Hi everyone! :o)  It’s Kylie here with our latest GALLERY GIRLS feature!  …and I’m terribly excited to get started! :o)

But for starters…it has been a few months since we got to know our last amazing gallery girl and for those new to the blog…first let me say – WELCOME to all!!!…and next, here is a little explanation on what these super-duper fun and inspired posts are all about.  All of our ‘regular’ gallery posters that we love and feel that we have almost come to ‘know’ – SP affectionately refers to as her ‘GALLERY GIRLS’ :o) – and every once and a while we spotlight a ‘new girl’!  Sooo much FUN!!  To catch up on all our past ‘gallery girls’ click HERE or on your visits to the blog you’ll find the Gallery Girls category down the right side…just a click away from beautiful faces, a sweet little chat, and layout after layout of digi-scrapping heaven!

Today, I’m thrilled to ‘introduce’ you to one of our brightest stars…AMBER! :o)

Amber has such a beautiful, happy and uplifting personality…we just love her!  And if you frequent the Shabby Shoppe’s gallery at all…then you are SURE to have noticed our featured scrappers’ layouts – they shine with personality, are seriously GORGEOUS, and oh so inspiring!  Pagefuls of super-cute pics of her beautiful family and smiles a-plenty, funny little anecdotes and uh-oh moments that make us all giggle, and extra-precious tribute layouts full of life and LOVE.  Amber has a keen eye for color, scraps the sweetest of clusters and loves to layer lots of pretty papers!  Everyday moments or special events, Amber scraps them all with love…and with such style and grace it makes your heart smile!

So without a doubt, I was soooo excited when, the very talented, Amber accepted the invitation to be our latest Gallery Girl :o)  It really has been lots of fun bringing this post to you!  Amber has been a joy to work with and she has crafted lots of exciting new layouts to share with us! YAY!  And, of course, Amber has been kind enough to answer all of our interview questions…sharing with us about her scrapping journey and family life!  We’ll get to know her better soon, but first – let’s check out one of the new pages that Amber created just for this post (there are lots of fabulous new layouts sprinkled throughout…so be sure to scroll down).  Amber will also be uploading all of these layouts to her gallery…so you can see larger images and more info about each one there :o)

I had to start off with this CUTE and perfectly pretty page!  How could I not!!  BIG SMILES!! :o)

Now, on with the interview…and plenty of inspiration along the way…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

I am a Domestic Goddess, (a.k.a. stay-at-home mom), with five children.  I love my children dearly, and wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.  I LOVE being a wife and mother!  My husband and I have been married for 10 years now, and I love him more now than I did when I married him!  He’s a devoted husband and father, and works very hard so that I can stay home to teach and take care of our kids.  Our lives are very busy, to say the least!  I take whatever quiet moment I can to do some things for me, things that I really enjoy doing, like scrapbooking, sewing, quilting, decorating, or crafting – I suppose it doesn’t happen very often, though!  I was born and raised in Utah, by the most wonderful parents you could ever ask for.  I have three sisters, and three great brothers-in-law.  My mom taught me how to sew, which has been invaluable!  My Dad has taught me perseverance.  And, both have taught me the importance of family, and that I am loved and watched over by my Heavenly Father.

These fall-inspired pages are more than timely!  Beautiful details…amazing photos!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCRAPPING DIGITALLY…AND DID YOU EVER GIVE PAPER SCRAPPING A TRY?

Five years ago, I tried paper scrapbooking.  I did a few pages for an album my sisters and I were making for my parents’ 30th anniversary.  It was really hard for me!  It was like pulling teeth to get those pages done!  Inspiration wasn’t very abundant for me, and I HATED it! LOL!  The mess, and ruining things because I couldn’t see where to place them and I’d keep moving them around…I don’t know.  So, I didn’t do more until almost two years ago.  I had gone through a miscarriage a few months before.  I was SO depressed.  My sister had been doing scrapbooking for quite a while – even designing papers and embellishments for a company here in Utah.  She helped me make my very first digital layout.  I was hooked!  Doing that page helped me to realize what I did have.  It helped me remember the memories of times that I have had with my four other children and how very blessed I am!  I needed that!  I still need that!  While the depression was still there, scrapbooking my memories was my antidote.  It still remains to be my antidote for the tough times..it makes me happy!

Scrap-Happiness!!  Amber’s little ones have the happiest of smiles :o)  Love these pages!

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR SCRAPPING STYLE?

“Evolving”?  Is that a style? LOL!  No, seriously.  I look back at some of my first ones and I cringe! :0)  (In fact, I have redone some of those original ones.  They look much better!)  Anyway, in the two years I have been doing this, I’ve been so inspired by others, and I just itch to be able to try new ideas!  I LOVE clustering!  I LOVE color!  Although, I’ve enjoyed doing some more monochromatic layouts as well.  Oh, and I LOVE templates – they have taught me about placement, and I am finding myself doing more and more of my own layout designs.  It’s SO exciting!

A very special photo scrapped beautifully…

WHAT IS THE FIRST COMPONENT OF EACH PAGE YOU CREATE…OR DOES IT VARY FROM PAGE TO PAGE?

Most often it’s the picture.  Those pictures have such a story to tell, and I can’t wait to get it on “paper”!  Other times, it’s the story itself, because I don’t have a picture to go with it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT (TO DATE) AND WHY?

Amber says ~ Do I have to choose just one?  It’s SO hard!  It’s like choosing a favorite child or something!  Then, a lot of them have amazing memories that go along with them – memories that I LOVE! LOL!  Yet, with “Baby Wobert”, I didn’t use a template, it was from my own creativity, and that layout just flowed as I did it.  I love the circles, the colors, the stitching (I LOVE stitching!), and I LOVE the memory!

Then, with “Quarter”, what a day that was!  We still joke about it!  And, I LOVE that xray!  Besides all that, Hopscotch is one of my all time favorite kits!  I go to that one all the time!

SP says ~ This layout is just all kinds of beautiful.  From that gorgeous photo – to the sweet (and honest) words…to the ‘organic’ feel of the page – it’s all perfection!  I really love it when portraits take on a candid/real feel…and that is certainly true here!  The love and happiness behind those smiles…it doesn’t get any better :o)

How could you not LOVE this layout?  Amber’s sweet dad has been through so much lately…yet he still perseveres and shines…and as a result – is an inspiration to his entire family, and many others, I’m sure!  But, it certainly goes far beyond that…because of the internet and digital scrapbooking – we are ALL able to be inspired by him, and by his beautiful daughter!  Amber’s gallery is an inspiration to us all…and her sweet personality is infectious!

WHAT TIP/TECHNIQUE DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SCRAPPING DIGITALLY?

Grrr!  Thinking about this, I feel SO dumb! LOL!  I am self taught in Photoshop, except for the help that my sister gave me at the beginning, of course.  So, I really wish I had known about the clipping mask.  I used to do it the hard way.  Select the layer, move the marquee to the paper, “cut” it, and move it back over to the layer.  So, yeah. The clipping mask is MUCH easier! :0)

WHAT IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

Pictures.  Memories.  I go looking through all my pictures – which are a LOT!  And, I remember what was going on, and I feel driven to create!  It’s usually the colors in the photos that inspire the color palette.  If the photos don’t match, I LOVE slight sepia tinting!  My kids are my main inspiration.  I really want to get my memories down of them.  I guess I’m afraid that when I get old, I’ll have Alzheimer’s or Dementia or something, and I’ll forget all these wonderful memories!  So, doing this, it’s like I’m doing my own family’s history, and it’s for posterity’s sake, I guess.  I want my kids to realize how much I love them and the funny, or not so funny, things that they do.

Amber loves to scrap with Hopscotch and I can so see why!  Bright and HAPPY pages!

TECH STUFF :o) Tell us about your camera and software!

My husband bought me a Cannon Rebel T2i not too long ago when my other camera decided to die.  (It’s pretty wonderful!  Although, I’m still trying to figure out how to use all the bells and whistles.)  I use Photoshop CS4, and LOVE it!

FAST FIVE FACTS!

• Favorite COLOR: Blue!  Although, I love how brown can go with almost any color!
• Favorite FOOD: Sugar.  Ooh!  Especially Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins!  One of the reasons that I LOVE Fall!
• Favorite MOVIE: Confessions of A Shopaholic :0)
• Favorite SONG: “Rhythm of Love” by Plain White T’s – You’ve got to find it and listen to it! :0)
• Favorite MEMORY: The day my husband and I FINALLY got married! (He had called off our wedding, and then proposed again a few months later. I loved him too much to say no :0).  And, now, I have something to tease him about!)  And, then, there’s the birth of each of our children.  Very special moments, indeed!

And to finish…WOW!!

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Amber, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH for having fun with us…for sharing a little of your world and for allowing us to admire all these wonderful layouts, precious pics and special memories, here at the Shabby Shoppe blog today! :o)  It has been an absolute pleasure and I’m ending this post excited and completely INSPIRED!  Best of all – I KNOW I am not the only one!

THANKS for joining us today!  We’ll see you all again very soon! :o)

KylieGallery Girls, Inspiration, Uncategorized 9 Comments

Hi everyone! :o)  It’s Kylie here…and once again, I’m thrilled to share another GALLERY GIRLS feature with you!  It is always an absolute joy for me to put these all-time favorite posts together for all of us to read & enjoy!  As I’m sure you’ll all agree, there is something so special about learning a little about the very talented person behind all those wonderful pieces of gallery inspiration!  And with this new post we are very fortunate to get to know a little more about the very-very talented and lovely Lisa!…or SparkysGirl2, as she’s known in our beloved little gallery.  

Here at the Shabby Shoppe we soooo treasure our little digi-scrapping community…and Lisa has been a special part of our Shabby family since 2009.  And, since then she has delighted us and inspired us beyond words with all the layouts she has posted.  Her digi-scrapping skills are literally breath-taking…every page is quite simply stunningly beautiful!!  Lisa has a definite knack in bringing out the very best in the paper combinations she chooses to layer…floral, plaid, stripes…genius!  Put your hand up if you’re like me and in complete AWE of Lisa‘s clustering skills…seriously now, just take a peek at all those perfectly formed posies!  And, she sure knows how to mix and match all our favorite Shabby Princess kits seamlessly!  I’m certain we’ve all stared at a SparkysGirl2 page from time to time, totally fascinated, and just soaking up all that brilliant scrapbooking goodness – I know I have!!  And it’s not just Lisa‘s scrapping abilities that catch your eye, it is her sense of family, her memory-keeping…the stories remembered and beautifully told.  Her pages are heartfelt and, above all else, full of love!

(Be sure to keep on scrolling so you don’t miss all the brand new layouts – there’s bunches and bunches!! - Lisa created especially for this feature!  She will also be uploading them to her gallery…so you can see larger images and more info about each there…Thanks Lisa!)

Let’s start with some inspiration!  Lisa sent through so many new creations that it made the job of choosing which one to keep full-size and showcase first a very tricky thing indeed…I fell in love with all of them!  In the end I chose this beauty…how could I not, really!  Old photos of loved ones get me every time!!

Now, on with the interview…and heaps of inspiration along the way…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

My name is Lisa, but I am known around digiland as SparkysGirl.  I am married to my best friend, and we have raised three kids together – two girls and a boy.  Our son still lives at home, but he has one foot out the door!  He will be graduating from college at the end of this year, and he is planning to ask his girlfriend to marry him — sssshhhh!  Depending on timing, I might be revealing a secret! ;)  We have a dog named Tanner, and three cats:  Grace, Suzy and Faith.  At this point in our lives, my husband (also known as Sweet Baby Cakes) and I are officially “dating” again.  We managed to navigate the waters of child rearing, and we finally have time to spend together doing things that we enjoy.  We find time to see movies, peruse antique stores, take short road trips, and we share dinner out A LOT.  In addition to working full-time as a systems analyst, I enjoy photography, reading, genealogy, and, of course, digital scrapbooking.

Here are two more lovlies!  How fun is the angled background papers?!!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCRAPPING DIGITALLY…AND DID YOU EVER GIVE PAPER SCRAPPING A TRY?

I have been scrapbooking digitally since April of 2009.  At that time, I was looking for a way to create a special scrapbook for my husband’s upcoming “milestone” birthday.  I also wanted to create a slideshow of photos.  As I hunted the web for resources, I stumbled upon digital scrapbooking sites … like The Shabby Shoppe!  I was intrigued, and I got started almost immediately.  I had paper scrapped for years prior, but I was frustrated by the mess it created and the need to pack it up and put it away.  With digital, there are no tiny scraps of paper, glitter or glue to clean up!  I can scrap anytime and anywhere!  Instant love and instant addiction!  I am so thankful for the Shabby Princess, because she has those “freebies” on her site.  I downloaded and used those to build my confidence in my ability to scrap digitally.  Without those freebies, I doubt I would have pursued the craft the way I have.  I was worried about investing money in kits until I was sure I could successfully use them to create layouts.  I am eternally grateful to her for her generosity!  It opened up a whole new world for me!

Now these are just PRETTY, PRETTY, PRETTY!!!!!

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR SCRAPPING STYLE?

My scrapping style is eclectic to say the least.  Most of my layouts are the standard heritage or paper-look style.  However, if the mood strikes I’ll create a page that leans more towards an art journal type layout.  If I am going through a difficult time, I often use the outlet of scrapping to express myself.  One fairly constant in my pages is clustering … I am an element-clustering fanatic!  I love flowers, leaves, swirling ribbon and string, and stamps.  I am in awe of the creativity of other scrappers, and when I feel my mojo going on the fritz I haunt the galleries or participate in a challenge.  I love to look for new techniques to learn, and I’ll often incorporate them into my layouts – this adds to the random and eclectic style.  One resource I use a lot to learn new things is Photoshop Creative magazine.

WHAT IS THE FIRST COMPONENT OF EACH PAGE YOU CREATE…OR DOES IT VARY FROM PAGE TO PAGE?

The first component of each page varies from page to page for me.  Sometimes it’ll be a particular element or paper from a kit that inspires me.  Other times I have a specific photo or topic that I am laying out, and I’ll start with it.  Every now and again … it’s the title that begins it and I build from there.  As I sit here pondering my typical approach to a page, I realize I’m a little scattered about it.  But it always works itself out in the end.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT (TO DATE) AND WHY?

Lisa says ~ One of my most favorite layouts is one that I created for the Amazing Digi Scrap Race last year.  I love it, because it is a heritage page without a heritage look to it.  It’s called, “Creative Women“.  Some of the most special people in my life are on the page.  I really, really, really hate photos of myself, so it’s odd that one of my favorite layouts includes a photo of me.  I think it was a required element to the page.  I love the colors and the topic.

…and here is SP’s pick(s)…

…okay, so SP had a hard time picking JUST ONE (I don’t blame her one bit!)…so there ended up being a tie for her fave SparkysGirl2 creation…

WHAT TIP/TECHNIQUE DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SCRAPPING DIGITALLY?

The technique I wish I had known about right away was shadowing, shadowing, shadowing!  It makes such a huge difference in layouts!  I am always searching for cool shadowing techniques that create a more realistic look and that adds to the page creatively.

WHAT IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

Just like my eclectic style … my inspiration is random, too!  I see layouts EVERYWHERE (this is now a family joke – they recognize the zoned look I get when I see something that is inspiring a page)!  From the menu board at a restaurant, to a television commercial, to a magazine advertisement … I’m always thinking in terms of how it could be translated into a page.  I am a Christian, and I am often inspired by my faith and the scriptures.  I am also driven to document my heritage.  After my Mama passed away, I received tubs of old photos.  Some of the photos are labeled with who the people are in them.  However, quite a few aren’t labeled at all, and I find this to be so sad!  Each of the photos has people with a story … and, I’m nosey … I want to know their story.  I’m on a quest to get them labeled and the stories told.  I hope my children and grandchildren will appreciate having tons of family information at their fingertips.

What beautiful photographs…and stunning page designs to match!

TECH STUFF :o) Tell us about your camera and software!

I have a couple of cameras.  I have a Canon Rebel T3i that I use as a backup.  My main camera is a Canon 60D.  My next investment will be in better lenses. 

When I first started scrapbooking digitally, I used Microsoft DIP but only for a short time.  I used Photoshop Elements after that, but I have since upgraded to Photoshop CS5.  I recently purchased Photoshop Lightroom to organize and process my photos, but I haven’t learned how to use it yet.  Sometimes it seems there just aren’t enough hours in the day!

These two layouts are sooo creative…and sooo cute!

FAST FIVE FACTS!

• Favorite COLOR: Blue
• Favorite FOOD: Chocolate
• Favorite MOVIE: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (I love to laugh!)
• Favorite SONG: What A Wonderful World … makes me cry every time I hear it!
• Favorite MEMORY: The day I married Sweet Baby Cakes

And finally, this little masterpiece…it makes my heart smile!

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So, now you ‘know’ Lisa a little better!  She is such an inspiration for us at the Shoppe and I’m certain you are finding yourself completely inspired, too!  Be sure to check out Lisa’s entire gallery for even more beautiful layouts and digi-scrapping inspiration! 

THANKS AGAIN LISA, for being a ‘gallery girl’ and for allowing us to admire all your special pages – full of wonderful family photos and memories – right here at the Shabby Shoppe blog today! :o)  It has truly been a pleasure & a privilege to work with you!

Thanks for stopping by…and I’ll be seeing you all tomorrow with the JULY free Desktop!!

KylieGallery Girls, Inspiration, Uncategorized 9 Comments

Hi everyone!  Kylie here with our first GALLERY GIRLS feature for 2012! YAY! :o)  Over a year ago SP began sharing these wonderfully sweet and all-inspiring blog posts!  We haven’t had one for a little while, so I think it is a perfect time to remind ourselves what these features are all about…so here is a little explanation: all of our ‘regular’ gallery posters that we love and feel that we have almost come to ‘know’ – SP affectionately refers to as her ‘GALLERY GIRLS’ :o) – and every once and a while we spotlight a ‘new girl’!  To catch up on all our past ‘gallery girls’ (we absolutely adore each and every one of them and their outta-this-world scrapping talents) click HERE or on your visits to the blog you’ll find the Gallery Girls category down the right side of the blog…just a simple click away from friendly faces, a little chat and layout after layout of digi-scrapping delights!

These are such fun blog posts to work on…a definite fave, for sure!  I really enjoy getting to know everyone better and I’m always inspired during the process…and I hope you guys are too!  Of course, this time was no different and I’m so, so unbelievably excited to share our next ‘gallery girl’ with you!  For our first twenty-twelve feature, I got to work with the gorgeous Gloria…though you might know her better as chocochoco :o)

Gloria joined us over a year ago and regularly pops in with a gem of a creation!!  It has been lovely to watch her style evolve.  I always look forward to each and every beautiful page that hits her gallery!…they are a true feast for the eyes!  Time and time again she successfully marries her black & white photos with a flurry of richly patterned papers and tons of decorative elements.  Goodness me, soooo much time and effort put into each page!!  Her clustering is incredible and the depth she creates with her bold shadowing is amazing.  Her layouts always have this fabulous 3-dimensional feel (like a paper tole creation, in my opinion)…you can almost reach out and touch layer upon layer.  Works of art…little masterpieces…to showcase her precious family photos.  Gloria is such a sweetheart and her love of family comes across in every single page :o)

Be sure to scroll down so you don’t miss the new layouts Gloria created specifically for this feature!  She will also be uploading all of these new layouts to her gallery…so you can see larger images and more info about each there :o)

…a HAPPY page to begin with!  Ahhh-mazing huh?!

Now, on with the interview…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

My name is Gloria aka chocochoco in the digiland. I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia with my beloved parents, charming little brother, and sweet little sister. Besides scrapping, I enjoy reading and listening to music.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCRAPPING DIGITALLY…AND DID YOU EVER GIVE PAPER SCRAPPING A TRY?

I’ve been digi scrapping for almost three years and haven’t tried any paper scrapping before.  At first I was addicted to editing my photos with brushes and shapes and a friend of mine told me something new. She told me about Shabby Princess free kits and I have totally fallen in love with digital scrapbooking.

…creative beyond belief - Gloria takes our kits to a whole new level with these two beauties!  How cool are those layered frames!!

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR SCRAPPING STYLE?

I’m still trying to discover my style because it keeps changing as I try new things but I absolutely love clustering and using lots of pattern papers.

WHAT IS THE FIRST COMPONENT OF EACH PAGE YOU CREATE…OR DOES IT VARY FROM PAGE TO PAGE?

I usually start with a theme and designs and then choose the kit that I want to use.  Then I layer the papers and elements and then add a title and maybe some journaling. I find that journaling is the hardest part. As you see, I rarely do my own journaling. I usually use quotes or poems or song lyrics.

…no holding back with this layout for her handsome ‘super’ brother.  Who says you can’t use flowers for guy layouts!!  And Gloria always manages to create wonderful texture on her pages…what a sweet and sunny page on the right.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT (TO DATE) AND WHY?

I think my favorite is The Fated Bond because I’m using my favorite kits and also two wonderful templates (Shabby Princess Easy-As-Pie Template Challenge Three and Shabby Princess Ad Inspiration Template One). I just love how everything came together :)

…and no surprise it’s our favorite too!!

WHAT TIP/TECHNIQUE DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SCRAPPING DIGITALLY?

I wish I knew how to add realistic touch to my page. When I first started scrapbooking (digitally, since I haven’t tried paper scrapping) I didn’t know how to set a drop shadow properly.  I just put some papers and elements and added some photos. I was a little disappointed when I saw the result. But now I think I’ve found my favorite drop shadow style :)

WHAT IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

My inspiration come from magazines, songs, movies, and of course my little cousins and family. I also look through pinterest and galleries to get some ideas.

…more gorgeousness from Gloria!

TECH STUFF :o) Tell us about your camera and software!

I have Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS and I wish I could have my own DSLR asap. lol. I also have both Photoshop Elements 7 and CS4 but mostly use the CS4.

FAST FIVE FACTS!

• Favorite COLOR: I love white and any shades of blue. Please don’t make me choose. I just can’t. lol
• Favorite FOOD: Anything made from chocolate
• Favorite MOVIE: My Sister’s Keeper
• Favorite SONG: Any song by Owl City and Big Bang
• Favorite MEMORY: When I had a road trip with my whole big family, celebrated my grandpa’s 70^th birthday. It was so much fun.

…and no better way to finish off than with a whole lot of LOVE and a beautiful sentiment!!

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Gloria, a huge THANK YOU for being a part of the Shoppe’s community…and for  letting us get to know you a little bit more! :o)  It has been a joy!  We all adore you here at the Shabby Shoppe…and can’t wait for your next incredible layout to hit the gallery!!! 

THANKS for checking in with us today, so glad you did!  I’ll see you back here tomorrow…same time, same place…to share the free APRIL desktop!  See you then! :o)

KylieGallery Girls, Inspiration, Uncategorized 12 Comments

Hi all! :o)  Kylie here…and once again, sooooo happy to bring another new GALLERY GIRLS feature to you!  This will be our last gallery girls post for 2011…and what a way to finish the year out!!  Today, I’m beyond thrilled to ‘introduce’ you to one of the shining stars in our inspiration gallery…Gracie (graciewollf)! :o)

I have a feeling that my ‘words’ simply won’t do justice in describing Gracie’s awesome talent for digi-scrapping…however, I’ll do my very best! ;o)  Not only is she a beautiful person inside and out, she is a true creative spirit and you can see that in each and every page.  Her photographs are AMAZING - technically brilliant and full of life, light & love…and this brilliance flows over into the rest of her page…from stunning corner to stunning corner.  Gracie has a definite flair for color <you can see that at an instant>, and her design-work results in truly unique and magical creations.  Her layouts are big and bold!  But at the same time, all those precious little details, that you so often find gracing Gracie’s pages (sorry about the pun! LOL!), never ever get overshadowed.  And, I just love Gracie’s versatility – from serious, heartfelt pages to pages full of funny adventures – from no journaling and a simple title to the perfect amount of storytelling – from soft & dreamy palettes to a rainbow of colors – from lots of negative space to cluster upon cluster!  If you’re like me you’ll get totally lost in her incredible work!  Gracie’s gallery is pure inspiration!

So let’s move on with getting to know a bit more about the gorgeous Gracie and checking out all the incredible new layouts she created especially for this post (be sure to keep scrolling!).  Although, I’m betting you have already had a peek – I don’t blame you, absolutely impossible not to…seriously outta-this-world AWESOME, aren’t they?!  I soooo wish I could have made every layout featured here full-size, but alas, it would have taken forever for the whole post to load and I didn’t want you to have to wait any longer than necessary to see all the fabulousness!!  Gracie will, however, be uploading all of these new layouts to her gallery…so you can see the larger images and more info about each there :o) YAY!

It was impossible to choose a favorite new page to share first, they’re ALL my faves!!…but I just had to ‘bookend’ with these sweet co-ordinating layouts.  This is big sister Aurora’s page…my oh my!  Beautiful…what more can I say, so I’ll just stop there and let you take it all in!

Now, on with the interview…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

I always hate this question because I never know where to start! How about the beginning? I grew up on a tiny island in South East Alaska, Petersburg, to be exact. The town, at it’s most populated, boasted 3,600 people. You had to make your own fun- that’s why I think I am creative to this day. I remember mom giving us crayons, chalk, markers, and freezer paper and telling us to, “have at it”.

Today, I like to think of myself as a schizophrenic artist (as my husband calls it) – I have to have two or more projects going at once.  I am a photographer. I enjoy digital art, tangible art, and all things creative. I am a mom of two little girls that I hope share my creative whims someday.

Two more gems!  I’m a big fan of circles and these two pages are circle-tastic!  And just look at the cutsey cousins pic…adorable! 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCRAPPING DIGITALLY…AND DID YOU EVER GIVE PAPER SCRAPPING A TRY?

I have been scrapbooking for quite a few years – it’s so hard with kids – they always want to help cut, paste, rivet… not the safest thing in the world. I switched to digital last year to keep things under control – I can leave my projects safely on my laptop and no one touches, moves, cuts, or destroys anything, which makes me happy!

Love, love, love these two layouts!  Gracie uses her namesake to perfection in “Molly & Daddy”.  And how awesome is the yellow, brown and dark blue combo on the other…and the whole page is layered to perfection! 

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR SCRAPPING STYLE?

I like to think I am a multiple personality scrapper. I like simple clean lines but then I love the chaotic nature of clustering. I enjoy clean edges ran over by messy stitches. I love torn edges too. I really enjoy neutral with a mix of bright colors. I think my favorite kit to date is, “Gracie” because the pallet is so versatile and the elements are PERFECT!

WHAT IS THE FIRST COMPONENT OF EACH PAGE YOU CREATE…OR DOES IT VARY FROM PAGE TO PAGE?

I am an organized scrapper – I adore the Easy-as-pie templates so much that I when I first go to make a page, I like to create a template and plan everything out. I do know what pictures I’m going to use before I create it though.  I pick my papers out next, then frames, if I use them. I follow by edging, stitching, and elements.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT (TO DATE) AND WHY?

See, even Gracie herself has trouble picking just the one fave from her gallery, lol!

 Gracie says ~ To date, my favorite layouts are, “Expressive Molly” which I love because of the simple clean lines of it and the little details, like the tag hanger and scalloped edges. I also LOVE, “Flower Child” because of the continuity of the whole page – the picture coordinates, the papers, embellishments— everything just flows.

…and here is SP’s pick…

SP says ~ It would be tough to imagine a sweeter and more special layout than this one! Little Molly’s ‘first cry’ photo is out-of-this-world amazing – what a perfect capture! Then…the precious ‘sisterly love’ photo…MELT! Finally…the patient mommy picture – LOVE! And, while this page is obviously ALL about the photos and memories/moments…the actual design of the layout is incredible, too! From all of the layering and stitches, to the shadows…and just the simple fact that the page is BLUE…even for a baby girl – BRILLIANT and total PERFECTION :o) While it was difficult to choose a favorite…as they are all WOW pages (seriously…not a less-than-stellar page in the entire gallery)…this one spoke to me the most! BRAVO :o)

WHAT TIP/TECHNIQUE DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SCRAPPING DIGITALLY?

I wish I knew how to vary shadows. I love how things that are supposed to jump off the page, can look like they do (like leaves, or bows). If you simply add more distance and play with the sliders, it can add so much depth!

WHAT IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

I find inspiration in just about anything – I find it in just about everything. I find it in the colors of what my kids are wearing (or what they put together), i find it in a neat fabric, I find it in a magazine, even in jewelry. I like to take all of these things and scatter them in the way the jewelry patterns may lay, or in the placement of a pocket on jeans.

I can’t get enough of graciewollf‘s scrapbooking layouts, can you?!  A couple more treats for us to drool over…

TECH STUFF :o) Tell us about your camera and software!

I am a little lucky being a photographer, I have some neat stuff to play with. I have a Canon 7D and a Canon Rebel xt, along with a handful of lenses. I use photoshop cs3 for all of my editing and page creating needs.

FAST FIVE FACTS!

• Favorite COLOR: Pink. no, Blue. no, Yellow. Orange? But then Green is so pretty too…. can I pick all?
• Favorite FOOD: I think my favorite has to be Chocolate. yup. Chocolate. It goes with anything – Coffee, fruit, wine… yup anything!
• Favorite MOVIE: I think it’s Princess Bride.
• Favorite SONG: anything by Adele, Jake Owen, or Nickel Creek.
• Favorite MEMORY: I was about 21, and my twin sister, Marie, and I were actually home, in Petersburg, AK, together, with our boyfriends. We decided to go hiking to the garnet mine and get some garnets. It was a long hike and on the way down an embankment, Marie’s boyfriend tumbled a bit, grabbed a tree root on the way down and ripped the seat out of his pants. I still giggle to this day thinking about how red that poor guy turned—did I mention, he was my ex-boyfriend? hahahaha. We did get a jelly-jar full of garnets. It was a great day!

…and now it’s Miss Molly’s turn!  Again, my oh my… PRECIOUS - in every way possible!!  Both Aurora and her little sis are the perfect models for mommy!  My heart is melting at the very sight!

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Gracie, THANK YOU SO MUCH for having fun with us…for sharing a little of your artistic world, and of course, for allowing us to admire all those amazing pages, photos and stories, here at the Shabby Shoppe blog! :o)  It has been a complete pleasure and total joy to work with you!  I actually feel kind of sad to finish up this post…I want to see more, and more gorgeous layouts!! LOL!  But one thing is for certain, I am leaving this post excited and completely INSPIRED!  Best of all – I KNOW I am not the only one!

We’ll be back in twenty-twelve with more Gallery Girl instalments…so stay tuned and keep posting in the gallery! (because ya never know, the next gallery girl might be YOU!!)

THANKS for joining me today – and I’ll see you back here…same time, same place…to announce the winner of template challenge 18 <oooh, exciting!>, to share the next template challenge with you and a little something extra – YAY!!  See you then! :o) 

KylieGallery Girls, Inspiration, Uncategorized 23 Comments

Hi everyone! :o)  Kylie here with our newest GALLERY GIRLS feature…our 12th one!  A year ago SP started sharing these fun blog posts with us…a whole year of AMAZING inspiration and smiles!  So wonderful!  I guess it’s a nice time to remind ourselves what these features are all about - so here is a short, but sweet, explanation:  all of our ‘regular’ gallery posters that we love and feel that we have almost come to ‘know’ – SP affectionately refers to as her ‘GALLERY GIRLS’ :o) – and each month we spotlight a ‘new girl’!  To catch up on all our past ‘gallery girls’ click HERE or on your visits to the blog you’ll find the Gallery Girls category down the right side of the blog…just a simple click away!

These wonderful lil’ features are fast becoming one of my favorite blog posts to work on.  I really enjoy getting to know everyone better and I’m always inspired during the process…and I truly hope you are too!  Of course, this month was no different and I’m thrilled to share our next ‘gallery girl’ with you!  This time, I got to work with the lovely Jessica…though you might know her better as jessg26 :o)

 I’ve always admired Jessica’s gallery…she has the sweetest little two-year old girl, her pages are always jam-packed with lots of adorable pics and pretty things…and her scrapping style just rocks – each page is a joy to see!  I can’t help but smile at all the love and personality she packs into each and every layout.  And, when it comes to her Project SCRAP pages she is an absolute STAND-OUT – I always look forward to those!

Now for the best part…let’s get on with meeting sweet Jessica and get a first-look at all the beautiful pages she has created especially for this post!  Jessica will also be uploading all of the new layouts to her gallery…so you can see larger images and more info about each one :o)

There could be no other way to start off this ‘interview’ but to show you this stunning wedding layout. I can’t help but let out a big sigh! :o) The combination of the beautiful, beautiful photos, the lovely embellishments and sweet pastels…nothing more precious! 

Now, on with the interview…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

My family and I live in San Diego, CA. My husband and I have been married for 5 years and we have a wild little girl who just turned two. I am currently a stay-at-home mommy and intend to keep it that way for as long as possible! Prior to my daughter’s arrival, I was working as a Registered Nurse at the Children’s Hospital. I loved my job and thought I would miss it, but being able to take care of my girl is so awesome. In my free time I like to avoid doing housework by scrapping, reading, sewing, or searching for yummy gourmet recipes that my family won’t eat!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCRAPPING DIGITALLY…AND DID YOU EVER GIVE PAPER SCRAPPING A TRY?

 I started out in paper scrapbooking shortly after my husband and I were married. It was summer break before my last semester of college, I didn’t have a job, and my husband was still in school and working…so I needed something to do! I ended up getting all of the proofs from my wedding photographer for free so I got to work. I now have a lovely (and huge) wedding album somewhere in my closet. I started working on an album of my daughter’s first year while she was still very young, but once she became mobile, it was impossible…too hard to clean up everything in between naps, mealtimes, etc. It was also getting too expensive! I was interested in starting digital scrapbooking but had no idea where to begin. A friend of mine actually referred me to the Shabby Shoppe blog for free kits and tutorials, and I got a 30 day free trial of Photoshop Elements. I was hooked! My husband bought me the Photoshop Elements software for Christmas last year.

How about this gorgeous birthday party two-page spread?! Perfect scrapping…lots of photos, lots of journaling, lots of gorgeous little embellishments all in the right places!! And I just LOVE the colours…awesome banner too!! 

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR SCRAPPING STYLE?

I really don’t know how I would define my style. When I did paper scrapbooking, my layouts were pretty simple, with just a few embellishments here and there. But with digital it is so easy to add more and more! You never have to worry about using up all your supplies. I love that. I like to use lots of pictures since it is so easy to resize and fit them just the way you want them. It’s hard for me to do a layout of just one picture! I like to use lots of color. I usually like to include some journaling as well.

WHAT IS THE FIRST COMPONENT OF EACH PAGE YOU CREATE…OR DOES IT VARY FROM PAGE TO PAGE?

 For the most part I start out with my photos. I usually have a specific event/memory I want to preserve before I forget all about it. Then I like to try to coordinate the papers etc with either the colors in the photo, or just with the theme I am going for.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT (TO DATE) AND WHY?

Jessica says ~ I had a lot of fun with all the color and I just love the pictures, they make me laugh. That kind of drama is pretty much an everday occurence in our house.

And here is SP’s pretty-in-pink pick ~

SP says ~ “I remember seeing this layout for the first time – it just JUMPED out of the gallery at me, lol – and I still love it just as much! I don’t know if it is all of that PINK…the incredibly cute photos…the TUTU…the drop shadows, or what – but it just ‘speaks’ to me :o) It is a true, girly-girl page, and the contrast of the scallop just makes it all POP! So, although it was NOT an easy decision <choosing a favorite> – this has to be it :o)”

WHAT TIP/TECHNIQUE DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SCRAPPING DIGITALLY?

I wish I had known how to recolor! Since I’ve learned to do that, I haven’t made a single layout where I haven’t recolored one or two items. Recoloring greatly extends the use of all my digital elements.

WHAT IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

As you can see from my layouts I’m kind of obsessed with my little girl! It’s just so much fun to scrapbook all the new things she is learning and all the trouble she gets into. I guess that’s part of the reason I like so much color in all my layouts.

Another adorable & brilliantly scrapped two-pager to celebrate Leah’s second birthday! ‘TWO’ SWEET!! ;o)

TECH STUFF :o) Tell us about your camera and software!

I have a Sony Cybershot. It is not a fancy camera at all. I bought it because it was pink. And small enough to fit in my pocket. I would love to have a super expensive camera that makes all my photos look professional, but I would never have the patience to learn how to use it anyway! I use Photoshop Elements 9.

FAST FIVE FACTS!

• Favorite COLOR: blue
• Favorite FOOD: chocolate
• Favorite MOVIE: dan in real life, or Pride and Prejudice (the new one)
• Favorite SONG: “How Glad I Am” by the Living Sisters or “Hold on” by Michael Buble
• Favorite MEMORY: My wedding day, and the day my daughter was born :o)

And to finish…a cute, cute, cute PRINCESS page!!!

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So, now you ‘know’ Jessica a little better!  She is such an inspiration for us at the Shoppe and I’m certain you are finding yourself inspired, too!  Be sure to check out Jessica’s fabulous gallery for even more gorgeous layouts and inspiration!  THANKS AGAIN for being a ‘gallery girl’, Jessica :o)

Join us next month for another GALLERY GIRLS FEATURE! Our final one for 2011…so don’t miss it!

Rosy will be with you tomorrow with a post that’s guaranteed to inspire! …and the fun won’t stop there ~ on Friday we have a yummy food post by Casharina, and then I (Kylie) will be back on Saturday with your FREE November desktop!  Bye for now! :o)

KylieGallery Girls, Inspiration, Uncategorized 7 Comments