How would you describe your scrapbooking style? What makes your style your own?
I guess I’d describe my style as the kid who didn’t learn to color inside the lines. I used to be a very graphic and straight line scrapper, but a couple of years ago, I embraced my imperfections and went a little wonky. Lots of hand cutting, hand stitching, messy painting, and crazy machine stitching are hallmarks of my style. The only thing I can’t go messy on is misting. I have to used a bit of control, namely masking, otherwise it feels like too much. I also adore texture. Adore. I’ve been playing with collage lately and it makes me really really happy.
What inspires you to be creative?
I glean from the internet. I have a folder of bookmarked design, decorating, advertising, handiwork, quilting blogs that when I’m needing inspiration I explore. I’ve recently discovered tumblr.com, a virtual bulletin board that allows me to load all my ideas in one place. I also find inspiration from Target’s displays, Anthropologie’s website, Pier 1’s flyers, and the gallery at Studio Calico.
Who are your favorite scrapbook designers and why?
I adore the humor and title work of Kendra McCracken and Gillian Nelson . I really like to tell the everyday stories of my life and these two are on the same page. Tina Aszmus’ stark artsy style has helped me embrace paint. Lisa Dickinson’s casual, yet controlled designs always make me happy. I love Julie Fei-Fan Balzar’s loose artsy whimsy. Lisa Truesdell’s and Mandie Pierce’s little bits and pieces and ability to combine great colors help me get rid of scraps. Alison Hamblin’s simple style catches my eye every time. She’s so good at creating simple designs with great detail. And Kelly Crowe, well her hand cut paper piecing will forever be admired.
What are your favorite color combinations to design with right now?
red/orange/teal/gray
yellow/red/green
cream/white
What is your creative process?
It really depends. Sometimes I want to challenge myself, so I start with the product, I’ll pick three to five products and brainstorm on how I creatively use them together. I come up with a story and photos that would work well with said idea, then begin designing. There are other times when I know exactly what story I want to tell, so I work from that point. Those are usually the easiest layouts for me to create. I will use sketches occasionally to help me get started. I have recently been starting with the journaling and adding the design around it. It’s a fun challenge.
What is your story that you are trying to tell? How can this inspire others?
I have a horrible memory. I like to be creative. Once I found scrapping, I realized I could kill two birds with one stone. My favorite kinds of layouts are the ones that capture our life right now, like the “If you could hear this photo” page, I know my son will not always leave the radio on when he leaves for school, it’s a characteristic about him right now that makes me smile. My six-word memoir (remember when that was the big thing?) is “Everyone has a story, please ask.” I hope that my work inspires others to get those stories that could easily get lost down on paper. The playwright, Izak Dinesen said, “To be a person is to have a story to tell.”
How can you inspire others to "create well"?
If there were one thing I could pass on to others it would be this: Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Those mistakes are what help you learn who you are creatively. There’s always a clean piece of paper to try again. Don’t try to fit yourself into a mold, each of us is unique and our creative processes should be equally as unique.
Emily can also be found at her blog, Here I am, Here I am, on Facebook, and Twitter.
Create Well: Don’t try to fit yourself into a mold, each of us is unique and our creative processes should be equally as unique.
