital scrapbook pages?

In 2009, my husband planned a birthday scrapbooking event for my 40th birthday. He invited many of my friends who scrapbook, including Jana Morton. The majority of us made many trips to our cars hauling in our paper and other scrapbooking supplies. As we were sitting there recovering from our heavy lifting and organizing, in walks Jana just carrying her laptop and some of her completed digital albums. I was intrigued, and after looking at her gorgeous pages and hearing more about digital scrapbooking, I knew I had to make the switch to digital. It took me another year and a half to make the leap and learn how to digitally scrapbook with online classes, but I am so glad I took the time to learn all about it! I also remember Jana mentioning to me that she bought her digital supplies at Designer Digitals and what a wonderful community it was. So, I put that information in my memory for future use. I finally gained enough courage to post a layout at DD in January 2011. I nearly had a panic attack when I hit the submit button the first time, but all the members of DD have been so welcoming and encouraging.

I am not surprised at all that it was the talented, Jana Morton, who intrigued you to try out digital scrapping! We have your very thoughtful husband to thank for hosting a scrapbook birthday party for you so that now we get to enjoy having you in our community at Designer Digitals. It’s very obvious your beautiful children are the reason you create digital art. Do your children willingly pose for photo shoots, and, if not, what are some tips you could share for getting the great shots you get?

I laughed when I read this question! If only you could be with us on a photo shoot, you may not be asking me this question. I would say that through trial and error, my husband and I have learned over the years to let our kids be an active part of the photo shoot. So, after we choose a location or pose, we ask them to pick a new location or pose that they would like to try. Many times, their ideas might be better than ours and it lets them have some control in the situation. If everything else fails, my husband can usually get them to smile by doing something goofy. I also am so thankful for a digital camera so I can snap as many pictures as I want and hope for a good shot!

Well, I am going to try your method of involving the children the next time I photograph my grandsons. I’ve got to remember that my DH is good at acting goofy to get kids to smile, too. What do you consider to be your essential tools you use for memory keeping?

I use a MacBook Pro laptop and I love that it gives me the freedom to scrapbook or organize when I am waiting for kids at dance or sporting events. I store all of my digital supplies on a EHD. I have always used PSE and I recently upgraded to PSE 10 for Jana’s class and I have loved this new version of PSE. I also have recently started using ACDSee and have been working each evening to tag all of my supplies. I can’t wait to give it a try!

For my photography, I use a Canon Rebel XT. It is getting a little on the older side and has been giving me a few problems lately. So, I think I will be in the market soon for a new camera. Before I make the big jump to a new Canon, I am hoping to take some photography classes at a local photography store to try to get off of automatic mode and also to have a better idea what I am looking for in a camera and lenses. I have recently purchased a 50mm f/1.8 lens and it has been a wonderful addition to my photography.

How are you preserving the scrapbook pages you create? Do you print at home or use a service? Do you create separate albums for each child and do you have any projects related to memory keeping on your to do list?

I just ordered my first batch of 50 prints from Persnickety Prints and I am so excited to receive the order in the mail. I have heard so many wonderful comments about their print quality. So, I can’t wait to get the actual prints in my hands. I am planning to organize the layouts similarly to when I paper scrapbooked. Each child will have their own scrapbook for their layouts. I have not been scrapbooking chronologically since I switched to digital so I am sure there will be plenty of rearranging of pages as I go along!

Do you have ideas for scrapbook projects you’d like to complete in the next months?

I have so many projects I would like to accomplish that I am not sure I want to see them all in a list…but here it goes. When I paper scrapbooked, I made a scrapbook for each child documenting their preschool years. So, I would like to start an album of digital layouts for each of their years in elementary, middle and high school. I would love for it to have their school picture as well as some of the highlights from their school year. There have been so many wonderful examples of school pages on DD and I am sure I will be referring to them as I go along.

I would also like to start some sort of project 365 book. I really think a picture a day might be overwhelming for me right now. So, I think something along the lines of a monthly recap page might be the perfect place to start.

Finally, I would like to complete a remembrance book of my dad. My dad loved to cook and so I am hoping to combine pictures of him throughout his life, along with some of his treasured recipes. I loved Carollee’s cookbook that she made for a friend and will with no doubt be referring back to her beautiful pages as I embark on this project!

Those are all worthy projects and I’m sure you will do a beautiful job when you create the pages because your style is classic and beautiful. What are some of the kits from Designer Digitals that you love to use again and again?

Oh, this is a tough question to answer! There are so many beautiful products at DD and I feel that I can always find the right product I need for any page I am working on.
These are definitely some of my favorite products that I go to again and again….

Katie Pertiet
Ledger Grids No 3 (I love to use to add texture to any page.)
Hinge pack
Assorted Messy Stitches White No 1
Fairmont Solid Papers

Lynn Grieveson
Worn Page Edges ( I love that these can give a worn look to any of my pages.)
Yesterday Alpha

Patti Knox
DIY Chipboard Alpha (I can instantly have any color of patterned alpha I need.)

Ali Edwards
All of her Quotes and Titles (Always the perfect addition to a page!)

Thank you, so much, LeAnne, for taking to time to be interviewed. You bring us much inspiration from your scrapbook pages. You chose this wonderful example from your gallery to feature and I certainly agree with your choice because the photo shows us your three very beautiful children. I also invite all of you reading this to visit LeAnne’s gallery for even more wonderful inspiration.

digishoes gallery

Posted by digigrandma on 12:00 AM in • Getting To Know You

October 03, 2011

Getting to Know You: Karen

Karen (aka oswegograd) has a smile that really shines! I am delighted to introduce this lovely member of the Designer Digitals community to you! You’re going to love learning her story.

Oswegograd’s Gallery

First, here’s a little background information Karen provided at the start of our interview:

I was born in a small town near Rochester, New York, and lived there until I left for college. My dad was a career police captain, so I grew up in a very conservative home. Nothing has changed there! I went to college at the State University of New York at Oswego (thus my oswegograd handle.) The campus is on the east end of Lake Ontario, and I seriously could throw a rock from my dorm into the lake. (Can you say cold winters???) In my junior year I came to Florida for a Disney internship, and it really changed my life and helped me to see a bigger world out there.

After graduation in 1993 I came back to Orlando to house-sit for three months. That was almost 18 years ago! I ended up getting a full-time job at Disney working as a VIP tour guide. (Really, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds.) In 1996 I got my first teaching job, teaching 7th grade language arts. After my first year teaching I met my husband and we got married in 1998. Katie came along in 2003, so I “retired” from teaching to stay at home with her. Sam was born in 2005 to make our family complete. I really loved being a stay-at-home mom and gym rat, but the cost of Christian school went up enough that it was time for me to go back to work in early 2009. I was fortunate to get a job at Florida Virtual School, once again teaching 7th grade language arts. I work from home, so I’m able to take the kids to school and pick them up.
Aside from scrapping, I love to read in my limited spare time. I also love to travel. Maybe I should clarify and say that I love BEING other places, but I don’t enjoy GETTING to other places. (I hate to fly.) New York City is always a favorite destination, and I can’t seem to get there enough to see all the great shows and eat all the amazing food! My new life goal is to visit all of the National Parks, but so far I’ve only been to two. I’ll be able to retire in 21 years, so I’ll focus on the parks then, I suppose.

Karen, being that I am from a state where winters are very cold, I’m impressed that you were so smart as to land an internship at Disney World in warm, sunny Florida! It certainly was a fortuitous decision for you since that is where you now happily reside with your beautiful family. I am eager to know more about how it is that you became the daughter-in-law of Creative Team member, Linda (aka earlofoxford)

Linda and I actually met at a summer writing course for teachers in 1997. We immediately hit it off and became fast friends. During the course of the summer she kept telling me that I needed to meet her son. After a few weeks of her hint-dropping, I finally caved in and told her she could give Marc my number. He called a day or two later, and we talked for over two hours. We went on our first date the next week, and the rest is history. We were married a year and a half later. Now she’s stuck with me! The blessing is that I have a fantastic mother-in-law who really is my best friend. It’s a pretty great arrangement

That is the neatest story! It’s pretty obvious from the layouts you both post, that your family enjoys good times with Linda and her husband. Were you always a digital scrapper, Karen?

I’m the one who got Linda into paper scrapping many moons ago, but when she started digi-scrapping I never thought I could get into that. But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. (I wasn’t keeping up with my paper pages because it took too much effort to get it all out.) When I decided to get started, Linda steered me toward an online class to help me learn Elements, and I was hooked. I wish I had more time to practice, take classes, and just work on pages. One day I’ll learn to “scrap like a big girl.” 

Well, you are impressing me with the photographs you scrap for your 365 Project, Karen! It’s not easy when you are busy being a mom and working outside the home, too, to fit in time for scrapping. What’s helping you stay on track with the project?

I don’t have much time to scrap, so 365 really helps me to get SOMETHING done. It’s far too easy to put up the computer and not make time for scrapping, and suddenly months (or years) go by without a completed page. Been there, done that! 365 keeps me honest, and it also keeps me taking pictures. My kids will often tell me, “This can be your picture of the day.” Project 365 is one of my weekly responsibilities, like laundry and cleaning. I just enjoy it more. And I keep my eye on the prize, because that book that comes in the mail at the end of the year is a lot of fun to look at.

Do you print the pages out at home or order prints from a service?

I order prints of my pages, and then I put them in a traditional post bound album. (All told, I have about 25 albums, though the vast majority of them are from my paper scrapping days.)

Do the children enjoy looking at the scrapbook pages you and Linda create for them?

The kids occasionally look at them, but I wouldn’t say it’s a regular activity. However, when they do sit and look, they usually like to see more than one. I’m hoping that someday they’ll enjoy them more when they’re able to sit still longer!

They are very lucky to have you both recording memories for them. All your scrapbook pages are not about the kids, however. Recently, I noticed pages about your trip with Linda to New York City. What are the must see tourist spots you recommend for visitors to be sure to see on a New York City visit?

That’s a hard question, because trips tend to be personal, and based on one’s interests. For example, I’m a musical theater lover, but other people may not be into that. I think there are really two lists of must-see spots when someone visits NYC. One is for first timers, and one is for folks who have been before. For first timers I think the must-see attractions include the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and FAO Schwartz. Macy’s at Herald Square is always fun for shoppers, particularly during the flower festival in April. For those who have been to the city before I recommend the Brooklyn Bridge, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tenement Museum in the lower east side. Naturally, I think everyone needs to see at least one show when in the city! Oh, and don’t forget a delicious cupcake at Magnolia Bakery. A few years ago I took a bike tour of Central Park, which was awesome, and I would recommend that, for sure. It’s a great city, and in as many times as I’ve visited, there’s still a ton more that I need to see and do.

Thanks for the great tourist advice, Karen. NYC is one of those world famous cities that I think everyone hopes to visit at least once. It’s been delightful chatting with you. I can’t let you go, though, without asking for digital scrapping suggestions, too. What are some favorite products from the Designer Digitals store you enjoy using?

TEMPLATES! (Can’t live without them.)

Papers: Ariel Paper Pack and Ariel Solids by MapleBrook Studios and Classic Cardstock Paper Packs by Katie Pertiet

Alphas: Acrylic Alphas by Pattie Knox

Thank you so much, Karen, for taking time for this interview. We all benefit from your sunny presence here at Designer Digitals. I know you will inspire many busy moms to keep snapping pictures and recording the memories of their kids growing up. Let’s leave the folks with this wonderful, wonderful layout chosen by you as a favorite from your gallery.

Posted by digigrandma on 11:15 PM in • Getting To Know You

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