Saturday, July 4, 2009

Challenge 131

Hey! How did Friday sneak past me? Sheesh...y'know I've got this new puppy and it's EXACTLY like having a new baby. I'm up at the weirdest hours of the night to take her outside so she can pee...needless to say, I'm not really getting top-notch sleep. So, having said that...sorry I'm late posting. I feel like a dork. But a sleep-deprived dork!

So here's the scoop...we've got a new Guest Designer, Gretchen McElveen (swoon!) and we've got a winner in our Flickr Vote...the winner of the May Flicker Favorites is AAMUMMY! So, if you are AAMUMMY, email me at info at lotuspaperie dot com with your mailing info and I'll get your kit mailed off to you asap!

If you have never played along with our weekly challenges, find out all the details here. We wanna see how our challenges inspire your layouts :)

I bet you wanna know what the plan is for this weeks (slightly late) challenge!! This week we are using hand cut bits of patterned paper. Interpret this one however the mojo indicates. There is no wrong way to do this (or any challenge) the ultimate purpose is to get pages made and feed your creative soul.

Are you ready? Let's do this!

edited: I totally suck. I posted the wrong thing for Gretchen. The correct image is there now...sorry Gretchen, it was my mistake not yours :)








Thursday, July 2, 2009

Meet Gretchen!

I love the beginning of a new month...while we're sad to see our previous Guest Designer; Bethany Kartchner go, we're so very excited to welcome a new one. This month we are privileged to have Gretchen McElveen join us for the month of July. This is one creative gal, let me tell you! If you spend any time at all on SisTv, then you are familiar with her amazing, vibrant style. She has answered a few fun questions and has shared a few of her favorite layouts below. Check it out! And if you are feeling inspired by her pages, just scraplift one (or all three!) of her pages and upload the link in the comments section below. We'll check them all out at the end of the month and choose a winner from the comments. The winner will receive an exclusive Lotus Paperie Couture Collection and 15 minutes of fame! YAY!

***Bethany, thanks for creating such amazing and inspiring pages with us! It was a pleasure to have you on our team for the month of June! ****

Stay tuned for a few announcements later this week!

And now, meet Gretchen!



Q:Tell us a bit about you and your family.

A: My family consists of my husband Lee and our dog Shada. We do have many, many children they just happen to call some of our friends “Mom and Dad” instead of us.

Q: How long have you been scrapbooking and where did you get your start in this craft?

A: I have been scrapbooking for about 7 years. My aunt introduced me to scrapbooking by way of Creative Memories during college but I did not really get into it until after I got married in 2002. I still have the corner rounder that I bought during my first CM party!!

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: I am inspired by a variety of things: great pictures, new products, bold colors, and other scrapbookers!

Q:Describe your creative style

A: I am soooo bad at answering this question. I think my style is fun and evolving! I like trying new products and experimenting with different techniques. When it comes down to it, though, I tend not to be a very technique-y scrapbooker. I stick with the basics: paper, pictures, journaling, and whatever embellishments strike my fancy!

Q:What are your three favorite products/techniques right now?

A: I am addicted to brads. I love hand-stitching. And I cannot get enough patterned paper with a subtle print.

Q:What project(s) are you currently working on?

A: I am working on some layouts with all new product for the My Little Shoebox booth at CHA!

Q:Describe your perfect day

A: My perfect day would require about 36 hours rather than just 24. I would not be working (I work full-time as a physical therapist). And I would not have to be anywhere too early in the morning. It would be sunny and pleasant so I could spend some time outside. I would get together with friends to scrapbook for awhile. The evening would have to involve a date with my husband (probably dinner, Barnes & Noble, a movie, and dessert). Then I would scrapbook some more until I could just not stay awake any longer.

Q:What are your three favorite layouts of all time that you’ve created (published or not)?



So remember to upload the links to your layouts in the comments section below. We wanna see how these fabulous pages get your mojo going!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Challenge 130

I love how the end of the week brings with it a sense of accomplishment and the crossing off of things from the to-do list. It has been a wild & woolly week at our family farm and I'm super excited to be flying out to pick up my new puppy!!! I will be driving home with my dear friend, Shannon and her four kids...it will be an eventful, busy drive (don't forget there's a puppy in there too!)

This week we're working form a sketch I created...Gotta say, I'm feelin' it this week. Without a doubt! I loved having the chance to scrap these super cute photos of my youngest, Seth creating sock puppets. You have probably noticed that I'm mostly a single-photo scrapper. So this was a little outside my comfort zone! But in a good way :)

Also, don't forget to scraplift Bethany's amazing stuff and post your link HERE so that we can choose a winner who will be sent a super cool limited edition Couture Collection scrapbooking kit...you KNOW you wanna with that!

If you are new to our challenges, you can find out all the details on how to play on our 411 page.

Are you ready? Here we go!





Sunday, June 21, 2009

Time to choose your favorite!

Ugh, we're a little late getting to this part of things...but here we go. The new design team has scoured the Flickr Group and chose the following three layouts as our finalists for the vote for May's favorites. You'll see a poll on the top sidebar where you can cast your vote. Feel free to blog or post about this on any chat groups or forums you belong to, we wanna spread the word and share the love! The poll will be up until the 31st of June and we'll announce the winner shortly afterward! Feel free to follow the links to each of the artists' Flickr galleries to see more of their dynamite work!

Here they are in no particular order::




Friday, June 19, 2009

Challenge 129

Boy! I feel so inspired! This week's challenge is to use one of my favorite design concepts EVER! We will be showing how to use

Negative Space

The layouts will definitely inspire you and get your mojo going...Be sure to share your layouts with us. Find out the details in our 411 page. Also don't forget to scraplift Bethany's layouts before the end of the month...details for that fun contest HERE.




Friday, June 12, 2009

Challenge 128

We are inspired this week to use a sketch which the design team has used in different ways, we love that. :) Want to join in on the fun? Get the facts on our 411 page and join our flickr group! The more the merrier.

You can also win goodies if you lift one of Bethany's layouts (more info on the 411 page).


OK, on with the good stuff....

Friday, June 5, 2009

Challenge 127

This Friday marks the start of the new design team. That equals new ideas and change. We like change but we will miss the retired DT. We hope to 'see' you from time to time.
If anyone feels inspired by our challenges, join us! :) Everyone is welcome.
Check out our new 411 link for everything you need to know to play along.

The challenge this week is to use
FELT!

And we are in for a treat this week. There is so much inspiration it's radiating off the screen! Here we go...




Keandra

Gudrun

Tania D.

Keely

Marit

Carol
Check out the link at the top right for the challenge using Bethany's favourite layouts.


Wednesday, June 3, 2009

You've met her before...

here she is for another session, Carol Yeo! We're delighted to welcome Carol back for another session on the Lotus Paperie Design Team, she brings bright colors, balance and always lots of gorgeous layers of hand cut papers (oh, and don't forget the flowers!)

She gave us some great answers to the when we first got to know her at the beginning of her last session that started in December '08



Oh, and we can't forget to show you what Carol did with the Challenge sketch that was part of the Design Team Application. Great results, don't you think?!


Q:Tell us a bit about you and your family.

A: This September, my husband and I celebrate out 10th wedding anniversary. I’m thrilled! Where work is concerned, I’m still working 3 days a week. My days off are filled with good intentions. Top of my list is to scrap, do several mini albums, crochet, cook for the family, go to the gym, download music for my iPhone… the list goes on. This year, my 4 yr old started preschool and I thought that would give me more time to scrap. Boy, was I mistaken! Added to the long list of things I try to accomplish on each of my sadly insufficient non-working days each week is now the added complication of dropping her off and picking her from school at certain times – a schedule guaranteed to keep me on my toes and in and out of the house all day as I work her in around the insanity that includes being chauffeur to my husband and 8 yr old son.

Q: How long have you been scrapbooking and where did you get your start in this craft?

A: I did my first layout in January 2007. That was clearly a beginner effort. Gosh, I was so clueless then! In my blurb for the last DT session, I spoke about how a good friend of mine gave me an album filled with pages she’d scrapped herself for my birthday in 2006 and how that opened my eyes to the wonderful world of scrapbooking. To continue that story, when I visited Walt Disney World with my husband and son in November 2006, I chanced upon a clearance store in some factory outlet selling value packs of scrapbook paper, stamps, and other assorted embellishments. My mind boggled. I did not know that scrap supplies could be had at such bargain prices! Back home, our supplies are air flown from the US suppliers and that adds to the cost. So, I bought these supplies, came back home after my vacation, and that brings us right back to January 2007, where I started this paragraph.

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: As I’ve developed as a scrapper, I’ve found that the one thing that works most for me is a single theme, or idea. That could be a picture, a thought, a song title, a phrase… just about anything. Once I have it, I start developing that page, and I’ve found that my page just grows organically from there.

Q:Describe your creative style

A: I can tell you what I’m definitely not. I find it hard to scrap in a graphic style, and also hard to doodle i.e. freestyle. I tend towards shabby chic, the pearls, bling, laces, ribbon, flowers etc. I like chipboard embellishments, especially those with glitter! That said, I never start out a page thinking, hmmm, I’m going to showcase a specific style here, let’s try and use those pearls, bling etc. I just let my pages grow and see what comes out. I’ve been surprised before, especially those pages that come out ultra simple, but great. One thing which I think my pages are, however, is neat. My edges, even the distressed ones, are, well, for want of a better word, tidy. I didn’t set out for them to turn out that way, though! Heh.

Q:What are your three favorite products/techniques right now?

A: I’ve noticed that I invariably ink every cut, torn or printed edge in my pages. So yes, inking would definitely be right up there. Another favourite product would be the small page pebbles from Robin’s Nest – I’ve been using them in quite a number of my pages recently, I love how the diverse range of colour in these pebbles together with the almost-but-not-quite-bling effect goes together perfectly to spice up the page. The other product I’m loving quite a bit right now are Prima flowers. They almost always have a spot on my page – I admit, I have a soft spot for flowers, both real and fake, so if you want to make my day, just send me a bunch!

Q:What project(s) are you currently working on?

A: I have to admit, where scrapbooking is concerned, only the weekly challenges at the moment. I finally finished the ‘crop’ page I mentioned in my last blurb, at a crop earlier this year. Guess I’ll just have to start another one! I am, however, midway through a crocheted scarf which I hope to have ready for my summer trip to the States. But that’s another story altogether.

Q:Describe your perfect day

A: With the sheer amount of things I have on my plate all the time, I think my perfect day right now would be one with an elastic clock – just so that I can stretch out time and get everything I want to get done finished before it’s bedtime. More realistically, I’ve had a couple of near perfect days in the past month or 2, usually on a Sunday, where the kids, husband and I head for our neighbourhood Starbucks and spend some time together, each doing our own thing. What an oxymoron, isn’t that? But truly, that was what happened. Hubby was on the computer, son was reading his book, daughter was watching a DVD on a portable player we brought along, and I was crocheting my scarf. All this while the world went by outside and we had frosty frappuccinos to go with it. Simply decadent.

Q:What are your three favorite layouts of all time that you’ve created (published or not)?

A: My favourites at the moment have not changed since the last time.


Monday, June 1, 2009

Meet Bethany!

What do you mean it's June already? Where the heck did May go? I'm sure it was just here...but now POOF! It's gone. Doncha love how when were were kids time seemed to move so slow (like molasses in January) and now it's more like, "What do you mean it's Christmas in a week? Didn't we just do Christmas?!" Anyone out there relate?? LOL

So we're in the midst of all kinds of change around here! We're working with a new team of designers and had to say goodbye to the last group, additionally we're welcoming our newest Monthly Guest Designer, Bethany Kartchner! We're thrilled to have her on board for June and can't wait to show you her wicked style!

And we know how much you love free stuff so be sure to check out her 3 fave layouts of all time (shown below) and upload the link to your scraplift in the comments section. Who knows, YOUR layout could win!

This is the winning scraplift of Amy's layouts. April Yap is the lucky winner! Congrats! Be sure to email us at (info at lotuspaperie dot com) with your mailing info so we can ship out your exclusive, Limited Edition Couture Collection!


Q:Tell us a bit about you and your family.

A: I’m a domestic engineer: mother, wife, nurse, nutritionist, non-professional organizer, maid, interior decorator, fashion consultant, chef, landscaper, do-it-yourself-er, seamstress, taxi-driver, secretary, teacher, personal shopper, hair stylist, mixed-media artist, scrapper, did I miss anything? to a very busy family of 5 sweet children, 2 highly-shedding dogs and a great husband of 10 years. My oldest daughter will be 8 in July and my youngest son is 7 months old. (And no, I’m not done yet!)

Q: How long have you been scrapbooking and where did you get your start in this craft?

A: I’ve been scrapbooking for over 13 years! Long before it got popular. (I’m no fair-weather fan, people.) I got started after a summer internship in Belgium. I really wanted to preserve every single moment of that experience. I didn’t get really serious about it until a little over a year ago when I discovered the big world of designing and online forums. Wow, that changed my life forever.

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: I find inspiration in almost everything: children’s books, candy colors, fashion, technique books, other artists, challenge blogs, you name it, I like it!

Q: Describe your creative style

A: I’d say I’m whimsical freestyle. I bounce around a lot, but I love layouts with some doodling, some cuteness and bright happy colors.

Q: What are your three favorite products/techniques right now?

A: Hmmmm. This is tough.
Products:
1. Chipboard (I love the dimension and versatility),
2. Stamps (an old stand-by that never lets me down),
3. Colored Pencils (I love these for adding color to my doodles!) Can I add just one more thing? My charcoal pencil. I love the soft edge it adds.

Techniques:
1. Painting: I’m totally into paint right now. I used to be afraid of it, but I decided that I wanted to get better so I’ve been practicing…a lot.
2. Doodling: LOVE it! And YES, you can do it! I’m certainly no MC Escher!
3. Distressing. It is so fun to make something new and shiny look worn and tired. Hehehe

Q: What project(s) are you currently working on?

A: Gosh, I’ve always got many many projects in the works. Right now, I’m working on a few skirts for myself, an art journal page and a few layouts. No wonder I feel stretched sometimes!

Q: Describe your perfect day

A: As a stay-at-home mother, I’m living the life I always wanted so my perfect day would be a regular day just with 10 extra hours added on. Oh, and I’d have magic powers. I would wiggle my nose and my floors would be clean, all the windows would be fingerprint free, the fridge would be sanitary, and the toys would be organized and tidy so I’d have time to play more. On my magical-extra-extended-perfect-day, I would definitely scrap a lot and I’d eat dessert all day long and never gain a pound. Can the magic thing extend to more than just one day please?

Q: What are your three favorite layouts of all time that you’ve created (published or not)?






Friday, May 29, 2009

Challenge 126

Here it is...Friday. The end of the week and the end of a session of amazingly talented designers. Not only is this the last week for Amy Tangerine as our Guest Designer, but it is also the last week for Zoe, Kirsten, and Christi. Carol will be sticking around for a while longer as she was invited to stay on the team for the next session. Of course, Tania L and I will still be here too to keep you inspired over the coming weeks.

As much as we love change around here (because change is sooooo inspiring!) we are also sad to see such talented designers go on to other creative endeavors. We have been privileged to have you share your beautiful creations with us over the past six months and we sincerely hope you won't be strangers! Come back often and share more of what you've been up to!

Below, you'll find not only our departing designers' layouts for the week but also the super cool sketch that the did all that creating from. If you are inspired by this sketch go to our 411 (information) page to see how you can participate in our contests n' stuff.


Vanessa
I did a 45 degree rotation of the sketch.

Amy
Don't forget thatyou have until the end of the month to scraplift Amy's layouts...go to the link at the top sidebar to find out where to upload the links to your pages...