Welcome my fabulous friends and followers!  I have something a little different for you today,  normally my posts are all about my cards, well today its a little more about ME.

Last week my talent friend from New Zealand Paula Dobson nominated myself and super-demostrator Jacqui Williams {sadly not relation} to take part in the Creative Blog Hop, something I had never heard of myself but I am not always “in the know” so before I agreed I had to go and investigate what this Creative Blog Hop is all about. I found out we need to answer a few questions and pass the honour to others who inspire me. I guess the fact you are reading this, you can tell I agreed.

I do have to give a little shout out to my girl Paula, if you have not been to her blog Stampin Antics you should add that to your to do list for the day,  Paula does not create cards as they are pure art on cardstock mainly featuring sponging, I was lucky enough to have a one on one class with Paula last year when I was in New Zealand for Delys Cram Creative Escape. Paula wowed me with her sponging skills and know I call sponging “doin’ a Dodson”.

Thank you, Paula for thinking of me 🙂

Now here are the questions I need to answer:

Question 1:

What am I working on right now?

I always have a few projects on the go! But at the moment I have a big task that has taken priority! I am working on 4th birthday invitations for my youngest niece, who is having a frozen theme party, this is her first big party and I designed something WAY OVER the top for a child and they have taken more days to create.

I will share them once they are done and the other items I am making to the party itself in late October.

 Question 2:

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

I would say it is my love of layers and hybrid cardmaking, I have a background in digital designing, which started before I really knew about stamping. I am also gen Y and love most things technology based however as much as I love the new and innovative trends I like to still be hands on, and with my cardmaking I love the texture and layers. So creating with My Digital Studio and adding traditional papercraft elements is my favouite way.

I am known for adding a layer on a layer then trimming with a fine boarder, I am emailed weekly about how I get such a fine boarder and sometimes asked why I do that! Well first I will cover the WHY: Because I like it 😉 And it creates a crisp edge, framing your design and adding depth.  HOW: I attach the layers together then I use a little photo trimmer like a mini guillotine to trim them to a very fine board.

Question 3:

Why do i create what I do?

Because I LOVE it, I love buying pretty papers and stamps, the excitement carries onto creating with them, then the feeling of sharing my creations with others through a class or them receiving my card is what keeps me going. I can’t remember what I did with my time before I found Stamping or even better Stampin’ Up!.

The Stampin’ Up! Mission statement sums up why so perfectly for me.

Question 4:

How does my creative process work?

It is not always the same process, it can depend on how creative I am feeling at the time. Mostly I just see it come together in my head, having said that I need a starting point like knowing a stamp set I am using or a layout I need to follow.

S famous Steve Jobs Quote:

My nominations:

I need to select 2 people that inspire me and that I adore for them to take part next week, answering the questions and a little of themselves.

Barbara Williams @ www.stampingbarb.wordpress.com

Barbara was a easy pick for me, if you follow my blog then you will know she is my Mum! She is really so much more then that, she is my best friend, biggest supporter, a huge source of inspiration, she is in my Stampin’ Up! Team and we work our business together, sharing what we love with others, as she would say we are very blendable. I know without her I would not be the person I am today, a happy, caring and creative soul and I believe a little part of me goes into each of my cards thanks to her.

Barbara has clean and simple style also willing to be more daring then myself with design, colours and techniques.

Martha Inchley @ www.inchofcreativity.com

If you have not been to Martha’s blog, quick run over NOW! She is AMAZING. I meet Martha last year in Salt Lake City through Heather Summers. Martha is a Canadian Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, who like myself has a background in digital designing and I LOVE how she uses her digital skills with papercraft and beyond like this using MDS with shrink plastic. Martha’s  other claim to fame is an article she prepared for www.scrapbookandcardstodaymag.typepad.com featuring 8 projects using Flower Patch Stamp Set, see here.

I look forward to next Monday when Martha and Barbara answer the questions.