Meet Emilie!

Okie Dokie, it's time to bring you another guest designer! This month we've got Emilie Ahern joining us (you've probably seen her lovely smile - or gorgeous layouts- within the pages of some of your favorite scrap mags!) We're thrilled to bits to have her with us this month and can't wait to share her work with ya...

Oh ya, one more thing, big bummer...nobody lifted Jenny's pages!! Let's give y'all another 2 weeks to do that. Please link your pages to the original post which is found here and we'll take a look at who made what and we'll send out the goodies to the lucky winner! How's that sound?!?! Thanks for joining us in November, Jenny, your pages were total eye candy!

Then, when you're done lifting those pages, you can move on to some of Emilie's gorgous pages. Be sure to link your lifts to the comments section of this post so we know exactly where to find them and the winner will be announced when we introduce you to January's guest designer!

And now, here's Emilie...

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

A: I a wifey of Matt and a Mommy to two little red-headed girls, whom we call “Chicken” and “Fifi”. We recently moved from Utah to Delaware and I am loving the East Coast. I never want to leave. I have an unhealthy addiction to... Project Runway, my camera, creme brulee, the color orange, blogging, simple carbohydrates and cool Indie music. I know every single word to every single song on the ABBA Gold album.
It's a crowning achievement of my life and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

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

A: I have been scrapping since 1997 when I fashioned a pathetic little photo album of a trip to Victoria, BC using a gluestick and construction paper. I started tinkering with it then, but really became an addict in 2000.

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: Other scrapbookers. I see a title here, a photo angle there, a topic or a color scheme which inspires me and start from there. I also have to have some great Indie music on. My blog’s playlist most often plays while I am scrapping away. I never try to “catch up” on scrapbooking. Who could?! LOL! I choose the photo, subject or story which is inspiring me right at the moment and scrap it. If you do that, your enthusiasm and passion will translate onto the page.

Q:Describe your creative style

A: BOLD! Creativity seems to go in phases...right now I am all about mixing bold colors and patterns which enhance my photos. I am usually fairly streamlined and simple scrapper with a twist. I always try to add something unexpected. An added circular element or whimsical embellishment to unstraighten the straight lines.

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

A: (1) I just got the new Bo Bunny retractable craft knife and mat. Dude! I love that thing. I always lose caps and so the retractable part keeps it safe for my kids and c’mon...it’s pink! (2) American Crafts Puffy Thickers in Orange (my fave color) and their Flair....well, pretty much everything American Crafts does is genius...am I right?! (3) October Afternoon line called WeatherVane...deliciousness!

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

A: There’s always something! I just finished an assignment for Simple Scrapbooks’ Idea Book that was digi and it was so much fun. I have a highlighted technique in October’s CK which was heat embossing Ghost Letters. I am always submitting to calls and getting last minute assignments from magazines in a jam. I guess you could say I am the “go to girl” for working in a time pinch.

Q:Describe your perfect day

A: I have perfect days all of the time. If I were alone, my perfect day would be spent in a fine art museum, a little coffee house acoustic concert and some seriously good crème brulee. But if I am with my hubby and girls it would be a day on the shore or the fair and then some fatty food from a diner and some delicious ice cream for dessert.

Challenge 100

I can't believe we made it. We got all the way to one hundred challenges! Y'know, the challenges have morphed and shifted in how we execute them...we've taken inspo from non-scrap related art, we've scraplifted, we've used sketches and starting in December, we'll be using some other more subjective kinds of direction...but you gotta stick around to find out what that is.

Oh, you'll notice that I forgot to introduce you to our next Design Team member this week. Tania kindly pointed out my error and if you read the post below this one, you'll get to know Carol Yeo. Check her out, her pages are wonderful!

Here's this week's challenge! I loved working with this layout and created one of my most beloved pages ever. I used a photo of my BFF's daughter, Ana that I took ages ago and have been saving it for the perfect layout...I think this was the right time! Please join us in this week's challenge and upload your work to our Flickr Group. Remember to include the challenge number in your file name so we don't miss it when it comes time to pick a favorite!

Also, this is Gillian's and Jenny's last week with us. *sniff* I have loved having both these incredibly talented women share their art with us and I hope they both continue to visit! Thanks so much for your amazing contributions, guys. It's been great! - Oh, and don't forget to scraplift Jenny's pages and leave a link to your lift in the comments section of this post.

Vanessa

Tania

Gillian

Jenny

Getting to know Carol Yeo

Okay, so I forgot to post today (actually, I think I was planning to blog this yesterday) but my family and I are getting ready for a road trip on Sunday and...let's just say I'm experiencing a little brain related overload!

This week, you get to meet Carol Yeo. She's another one of our newest Design Team members and I know you'll love her work.
remember, we aren't conducting a scraplift challenge of Carol's work but you can still lift Jenny's pages if to go HERE

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

A: I have been married 9 years to the most amazingly supportive husband, who has encouraged me throughout my scrapbooking journey and who has even financed a large part of it! We have 2 lovely children – our son, Christopher, is turning 7 in December, and our daughter, Natalie, just turned 3 on 12 November. Christopher has just completed Primary 1 (that’s the local equivalent of 1st grade) and Natalie starts preschool in January.

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

A: I started scrapbooking in January 2007. My best friend had given me a scrapbook album for my birthday in April 2006, and I had admired it, but never thought of beginning to scrap until late December 2006, when I tendered my resignation from my full time job. Thereafter, I worked only 3 days a week, which gave me ample time to pursue this hobby which is now an integral part of me.

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: That’s a tough one. Many things actually inspire me. I could be listening to a song on the radio and the lyrics would spark off a title for a layout, and with my huge photo library, it’s easy to find a photo that fits. Alternatively, I might be looking through one of the scrapbook mags, and I’d see a LO that catches my eye either for its presentation or its theme, or just the message behind it, and then I’d do a scraplift of it. Other times, the photo itself has a story to be told, and that would be my starting point.

Q:Describe your creative style

A: I tend towards the shabby chic style. I love swirls, flowers, vintagey stuff, pearls, bling. That said, I also do like clean layouts, which I do from time to time, especially when scrapping a page about my son – that calls for clean lines!

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

A: Right now, I’d say that I’m into distressing – either tearing paper, inking, or using crackle paint. I also love Glimmer Mist from My Tattered Angels, and Maya Mist cos I simply love shimmery sparkly stuff. My other favourite product would be the naked chipboard embellishments from Maya Road – they are so versatile, and can be painted, inked, sprayed, covered, or even left naked to suit you page’s needs.

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

A: I’m currently working on a page I’ve shelved repeatedly in the past. I call it my ‘crop backup’ page, so called because I’ve brought it to at least 2 or 3 crops already this year and I’ve never managed to finish it yet, preferring instead to work on other stuff (for some reason). So right now, when I’m inbetween major projects, I’m trying to finally get it finished.

Q:Describe your perfect day

A: My perfect day starts with a buffet international breakfast spread with the family. I am unashamedly a foodie! Thereafter, we head home for some lazing around, and I get lots of me time to do my crafts and read. The children come and scrap together with me and we have lots of mommy-kiddy bonding time. I then get to head out to the neighbourhood coffee place for a nice latte with my husband. Later in the evening, the whole family heads out for a seafood dinner and end up with waffles and ice cream.

Challenge 99

Wow, this is so exciting! Our 100th challenge is just around the corner...I can hardly believe it! Our challenge this week is pretty great...I love how a simple challenge can lead to such diverse results. Each artist's pages totally reflect who they are which I think is my favorite part of doing these challenges, especially as I get to know each artist a little better over time. Of course, anybody who knows me is not going to be surprised that my page wound up as a single photo layout when I could have easily chosen to do multiples...I take comfort in a little predictability, don't you?

Please share your version of this week's sketch with us on the Flickr Group where the design team and I will be looking at all the submissions and selecting three finalists to vote on at the end of the month. Our faithful blog readers will then have the opportunity to cast their vote on the poll on the sidebar...you don't wanna miss out on that! There's always a great RAK at the end of that process!! Remember to include the challenge number that your page is made for when you upload it to the Flickr Group.

Vanessa

Tania
Gillian


Jenny
Oh, and one last thing, Jen Martakis, you are the winner (by a crazy landslide!) in the poll for the favorite pages submitted to the Flickr Group! Email me with your mailing information and we'll get your RAK out in the mail. YAY!!!

Getting to know Kirsten Arneberg

It's Wednesday, which means that it's time for the next one up...

Remember that we aren't doing a scraplift challenge with the new DTs and their work, but you can still scraplift Jenny's work here.

Kirsten Arneberg!

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

A: I live with my husband, two girls (8 and 13) and our dog in Oslo, Norway. I am a stay at home mom, so I have lots of time to be crafty and help the girls with their homework – which is increasing with the years. My husband has his football matches in the summer and ice hockey in the winter (not playing – just watching) so it’s a nice balance. The girls are crafty and it’s always uplifting to see the joy and get the compliments on what I make!

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

A: I began as a stamper back in 2002, started quilting in 2004 and in 2006 I went to my first crop - and suddenly I was a scrapbooker too! I have gained so many friends through this craft and our crops are an important part of my scrapbooking – the inspiration and advice I get at a crop is valuable to me! Another thing is to give advice – that also gives me great pleasure... not that I am always listened to (lol).

Q: What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: Fellow scrappers are my main inspiration! But I’m also inspired by my fabrics and patterns from almost anything can set of the planning for the next page. I like to try to incorporate different elements to my scrapbooking – non-scrapbook items. And I like the shabby chic look and vintage – but also the opposite modern and freestyle.

Q: Describe your creative style

A: I really don’t think I have a style... not described in books anyway. I like so many different styles and try a bit of each but I am not very comfortable with “clean and simple”, I need to stash and layer. I admire the scrapbookers who can make a whole album in one style and still get the diversity into all the pages – I cannot even knit a pair of socks because they would not be a match... (lol)

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

A: I am currently addicted to Glimmer Mist from Tattered Angels, I dye book pages and tags with coffee and I am seriously in love with my newly acquired typewriter (Bella), I like my handwriting to some extent but I feel like it’s not consistent enough to be my journaling. I have to mention my sewing machines too – I seldom do a layout without some stitches.

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

A: It’s close to Christmas so I have some gifts to make – I gave an album for each of the sets of grandparents and I am filling them up (that is why my layouts sometimes have the same pictures on them). I have also joined a Circle Journal – so I am in the middle of construction and sending it off on its way around the world.

Q: Describe your perfect day

A: My perfect day is one I spend with my family either doing something special (with the camera close by) or just being together and having a good time – to be rounded off with a scrapbook crop late at night!

Challenge 98

Dude, it's almost the 100th challenge and in case you haven't noticed... more than thirty thousand of you amazing people have visited our li'l blog in the last not-quite-three years!!! Holy CRAP! That's a lot of people! So that might explain how on earth the number of voters on the poll on the sidebar has managed to climb so much higher than the last month's vote! Right on.

This week's sketch makes me happy. It forced me to go beyond my one-photo-per-page limitation and I truly love the way my page turned out. Maybe I shouldn't edit my photos so heavily that I only end up with one (or maybe two) great shots for each layout... something to ponder, for sure!

If you want to create a page using this weeks sketch, please be sure to share it with us in our Flickr Group...if you do, your page will be one of the layouts considered as one of the three finalists posted in the poll found on the sidebar. Please remember to include the weekly challenge number in your file name so we know to include it...otherwise it could get missed!

Oh, and there's only two days left in the Great Pumpkin Search so if you haven't played along, there's time to register...which is free and who knows, you could end up winning a whackload of great freebies! We are having a sale on our Couture Collections (buy 3 get one free!) just email info@lotuspaperie.com with your selections. We're thinking Christmas gifting, here people!

Don't forget to Scraplift our Guest Designer, Jenny for a chance to win a RAK of some of her favorite scrappy stuff! Go here to post the link to your scraplift in the comments section.

Also, we want to see what you are working on for the holidays. Share photos of your projects in our Holiday Projects Flickr Group...there's some awesome goodies up already...okay, so they're mine but I think they're awesome!

So let's get on with the challenge, shall we?

Vanessa

Tania

Gillian

Jenny

Getting To Know Christi Otis

This is such an exciting time! I love change, I find it so inspiring...and bringing in a new Design Team is no exception. Now that we've told you who will be providing you with the most scrap-lift-able artwork for the December to May session, we thought you'd like to find out a little more about who these incredible women are and what makes 'em tick. So we asked them to fill out the same qestionnaire that we give to our Guest Designers (cuz the questions are pretty effective for getting GREAT answers) so without further ado...

psst...we're not doing a scraplift contest for these guys but there still is one for Jenny found here.

Meet Christi Otis!

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

A: Wow, only a little bit, huh? Since I’m a pretty chatty person, I accept this as my personal challenge to keep it brief! My husband Rick and I have been together for almost 14 years now, and have managed to keep things interesting mainly due to our shared sense of humor. We both enjoy Survivor, random trivia, fantasy football, Texas Hold’em, Taco Bell, and have scared off more than a few potential new friends with our love of quoting movies. So yeah, we’re both dorks. We have 3 sons and a daughter: Alex (10), Maggie (8), Jack (4) and Jacob (2). Yes, we meant to have that many kids, and NO, we’re not having any more! I’m lucky enough to get to stay at home during the day with the two little boys, and I even manage to keep the house relatively clean while still having time to craft. Coffee helps.

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

A: Technically, I was introduced to scrapbooking about 10 years ago, when some ladies I knew started selling Creative Memories products. I had a brand-new baby at the time, and recording his childhood milestones chronologically in acid-free, lignin-free, guaranteed albums appealed to my anal perfectionist side. I’ve gotten over it. Now I scrap the everyday moments that I want to share with our family, without worrying so much about whether or not my albums will be around 500 years from now.

Q: What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: I get inspiration from so many different sources….just sorting through my stash and coming across product I haven’t seen in a month or two will get my gears turning. I’m inspired by my photos, by product both new and old, by advertisements, by challenge blogs, even by things I see at the store, like a tote bag or a box of tissue! Inspiration is literally everywhere if you just take the time to look. Try scraplifting a favorite T-shirt design sometime, and you’ll see what I’m talking about!

Q: Describe your creative style

A: I’d have to say….vintage grunge? I love muted fall colors, distressing, and all things vintage. Most of my layouts include journaling done on my mom’s 60’s Underwood. The day she gave me that typewriter will forever be etched in my memory as one of the happiest days of my life.

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

A: I’m in absolute L.O.V.E. with Jenni Bowlin’s new mini calendar cards and her apothecary stickers…..the new papers by Sass Lass make me swoon…..and as soon as I get my ink-stained fingers on those Tim Holtz masks, I’m sure they’ll be added to my list of favs!

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

A: I’m finishing up two challenge layouts, adding journaling to a couple pages I got mostly done at a crop over the weekend, and I’ll be making a folk-art doll that I plan to blog about sometime this week. I’m pretty excited to get started on her!

Q: Describe your perfect day

A: Hmmm….any day that starts with coffee and a clean house is a perfect day in my book. Even more perfect if I have a few hours to craft. I guess I’m pretty easily satisfied.

Announcing the New Design Team!!

Hello! Welcome to my first post here on Lotus Paperie!

I am so excited to introduce to you our new Design Team members, isn't that the best first post? We had amazing submissions from all over the globe and it made it really hard to narrow it down to just four. We will be doing something a little differently in how we introduce them. I will announce them now and then we will have a gradual introduction with a little about each member every week or so. So check in often to see what they are all about. :) I know you've been waiting patiently, so here is our wonderful new Design Team starting December 1st...

Carol Yeo

Christi Otis

Kirsten Arneberg

Zoe Nemburt

Be prepared to be inspired!

Congratulations girls. We also want to send a big thank you to each incredibly talented designer who applied to the Design Team this round. Remember, each session runs for 6 months so if you didn't make it this time, please make sure you participate in the next session's Team Call! Join us on Friday for the next challenge...

Tania :)

Challenge 97

I can't believe how many of you are voting! I'm having so much fun watching the numbers climb and see who the winner is going to be...I guess everyone's still in a voting mood. So yesterday was the last day to link up to your scraplifts of Shelley's pages. Do ya wanna see the layout that won the RAK? This one was made by Michelle. Beautiful, don't you think? Michelle, email me with your mailing info so we can ship your goodies to ya! Congrats :)

So this week's challenge is a 6x12 layout which is such a fun change of pace from larger layouts. Of course, it's easy to modify this for a larger scale page but I think most of us are feelin' the love for this orientation, right?!

And get your pages uploaded to our Flickr Group so that your name can appear in the poll to win that month's RAK. All you have to do is include the challenge number in your filename when you add it to the photo pool so we know which week it's for.

If you're anything like me, you probably have a very long list of projects you're working on for the holidays. I'd love to see what you're making! I've started a new Flickr Group just for Holiday Projects...so if you want to share some of your great ideas, go and join and let's see what you're making!

Vanessa

Tania

JennyOh and a little teaser on the Design Team...we've narrowed down the competition to about 5 or 6 applicants and there's only 4 spots! EEEK!! So Tania and I will work super hard to narrow it down and we'll make the announcement next week

The finalists...

Of the pages uploaded to our Flickr Group in the month of October, the following three were chosen as finalists for you to vote on as the pick of the month... There is a poll on the sidebar where you can cast your vote. A big Thank You to everyone who uploaded artwork this month...it's so hard to narrow it down to just 3! The finalists are:

Scrappymom123

Allison Curry

Jen Martakis

Meet Jenny!

Boy, that was one crazy-busy month! Shelley made some incredible contributions to our design team and we're totally gonna miss her. If you remember, when we introduced her here she shared some of her favorite layouts with us. You have until THURSDAY to link up to your scraplifts to win a prize pack of some of Shelley's favorite scrap products. Don't delay!!

This month our Guest Designer is Jenny Chesnick. I found her on SisTV where I instantly fell in love with her style and absolutely could NOT resist asking her to join us this month. Read below to find out more about Jenny and what makes her tick! Remember, she is sharing three of her favorite layouts with us and you have the entire duration of this month to create a scraplift off her work and link up to your scraplift in the comments section of this post to get a chance at winning a prize pack of some of Jenny's favorite products.



Check out what Jenny has to say about scrapbooking and what it's all about for her...

Q:Tell us a bit about you and your family.
A: Well, I’m a 30 something California girl who has been transplanted to the great state of Maryland. I met my Husband of 1 year Bill here. He has a 17 year old daughter Tori and we have two mutts Berkley and Libby. Fondly nicknamed the idiot twins.

Q: How long have you been scrapbooking and where did you get your start in this craft?
A: I’ve been scrapping for about two years. My Mother really got me into it. She lives in the northwest where stores are abundant! I found some groups online and a store and that was it for me. My first scrapbook , in my adult life, if of meeting my biological father. I still look at that book!

Q: What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?
A: Really my friends. I like a lot of humor in my LO’s. I always seem to be sparked by something that is said and spin that into a title or theme for one of my pages. When I am lacking in the inspo department I head straight for some challenge blogs!

Q: Describe your creative style
A: I don’t think I have a tell tell style. My friends I am sure would disagree. I like clean and cluttered. If that makes any sense! I do like a lot of bits, they have to placed just so. Too much and you lose the photo. I really like to use color and patterned paper. You will almost always find something in three’s on my LO’s.

Q: What are your three favorite products/techniques right now?
A: Sassafrass Lass, I can’t get enough of their new lines. I’ve been really making a lot of my own embies, flowers, yo-yo’s etc. I am bored with the products out there. I’m also addicted to cutting out shapes from patterned paper.

Q: What project(s) are you currently working on?
A: Nothing really. My friends and I are working on a stash diet. I’m just trying my best to stick to it!

Q: Describe your perfect day
A: Going site seeing with my Husband, some good food, my camera and a metro card.