Blog Hop with a Difference!

Hello girls! So happy you have dropped in...

So a few weeks back the lovely Kay Fatula (you can find her here at 'Embrace Serendipity') asked me if I would like to join in a blog hop, and having never participated in anything like it before, I said why not? I LOVE searching blogs looking for inspiration, to learn some techniques and just see what all the wonderful girls who are bitten with the crafty bug are up to....

So there are a few questions that we answer so that other blog lovers can get to know us a little bit better....

What am I working on right now?

I just created my very first layout for a brand new design team that I will announce very soon, so stay tuned!

I never ever would have considered myself a competitive person, but I really love challenges. I love that there is a sketch, a theme or a moodboard, those instantly spark ideas in my head. I also love meeting new friends and being exposed to a new audience that perhaps has never seen your work before, and then there is the excitement of trying to win! What a great feeling that can be! I am totally in love with antiques and I really love to create layouts with a vintage vibe. So when left to my own devices, I usually like to incorporate some vintage items, lace, buttons, vintage photos, or my favourite vintage ephemera that I collect. 

Here is a sneak peek of a layout I am working on, using some bits of an old magazine....

How long does it take to create a project?

This is something I am really working on at the moment. I am a working mom, so time is really limited to start with ;) It used to take me several evenings or more than 2-3 hours for each lo, but I have started something new, which is to lay out everything I want to use before I even start the project, no more searching through bins of supplies! I want to get a little faster, because I want to produce more projects! 

What are my fave things that I love to create with at the moment?

For me, it's all about the paints and inks. I have dabbled in scrap booking ever since my son was born, but my creativity really caught fire when I saw scrappers using a lot of different color mediums. My favourite brands are 13 arts, Art Anthology and Luminarte watercolors. I am so lucky to be a designer for The Scrapbook Diaries, I get sent amazing products to work with. Recently I was sent a watercolor pencil, and I really really loved it, so that's my next on my list, is to work with those more. 

Here is an example of how I love working with inks and that watercolor pencil....

How does your creative process work?

I usually start with the photograph I'm going to work with and really base the overall design around it. I always try to have an idea in my head about what I want the lo to look like, and the mood I want to create and then choose the colors and the papers.

How do I become inspired?

I find inspiration all around me. In the colors of the sky at dusk, the textures of fabrics, the flowers in my garden, my son's beautiful smile. I love to scrap family photos most of all. I'm not sure why, but I have a strong sense of nostalgia, I am fascinated by old photos, imagining what their lives were like, their struggles, their triumphs, their loves. Scrapping family photos reminds me of my connection to people who I love who are no longer here with us and it also an expression of my love for my family. 

What is my signature style?

It's hard for me to say I have one certain style, it really depends on my mood and the look I am going for. I create layouts with a lot of colors and textures, I love a very random look, with a lot of splashes and drips, and I like my designs to look imperfect, a bit tattered and torn. I am always very drawn to a soft shabby romantic look, but lately I am also really loving very minimalist designs, where there are very few design elements, just some random stamping, a few drips of color and a photo. 

I didn't have a lot of luck in getting girls to join in the blog hop with me, they were either too busy or had already been asked (!). So I thought I would share three of my favourite artists and I hope you will 'hop' on over to their blog and see why I love them....

Joyce Lawrence

I have gotten to know Joyce while being team mates at Blue Fern Studios, and really enjoy her friendship. I nicknamed her the "Queen"because this girl can alter chipboard like nobody's business! Just look at the photo, can you believe these pieces started out as plain cardboard? Her chipboard pieces are just divine, there are beads, rhinestones, pearls, I'm just amazed at how they look like pieces of jewelry. Her work is elegant, stunningly gorgeous and so refined. Her layouts are so beautiful, every element so well done and perfectly placed. 

You can find more of her work on her blog 'Scraps of Elegance'.

Gayle Price

I found Gayle's blog recently and it is one of my favourite blogs to visit. Her work is incredibly thoughtful, intelligent and so artistic. Gayle is very bold and brave in her art, she has touched on themes most of us would find very difficult to explore. She uses so many mediums so well.....paints, stamps, watercolors, I am always floored by her creations. You can find Gayle's work on her blog 'Bliss and Gesso'.

Last but not least is Anna Rogalska

I am always in love with Anna's layouts, her use of color is spectacular. Her compositions are always so well done, and I love the grungy but pretty look to her work. There are always so many incredible details in her projects, and she is such a sweet and supportive blog-friend to me. You can find her work on her blog 'Annar- Mojepasje'.

Thanks for letting me share a little bit more about me and my inspiration...

Please drop me a line and tell me what you think!

Big hugs, Lisa xo