1. To read about what I look for when picking the cards for the Spotlight, see the answers from my first Q&A post.
2. Goodness, Top 5?? There are so many really talented designers out there but 5 ladies that I am constantly inspired by are Nichole Heady, Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Betsy Veldman & Melissa Phillips.
3. I find inspiration everywhere!! Magazines, shopping, nature, clothing..........you just have to keep an eye out -- inspiration is all around us!
5. Yes, I have a traditional full time office job. You can read about that in the 'Q&A-the personal stuff' post.
6. I'm still not a video-camera owner so I don't know if I'll do videos in the future, although I think they'd be very fun! It's definitely something I'm considering (although I'm NOT a fan of watching myself on video so editing might be a bit of a drag! LOL!).
Hmm.....I can't really think of any tools at the moment, that I use for something other than it's intended purpose. That was a boring answer, huh? :) Oh wait, I take that back. One of the paper distressors I use is technically a fingernail buffer! Does that count??
CAS means Clean and Simple, as in.....a lot of my cards are CAS cards! ;)
CASE means Copy And Share Everything, which is how you would refer to it if say, you copied one of my cards and shared it on your blog. The polite thing to do would be to state that you CASE'd my card or that your card was a CASE of my card and then link up my original card. Make sense?
Splitcoaststampers has a huge list of acronyms to help you.
See the job info link at the top of this post. (But yes, I DO work full-time! I design 'on the side'.)
Stamp sets.....Yes! Definitely. Several! ....but I'll have to keep you in suspense a bit longer as to when and what. Sorry about that! Hee. Soon though.....very, very soon..... ;)
1.Each magazine is different. Some of them don't want cards that have ever been posted on your blog. Some of them will accept cards that have been previously posted but require that you remove them from your blog right away (which is when I replace mine with a 'removed for publishing' graphic) and then some will allow you to post one or all of the cards again after the magazine has been out for a required amount of time.
2. I answered your second question in the Q&A 'the personal stuff' post.
1. I have to say that I have several favorites based on different things. LOVE Germany, Austria & Switzerland. They were very clean and safe and BEAUTIFUL! Love a few places in Italy like Cinque Terra (WOWWWWWW!), Rome (for the Colosseum & Forum - so amazing to me) & Venice.......dear, magnificent old Venice. Also loved London and Paris and hope to go back some day. (Sorry -- that wasn't crafty info at all, was it?!)
2. See answer below, about when I met Nichole Heady.
3. It varies depending on when product comes in but we usually have a couple of weeks to crank everything out.
4. Yes, I'm sorry but this is really how I talk. Just ask my hubs! :)
I usually just eyeball things but I think my paper trimmer does a pretty decent job of getting the lines straight to start out with. I don't use a ruler other than the one on the paper trimmer, but after I've put adhesive on the back of my card stock, I hold it over the card and line it up before sticking it down. I take my time making sure it's straight before it's stuck down because if I do get it down crooked, I'm going to have to start over, you know? I don't like it when things aren't straight if they're supposed to be.
I use this paper trimmer and I really like it. I've had it for a few years now and feel like I get much more accurate measurements and cuts with it than when I use my small trimmer. This one is expensive (more now than when I bought mine a couple years ago) but I felt like it was an investment. I make a LOT of cards therefore I cut a LOT of card stock. I wanted a paper trimmer that would be accurate and that would last a long time. This one has done both for me.
I did a bit of studying up before I ever bought a die-cutting machine and based on what I wanted to accomplish with mine, I bought a Big Shot which allows me to use most any dies and embossing folders on the market. I could have spent less and gotten the Cuttlebug but might have been limited as to what dies I could use. I felt like the extra money would ultimately result in more bang for my buck, overall. After buying the Big Shot, we also found a reeeeally good deal on a brand new Cricut Expression from a huge seller on eBay. We bought that (Bart's my eBay buyer! Ha!) and when it came, it didn't work. So we contacted the seller who worked directly with Cricut and we were sent a second brand new replacement and they had us send the defective one back. The Cricut Expression does entirely different things than a Big Shot, in that it doesn't use dies or embossing folders, but rather it uses Cricut Cartridges but can cut a zillion shapes out in a zillion different sizes too. I feel like between the two, I've got all my die-cutting needs covered!
Yes, you have the general concept behind digital papers correct. Besides being able to use them digitally to build digital scrapbook pages in Photoshop or the like, you can also buy the paper, change the colors if need be, and print them out on your home printer, for use on your paper-crafting projects. That's where the term 'hybrid' comes in -- the card is partly made with digital elements and partly with 'real' elements and embellishments. I haven't done much of this myself but I would certainly recommend Rhonna Farrer's digital kits (LOVE them) and you can find lots of them at Two Peas in a Bucket. Just keep in mind that sometimes it's hard to get accurate colors when printing from your computer to your home printer and you'll also want to consider the cost of your color ink cartridge. Sometimes that can end up being expensive, depending on your printer. As for the quality, that would totally depend on your printer and the paper you print on. (G'day to you too!)
After I stamp my image in Versamark ink and then pour the embossing powder over it, I tap off the excess and then hold the paper over my trash can and flick the paper on the back side to shake off the excess-excess. Ha. Then, if there are still some stubborn bits of powder, I have a very tiny paintbrush that I use to brush them (carefully!) off.
Nichole Heady was sent by Paper Crafts magazine, to a stamp store in my area to teach a class for World Card Making Day and once I found out about the class, I was sooooo disappointed to also find out that the class was already full. I begged and pleaded (and prayed a bit too - Hee!) and wouldn't you know it? Someone cancelled and the store owner was able to get me in the class! I can't tell you how elated I was to get to meet this designer that'd been one of my stamping heroes for ages! I was ridiculously nervous going to the class (I'd never been to any class there before, much less one where I sat 3 feet away from THE Nichole!). I'm sure I must have looked totally dorky to her that day, but it was no time at all before she put me completely at ease. She was such a dear! There were only about 25 of us in the class that day so I got to talk with her a bit after class and showed her a few of my cards and she gave me some pointers for getting published, including starting a blog (which I promptly did!). I eventually sent her the link to my blog, since it had been her suggestion, and the rest is history. We've been friends ever since. :) The following year she asked me to join the design team at Papertrey and I couldn't have been happier to say YES! I'm pretty thankful for World Card Making Day (and a little Divine intervention!) Without both, I might not have gotten to meet Nichole and would have missed out on a fabulous friendship! (and a great job!)
You can see pictures of the first time I met Nichole at that class HERE!
All righty Friends, that wraps up the "Your Questions Answered" series here at the blog-o! This has been a fun series that we just might do again from time to time. I hope you've enjoyed it!
I also have a couple of other fun things to share with you today....
Look what arrived in my mailbox yesterday via ROYAL MAIL!!
This is Craft Stamper Magazine and it came all the way from the UK! Their super sweet editor (HI Katy!) emailed me awhile back asking if they could do an article about me and of course I said YES! I was so honored to be a part of this month's issue (July) and was so excited when they sent me a copy in the mail so I could see the magazine and article. (I've never received any ROYAL MAIL before so that was pretty exciting! Hee!) Anyway, I'm not sure if you can find this magazine here in the US, but you can subscribe thru their website and those of you that are international readers might be able to find a copy on your newsstands so be sure and check it out! (Thanks again so much, Katy!)
Also, I got a bit 'punchy' today and used a couple 50% off coupons and took advantage of the sales at Michael's and JoAnn's! Bought a few of the new punches that I've been drooling over lately and thought I'd show you what they look like and what they do!
Don't these make the coolest borders??? LOVE!! Each of these punches retails for $14.99. I found the EK Success ones (gray ones) at Michael's, while JoAnn's had the Fiskars ones (blue ones). ....not that I'm trying to be an enabler or anything....... ;) I just like to share tips with you when I can. I'm here for you. It's what I do. Haha!
Take care, dear ones....
Hi Crew!!
How are you today?? It's been a busy but fun weekend here at the McVey ranch. (Yes, I live in the suburbs. Yes, I know it's not really a ranch, but you have to admit, McVey Ranch does have a certain ring to it, yes?? :)
Anyway, I'm back tonight with the last post in the Your Questions Answered series. Ready to get started?? Here we go.....