Embrace Life

The Interviews | Heather Holle

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series. I am thrilled to introduce you to my lovely cyber-friend, Heather Holle. Heather is lovely, talented, creative and most important, mum to Owen, she is one of my favourite people ... keep reading to see why:

What age did you start keeping a journal? I wrote in a journal on and off as a kid, more off than on. I found it rather boring, and later when I went back to read things it all sounded like whiny drivel so I would stop writing. Truth be told I liked the actual journals more than what went into them!

When my son Owen was about 4 months old I started a blog. It was a way for me to connect with people without leaving my house. And to some extent it saved me from drowning in the depression that came with being a first time mom. I met a lot of great people through my blog and it was a way for me to share things with friends and family that I wasn't seeing as often since becoming a stay-home-mom. I also keep a journal written to Owen that I started around the same time as the blog. I want to be able to go back and read about him when he was little and I hope some day he will want to know those things too.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? I would be interested in reading the journal of Mark Zuckerberg. I recently watched The Social Network and wanted to know more about him. Georgia O'Keeffe. She is my favorite artist.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? Because I wasn't much of a journal keeper I don't think anyone has read any of that. Morgan may occasionally read the journal I write to Owen in.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? Spiral bound. Pages of various sizes and lots of them. Heavy paper that can support the weight of glue and glitter and ephemera. And a nice big rubber band to keep it all together. I think a journal for me is more about the visual things I can put in it rather than the written word.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "Dude" I say it a lot. And I will use it when talking to almost anyone. Even my mother, I think!

What quote most speaks to you? So many, but these stand out right now.

An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. -Dr. Edwin Land.

Not being curious is more dangerous than being dumb. -Lizz Winstead

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit. -Ansel Adams

Who (or what) inspires you? Nature. Light and shadow. Anything on a macro level. I love to look at things from a super close-up perspective. As strange as it may seem I am inspired by things that are clean, mostly in their arrangement. Magazine ads. Decor. Scrapbook pages. Artwork. Anything that is arranged or done in a clean or crisp way speaks to me. I am rarely inspired by things that are overdone. For me those things are overwhelming.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Atticus Finch.

Who are your favourite writers? I have always loved Edgar Allen Poe. Beyond that I really enjoy a lot of writers and will read almost anything.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? I have always wanted to be able to draw things exactly as I see them. I suppose if I had practiced more and criticized less (I'm a perfectionist) I may have been a better drawer.

What is your greatest creative talent? I can center and level things almost perfectly without the aid of a ruler or level. I can also combine patterns of paper pretty well. This does not translate to combining fabric patterns though! The canvas of decor is too large for me!

What is your greatest creative challenge? I am a perfectionist. I have been my whole life and it affects most areas of my life. For many years it prevented me from trying things that I was interested. Creating and working with my hands have always been part of who I am, probably even in my DNA, but my perfectionist attitude squashed my confidence and prevented me from taking risks. Fortunately, I have a younger sister who is amazingly creative and I learned from her that it's okay to start over, tear things out, redo, cover up, rework or set something aside until inspiration comes. Nothing bad will happen. It's been quite liberating and I now consider myself to be a recovering perfectionist. This recovery does not apply to my work space though. I require a neat and tiddy work space before I can begin a project and I clean-up after each project I complete.

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I am a thirty-something wife of almost 10 years and mother of a gregarious and energetic 5 year old boy. I am more comfortable behind the camera than in front. I strive for perfection in many things I do but am also trying to over come my perfectionistic tendencies. I love chocolate cake and ice cream and would eat it for breakfast most days if I could get away with it. In a former life I was an elementary school teacher, runner, biker and eater of vegetables. Now I walk a fine line between marketing and IT, drink too much diet coke and don't eat near enough vegetables. I am a collector of hobbies and have dabbled in everything from glass blowing and pottery to collage art and knitting. Photography falls right in the middle and is my absolute favorite.

I met Lee through a scrapbooking forum and blogging. I think. I admire her creativity,artistic eye and her passion for motherhood. She is one of my favorite Canadians!

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Isn't she lovely? Thank you so much for participating, Heather!

The Interviews | Elizabeth Dillow

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series. Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to a tremendously talented woman I've admired - as mum, scrapbooker and positive influence - for ages! Many already know her, but here you can learn just a little bit more about Elizabeth Dillow. Join me:

What age did you start keeping a journal? I'm the worst journal-keeper in the world—I have a fabulous collection of beautiful blank books, all mostly empty. I was the kid in high school who completed her journaling assignments in English class the night before, all in different pens so it didn't look like I was writing them all the night before. Sigh. As far as keeping a blog, though, I've been consistently at it for six years this March!

Whose diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? My daughter's. But don't worry, I won't.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I wrote in a diary for most of my fourth grade year, and I'm pretty sure anyone who picked it up at the time would find it too boring to waste time reading it.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? I love Canson Sketchbooks for jotting down notes about creative things I see or sketches I want to interpret on a scrapbook page, and I love narrow-ruled yellow legal pads for list-making.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "Where is the brush?!?" With three girls in the house, I think I say it 72 times a day.

What quote most speaks to you? "A good photograph tells a story, it reveals a place, an event, a state of mind; it's more powerful than pages and pages of writing." —Isabel Allende, Portrait in Sepia

Who (or what) inspires you? I'm always inspired by spending time in downtowns, exploring the shops and streets; graphic design; my family.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Anne Shirley! Also, Ilana Davita Chandal from Chaim Potok's Davita's Harp.

Who are your favourite writers? Amy Tan, Maeve Binchy, Anna Quindlen, Sandra Dallas, Ivan Doig, L.M. Montgomery, J.K. Rowling, Amy Krouse Rosenthal... to name a few.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Organization.

What is your greatest creative talent? Presentation.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Making/finding time to act on all the ideas in my head. I'm good at ideas, not always good at the timely execution of ideas.

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Elizabeth Dillow is a co-founder of Write.Click.Scrapbook., author of The Scrapbooker's Almanac, an occasional author for Ella Publishing Company and an instructor at Big Picture Classes. Her brand loyalty to Apple, Canon, Pilot, and the Cleveland Indians borders on obsessive. She lives in Cheyenne, WY (for the time being) with her husband, Matt, and three daughters: Madeline, Grace, and Bridget.

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In answer to "How Do I Know Lee?": I honestly don't remember how I first became acquainted with Lee, but she is one of the very creative people who live inside my computer who I'm always happy to "see" around! : )

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Up next? My friend Lori Mancini.

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Thank you so much for participating, Elizabeth!

The Interviews | Char O'Hara

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series. I'm a day late, but wanted to get my 12 of 12 posted on a timely basis - and not freak everyone out with two posts in one day!

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to a fierce and wonderful woman, my friend Char O'Hara. She is loyal, kind and genuine. And a really picky eater. Char has never met an opinion to which she does not give voice - refreshing and sometimes startling. Then you just have to laugh!  My life is better for having her in it. Join me and get to know Char:

Doing this one handed, so bear with me on the typos :) Some answers are short because it is hard to type.
 
What age did you start keeping a journal? My earliest memory of a journal was in Grade 2. It was a Strawberry Shortcake diary that had a strawberry key. I loved it. It even smelled like strawberries!! Then I stopped and started several times as I got older. Now, I use my scrapbooks as my journal.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? My nannie's, Elton John, John Lennon, Steven Tyler, Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth....so many I would be reading for a long time!

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I am sure my sister read my diary at some point. I don't think my mother would have done so, but now that I am a mother, I would "sort of" understand. Terrible, I know.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? One that fits my personality, feels like I have "known" it forever, good tough pages that would allow for doodles and scratches. Because lets face it, anger is a good release in a journal!

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "Seriously?" , "Are you freaking kidding me??" "Kife (which is a family word) and as must as I hate to admit it, I say "Dude" quite a bit. Again, terrible.

What quote most speaks to you? I love quotes. Our family motto is "Live well, laugh often , love much". I also like "The only way to predict your future is to create it", and "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Who (or what) inspires you? My son Jonah inspires me everyday to be a better person. I could never imagined the feeling I have as being his Momma. That is my daily inspiration. I am also inspired by my many creative friends who I have met thru scrapbooking and blogging. True to form real people.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Atticus Finch, Beth from Little Women, Daisy Buchanan. I love characters that are true to themselves, accept their faults and judgements.

Who are your favourite writers? Harper Lee, Mark Twain, Sidney Sheldon, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? I wish I had a talent of drawing or at least getting the gist of it. Stick people just don't cut it, you know?

What is your greatest creative talent? I am not sure. I am always looking to improve whether it be photography, the art of scrapbooking or writing. I am often asked to "journal" for others on their pages.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Definately photography - I wish I could capture the perfect shot, move out of "auto", learn how to capture the right backdrop. I also have a challenge with colour. It is not something I have an eye for.
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I am happily married (14 years) to a wonderful man, Sean. We are the proud parents of Jonah who is 8 years old. We recently moved to a small town called Brooklin and we are loving it here! We are climbing the same hill as everyone else - just trying to live life to the fullest. I am a woman who believes in tradition and values and I will ALWAYS own my words. That's me - a Momma, a wife, a daughter, a sister and always a friend.

I met Lee through a message board (that quite frankly doesn't deserve credit) and we were able to meet in person. Lee and I clicked and a new friendship was made. We may not see each other often (a sin, really) but Lee knows I have her back as much as she has mine. Lee is a truly genuine woman who I will always be thankful for knowing. (Isn't she the sweetest? - Thanks Char, I'm thankful for you!)

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Up next? The ever talented Elizabeth Dillow!

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Thank you so much Char for participating!

The Interviews | Monika Wright

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series. (Sorry for the delay. I really have to figure out my AM/PM when scheduling posts!)

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, one of the most energetic and creative women I know, Monika. She is such a motivator, cheerleader and support and I'm thrilled to share time with her on the Ella team. My life is so much more full, fun and kind with Monika in it. Join me and get to know Monika Wright:

What age did you start keeping a journal? I'm pretty sure that I did the diary scenario back in middle school but haven't ever really kept a journal until last year when I created a Gratitude Journal using my paper scraps and random journaling spots. I used ti to write a short, thankful thought for each day. It was very liberating.

Who's diary/journal {dead or alive } would you like to read? I think reading the diary of a frontier Mom, back in the days when our country was still just a wilderness, would be interesting AND make me much more appreciative for the comforts and conveniences I take for granted.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I don't think anyone ever read my middle school diary, although my two older kids have read through some of the entries in my Gratitude Journal. Which is totally okay...I keep it out in my craft room...nothing to hide and it has initiated some really wonderful conversations.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? One that makes me want to write each day. Which to me means bright, happy colors and fun surprises on each page. My 2010 Gratitude Journal did that while my 2011 journal, which has a much looser format, does not motivate me to write each day. Guess I know what I'm doing for 2012, right?

Which words or phrases do you most overuse {in speech and/or writing}? "mmm-kay," which my 5-year old continually reminds me is not a word. It is usually my response when one of the kids asks me a question while I am concentrating on something else, so I respond "mmm-kay" until a few moments pass and I realize what they just asked and then I respond with the appropriate answer!

What quote most speaks to you? This is really a phrase, but I always think of it when I am having a hard time understanding God's path for me: Everything Happens for a Reason.

Who {or what} inspires you? I'm often inspired by other people, then I like to run with it and make it my own. I'll see something and think to myself, "Well, what if I just combined this from here and that from there...." and a project is born. Having two young ones in the house again also inspires me to do the new, and few, things that I didn't get around to doing with my 19-year old son, who just left home 2 weeks ago to serve in the United States Navy.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Can't say that I have a favorite. I find quirky goodness in so many characters. Kind of like real life.

Who are your favorite authors? I read for pure pleasure and escapism, and the mystery genre is my go-to arena. I started reading Andrew M. Greeley in high school and now read Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson and John Grisham. It's been a while, but I have been known to also ready sappy romance, chick-lit titles, too!

What is your greatest creative talent? I think I can, I think I can...that's what I tell myself. I don't have any formal training in the arts, but just rely on my instinct to tell me whether my ideas will work or not. I am a very "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of gal and very rarely do a do-over. Once it's done, it's done. Which is totally surprising to me as I am a perfectionist in every sense of the word.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Technical issues often times have me exasperated and that's where my techie husband gets most of the credit for keeping me up and running. I am not afraid to ask for help, but it's usually after I've exhausted what I might be able to do on my own.

That and trying to get all the projects completed that I have on my mental TO DO list!

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I first became aware of Lee by reading the comments left on some of the same blogs I read. She sounded so interesting and insightful...and that distinctive profile photo was so intriguing! I then met Lee when we were both named to the Ella Publishing Co. Design Team where I realized that she truly IS interesting and insightful and intriguing! Perhaps we'll actually get to meet in real life, one day!

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A city girl, now living in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, Monika is married with three kids. She loves to cook, read, craft and work in her flower beds. Oh, and she takes way too many photos. Celebrating her one-year blogaversary at I Love It All this June, she is also a work-from-home Mom creating a variety of art prints, mini albums, journals and cards at iloveitall.etsy.com. Monika invites you to use the coupon code CREATIVE20 to enjoy a 20% shop discount at iloveitall on Etsy. Custom and personalized prints are not eligible for this special offer. Be sure to visit Monika's new I Love It All page on Facebook, too! She's a marketing marvel this one :)

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Up next? My friend Charlene O'Hara.

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Thank you so much Monika for participating!

The Interviews | Katrina Simeck

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, a wonderful woman, Katrina who is such an inspiration - she invited me to my very first book club - ever. It was on-line, and it was wonderful. On so many levels, I want to be just like her when I get my life together. Join me and get to know Katrina Simeck:

What age did you start keeping a journal? I can remember keeping a journal in junior high...but never kept up with it for fear my brother or sister would discover it. I regret that choice now!

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Kahlil Gibran, Joseph Campbell, and Jackie Kennedy. I can't really explain those choices...just the first three that came to mind!

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? It came to my attention a few years ago that my ex-husband & his wife read my blog (which really qualifies as a journal). Uhm, creepy much? As much as I'd like to believe that my in-laws haven't found my blog - I suspect that they have. No wonder they don't like me!

What is your idea of the perfect journal? I so want to fall in love with an actual journal, but I find that I prefer typing to handwriting. Sans serif, always. My perfect journal would be a brutally honest blog with closed comments. Frequented by Bradley Cooper. What? You asked for "perfect."

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "for the love...." "are you effing kidding me???" and definite overuse of the ellipsis. Oh how I love my ellipses. Used as a pause, not as an omission.

What quote most speaks to you? I love quotes. It's hard for me to pick on the stands above the rest. The one that resonates with me the most recently is from Mary Oliver - "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild & precious life?" (ps. I don't know the answer, I just adore the question.)

Who (or what) inspires you? So much. Words. Music. The ocean. Women who are living exceptional, yet ordinary, lives. Challenges. Colors.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Hmmm...time for my dirty little secret. I adore Meggie in The Thorn Birds. Seriously. Her love for Father Ralph? Breathtaking.

Who are your favourite writers? Brene Brown. Dani Shapiro. Writers of so many blogs - Ali Edwards, Cathy Zielske, Jen Lemen, Andrea Scher.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? A beautiful singing voice.

What is your greatest creative talent? Something that I don't use often enough - I am a talented public speaker.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Justifying the time to devote to creative pursuits...especially writing. Also, getting over the self-doubt that tells me that the web doesn't need another voice.

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i scrapbook.

i take photographs.

i watch grey's anatomy.

i listen to music.

i cook well.

i drink a lot of coffee, wine, and green smoothies.

i read a few books.

And Katrina inspires me every day with her dedication to her kids and her outlook on the world around her. I can't recall when I "met" Katrina, but I'm ever so glad I did!
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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Katrina on her blog. You'll be happy you did :)

Up next? My friend Monika Wright.

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Thank you so much Katrina for participating!

The Interviews | Jennifer Larson

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my a wonderful woman, a friend in progress and one of the first "regular people" I knew who consistently made exquisite scrapbook projects. I am so thrilled at her success within the scrapbook industry, join me and get to know Jennifer Larson:

What age did you start keeping a journal? Honestly, I kept the diary with a key when I was in elementary school, until I was bothered by my mundane entries and I  threw it away. Ouch. I later started a commonplace book in 12th grade, a place for me to record quotations from my reading. This has stuck. I've kept one since then, and I'm on my 8th book.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Joss Whedon, Thomas Edison, Martha Washington, and Aphra Behn.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? No one! But in all honesty, I kept that key diary not long enough for anyone to sneak a look.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? A fancy cover, thick paper, lined pages, and easy to open.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? In all honesty. My husband laughs when I say it.

What quote most speaks to you? "Practice makes perfect, so practice the right thing," from Venita Ray in "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown. Plus, "Writing is refined thinking," by Stephen King.

Who (or what) inspires you? My family, my positive attitude, color, and light.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Miss Marple.

Who are your favourite writers? Agatha Christie, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and Bill Bryson.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Extroversion.

What is your greatest creative talent? A good sense of balance.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Perfectionism and using my stash, especially digital tools.

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I'm Jennifer Larson, a high school English teacher, a native of Maine and current resident of Minnesota, wife to the biggest Star Wars fan in history, mother to two boys (the second and third biggest Star Wars fans), and a loyal fan of mysteries and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I first became familiar with Lee's work in a LOAD challenge and now am an Ella Publishing friend of hers!

 

 

 

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Jennifer at her Midwest Scrapgarden and see what goodness she is creating today! 

Up next? My friend Katrina Simeck.

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Thank you so much Jennifer for participating!

The Interviews | Lorraine Clewes

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my great friend, emotional touch-stone and creative maven  (there is nothing this woman can't do from baking the most delicious cupcakes to creating the most complex cross-stitch works of art), Lorraine Clewes.

What age did you start keeping a journal? I have kept a diary since I was 11. All very interesting things in it such as when I washed my hair! I have continued writing in a diary/journal since then .. for the most part. I used to be diligent and write every day, then it dropped to weekly, monthly and yes, now, yearly! I do try to keep it going.  I have them all too.
 
Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Amelia Earhart, Hitler, my mother - she's a modern day pioneer - love to know what was on her mind when she married at 18, had me at 19, emigrated at 22.
 
Who have you suspected of reading your diary? In my highschool years, I'm sure my brother did - that's what brothers do! Again, it was filled with when I washed my hair! Don't really think anyone else has. It's not common knowledge that I keep a diary. Of course, it will be now!
 
What is your idea of the perfect journal? A flat spine, you know, when you open the pages, both sides lie flat. But no spiralbinding - it always unravels. I'm more picky about pens - just haven't found the right pen - not too fine, not inky, nice roll. I'll find it one day!
 
Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? I'm told by my children that I say "14 hundred" an awful lot! In sentences for example, "we've done that 14 hundred times already or it's as big as 14 feet" Don't know why, just do!
 
What quote most speaks to you? I don't know or remember quotes. Anytime I come across one, I always think that I should write it down!
 
Who (or what) inspires you? Friends, my dad, people who can communicate really well.
 
Who is your favourite fictional character? Yup, I admit it.  My fav is Captain Jack Sparrow! A bad guy with a heart and some wicked eye liner!
 
Who are your favourite writers? Shakespeare, Sharon Kay Penman - many others but again, l suffer from brain sieve syndrom. Name me some authors and I'll tell you if I like them!
 
Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Ability to swim ... without fear.
 
What is your greatest creative talent? Non-perfectionism.  I don't believe in perfection. I believe a creation should have at least one "imperfection" to truly make it mine.
 
What is your greatest creative challenge? The technical side of colour eludes me.  I can do anything but ask me to chose the right colours - acckkk!!

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Like many mums, Lorraine has no photo of herself, but I have a layout I did of her after a trip to Cape Cod a couple of years ago. I figured I'd change things up and share it with you :)

Bio:
Born in Scotland, raised in Canada.
SAHM I am and proud of it.
Can do anything creative except knit!
Passion is needlework and my children.

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Lorraine at her New Kid on the Blog. Lorraine always has a new and insightful way of looking at everyday things. So lucky to have her in my life!

Up next? My friend Jennifer Larson.

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Thank you so much Lorraine for participating!

Interviews | Valerie Mangan

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my newfound friend (real and of the Ella variety), daily giggle due to our many similarities and, as many know her, card making maven, Valerie Mangan.

What age did you start keeping a journal? I started my first journal on New Year’s Day 1978 – I was 11.  I don’t recall how long I kept it up – I just know it wasn’t for very long. I journaled again in 1988 on my first trip to Europe – I treasure that book which juxtaposes my awe of the amazing artwork I was seeing daily alongside my extreme crankiness from the heat and mosquitoes. I did not officially journal again until I had my first child in 2003. I have, however, kept ‘stuff’ throughout the years – so I have a box full of things (like notes written to friends in grade school, little things from old boyfriends, the note cards from flowers I received, significant greeting cards, etc.) and I consider that a tactile ‘journal in a box.’

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Once I had a peek into my younger brother’s journal and read some unkind words he had written about me. Ever since that day I have had no interest in reading anyone’s diary. I felt so mad and guilty and sad that I violated his trust. 

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? There wasn’t much to read – but if anyone did, it was my mom. If she did, I’m glad she never said.
 
What is your idea of the perfect journal? I would love a simple spiral bound journal of paper that could handle watercolor & paint without being too thick. At least 180 pages but 360 would be great - so if I ever do get around to doing the “Art Journal Every Day” project, I could fit it all in one or two volumes. The journal would also have some pockets in the front and back, and the pages would never break loose.
 
Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? I overuse “trust me when I tell you,”  ‘anywho’ which is not even a real word; “so” and “well.” Smileys, exclamations and expletives; I really need to cut back on all of these.
 
What quote most speaks to you? I heard this one in college and it has always stuck with me: “ Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Robert Frost

Who (or what) inspires you? I am most inspired by graphic design, particularly type (especially vintage type). It influences everything including my interior design. I also take heavy influence from pattern/textile design.
 
Who is your favourite fictional character? I love “Gone With the Wind” – Scarlett O’Hara is a fave. She’ so outrageous and doesn’t give a damn about what people think of her. Love that.
 
Who are your favourite writers? Wally Lamb, Philippa Gregory, Jane Austen, Fitzgerald – some classics from days gone by that will always be near & dear: Judy Blume and Laura Ingalls Wilder. And I love to read biographies
 
Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? It’s a toss up. I’d love to be able to sell (which is so difficult for me) and I would love to be naturally athletic.
 
What is your greatest creative talent? I have a good eye. Mixing patterns, balance…I think this comes easy for me because of my interior designer work.
 
What is your greatest creative challenge? Innovation. I can master any technique I put my mind to, but coming up with innovative ways to employ it is very challenging for me. Sometimes an idea will strike but for the most part I always need a little inspiration ‘push’. I would love to be able to think super creative thoughts all the time! I also have issues with the science of color – even though I know what looks good, I have a hard time explaining why.

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Transplanted from Brooklyn, NY in 1974, I’m a Jersey girl at heart. I can’t imagine not living in this great state, so close to the Atlantic Ocean and New York City. I’m mom to Marilyn (7) & Christopher (5) and wife to Dan. I studied Art History and Interior Design in college and have worked in many related fields: as an editor for a fine art magazine, a marketing consultant to commercial illustrators and for the last 7 years as a practicing interior designer.  I am happy and grateful that I have been able to pursue my creative interests through my work. In my spare time, I love to bake and spend time near the shore. I’m an avid paper crafter and aspiring photographer.

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Valerie at her blog Paper & Cookies. For me, when I need a bit of an inspiration kick, I head over there and fill up my creative tank!

Up next? My friend Lorraine Clewes.

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Thank you so much Valerie for participating!

The Interviews | Cathy Zielske

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, daily inspiration and all 'round ROCK STAR, Cathy Zielske: 

What age did you start keeping a journal? I got my first diary when I was around 11. I used it primarily to record secret thoughts about boys and all of the rebellious things I was doing or thinking of doing. Later, it became a dumping ground for everything inside of my head, a veritable Angst Fest.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Oprah. Other than that, I guess I’m not as curious as I should be in life. This, of course, is a clear sign of self absorption, which is something I’m really working to improve upon.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? No one. My mom, God bless her, was very respectful of my privacy. I know this because if she had read my diaries, I would have been grounded until college.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? One with a simple black cover and lined pages.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing? I suppose at times I use “for all intents and purposes” too much. I use ‘veritable’ too much. I want to use ‘minutiae’ more, but only because I know someone who pronounced it “min-u-tay’ repeatedly and it’s always very funny to me.

What quote most speaks to you? I am not a quote person. My favorite quote to date is, “I’m just as God made me sir,” and it’s from a scene in the movie “Spinal Tap.” Every now and then people I know will say profound things that move me in the moment, but I tend to not hold onto those words.

Who (or what) inspires you? Waking up inspires me, because I never really know what a day is going to hold. I used to think I did, but as I’m getting older and somewhat wiser, I’m learning that life has plans that have nothing to do with my wishes and desires. Inspiration can hit from anywhere, and then not at all. I like to be ready to receive it when it does.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Hannibal Lecter, only because his speech delivery was sheer perfection. I know I should have some great characters from classic literature, but honestly? I’m a pop culture girl at heart.

Who are your favourite writers? Here too, I know I should have some that make me seem well-read and smart, but I really don’t. I have loved books by Wally Lamb, Stephen King, Jon Krakauer and J.K. Rowling. But I can love just about any book that to me tells a beautiful and powerful story. The Twilight saga, though not written all that well from a technical standpoint, kept me up nights to finish. So what does that really tell you?

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? The ability to sing well.

What is your greatest creative talent? Design, in the print sense of the word. I know how to place elements on a page to communicate and engage.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Getting started on a big project. I have many in my head right now, and I am facing a bizarre inertia that’s not letting me get moving on them.

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[The information below can be found here - click and find the good stuff in the middle!]

Cathy Zielske is a graphic designer, author and blogger with strong ties to the scrapbooking industry. She is the former art director for Simple Scrapbooks magazine, where she oversaw the visual direction of all Simple publications and books.

Originally from Everett, Wash., Zielske now lives quite happily in St. Paul, Minn., with her husband, daughter and son, where she is a big fan of Kettle brand baked potato chips, Crowded House and stretch denim. Further, she is 45 years old and has achieved the height of 5'6. She also likes cheese and requires absolute silence to sleep.

Zielske finds writing about herself in the third person to be a mildly to moderately pleasant experience.

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Cathy at her blog Bits & Pieces. It is such a wonderful space where I have visited every day for years. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then Cathy should be thrilled with my constant borrowing of her ideas and energy. Every time, every time, I feel the pull to be less than authentic and bow to the powers of perfection, she inspires me to embrace authenticity. I am grateful for her every day.

Up next? My friend Valerie Mangan.

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Thank you so much Cathy for participating!

 

The Interviews | Sherry Morales

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, busy mum and my own personal shining light (aka non-judgemental pastor's wife), Sherry Morales: 

What age did you start keeping a journal? I have been keeping a journal since about the third grade. I lived with my grandparents because my parents were sent overseas to Korea and did not want me to get behind on my education. Anyway, my grandmother, who totally gets me, bought a diary with a little lock on it. It was Holly Hobbie. I wrote and drew everything in it. It was my best friend.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Ellen's would be interesting, any of the presidents' wives, mine from when I was younger...

Who have you suspected of reading your diary?  When I was in high school my mother not only read my diary but ripped it apart. When I returned from college I was sick to find that all of my treasured journals where thrown away. Just writing this makes my stomach turn again.  =(

What is your idea of the perfect journal? Well, it depends what it would be for. I have a few different journals going on at once.  My purse journal is handmade with just cardstock and copy paper and is where I jot all of my "thoughts on the run", lists I make when I am waiting and want to be a good steward of my time; then a lined one for my spiritual writing where I keep my notes on books that I'm reading, scripture that I'm memorizing or really good quotes or verses that need to be remembered and sermon notes. And I have my art journal which has to be good enough quality to withstand gesso, watercolors, acrylics and lots of layers and STUFF. I also write my thoughts in these and do art work over/around them.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? Hmmmm...I say and write WOW! a lot, I say "first of all" quite often and I think that I LOVE to fade away from a thought when I'm writing with these ... a whole lot! =) Oh, and I love adding smileys - seriously. Oops. That's another one of my favorites. haha

What quote most speaks to you? Wow. (see...there I go again) I have been a lover of quotes for so long. I've got quite the list.  I like quotes of affirmation and truth. Lately I have been paying more attention to quotes that help me to be FREE from judgment and encourage authenticity. I love "POOH"isms.  They are simple, yet wise. Another favorite I recently found was this: "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference." — Elie Wiesel Wow. That's powerful stuff.

Who (or what) inspires you? I try to find inspiration everywhere. I am especially inspired by my children - each one in a different way, my husband - so much patience and love, a myriad of artists and writers here in the www. My friends. I find inspiration in books...ah...how I love a good book.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Hmm...The Little Prince, The Tree in the Giving Tree, Anne Shirley, Jo of Little Women

Who are your favourite writers? Margaret George, Francine Rivers, Philippa Gregory, Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Shakespeare,...  oh wow. So many to choose from...

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Memory. I feel like I have forgotten so much and there are questions I have and the answers are probably filed away somewhere in my mind along with the journals that were thrown out. *sigh*

What is your greatest creative talent? This question is very difficult for me.  I am on a journey right now trying to figure out what it is that I'm really good at. I feel like I can "copy" most anybody's work - but there is something DYING to get out, that's just ME and unique, but I think I've been told too many times that I was not good enough or that I was wasting my time and that *junk*. There it is. I said it. So, when I think that something I did might be really good - I end up doubting myself and shuffle it to the side. I don't think I have an answer for this one...YET.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Okay. I just babbled out my biggest challenge and that is to be able to create without fear. That's the biggest one. The other more "practical" answer would be digital anything as well. I don't have photoshop and I am scared to even look at it. I really want to learn to digi scrap (for many reasons) but I have zero confidence in that area.
. . . . .

I am married to my best friend - almost 18 years.  We have four beautiful children ranging in ages 3 to 15.  I am taking a break from teaching high school to spend more time with my kids while they're little.  I love my ministry work - hubby is a pastor of a fairly new bilingual Christian church.  I enjoy spending my time working on my albums, art and soul journaling and photography.  My favorite music is whatever I am currently in the mood for... I love avacados and dark chocolate.  My favorite scents are clean and fresh like an ocean breeze or fresh laundry.  I love laughing - loudly.  I cry easily and am on a new journey of discovery.  Grateful for each new day.
 
I "met" Lee through a scrapbooking board we both used to frequent.  I was always intrigued by her honest - but kind comments, great taste in music, love for her family and her generosity.  If I am following any great blogs or have read any good books lately - chances are that Lee recommended them.  I love a friend that edifies - especially in a world where so many seem to be interested in only building up themselves.  We may live on opposite coasts - but I'm glad she's only a "click" away!

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Sherry at her blog he{art}. It contains a little bit of everything Sherry loves - her big family, her extended family, her energy, her joy and some bling!

Up next? My friend Cathy Zielske.

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Thank you so much Sherry for participating!

 

The Interviews | Shirley LeMay

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, globetrotter, musician and talented photographer, Shirley LeMay:

What age did you start keeping a journal? I recall writing in one while in Middle School and High School, but I was never consistent with writing. I transitioned to recording daily events in college, using a desk calendar. Not a journal of deep personal thoughts, but still a record of the daily rhythm of my life. This continued until I started my Project 365 Blog in 2009, and since then, my main repository of events and occasional thoughts are played out in one of my two blogs. 

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? That’s a hard one, because I’m a fairly private person and think most people are the same and wouldn’t want their innermost thoughts read by a complete stranger.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I’m a pretty trusting person, so I don’t suspect anyone of reading my journal. That’s my hope, at least!

What is your idea of the perfect journal? Certain aspects of the Perfect Journal for me have changed over time – I’ve gone from fancy bound books to writing in a spiral notebook, from pocket sized books to the standard 8.5”x11” book. But I am extremely picky about the paper – it has to be thick enough not to bleed through when using a fountain pen. And the paper must “feel good” as I am writing on it. The pen is as important as the journal – I prefer the micro-ball or fine fountain pens - smooth, dark ink.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? In writing – the conjunctions and, and but. In speech – “Do [fill-in-the-blank] Right Now, Please”, which gets repeated at least 5 times with threats of varying degrees before my kids actually move.

What quote most speaks to you? I have a quote in the sidebar of my personal blog - “Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some,” by Robert Fulghum. I think it’s stayed on my blog all these years for a reason.

Who (or what) inspires you? The beauty I see in front of me (it’s all around you – you just have to recognize it). Nature. Music. I am inspired by anyone who creates harmony and/or expresses beauty, regardless of the medium.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Mulan (and Hermione Granger) – strong women who didn’t let their gender or circumstances get in the way.

Who are your favourite writers? When I was little, I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder. I still love the Little House series (which was re-kindled when my daughter read the books). Nowadays, I like contemporary women writers. For example, I’ve read all the books Amy Tan, Jennifer Weiner and  Katherine Center have written – so at least those three are included in my current  favorites.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Empathy. And Patience.

What is your greatest creative talent? In music, I have excellent pitch. I pick up music quickly – like that new song they are trying to teach in you in church – I get it after the second time I hear it. I like to think that in photography, I have a good eye, but most likely that has been developed over the years.  

What is your greatest creative challenge? Telling the story – whether that be through music or photography (or other medium). Translating what I see in my mind’s eye to the photograph. The human eye and the brain that processes vision is so complex and nearly impossible to mimic with a camera sensor. I don’t like post processing, but I do find it can be a creative outlet.

. . . . .

I’m a East Coast bred 40-some year old, enjoying life on the prairie of the Midwest with my husband and our two kids. I was schooled in engineering, work in IT, and I keep myself from going insane well rounded by singing in the car, playing violin, taking photos, blogging and running.

I first met Lee through a scrapbooking bulletin board and I got to know her and her lovely family through her blog. We’ve even met in real life and she’s as fun in person as she is on-line. (Likewise, my friend!)

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Shirley at her blogs: Beautiful Life and Behind the Lens.  Over the years I've known Shirley, I am more and more convinced she manufactures time in a chemistry lab she has hidden in her basement! Oh, time and talent. Sigh.

Up next? My friend Sherry Morales.

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Thank you so much Shirley for participating!

The Interviews | Amy Eaton

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, patient remodeler and bling-challenged, Amy Eaton: 

What age did you start keeping a journal? I never kept a journal as a child but I did keep meticulous records of both of my children’s feeding and sleeping patterns when they were infants. I started scrapbooking in 2005 and blogging in late 2009.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Probably my relatives who first came to Australia from Ireland and Scotland and Germany.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I love that members of the family drop by and read the blog – pity they are so reluctant to comment!

What is your idea of the perfect journal? Uncluttered and easy to read.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? ‘Actually’, it is a bit of a problem when your two year old starts every sentence that way and family members laugh at what they have picked up from mum!

What quote most speaks to you? No particular quote stands out to me, but, there is one letter which I love. It comes from the novel ‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen and is the letter from Captain Wentworth to Anne.

"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in

F. W.

Who (or what) inspires you? I am inspired by colour, the ocean, friends and family and wonderful resources on the internet.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Anne, from Anne of Green Gables, James Bond, Jane Eyre, The Vicar of Dibley – Geraldine, aka Dawn French and Charlie and Lola due to a lot of reading to young children

Who are your favourite writers? Tim Winton, Mem Fox, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, but, 2010 was a year where I really enjoyed Philippa Gregory’s Tudor series.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? I would love to be able to sing.

What is your greatest creative talent? I’m not sure how creative this is, but I seem to have a knack for capturing the candid moments of my two children really well ... I scrap those moments quickly so nothing is lost in translation.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Oh, that is easy, I have no clue how to add embellishments to my scrap pages – I am seriously challenged in this department.

. . . . .

I’m Amy, in my thirties, married with two children living in Australia. I love photos and stories, cooking and the ocean. Currently I spend most of my days overseeing builders, plumbers and electricians as we muddle our way through a home renovation, I try to spend as little time as possible with a paintbrush in my hand.

I met Lee through a Shimelle Laine online class specifically for bloggers, and I am continually amazed at how productive, creative and inspiring she is on a daily basis with four energetic children to run around after. (Right back at you my equally busy friend!)

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Amy at her blog Over At Our Place. It is such a wonderful mix of life in Australia (so when I'm cold in winter she has wonderful shots of sunshine and people clad in bathing suits; in summer, when I'm roasting, there are definite signs of cooler weather in her days), many scrapbook projects and the lovely pace of her life with her lovely Engineer and children.

Up next? My friend Shirley LeMay.

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Thank you so much Amy for participating!

The Interviews | Sue Sykes

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my lovely loquacious friend and inspiring photographer, Sue Sykes:

What age did you start keeping a journal? During my studio renovations this past summer, I found a tote with all sorts of memorabilia in it from my earlier years.  I spent hours poring over old diary and journal entries and found some dated back to Grade 6!  It was refreshing to go back and see my life in simpler times, when my biggest concern was if Marty was going to ask me to roller dance at the roller skating rink that weekend… :)  I fell out of the habit of writing in a journal when I first got married, but with the arrival of children, it seems my scrapbook pages capture some of the memories and my blog tries to capture the rest of our everyday life.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Madonna. Annie Leibovitz. Amelia Earhart. Dr. Martin Luther King. Ansel Adams. Michael Jackson.

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? Oh my, it's humiliating to think that anyone may have read that early drivel!! I don't know who would have had access to my earlier diaries – my sisters were both married by the time I finished grade school and my parents weren't overly snoopy.  And then I got very creative at hiding them when I was away at school and living with roommates… :)

What is your idea of the perfect journal? A perfect journal would be a leather bound book with a dark rich leather cover, and a ribbon bookmark.  It would have lined pages to keep me on course, but the lines should be faint enough to allow for doodling or sketching if I was so inclined.  It would have an elastic strap to keep it closed, as I tend to horde bits of ephemera and sentimental pieces.  Oh, and it would be invisible to everyone but me until I die so I don't have to worry about hiding it away, keeping it in plain site so I can be reminded daily to write in it!

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "At any rate…""Absolutely".  "Awesome".  "… But that's just me."  "Oh. My. Heck." and a few four letter words sneak their way in once in a while.

What quote most speaks to you? I have a few that I absolutely love, but my favourite was one by Allyson Jones that was on a card, given to me years ago, by my cousin: "If I could wish for my Life to be perfect, it would be tempting… But I would have to decline, for Life would no longer teach me anything."  I think it's a great reminder that Life may not always be easy, but each bump in the road makes us who we are today.  I love it so much that I commissioned my friend, Katrina Murphy, of Skribblz Art to create it for my scrap studio wall.  I will share photos of it on my blog, once my studio is finished!

Who (or what) inspires you? In my art, I find that while beautiful paper and awesome (there's that word again!) embellishments can make me want to create, I'm usually driven to actually start the creative process, once I've found the photo that I want to scrap.  It's most often that I will pick up a photo and I'll immediately visualize an end result which spurs me on.  I'm often inspired by seeing the wonderful work of talented friends and artists in this industry.  But as we are not all perfect by-the-book applications, I have also been known to be inspired by song titles, merchandise tags, clothing, magazine ads, graphic design, paintings, home décor, and pretty much everything else with which I come in contact.  My husband teases that I could be inspired by a loaf of bread… :)

Who is your favourite fictional character? At the risk of revealing my deep dark secret of a penchant towards sappy romantic novels, I will say that I, on a fluke, started reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and fell in love with Ranger.  I also love Jaime Fraser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  <sigh>  But I think the character that has stuck with me the most since reading it was Aminata Diallo, from the powerful book by Lawrence Hill, "The Book of Negroes".

Who are your favourite writers? Matthew Reilly, Sophie Kinsella, Iris Johansen, Janet Evanovich,  Clive Cussler, J.K. Rowling, Patricia Cornwell.

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Patience.  Unless of course, you'd consider the ability to fly a natural talent…?

What is your greatest creative talent? Composition in photography - I can picture scenes in my head even before I take them.  Colour in art – I seem to have an affinity to mixing odd colours but making them work somehow – that's a talent, right?

What is your greatest creative challenge? Motivation.  I love to do what I do, but I have a hard time getting started at it.  Once I'm started, though – Look Out!  I'm a train, hurtling down a track… Just try and stop me! :)

. . . . .

I live in Southwestern Ontario with my best friend and husband, Gary, our son, Connor (11) and daughter, Aili (6) {rhymes with Riley… don't worry – everyone gets it wrong! :)}

I've been behind a camera for more than 25 years, working professionally since 1998. While I began scrapping in 2000 as a complement to my photography career, it's become a rival passion! I consider myself fortunate to have worked on several design teams in the industry and to have been published in various scrapbooking publications, including a cover layout for Canadian Scrapbooker. But what I'm most grateful for are the friendships I have made. I've been a contributing writer for Canadian Scrapbooker magazine since its' inception in 2005 and am honoured to be part of such a great team. I also offer photography workshops in an effort to move people out of Auto mode and to get the most out of their DSLRs. It's so exciting to share my passion for photography with others!

Thanks to my sweet friend, Lee, for including me in this series! (You're very welcome, Sue!)

How do you know Lee? You joined my kit company site a few years ago, through a mutual friend and I'd like to think that we hit it off immediately and became friends! :) (We did, we did!)

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Sue at her blog Kewl Beans. It is such a wonderful mix of photography and family.

Up next? My friend Amy Eaton.

. . . . .

Thank you so much Sue for participating!

The Interviews | Lain Ehmann

Sorry for the delay - I have to figure out AM and PM!

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series. Today it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my friend, multi-tasker extraordinaire, energetic creative entrepreneur and mum, Lain Ehmann:

What age did you start keeping a journal?
I've kept a journal on and off since I was about 10.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read?
Hmmm. Ali Edwards, Becky Higgins, Stacy Julian... all my inspirations in the scrapbooking world! Also, I love celebrity gossip, so maybe some juicy tidbits from those "in the know," like celebrity publicists... that would be pretty cool. And Lincoln. And Oprah. (Just to prove I'm not entirely shallow!)

Who have you suspected of reading your diary?
Hmmm... I don't think anyone has. I was pretty careful about keeping it hidden in my early days. Now, no one cares! ;)

What is your idea of the perfect journal?
I like plain old spiral notebooks. Portable, cheap, and easily replaced.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)?
"Perfect." "Fab." "Totally." "Awesome." (I am from California, after all!)

What quote most speaks to you?
"As for me and my house, we serve the lord." Joshua 24:15. I actually have TONS of quotes in journals, on notecards, in my files... I'm an inveterate quote-collector.

Who (or what) inspires you?
People who don't take themselves too seriously. Traditional things with a twist, like a classic trench coat in a fab new color, or a Moleskine notebook in lime green. Great photography. Office supplies. Target. Reading.

Who is your favourite fictional character?
How can anyone beat Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter?

Who are your favourite writers?
John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Seth Godin, Erma Bombeck... I could go on and on!

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with?
A fabulous voice.

What is your greatest creative talent?
Writing. I can write so people forget they're reading and it sounds like my voice is just speaking in their ear. Plus I can type really fast. ;)

What is your greatest creative challenge?
Feeling okay about not being able to take every creative inspiration and run with it, the moment I get it. It saddens me to know all the creative projects I have that will never see the light of day. But they exist complete in my mind! :)

. . . . .

Take a helping of Rachael Ray, a sprinkle of Martha Stewart, and a dash of Ellen DeGeneres, shake well until blended, and what do you get? Lain Ehmann, scrapbook lover! Lain is a fast-talking, fast-scrapping human dynamo with three kids, tons of ideas, and more books than she could ever read in this lifetime. The author of several books on scrapbooking, including “Snippets: Mostly True Tales from the Lighter Side of Scrapbooking” and “20 Simple Secrets of Happy Scrapbookers” (co-authored with Stacy Julian), Lain loves sharing her philosophy of guilt-free, simple scrapbooking.

Lain blogs at Layout A Day, and hosts a membership site, ScrapHappy. Three times a year, she hosts a month long scrapbooking challenge, Layout a Day (LOAD). Through her challenges, classes, blogs, books, articles, podcasts and videos, Lain helps women make their scrapbooking fun, fast, and fabulous.

How do you know Lee? I know Lee from scrapbooking. Where else? ;)

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Be sure to visit and be inspired by Lain at her many places on the www: Layout A Day, ScrapHappy and Big Picture Classes. I don't know how she does it all!

Up next? My friend Sue Sykes.

. . . . .

Thank you so much Lain for participating!

[Since the layouts are so similar, I'm just making them for my own album - let me know if you want me to continue posting, but otherwise, they're being tucked away. I'll show off the final project when done!]

The Interviews | Jane Garnett

Welcome back to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, talented jewelry designer, walking buddy and fellow hockey mum, Jane Garnett: 

What age did you start keeping a journal? At around the age of fourteen when boy problems started to surface and as a typical teenager, I thought the world had it in for me. I continued for about three years. Now I have a journal which I write in occasionally throughout the year.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Jesus, Robin Williams, Tallulah Bankhead

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? No one actually. As a teenager I was paranoid that someone would get hold of my diary and all my secrets so I wrote the entire thing backwards. Silly thing is, you just had to know to hold it up to a mirror to read it.  I became quite proficient at the art of backwards script though.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? One that is small enough to carry in my purse and won't weigh me down and boring enough to look at that no one would ever think of opening it to read.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "Right?" "For crying out loud" "Honestly!"

What quote most speaks to you? "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."  - J.K. Rowlings

Who (or what) inspires you? I’m inspired by flowers and plants, color, music, food, my children (they always have such interesting prespectives), my Mom (who’s just so creative), traveling to foreign places.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Wilbur from "Charlotte’s Web" (it was just one of those books that spoke to me at the age I read it and I still love it). Elizabeth Bennett from "Pride and Prejudice".

Who are your favourite writers? Ian Rankin, Elie Weisel, Ken Follett (specifically Pillars of the Earth)

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? To be able to SING!

What is your greatest creative talent? Sewing and jewelry making

What is your greatest creative challenge? Completion – I always have too much on the go and I’m guilty of storing many unfinished projects. I also have lots of ideas but don’t always follow through on them.
. . . . .

I'm MOM to two boys, one a teenager and one getting there. An ex-IT specialist, I enjoy creating handmade items, whether it's jewelry, sewing clothes, flower arranging or numerous other fun past times. Photography is a passion although I still have a lot to learn and I like cooking (and eating!). My favorite dessert is creme caramel and I absolutely can't start a day without a piping hot, strong cup of tea. Yes, I'm a tea addict.

Jane and I met through hockey while both of our younger boys played on the same team. We learned we have plenty in common - children, health, creative, life in general. I've been greatly blessed to have Jane enter my life! So nice to see her on a regular basis on our walks and she is a charter member of A Creative Conversation.

. . . . .

Be sure to visit and be inspired by Jane at her blog Jacaranda Designs. It is such a wonderful mix of design, family, ideas and inspiration - much like Jane herself.

Up next? My friend Lain Ehmann.

. . . . .

Thank you so much Jane for participating!

DON'T FORGET: You are still able to qualify to win YOUR copy of the new Ella e-book Scrapbooking the Everyday, click over here and leave a comment! Draw to take place on 23 April (Wednesday) at 6PM Eastern. Good luck!

The Interviews | Jill Conyers

Welcome to my weekly Interview Series.

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend and inspiration, Jill Conyers:

What age did you start keeping a journal? Regretfully I have never kept a journal. A combination of photography, scrapbooking and blogging has been my "journal" for the past 10 (or so) years.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Steve Jobs, Tony Horton, Jennifer Aniston, Annie Leibovitz, Sigmund Freud, Dean Karnazes (Ultramarathon Man), Tracey Clark and Brene Brown

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? I've never had a diary to read.

What is your idea of the perfect journal? Photography! And a purse size notebook.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "No way" and probably "really?" in speech. I don't know about writing. I'll have to pay closer attention and see.

What quote most speaks to you? This changes depending on so many things. Right now my favorites are: "How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it." ~ Robert Brault and "Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are." ~ Brene Brown

Who (or what) inspires you? Day to day life. Really. At one time I lived a life when nothing was fabulous, amazing or awesome. Now I live as if everything is. That is my inspiration.

Who is your favourite fictional character? I don't think I really have favorite fictional characters. Maybe Sookie Stackhouse and Acheron Parthenopaeus.

Who are your favourite writers? I read everything I can find by Brene Brown, Ali Edwards, and Anna Quindlen. And 2 authors that became favorites when I decided to venture outside my reading comfort zone are, surprisingly, Charlaine Harris (author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, True Blood) and Stephenie Meyer (author of Twilight). 

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Writing. More specifically creative inspiring writing. The use of the written word that expresses, inspires and makes the reader feel and think.

What is your greatest creative talent? Photography. To look at a person, place or thing and capture an image that expresses who I am and my perspective through the lens of my camera.

What is your greatest creative challenge? Right now in my life it's time or the lack thereof. There are so many things I want to do and learn. There is a quote I remember reading that said something like "you can do anything but you can't do everything." I want to do and experience it all. Yes. Right now my creative challenge is time.

. . . . .

About Me: I'm married to a wonderful man 18 years this July. I'm a mom to 2 amazing children. I'm a psychologist for 1000 elementary school children. I organize to relax, do P90X to get strong, and run to feel like I can do anything. My creative medium of choice is photography to capture the details of our day to day and as a creative outlet. 

I've been thinking about how I met Lee and while I know it was via blogging I'm not sure how long we've been friends. I've been blogging since September of 2005 and I can't remember a time when I didn't visit Lee's blog or receive kind and thoughtful comments from her on my blog.
. . . . .

Be sure to visit and be inspired by Jill at her blog Life As I See It. I bet you do one of three things: grab your camera, lace up your sneakers or start reading Brene Brown's blog! Or, like me, you'll do all three. With Jill, I participate in Happiness Captured on an almost-weekly-basis and she heads up the One Little Word | Captured photography challenge on her blog which has really helped my guiding word "Do" come alive for me this year. We have been friends for what feels like forever, and I look forward to meeting Jill this summer!

Up next? My friend Jane Garnett.

. . . . .

Thank you so much, Jill, for participating! It is so nice getting to know you better.

The Interviews | A Series (Me first!)

Last month I made my daily visit Carolyn Rubenstein's brilliant blog where she had a guest blogger, Hope Wallace Karney that day, who took one of my favourite elements of Vanity Fair magazine, the Proust Interview, and made it her own. Wow! It was a challenge to answer the questions she posed and I imagined that it would be for many of us.

. . . . .

What age did you start keeping a journal? I started and stopped several times, but I since I started my blog a few years ago it is where I keep my most consistent musings.

Who’s diary/journal (dead or alive) would you like to read? Steve Jobs, Alice Hoffman, Annie Leibovitz, Whoopie Goldberg, My Dad - the unedited version

Who have you suspected of reading your diary? Years ago, my mother read my journals - out loud, at the dining room table one Thanksgiving. It was a mortifying experience. Maybe why I was afraid to do it again until more recently?

What is your idea of the perfect journal? One with thick enough pages for me to use marker that won't bleed through and I can doodle. It also has to be big enough but not too big. I've just realized I'm one of "those" picky journal people!

Which words or phrases do you most overuse (in speech and/or writing)? "So ...". "Seriously?" "Really?" The occasional "f-bomb". My children would claim other phrases like "is your homework done?", "go brush your teeth" and "is your room clean?" as overused in this house.

What quote most speaks to you? I really enjoy visual quotes, uplifting concepts - like comments made by Mark Twain: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."; or, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Ghandi; or Maya Anjelou: "Courage is the most important of all virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." And one of my favourites is from Twyla Tharp: “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”

Who (or what) inspires you? Pretty much anything and everything. Nature. My kids. Ingredients: food and creative. The internet. My friends.

Who is your favourite fictional character? Father Tim and characters from the Mitford Series. The Mists of Avalon is filled with fascinating and fabulous characters. Find me someone flawed and human and I will love them - I'll pass on sick, violent and evil!

Who are your favourite writers? Alice Hoffman, Mark Twain, Thomas Hardy, Barbara Erskine, Brene Brown, Jane Austen, Shakespeare

Which natural talent would you most like to be gifted with? Patience.

What is your greatest creative talent? Colour. I get colour. And composition. I have a good eye.

What is your greatest creative challenge? The technical aspects of photography - I am happy to keep most things on "auto". The science of painting and multimedia projects - what adheres to what. I don't have the time or patience to figure out what sticks to what - or what won't stick to what. There has to be some kind of cheat sheet out there! I think I'm a minimalist at heart but tend to add just one too many things to my work ... must embrace restraint! Plenty of challenges :)

A bit more about me:
I embrace imperfection in Oakville, Ontario with my four delightfully challenging, energetic and imperfect children; a charming and imperfect husband, and (blessedly) no more imperfect pets! By day I dabble, with no skill in any particular area, indulging in my passion for photography, writing, and exploring the inspiration that is the internet in an effort to do more good than harm and live a life full of authenticity and generosity. As for the rest of my time? That is spent performing my duties as chauffeur and cheerleader, cook and laundress, friend and mother, drinking buddy and sit down comic.

. . . . .

In the spirit of my guiding word, DO, I wanted to ask these same questions of so many creative women I've come to know on-line and in person. The criteria used was simple. I sent out an invitation and the questions to all of those women I would like to invite if I were to have a dinner party. (Wouldn't that be awesome?) I was thrilled to receive so many wonderful responses!

Over the next 26 Mondays, I will be sharing with you the responses from:

14 March | JILL CONYERS

21 March | JANE GARNETT

28 March | LAIN EHMANN

04 April | SUE SYKES

11 April | AMY EATON

18 April | SHIRLEY LEMAY

25 April | SHERRY MORALES

02 May | CATHY ZIELSKE

09 May | VALERIE MANGAN

16 May | LORRAINE CLEWES

23 May | JENNIFER LARSON

30 May | KATRINA SIMECK

06 June | MONIKA WRIGHT

13 June | CHARLENE O'HARA

20 June | ELIZABETH DILLOW

27 June | LORI MANCINI

04 July | CHERI ANDREWS

11 July | HOLLY ATTFIELD

18 July | HEATHER HOLLE

25 July | FRANCINE CLOUDEN

01 August | KYLA HUNZINGER

08 August | MOLLY IRWIN

15 August | BETH WATT

22 August | MELANIE LOUETTE

29 August | KELLY ASBRIDGE

05 September | BARB WONG

After reading the responses that have come through, I can assure you, this would be one incredibly awesome dinner party! I think you'll greatly enjoy and find wonderful inspiration in this series. I have found myself in tears of joy a couple of times - overwhelmed with the generosity of everyone who chose to participate.

Join me over the next few weeks to meet, or get to know better, these fabulous ladies.

BONUS PROJECT:

I've also decided to put together an all-digi album in celebration of this little adventure and this is the first layout:

I will make a similar layout for each participant so that their words and ideas don't get "lost" in the ether! I am humbled and ever so grateful for the time and attention everyone has taken to contribute to this project and my favourite way of showing gratitude is to make an album!

This has been a great growth experience for me, I used the gorgeous Michelle Martin Vere digi papers to signify evolution and enlightenment with the plan being to continue this theme thoughout the project. (Even better, I made the whole digi layout all by myself with no template! It's very simple, but yay!)

Happy Monday!