Hi! My name is Jamie Pate. I am wife of one, mother of five, daughter of two, sister to one, and friends with many. I love the paper crafts world and have been involved deeply since 1997. I was raised in southern California, but currently call Colorado home. I love the beach, however the scenery here is breathtaking.
To me, telling a story starts with a photo. I am an extreme amateur photograher, but every once in a while I get lucky. This community continually keeps me inspired to become more than I think I am capable of becoming. Photography is just one of those skills I aspire too.
I consider myself a life artist that tells her story by way of scrapbook layout, mini book, art journal, or even a card to inspire a friend, just to name a few. There are so many stories to tell in life. I don’t try to stay caught up. I just try to tell them when they happen so I don’t forget when they have passed.
How would you describe your scrapbooking style?
I think my style changes with me all the time. The story that is being told dictates the style of the project. With my boys, usually, but not always, I maintain a bit more of a graphic and straight line approach. With the girls, I tend toward the shabby-beautiful. I love to add flowers, butterflies and seam binding and show a bit more of the female side of them when I tell their story. A tinge of vintage will show up here and there as well. So I am not sure one could really nail down my scrapbook style. I do know this, I attempt to be me and stay true to what I love and make that my style. A constant pursuit of what speaks to me would be considered my style.
What inspires you to be creative?
Other life artists inspire me to be creative. I can get lost on pinterest, flickr, and the endless inspiration found on so many fabulous blogs. These women have such insight to what is beautiful about life. It can be the journaling, the photography, the layout composition...any combination of those things can send me reeling with ideas.
Who are your favorite scrapbook designers and why?
There is so much talent in this community. It overwhelms me. Just look at Jen's guest host list. Why she asked me on here is beyond my comprehension. That said, my favorite designers tend to be the one's I have made come sort of personal connection with.
Alexandra has such insight into her stories and attention to the details of her art.
Becky Novacek's photography blows me away. Her way with decorating with her art is very inspiring as well.
Debee Campos' artsty style, photography, and product line have an influence on me even though we do not share the same style.
And Rhonna...I have followed her for years and years and years. Her word art alone compells one to go forth and be amazing.
And last but never least, Ali Edwards continues to teach me how to tell a story, how keep it simple, and how to tell the simplity of the story.
What are your favorite color combinations to design with right now?
I have always loved Kraft cardstock. Use it ALOT. Teal is finding it's way into alot of my work currently...and add grey to that teal...it simply pops!
What is your creative process?
This is not an easy question to answer. I am a very visual person. If I see something it can set the mind in motion and that is where the foundation of the next project comes from. It can be word art, a photo I captured of my kids, a color, or the need to use up my stash! Seriously...each of these and more can set the process to work. I am always looking for the beauty in my day. It can be a hard discipline. But the more I attain to this, the more creative I become. This also includes the process of being creative often. Finding little niches of time, if that is all one has, to do something. When I am consistently in the process, the more creative I am.
What is your story that you are trying to tell? How can this inspire others?
I think my style changes with me all the time. The story that is being told dictates the style of the project. With my boys, usually, but not always, I maintain a bit more of a graphic and straight line approach. With the girls, I tend toward the shabby-beautiful. I love to add flowers, butterflies and seam binding and show a bit more of the female side of them when I tell their story. A tinge of vintage will show up here and there as well. So I am not sure one could really nail down my scrapbook style. I do know this, I attempt to be me and stay true to what I love and make that my style. A constant pursuit of what speaks to me would be considered my style.
What inspires you to be creative?
Other life artists inspire me to be creative. I can get lost on pinterest, flickr, and the endless inspiration found on so many fabulous blogs. These women have such insight to what is beautiful about life. It can be the journaling, the photography, the layout composition...any combination of those things can send me reeling with ideas.
Who are your favorite scrapbook designers and why?
There is so much talent in this community. It overwhelms me. Just look at Jen's guest host list. Why she asked me on here is beyond my comprehension. That said, my favorite designers tend to be the one's I have made come sort of personal connection with.
Alexandra has such insight into her stories and attention to the details of her art.
Becky Novacek's photography blows me away. Her way with decorating with her art is very inspiring as well.
Debee Campos' artsty style, photography, and product line have an influence on me even though we do not share the same style.
And Rhonna...I have followed her for years and years and years. Her word art alone compells one to go forth and be amazing.
And last but never least, Ali Edwards continues to teach me how to tell a story, how keep it simple, and how to tell the simplity of the story.
What are your favorite color combinations to design with right now?
I have always loved Kraft cardstock. Use it ALOT. Teal is finding it's way into alot of my work currently...and add grey to that teal...it simply pops!
What is your creative process?
This is not an easy question to answer. I am a very visual person. If I see something it can set the mind in motion and that is where the foundation of the next project comes from. It can be word art, a photo I captured of my kids, a color, or the need to use up my stash! Seriously...each of these and more can set the process to work. I am always looking for the beauty in my day. It can be a hard discipline. But the more I attain to this, the more creative I become. This also includes the process of being creative often. Finding little niches of time, if that is all one has, to do something. When I am consistently in the process, the more creative I am.
What is your story that you are trying to tell? How can this inspire others?
The
story of life. That may sound like a cliche. Not trying to answer it
like that. But the only thing I know is what is around me. Although we
each have our own 'thing' going on, alot of our everyday life resonates
with each other. I am talking about life artists here. We want to
remember our stories, because if we don't write them down, or document
them, or put them out for all to see, we will forget what makes this
life the beautiful thing that it is. That does not mean we ignore the
struggles and trials we all endure, because those are always going to be
there. So I hope the story I am trying to tell, is to celebrate what is
good, and lovely, and include it with the real. And that to me is the
story of life.
How can you inspire others to create well?
I think I do this by being real. By putting myself out there. It's a very hard thing for me to do. I can be very private...but people respond to openess. Honesty. Reality. I get the best comments when I am just me. I don't really think I have that much to share. But I love what I do in this creative world. It continues to be a passion of mine. I don't get the time I would love to have to endlessly create. Few of us do. So I try to capture what is important to me, and share that. One can aspire to create well by simply being who they were made to be and pursing that completely.
