PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | ELLEN

Name: Ellen Tucker  [EllenT]
Country: USA
Favourite colour: Blue
Favourite food: anything with cream cheese icing
Describe you in one word: artsy

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
When my son was in the 2nd grade (he is now 24), I became the Historian for the PTA.  I kept that job for 12 years and was mostly a hybrid scrapper.  When my son started high school, I went to a totally digital format and have done nothing else since.

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/CTs?
When my son graduated, I taught myself how to use PS4.  I began uploading my pages into galleries and then 9th&Bloom had a CT call, I applied and made the team!  Unfortunately,the shop closed within 2 months!  I think I’m jinxed, because the 2 other shops that I CTed for also closed.  One of those shops was Zig Zag Scrap where I met you, Mirjam. 

3. How long have you been on my CT?
I have been a Pink Lady for three years now.

4. What software do you use? What type of camera do you have?
I now use PS6.  I have a Panasonic Lumix but I mostly use my LG G3 smartphone.

5. How would you describe your style?
I love to cluster flowers and other elements.  I like to add paint splatters for an artsy feel.

Newport Aquarium

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something that you turn to again and again?
I always need some flowers, along with fasteners like buttons, brads, ties and stitches.

Days Like This

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile Product and why? Can you please provide and example page (with mostly PRD products)?
I just love the kit “Sing Like Nobody Is Listening”.  The colors are so bright and there are so many elements, it is perfect for my style of scrapping.

 Sing

8. Just for fun …tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
I just love taking goofy selfies of myself.  I even got a bluetooth camera remote for my birthday!

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
Water, smartphone, Werther’s Caramels, hand lotion, & remote for TV

10. Silliest thing you have ever done …
I really can’t think of anything.

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
When adding shadows to a white object, let’s say a bow, and the background is also  white, I like to add a second shadow.  First add a shadow to the bow and then create a new layer for it.  I then warp that shadow layer.  Now go back to the bow again and add a very slight shadow to it and change the angle degree so the bow will show up better.

Thanks so much for sharing a little bit about yourself with all of us Ellen! It was super fun to get to know you a little better. A camera remote is such a great way to make sure we, scrappers, really do get into our pages! I love that idea! And I have never heard of anyone doing a special 2nd shadow like that for white objects. I am intrigued and will be looking more closely at your pages (with white objects!) and give it a go myself! What an awesome tip!
Thanks for hanging out with us Ellen!

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | SHIVANI

Name: Shivani  
Country: Living in UK but from India
Favourite colour: Orange and Yellow
Favourite food: Indian
Describe you in one word: On the run!

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
June 2013: I remember the time very clearly because that’s when my bank balance started to feel the pinch!!!! LOL! I always wanted to record my children’s growing up years. I had done the first year scrapbook book for my eldest in paper format but after that there was a void for couple of years and then when I had my second one, I was itching to start memory-keeping again. But paper scrapping seemed so ambitious and that’s when one of my very dear friends who had ventured into digital scrapbooking herself got me started.

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/CTs?
I was a closeted scrapper (yep, just coined that!) for a long time after that. I did not feel I had the confidence or the talent to show up on forums and start sharing. Not an extrovert in real life too! But then the MOC (Month of Challenges) happened at the Lilypad earlier this year and the $20 coupon lured me out!!! LOL! And in hindsight that was the best thing ever. I hadn’t realised how welcoming and supportive the scrapping community is. I was hooked and haven’t looked back.
I started applying to CTs and getting positive responses (which was unbelievable!!!)

3. How long have you been on my CT?
In March this year, you got in touch with me Mirjam, to offer me a guest spot for April-May. I was over the moon as you were the first designer at TLP to offer me that. And when you asked me to continue after that as a permanent member, I felt I had hit jackpot. I am very, very proud to be a Pink Lady – tickled pink about it!!!

4. What software do you use? What type of camera do you have?
I have a Nikon D5200 (broke my D5100, so this one’s pretty new) and I use PSE v10. I need to upgrade on both categories but am still waiting to do my research before I invest.

5. How would you describe your style?
My style is mixed – experimental I’d say. I try to mix up lots of different things. Probably the best example is the first page I did with mostly your products for the monthly challenge. I wanted to create a bit of a messy page with lots of movement and I wanted to try this “dispersed” technique I had read about. So that’s what I did. There is loads going on in this page, extraction, blending, dispersion.

True to Yourself 

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something that you turn to again and again?
I would say all messy stuff – Paint splatters are my favourite. I can’t resist using them. I also use lots of masks to get rid of unwanted elements in my photos and yes -  threads and stitching. I could go on and on. But you asked favourite right?!!! LOL!
Here’s another favourite page of mine. Can you see I’m partial to double spreads?!!!

Not Again!

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile Product and why? Can you please provide and example page (with mostly PRD products)?
Oh that is tough!!!I love all the quirkiness that is you Mirjam!!! I especially love your wordarts and often tweak them to make my titles.

No Way ...

What I Like About You

I also love the wicked alpha of yours and sketch & wire alpha

Egg-cellent Hunt!

Egg-cellent Hunt!

8. Just for fun …tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
Sitting down at my laptop is a luxury. My nearly 6 and 3 year olds are often very curious about what I do. So when the questioning gets incessant, I sit them down and show them what I am making and I get lots of inputs on why things are not nearly enough pink and glittery (did I say I have two girls?!!). We also dig out old baby pics to look at together. That gets lot of giggles all the time. Quirky, you asked? Well this is mainly in the evenings – dinner can wait!!! I love distractable kids!!! LOL!

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
I wrote this while at work so a cup of green tea, my notebook, pen and highlighter, mini cheddars (empty packet – yes they are an English thing!) and of course my phone.

10. Silliest thing you have ever done …
Rattled off my husband’s mobile number when asked for mine. I am getting quite bad at this and hubby’s gotten used to getting random calls from strangers!!!

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
I don’t consider myself an expert. I still think there is so much to learn. My motto is to keep an open mind, keep experimenting and you’ll never lose your creative edge and yes, most importantly keep at it!!! In all our busy lives, if you are passionate about something, you need to pursue it and the rewards are immense!!!

Thanks for taking a turn in the spotlight Shivani! So fun to read a little bit more about you, your scrapbooking adventure, and your busy life! 3 and 6 are definitely a handful, but I love to hear how interested your girls are in your hobby and that you sit & share with them your scrapbooking passion! So sweet! They are beautiful muses for your extremely creative and gorgeous pages. I always love to see what you will come up with next and I think coining yourself as an "experimental" scrapper is a perfect description of your amazing style! Thanks for sharing with us today! 

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | EMMA

Name: Em Stafrace
Country: Sunny Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Favourite colour: Yellow
Favourite food: Roast Lamb but I'm not fussy anything anyone else cooks is delicious!
Described in one word: Spirited

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
I first started out in traditional scrapping and then discovered this awesome thing called digital art in about 2010! Oh wow how my creative world expanded. With digital products being so readily available and at a fraction of the price I was instantly hooked.

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
When I discovered designers I really liked I started scrapping with their product then eventually one or two noticed my pages in the galleries. Sahlin Studio was my first CT and loved hanging with the team at TLP.  I then worked at Scrapbook News and Reviews Magazine on the digital team and we road tested a collab kit by PRD called 'Bloopers'. I was drawn towards Mirjam's product and loved her quirkiness so ended up joining in on her blog challenges.  I've only been on about 3 main CT's (guesting at quite a few more), but I tend to stick with a small number of designers that way I can be completely focussed on the designer and their product.

3. How long have you been on my CT?
Gee I think it must be close to a year!  I am designing myself now but absolutely love playing with PRD product. Its fun, vibrant and I can always find a kit perfect for what I am scrapping.

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
I use Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom. Yep you're reading it right I also use PSE 8 the old dinosaur but I love it, it serves me well. I have an EOS Canon 1000D another dinosaur you can see I am a nostalgic gal!

5. How would you describe your style?
That’s hard to pinpoint because I guess I am a bit of a traditionalist but I love to add lots of layers of paint textures, clipping masks and doodling giving my pages a grungy quality. I tend to stack papers and cluster elements to add depth and dimension keeping them tightly grouped so that whilst there is a lot going on, the pages retain a minimal look. I enjoy traditional scrapbooking too, nothing like playing with scissors and glue occasionally…sooooo, if I love a digital page heaps, I'll try my hand at emulating it by creating a hybrid version like these below using PRD's 'I'm Not Perfect' Elements & Paper packs.

He said I am perfect!   digital version 

He said I am perfect!  hybrid version

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
I can’t go past, thread, paint textures and splats, basically anything that gives my digital pages a little touch of realism and I'm all over it. I think the brush tool is my most favourite tool in PS without it I’d be at a loss… it's such a powerful tool with so many applications and is incredibly handy to add stamped elements and textures in your backgrounds creating some really cool layers and eye catching qualities, I lurve using it!

Smile to the Morning

Wake up mommy

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
Oh, gosh there are so many, but I am a sucker for handy packs like gesso, photo clipping masks and threads so I would say Gesso It Vol 1 & 2 and Fold'Em. I also love Everyday Of the Week Elements, Papers and Alpha, such a versatile set.

He's got the smarts

War paint

8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
Gosh, I'm not sure if it’s a habit or more an OCD thing, but I colour block my books and clothes! Yep it comes from years as a visual marketer in a large boutique department store. I also have to have all my coat hangers facing the same way.

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
I can touch my trusted buddy iMac, that bottomless cup of piping hot coffee is only a sip away, a tub of sweet smelling Madagascan Vanilla Flower hand cream, my Gelliarts printing plate and art journal both beckoning me to play and lastly my iPhone that doesn’t stop pinging!

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
Other people think its silly and we tend to get a few laughs from it but it works a treat and well its how we roll…my family has a code whistle! It's true we do and we use it to find each other in shopping centres or big crowds. It works a treat especially in places where we can easily get lost in the crowd. We whistle our distinctive whistle back and forth until we meet in the middle.

Sometimes my cheeky side likes to play tricks and my poor husband falls for it every time. I pretend I can’t hear his whistle and wait for his whistles to get louder & more frequent …have you ever heard a person's whistle sound frantic? Oh I'm mean but its hilarious {insert evil chuckle here}.

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
I would suggest if you really want your pages to go to the next level then learning how to create realistic shadows would be a great starting point. There are plenty of informative Photoshop 'how to' resources out there but to save you some time and get you straight on track I recommend you stop by Scrapaneers http://scrapaneers.com. Check out their 'Keeping It Real' free class. You'll learn some really handy tips and tricks that will really juice up your digi projects.

Oh wow! Aren't those pages by Em fantastic?! She has such a unique style, I can usually tell her pages at a glance.

Em, I really love the way you play with paint, masks and brushes and I am not surprised that these are some of your fave tools to use while you scrap. How awesome that you will take a digital page and try to recreate it with hybrid methods. I seriously love that ... and the page came out pretty darn awesome I must say! You have me inspired to give that a try! I love that you and your family have a code whistle, that is so awesome ... and even better that you have fun with your husband by pretending not to hear his whistle call. Hee-hee! I could never be a part of your family though, I just don't have the whistle gene! Thank so much for sharing your tips and tricks, your faves and your humor with us Emma. It's been a treat to get to know you a little better! 

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | IVA

Name: Ivelina Cholakova (aka Damayanti)

Country: Bulgaria

Favourite colour: Oh, I totally love ORANGE and overall fiery colors :)

Favourite food: I love food in general :)) For junk food, I love ice cream and fried potatoes. For healthy foods, I adore fruits like pineapple, cherries, strawberries and watermelon :)

Describe you in one word: romanticist

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
After the birth of my youngest son in 2005 I started using the program Photoshop. :) Then I found a digital scrapbooking site and I became addicted to it! :)

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
For a long time I did not have a team. Then I discovered the CT call thread over at DST. It was a great joy when they took me for the first time! They were not famous designers for me, but I was still happy. Later, when I gained experience, I tried applying with my favorite designers! Great happiness is to be in the team of my favorite designer!!! :)

3. How long have you been on my CT?
OMG! I just checked  - 06 February 2013 :) OMG! Thank you Mirjam for having me so long time!!!!

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
I use My favorite program Photoshop CS6 :)) Sometimes for the image processing, I use Lightroom 5 :)
I have two cameras :) Nikon D700 and Nikon D750.  Only use hard lenses - I have 4 of them :) - Nikkor 85/1,8G, nikkor 28/2,8G, nikkor 50/1,8G and nikkor 105/2,8 micro :) Actually photography is my profession now :)

5. How would you describe your style?
I would not say that I have a particular style. I love to experiment and try different techniques. If I really need to put my definition to describe my style it would be more like paper style :)

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
That would definitely be brushes, brushes and brushes. I use them for masking, for blending, I recolour them, blend them again, I use them over and over again, I cannot imagine life without brushes LOL

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
The truth is that I love your products! I can always find everything I need inside a PRD kit to create a nice page! I have a kit to which I am very biased  - Growing Pains, maybe because with this kit you can show the growth of children! :)

 8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
I usually have ridiculous and funny stories related to my work (professional photographer). Often, to catch the exact picture I want, I can be found wallowing on the ground, even on the street, or scrambling the various places from which it is hard to get off then. I hear the audience whistling or clapping, and some straight laugh :)))

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
Water, phone, book - calendar, music headsets, camera :)) (banality - right? :)

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
I think one of the stupid things is that I married at 18 years old...10 years later I divorced, but now I'm happily married again :))

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
I like to jot down many elements which I then arrange a few times until I like it. I love to have brushes! I'm in love with word arts!!! How I arrange a page depends on my mood, and sometimes even the music that I listen to! Sometimes even I do a page, and choose a photo last! :))

And here are a few of Iva's favorite pages:

1 more please

Grow up!

You are cracking me up

Thank you for sharing a little bit of yourself with us Iva. I can see from your pages that you are a truly amazing photographer, as the photos are such a beautiful focal point. I loved reading more about the funny things you have to do to get that perfect shot! And it's really interesting to learn that sometimes a page comes together and the photo is added last! As a photographer you must have so many great photos to chose from. I always enjoy hearing other scrappers page processes. So glad to know you are happily married again ... and wishing many more years of love, family and shooting photographs. Thanks for hanging out with us for a bit!

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | ANNE

Name: AnneOfAlamo

Country: United States (New Mexico and yes it is a state) in the middle of a desert, high up in the mountains!

Favourite colour: RED and Turquoise cause I love them together!!

Favourite food: Oh I love starch! Donuts yum, bread, muffins, tortillas...oh I gained weight writing that!

Describe you in one word: Insane- I thrive in chaos!

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
We adopted a 4 year old in 2001, and he had zero photos before we brought him into our heart and home. I was insane taking pictures, printing and filling photo albums.  I started making digital pages with power point! Oh flat rectangle pages, hilarious to look on now, but they are printed and still loved.

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
I was a freebie grabber, and there was a new designer contest going on in 2008.  These ladies would all make kits and give them away.  Full kits!!! I loved it, had so much fun.  Charlie Scraps (she is a butt kicking awesome pro photographer now), won the contest, and she needed a team.  I applied, and then went insane on CTs. I was on over 20 teams at one time! Yeah, insanity is a good ONE word to describe me!

3. How long have you been on my CT?
Mirjam, who I love as a person so much.  I watched her at her old store, and one of my friends sold there (Studio 68) and I would be up all night chatting and mentioned how I would love to be on Pink Reptile Designs team.  The next day, I got an email.  I squealed so loud! I think that was 2010 or so? I took a hiatus in 2012, when we adopted 3 more kids....INSANE much? But when she began guesting at the Lily Pad (in 2013), I came with her, fired up to have her be a permanent designer!

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
My oldest son got me CS5 a few years ago! I am addicted to Puppet Warp! I can play with shadows for hours.  I have a Canon P&S that I carry with me everywhere.  I just got a new to me Big Girl Canon, the mighty 450D Rebel, and I am teaching myself and pushing myself to learn the RAW camera!

5. How would you describe your style?
My style?? Eeeeeeeeeeeek, I love a mess, it is true, but I think story teller could describe me, if I use journaling, or the title, or even elements to help tell the story.  I take millions of pictures and print lots of books, so the story gets read again and again.

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
Alphas! Oh my, I like to mix and match them always.  I adore starting a page with a humongous title and work around that! Paint it, twist and warp and enjoy expanding the page from the Word.

blow
 
7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
Noted!!! The brilliant red and black alphas (in her Noted kit) are always popping up on my page! Then there are these two alphas she has that go together like peanut butter and jelly: Wicked, (it is a sketch type alpha-sold separately) and you lay the I believe in Miracles (is also in the kit) alpha on top...oh the effect is beyond remarkable!! I am serious, you have to try it!

the Boy's got very LONG legs -never ending

8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
My life is quirky.  A habit, hmmmmmmmmmmm something I do all the time? Oh I love to clean house! I do, it is like therapy to me...so I am a flylady by habit! I clean out drawers, scrub floors on a ritual habit.

pure joy

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
Headphones, Check from my mom for our anniversary! (woot), Camera, Sharpies (lots of them) and my checkbook! I could grab more, cause my desk is a mess most of the time.

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
Silliest thing? Oh this is one I love, I am very very pale person.  When I go to a coffee place or anywhere you order food, I like  to make up obscure names for pick up.  My favorite is AfriKa with a K.  I always say that too, with a K! It is hilarious to see them write it down, and then call me !
I also put on fake eyelashes once...hilarious:

fake lashes

Then there was the time I put Jordan's underwear on my head!

silly right here right now today

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
Friends never let friends fonts float!   I am dead serious....your journaling, unless it is alphas and you are going all artsy fartsy....get the stuff to lay in your page...blend it or what not, but I beg of you do not shadow your fonts!

example page : listen - one little word

AND PRINT YOUR PAGES!! Please, typed in caps, but meant with love!
I was going thru the Pink Reptile Gallery, and so many memories came flooding back, not just my pages but others in there. Watching your stories unfold are amazing, and having them surrounded by Mirjam's (our Pink Reptile Designer), makes them like family!

*****

Thank you Anne, for sharing your pages and your lovable personality with us. Just like you, your pages are full of family, laughter and so many fun stories ... and whenever I look at your pages your stories always jump out at me and then draw me in for a closer look. It is truly amazing. You infuse fun, silliness and love into all your pages! I cannot believe that at one time you were on over 20 Creative Teams, that is mad love for digital scrapbooking! Love your tips for using fonts on digital pages and your ideas for using and mixing alphas. I know a lot of scrappers who shy away from using alphas, but they can add so much magic to a page! I have to say though, I am a tad jealous that your quirky habit is that you love cleaning house! Any tips on how to get that habit to rub off on me? LOL
Again, thanks for sharing a little bit of you with us Anne!

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | NATASCHA

Name: Natascha Broers

Country: The Netherlands

Favourite colour: Lime green and all sorts of lime green tones! I painted my livingroom wall lime green about 2,5 years ago [big shock back then] haha

Favourite food: That's a hard one, because I like almost everything...but if I had to say something then it would be Sushi and chinese food.

Describe you in one word: Another hard one...I'm an emotional person, but I go for fighter!

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
My boyfriend introduced me to Corel Paint Shop Pro, that was about 9,5 years ago. And I first started with those horrible [I liked them back then] tubes...you know those half naked woman yikes and then I came across Digishop talk. I started imitating people just for me to get to know the deal and not long after that I got my first “ct gig” with a Dutch Designer. I had to look, but I posted my first layout at August 20th 2009!! So this will be my 7th year and un-official my [almost] 10th year :)

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
When, August 2009 and how...I think she [the Dutch Designer] approached me and not long after that I was on another team and another...haha I responded to calls and after a few years designers actually invited me to their teams.

3. How long have you been on my CT?
This year will be my forth year yay!! Call it neat or call it OCD I don't care LOL But I still got that e-mail where you asked me to become part of your team [oops] haha.. It was March 25th 2011.

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
I work with Corel Paint Shop Pro version 12, I have 13 and 14, but 12 is my kind of program. I can't get used to other programs like Photoshop! I do have PSE 7, but only to rezise my pages hahaha.. And Camera? I've got a very old camera to be honest, but it's good enough for me now. It's a Lumix Panasonic DMC-FZ7. I got it from my parents so it's a sentimental thingy as well :)

5. How would you describe your style?
I don't have just one style! My scrapping thingy...see I can't even call it my style haha, is all over the place! Thinks thinks thinks...I like to cluster, but I also love patterned papers a lot, templates and ohh I love to journal on a page...is that a style? haha 

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
Do I need to name just one thing?? Ohh I can't!! Leaves, flowers, staples, papers...

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
I'm sorry, but I can't name just one!! I love and adore everything from the store...sorry nope I can't. I really can't name one kit...let just say one thing I always turn to are the leaves from Wanderlust. But yeah each kit, element and paper is unique...nope nothings comes to mind, all I see are flashes from every kit haha!

8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
Quirky habit, uhhh the first thing I do in the morning when I wake up is go to the toilet...yup every freaking day and after that I need my coffee!! Hahaha Uhmm I also don't like it when people touch my desk, well they can touch it, but they can't clean it up or something like that...I will turn into a mad woman for sure!! Hahaha My boyfriend tried it twice and ohh boy.......... LOL

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
My coffee cup, my camera, my dayplanner, my phone and some papers and a pen..

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
Uhhh I really don't know...sing to my daughter? Yeah that IS silly cause I can't sing. I really sound like a cat when he's in heat hahahahahahahaha

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking?
My tip has nothing to do with using papers, elements or anything like that! My tip is all about the journaling :) I journal a lot, not on everything...I think 90% of my pages contains some kind of journaling. Love to journal, because I easily forget stuff...I journal for my little lady so she will know what she has done in the past when she's all grown up. And it's for myself as well, cause my head is a sieve and this way I can always remember the story behind each and every picture! Ohh and put dates on your pages, it's always neat to know when you scrapped the page or when you took a picture :)

And here are some of Natascha's favourite pink reptile pages:

Oops?!!

All About...

Home

Music I Love

Travel

Play

Wow, you really have been digi scrapping for a long time and it's pretty interesting that you have newer versions of your software but your go-to is one of the older ones. Well, keep at it because your pages are amazing!

I have to agree about the singing, I can't sing at all either, but I'm sure your voice is magic to your daughter! And I love that your tip is journaling! So many people find this a difficult task, but making sure you journal some really does help tell the story, maybe not so much for you and the present, but for others in the future. Love that tip Natascha! But inquiring minds want to know ... is your living room still lime green? [I hope so, because it matches your vibrant personality and zest for life!]

Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself, Natascha. It was fun to get to know you a little better and I it's so super special to read that you kept the mail with my CT invitation!

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | AUDREY aka SNOWDROPZ

Name: Audrey Tan [aka snowdropz]

Country: Currently living in India.

Favourite colour: Pink. I might vacillate between pink and red sometimes.

Favourite food: Chinese cuisine especially tim sum. I do like Japanese sushi too! Despite living in various countries, I still go back to my roots and would hunt down any store that sells Chinese food or check out an authentic Chinese restaurant.

Describe you in one word: Adventurous.

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
I started out as a traditional scrapbooker and cardmaker in 2004. Then as my boys grew bigger, I was left with little time to play with my physical stash. However, the urge to create led me to explore digital scrapbooking in late 2010. After all, I would still be creating, just in another medium! I had Photoshop on my computer but didn’t know how to use it. Then in early 2011, I took an online course that showed me how to use Photoshop to create digital pages and I guess the rest is history. Just as well, I have turned to digital scrapbooking as my laptop have travelled me with everywhere and I’ve occupied my time effectively.

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
I had been in CTs while scrapbooking the traditional way. When I started digital scrapbooking, I wasn’t sure if my digi skills would make the grade. Anyway, I tried and got into Tiffany Tillman’s team. That gave me confidence and later found myself creating for various designers.

3. How long have you been on my CT?
I was invited by you on 11 March 2012 via a message on MSA site. Unfortunately, I didn’t check my message until the end of the month and I was horrified that I missed it. I quickly responded and thankfully, you still wanted me. Well, I’m still a member and loving every time a new kit comes out.

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
I used Photoshop CS6 and own a Nikon DSLR but use my iPhone 5S extensively for photo taking [too much hassle taking the DSLR around].

5. How would you describe your style?
Since turning digital, I am able to explore various styles of scrapbooking and I think my style gravitate towards artsy, grunge, mixed media style. I do make use of brushes, transfers etc. a lot on my pages. However, I’m also flexible and am able to create a page using a traditional kit as well.

credits: Boho Bliss by Pink Reptile Designs & Lynne Marie, fonts used: Pea Amy & Fette Bauersche Antique

credits: Boho Bliss by Pink Reptile Designs & Lynne Marie

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
Well, anything that allows me to ‘mess’ up a background page. Hence, paint splats, brushes, blendables, overlays etc.

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
Well, that’s easy, it has to be Boho Bliss, a collaboration kit between Mirjam & Lynne Marie. My favourite all time kit as it has every thing that I love! I could easily use that kit over and over again.

8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
I snack a lot when I scrap, mainly on chocolates! Somehow it just fuels my creativity.

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating!
The TV and cable remote controls, iPhone, some snacks, my kitten (sitting behind me) & my printer.

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
My son lost his iPhone 4 and kept quiet about it. I only found out 2 weeks later and quickly activated the Find My iPhone signal. What happened was that he accidentally dropped it in my car. That night, my car was broken into and the the phone was taken.

At that time, I didn’t think much was taken as I don’t usually keep a lot of stuff in my car as it’s parked on the driveway. The app found the iPhone quickly and I locked it. Shortly, I received a call from the new owner of the iPhone. Someone had sold him the iPhone in a pub. He didn’t think it was stolen. To cut the long story short, he offered to return the phone back to me in exchange for a compensation. We agreed to meet.

My husband was out of the country then and didn’t want me to go but I was so determined to retrieve the iPhone and I went. It turned out the poor chap was a 20-year old who thought he got a deal buying an iPhone for £100. The guy who stole it was an opportunist who went around breaking into cars, parked on driveways. He didn’t even cleaned the phone properly hence that was why I managed to track it down.

On hindsight, I guess I was mad to even meet the person on my own but adrenalin kicked in and I wasn’t about to lose the phone again a second time!

PINK LADY SPOTLIGHT | SANDRA aka SanVHM

Name: Sandra van Heems (a.k.a. SanVHM)

Country: The Netherlands

Favourite colour: When I was little it was definitely pink, but now I don’t have a favourite color. I love white and all kinds of grey. My whole house is in those colors except the rooms for my two girls. The youngest has got a white-pale-pink room and my oldest sea-blue-white. Even my wardrobe is mostly grey-blue-black and some browns. Therefore I love to make colorful scrap pages.

Favourite food: I just love tapas! All those little appetizers to choose from and try something different to eat with every bite you take. I also love the Italian kitchen or our dutch winter potato stew with sour kraut and smoked sausage.

Described in one word: Hard to describe me in one word but Perfectionist is comes close I think.

1. How and when did you start digital scrapbooking?
I always loved to take pictures and scrap with paper when I was younger. During my studies, in 2005, I took a course in Adobe Photoshop and since then I have loved to create on the computer. I was looking for some pictures to use for an invitation and stumbled upon some scrapbooking sites and just loved the papers and elements.

First I was searching for freebies, but then I bought my first kit in 2007. I used it for some pages, but I mainly used it for my blog, because I was pregnant with my oldest, and printed out all those stories and scrapped pictures. I just love looking through my first attempt at scrapping, it was done with a lot of love and still is for that matter!

2. How and when did you end up in a CT/ CT’s?
I lost my part-time job in February 2012 because of a re-organisation. My youngest wasn’t going to school yet, so my hsuband and I decided that I should stay at home for the girls and perhaps start a business for myself in the future.

Being a stay at home mom gave me 2 days extra so I started scrapping more and I was asked to join mt first CT-team in april. My scrapfriend Natascha was alreadr CT-ing so I asked her for advice because I didn’t think I was good enough and told me to “just give it a try".

I did and from there on I scrapped and scrapped and filled my gallery, reacting on CT-calls and I have been very fortunate because I got in some pretty awesome teams.

3. How long have you been on my CT?
I had to look at the forum when it was exactly, June 2012. You asked me after Natascha pointed out my gallery to you. I was flabbergasted that you wanted me to join the Pink Ladies! I just love your designs. Of course I said "yes", without any hesitation and am thrilled that I am still making pages for you.

4. What software do you use? What type of camera?
I work with Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4 and sometimes Illustrator. I have a Canon EOS450, a Canon ixus, my iPad and my Sony Xperia Z1 mobile foon. I had an iPhone but my wifi didn’t work anymore after the IOS update so I had to buy another one [the Z1]. According to the reviews this one had the best camera and I think indeed it has. I love to use all kind of photo apps with filters for my pictures plus I can still use my iPhone for taking pictures.

5. How would you describe your style?
I find this one difficult to answer because I think I don’t have a specific style. I like the traditional scrapbook layouts, but I also love to do the  “clean & simple” and artsy style. I also like to blend papers to make them more special or suitable for my photos. I think it’s my mood that dictates how I scrap on a particular day, so perhaps you can say "whatever my mood is style"!

list of products used here

list of products used here

6. What is your favourite scrapbooking item, something you turn too again and again?
That would be paint splatters, brushes and scatters. I love the many ways you can use them, how easy you can change their colours, how they can add a sense of depth to your page and how they give a page that little extra oomph. 

list of products used here

7. What is your favourite Pink Reptile product and why?
That's also a tough question because I think all your designs are awesome. In every kit there is always a little something that I love. But if I HAVE to make a choice then I'd say your “I’m not perfect” collection. I love the colors, all the different paper patterns [retro and florish] and the elements are just perfect to use for all kind of scrapbook styles. Your drawings are so great and unique!

8. Just for fun… tell us all about a quirky habit of yours!
Habits, habits….I think everyone has got quirky habits…..mine….let me think [because I do not think they are quirky habits ;-) ] I have a daily routine in the morning and if that doesn’t go my way I get grumpy. I always have to clean up the house before I can sit down to relax. I have everything organized in boxes, maps and baskets, even my computer has got all kind of specific very neatly organized folders. I never wear a watch and I make lists of literally everything.

9. Name 5 things that you can touch RIGHT NOW from where you are sitting, no cheating! My breakfast [greek yoghurt with granola and honey], my phone, a magazine, my mason jar with all kind of washi tapes and my to-do-list for today.

10. Silliest thing you have ever done…
I’m a very brave girl and always overthink everything I do a million times before I do it so I had to think very hard what the silliest thing I have ever done was and if there even was one. I think perhaps it was cutting my hair really short [and I will never do that again].

11. Can you give us a tip on digital scrapbooking? 
Step out of your comfort zone once in a while. Try different techniques. Look at some [you-tube] tutorials, take part in a challenge and just try different things from what you normally do. When you finish a page try changing the background paper and see what the effect is.

Look through galleries and scraplift a page. Play with elements, recolour them and use them large and small, blend papers together or cut out things you like from a paper and use them as an element. Just let your creativity take flight.