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.