1. Your screen name? Your real name? SweetTomatoScrapper   /  Cara Dibbs

2. What is your main job/career? I’m a 3^rd grade teacher turned SAHM, graduate student and digital designer. I’m finishing up a degree in library science, and I’d love to go back to work in a few years as a school library media specialist.

3. Are you married/children/pets? I’ve been married to Chuck for 8 years and we have a 6 year old son, Nolan, and a 4 year old daughter, Finley. We’ve finally let the kids get “starter” pets, to see if they are ready for the responsibility of a puppy. So Pedals the fish and Princess Anne the fish joined us this summer.

4. Where is home for you? We are lucky enough to live in Virginia Beach, VA.  We spend a lot of time at the local’s beach.

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Salmon, watermelon and ice cream…not necessarily altogether though.

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Just found a flavor called Coconut Cream Pie that is to die for.

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet? BOTH! I used to work in a movie theater as a teenager and I loved buttered popcorn with raisinets together. Sadly, only teenager’s metabolism can get away with eating THAT combination of food.

8. Beverage of choice? Tea, all kinds, any time, anywhere.  My current obsession is with a Ginger Peach White tea.

9. What’s your least favorite food?  I hate to admit it, but I’m not a natural lover of veggies.  I make myself eat them, but it’s not anything I enjoy.

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use? PC, but I long for a Mac. J  I use CS4 photoshop and illustrator, plus a few extra programs.

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started? I’ve been digi-scrapping since the summer of 2008. My BFF drug me into one of Jessica Sprague’s beginning courses and I was hooked…I would go in nursing my youngest and trying to finish layouts in the middle of the night.

12. What was your 1st LO about?

This is one of the first layouts I did with Jessica Sprague.  I loved the idea behind it and still will randomly pick a day and take some photos and document our ordinary day.  It’s the real reason I scrapbook. I’m not a big moment kind of scrapbooker.
13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)? I read like a maniac.  I’m reading a series by Laura Childs right now, a cozy mystery book, that is set in a New Orleans around the owner of a scrapbook store.

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you? Finding time to get my own pages down and get my thoughts out before I forget all those little details.

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? Cook.  Seriously.  I am not a natural chef, but I want to expose my family to lots of different foods and cultures and making the same meals each week is just not cutting it.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows? I sheepishly admit to liking reality shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.  I’m most addicted to crime shows like CSI and Bones.

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where? In our office, with HGTV on in the background, a cup of hot tea on the side table and if I’m bad some chocolate somewhere!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be? Not a big element fan, I’d rather scrap with just patterned paper.  But I do like flowers and scatters!

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…? I took up Irish Dancing as an adult and even competed in competitions, winning a few medals along the way.  I don’t have time to do it now, but it’s never too late to learn something you’ve always wanted to.

20. When did you start designing? What prompted you to design? Towards the end of Jessica Sprague’s classes in the summer of 2008, we designed a few papers and I was hooked.  I am addicted to paper and making my own gives me so much enjoyment.  I then began taking classes and learning everything I could about this business.

21. How would you describe your design style? Definitely realistic with a splash of doodly.
22. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation? Color is my biggest motivation, and I get a lot of it from kid’s clothes, circulars and the internet.

23. Which of your kits showcases you style the most?

Clean Slate, available @ SM now, is a great representation.  I did some of the doddles, but there are tons of realistic elements and strong papers.

24. What is your favorite color scheme to design with? Anything with blue in it.  If you look in my store, most of my kits have some shade of blue in them.  I have always adored that color.  Right now my house is decorated in peacock blue with orange accents.

25. Favorite kit you’ve designed?

It’s my Bookish kit, it is a perfect representation of myself.

Hi,

I’m Michelle [msbrad] and I had the pleasure of interviewing Lynett [lynett_rock] a member of the ScrapMatters Girls. It was fun to learn more about her.

1. Your screen name? Your real name? My screen name is lynett_rock and my real name is Lynett Rock.  Go figure!

2. What is your main job/career? I teach calculus and physics at a small junior college in Warner Oklahoma.  I am actually the departmental chair of mathematics, science, and physical education.  I don’t know why I have the coaches in my department but I do!

3. Are you married/children/pets? I have been married the last fifteen years to the nerdy boy I meet in mechanics class at OSU when I was working on my masters.  We have three kids, Scarlet-17, Tyler- 13, and Harrison-9.  And for pets, yes please!  I have two inside dogs Gretchen and Minnie, they are a miniature and toy schnauzer, respectively.  Two outside dogs, 2 cats, and four horses.  Oh and Scarlet has chickens, why I don’t know but she does!

4. Where is home for you? Muskogee, Oklahoma!

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Just three?  I love anything Mexican, chocolate, and bread.  So basically anything that will add to my waist line is my favorite!

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? I adore cherry amaretto.  But to make it better, chocolate syrup is needed.

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet? Yes please.  All of the above.  I actually love trail mix so I like salty sweet

8. Beverage of choice? Diet mountain dew with cherry for day time activities but cosmos for evening times.  Although I have to watch cosmos….they are addictive

9. What’s your least favorite food? I am not found of cauliflower or broccoli but it is because I got food poisoning after eating a bunch once and it was not a good experience.

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use? I am PC, and I use SBC + (the creative memories program).  Although I do have CS2, I just find SBC + so much more user friendly.

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started? I did my first album in November of 2006 as a surprise Christmas gift for my husband.  I was really surprised that it made him cry.  It was the story of our dating/marriage/family.    I was a traditional paper scrapper and when Creative Memories started selling digi stuff I slowly transitioned.  It was a good fit for me because I already did a lot on the computer.  I still have bunches of paper supplies but I am slowly getting rid of them and going completely digital!

12. What was your 1st LO about? (Pics and links will be needed for the blog post) this is so embarrassing.  It was made using a creative memories quick page and it stinks.

I have come a LONG way since then!

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)? I have been taking photography classes for the last year, I ride horses, and I play with my three kids.  Also, since January I have become somewhat of a gym rat.  I spend on average 1 ½ there Monday-Friday.  I take the weekend off to recover.

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you? Knowing when to stop.  I love to use lots of elements but I also like my pages simple so I have to balance between the two.
15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? I have been working on my photography skills.  I want to take photos of my kids that are not just snap shots but works of art.  Not every shot has to be perfect but once in a while I want a shot that makes everyone stand up and notice.

Also, I strive every day to be a better person.  I think that we should all work on ourselves everyday.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows? I have a list!  Movies are fairly easy I love Stars Wars and Gone with the Wind.  Those are my favorite movies ever!  But I will watch anything once except horror films.  I get nightmares!

TV shows are more complicated:  NCIS, Survivor, Rizzoli and Isle, Trueblood, Law and Order, Mentalist, and before it was cancelled Numbers.

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where? I scrap where ever the urge hits me.  Usually sitting on my living room couch with the kids next to me, the TV will be turned on to NCIS or Law and Order on USA.  I might have a snack but definitely and drink.  I do scrap on my laptop because my desktop is so OLD.  I have been known to scrap in the car on long road trips while my husband drives.

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be? Flowers and ribbons.

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…? I don’t know how little known it is but I am a total nerd.  I have a masters in physics from Oklahoma State University (even though my Daddy is a big University of Oklahoma fan and may never forgive me).

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style? I don’t know if I have a style.  It depends on the photos I am working with and the kit I chose.  It can clean and simple one day and then very complicated the next.  I believe in doing what makes you happy at that moment.

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?

Family Fun

This is a recent layout from our vacation this summer.  I love that all five of us are in the picture.  I tried to not overpower the wonderful photo with too much, so nice simple lines here.

A photographer

I love letting a large photo steal the show.  This layout has a gigantic photo of my husband’s feet.  I took it for one of the assignments in my photography class.  It was suppose to be body parts and photos and the instructor was looking for elegance.  I went the other direction and took photos of body parts that were not elegant.

Magical Kiss

Once again, the photo steals the show here.  Just look at my kids faces!  I used a star bust template to get the wonderful background.  The colors are bold, perfect for any Disney layout.

Thanks for letting us get to know you better, Lynett!!

Michelle (msbrad)

This week you are in for a real treat!  We were able to catch up with Lina of LDrag Designs to learn a little more about her and her designing style!!

Well, grab a snack and a favorite beverage because you are in for a TREAT today!! We have 3 Guest Interviews and our LOTW/POTW Winners up on the SM Blog today!!

First up is Rachel (Captivated Visions).  She has been a Guest Designer for ScrapMatters before and we are SO EXCITED to see what new goodies she has brought for us this month!!  If you’d like to get to know Rachel a little more….READ ON!! =)

1. Your screen name? Your real name?
Captivated Visions, my real name is Rachel Jefferies

2. What is your main job/career?
Designer! Captivated Visions is my full time job

3. Are you married/children/pets?
I’m married to Simon, we got married overlooking the beach in Mauritius and will be celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary this year

4. Where is home for you?
I’m an English gal, I live in Birmingham in the UK

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?

Lasagne, Traditional Roast Dinner Yum, Hmm I don’t know what else, I eat too much of everything!

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Sweet!

8. Beverage of choice?
My friends call me the Tea Monster . .enough said . .

9. What’s your least favorite food?
Celery . . blech ..

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use?
PC, Photoshop CS3

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?
I was first introduced to the digital scrapbooking community by a friend in 2009 after using Paint Shop Pro for many years creating signature tags in forums and dabbled with digi-scrapping shortly afterwards although I wasn’t very active back then.

12. What was your 1st LO about?
One of the first pages that I created and uploaded to the ScrapMatters Gallery was a wedding page – I look at it now and eek no date!!

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
No there are certainly not any other hobbies lol!!
My Design Work is more than a full time job, so if I am lucky enough to have spare time my one and only official hobbie is digi scrapping. If I’m not on the computer though I’ll be watching movies with Simon

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
Title work, I am in awe of scrappers who make such fun and bold titles and make it look so easy! I need more practice there.

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?
I’d love to learn more about my DSLR Camera, I’d love to learn to Meditate and I’d love to give driving another go! (Nerves got the better of me and I couldn’t afford the practical test fee again, I think I took it three times)

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
Shows – The Uk Apprentice, CSI, UK X Factor, Medium
Movies – Twilight Saga, Pixar Movies, Classics like Superman, Planet of the Apes, and so much more, I love horrors, dramas, comedies, too many to name!

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
Depends on Mojo If Mojo is flowing I’ll have music on, otherwise it’s a distraction. Cup of Tea or Fizzy Soft Drink and some Chocolate!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
Flowers and leaves!

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
My nickname in the family is Doris

20. When did you start designing? What is your favorite product that you’ve designed?
I started making blog freebies in 2009 and was selling shortly after that.

21. How would you describe your design style?

With great difficulty? LOL because it is always evolving!
It’s hard to label it as a ‘style’ as such, because a lot of the time it’s doodly, all of the time it’s fun, some of the time it’s grungey and so on! I really design for the moment and stay true to my emotions and my strengths when I design, but I like to try new things too. If I HAD to label it I’d say Doodly and Unique. I always include original drawings or doodles of somesort, you might notice my current fetish for craft paper, distressing techniques and paint .

22. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation?

I keep a designer notebook with me always, and keep a note of creative ideas or new product lines that pop into my head, I keep an inspiration folder on my computer where I collect colour inspiration and other visuals. Fabrics and patterns from home furnishings or fashion are great starting points for me, I am in Love with Pinterest and love to soak up inspiration from Mail Order Catalogues and anything else I can get my hands on!

24. What is your favorite color scheme to design with?

It’s a funny question as Purple has never been a huge favourite of mine though it’s been featured a LOT lately in my designs and I’m quite obsessed with it right now! I love opposites in the colour wheel, I get excited when I get to play with a bold colour scheme!

Thanks so much for letting us get to know more about you, Rachel, and your designing routines and styles!!  Be sure to check out Rachel’s store while she is guesting with us!!

Lisa (Kelseyll)

This week we get to learn more about ScrapMatters Girl Jamie (Jamieh)!  Here is what she had to say when responding to our questions! =)

1. Your screen name? Your real name? Jamieh Jamie

2. What is your main job/career? I just quit as an Elementary PE teacher to be a full time SAHM to 2 little ones

3. Are you married/children/pets? Married with a 3 year old boy and 6 month old girl – NO PETS!!

4. Where is home for you?
We live in Orem, UT

5. How long have you lived there? Different places in the same valley for the past 10 years going to school and working

6. What are your 3 favorite foods? Pizza, Sushi, cookies

7. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Cookies and Cream . . . get it everytime!

8. Snacks…Salty or Sweet? I need a little of both . . . but I love popcorn and chips

9. Beverage of choice? water

10. What’s your least favorite food? I don’t remember because I don’t eat it any more

11. PC or Mac? What program do you use? PC – PSE 9 (It’s new, I am still learning the tricks of the program upgraded from PSE 5)

12. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started? I learned to digiscrap from some girls in my spouses club for the MBA program in 2008. After a year of fiddling around and TRYING to learn, one of the girls, who was a designer, invited me to participate in a template Tuesday challenge. She walked me through everything! I was SO nervous to put my first LO on display!! I love the comments and was hooked on challenges ever since!

13. What was your 1st LO about?
I made several LO for my sons first year of life (using the same template for every page) but the first one I uploaded was just a park day with my kiddo

14. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)? I love sports and exercising. I like playing with my kids and watching movies with my husband.

15. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you? TIME – every second I am not with my kids I want to spend with my husband, so I feel like I can’t get time to do what I enjoy doing. I feel like I get more behind with photos every day rather than get caught up with layouts ever!

16. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? I wish I were a bit more crafty – like sewing or refinishing things. But I hate the way most of my projects turn out so I don’t think I will learn unless I learn patience pretty darn quick

17. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
I LOL to Modern Family and am addicted to NCIS

18. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where? bowl of popcorn, perhaps a movie in the background, no other distractions.

19. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be? ribbons (I love ric rac) and stars.

20. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
I have been skydiving in Hawaii.

21. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style? Do I have one? I definitely like more than one photo on a page. I change my style a bit based on the different challenges. I really like trying new things with new kits and being challenged to make something different.
22. Favorite LOs that you have done?

23. What is your favorite part of being a member of the Scraps Matter Gang?
I love this place! The community, the challenges, the encouragement, the friends, the love, it is a great place to be and I really feel like I belong here!

24. What is your favorite childhood memory and have you scrapped it?
I haven’t scrapped anything previous to my kid being born. Was there life before kids? (Just kidding) I remember on my birthday my mom would read through our baby books with us in her bed. It was a happy time of her showing us pictures of ourselves and telling us how she felt about them. I hope I can do that for my kids.

Thanks for letting us get to know you better, Jamie!!!

-Kim (kjrogers01)

We have a VERY talented group of ladies that rock the layouts each week on the Creative Team here at ScrapMatters! This week we got a chance to ask one of our CTM’s, Tronesia, some questions to get to know her a little better!  Without further ado…here’s TRONESIA!!!  (Sorry for the weird spacing issues…formatting is NOT cooperating!)

1. Your screen name? Your real name?

Diamndprincz // Tronesia

2. What is your main job/career?

Claims Analyst @ a health insurance company -Being a mom

3. Are you married/children/pets?

Engaged…no rush on marriage ….1 child, Aida (3 yrs old)….no pets

4. Where is home for you?

Alabama

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?

Chocolate….quesadillas….seafood

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Hi!  Today we are featuring one of our Scrap Matters Girls:  Debby (debbysrose).  I recently got to meet her IRL and she is an amazing person.  So, without further ado, here is debbysrose!

This week I have the pleasure of featuring a newer member to ScrapMatters and she recently became one of our ScrapMatters Girls too!  Read what Shelle (dreamynest) had to say when we asked her a few questions! =)

1.   Your screen name? Your real name?

Screen name: Dreamynest. Real Name: Shelle. My screen name is from my BBC (Before Breast Cancer) blog that I used to have by the same name. Now it’s just sitting out there in cyberspace, waiting for me to come back.

2.   What is your main job/career?
In my “former life” I am a writer, a copywriter. I got laid off in 2009, like a lot of people did. Now I’m a SAHM of three great kids who drive me insane.

3.   Are you married/children/pets?
I’m very blessed to be married to my rock of a husband, Scott. He’s military, so sometimes he’s away for days, weeks and even months to a year at a time, or longer. We’re all very proud of him and he kinda rocks. <3 Three kids (14, 12 and 4) and we just added our newest addition, Dexter, a sweet pug!

4.   Where is home for you?
We live in the South, in Mississippi. It’s home, but I’m ready to move and spread our wings. To me, home is where my family is at, as long as we’re all together.

5.   What are your 3 favorite foods?
Oh man, what ISN’T my favorite food? I love pastas, sushi and breads. Give me all three at once and I’m in heaven. I could live off of that!

6.   What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Rocky Road, baby! Nuts, chocolate and marshmallows! YUM-O!

7.   Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Mostly salty, nuts, crackers and sometimes chips. But then I usually have to add a little bit of sweet to the mix. I love candy!

8.   Beverage of choice?

Dr. Pepper or Orange soda.

9.   What’s your least favorite food?
Crab and lobster and scallops. *shudder*

10.  PC or Mac? What program do you use?

PC – but I really, really want a Mac. I think I’ve almost convinced my hubby to let us get one when our PC dies. *crossing fingers*

11.  How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?

I haven’t been digi-scrapping for long at all. I tried paper scrapping but with kids in the house it was too hard to pull everything out and then put it all back. I really enjoyed it though. But, it was also expensive! I had read about digi scrapping so I started digging into and researching digi-scrapping in November and December last year while I was going through chemotherapy. I was able to get my hands on a PSE 8 software disc and I just started messing around with it and watching a lot of videos. HA!

12.  What was your 1st LO about?

My first layout ever is one about being thankful. My family and I have been through so much in the last year that I wanted to commemorate how special my life is with family. These pictures were taken about 2 weeks after my first chemotherapy round. I had cut all my hair off in anticipation of losing it. I was at a hat/scarf party with family and friends. It struck me how blessed I was to have all of this support. So I had to scrap about it.

13.  Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
I’m what you might call a dabbler. I’ve tried a LOT of things. Painting, DIY stuff, sewing, traditional scrapping, etc. I love it all! Maybe I should call myself DIY-Jane. LOL

14.  What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
Right now it’s time. I had sooooooo much time while I was going through chemo and radiation but now that it’s over, I’ve jumped back into living my life again and I miss the hours I had to play. I’ve got to find the balance somehow. I mainly want to refine my skills and learn how to do all of the amazing things I’ve seen in the gallery – blending, using frames, clustering, shadowing… the list is endless.

15.  What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?

Uhm, is photography related to scrapbooking? I really would like to take a photography class. I barely ever move my camera off of Auto.

16.  What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
What?! There’s more on TV than Nick Jr.?! No one told me!!

17.  Describe your “scrapping” environment.  Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
I scrap at my PC, which is in the living room, usually after my youngest goes to bed because I hate being interrupted. I’m usually scrapping to the History channel in the background because that’s what my hubby watches.

18.  If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
I’m falling in love with stitching and fasteners (staples, clips, brads, etc).

19.  Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
I’m a published writer, in magazines and a few non-fiction books. Crazy, huh?

20.  Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style?
I’m still trying to find my style. I know what I’m drawn to, which is clean neutrals. Right now I’m exploring a lot of different kits and finding my way. So far, out of the few layouts I’ve completed, I love my simpler, cleaner layouts best.

21.  Favorite LOs that you have done?

DASHING

This is one of my favorites, mostly because I love the photos, but I also did this layout without a template (first time on my own) and I’m kinda okay with it.

BLACK TIE

I like this one because it’s the first one where I tried to keep it minimal and figure out clustering. I discovered that clustering is an art! And I’m not sure I understand it yet!

DIRT DIVA

This layout is my first where I tried to mix and match kits to create a vision in my head. It’s not the vision I had… LOL But it turned out okay.

22. How long have you been a member at ScrapMatters?  How did you hear about us?

I was a lurker for quite a few months, absorbing information and scrolling through the gallery trying to figure out how you guys did that. I found ScrapMatters doing searches on the ‘net. Everyone’s been so great and welcoming!! I’m really enjoying it here. I even love that no one has pointed out my floating text in several of my layouts.

23. Do you have any suggestions for kits you’d like to see in the SM store?
Wow, I don’t know. So far I’m just grabbing freebies and buying kits that strike me. I haven’t actually sat down and tried to find a specific kit before. I have noticed that it’s hard to find pre-teen and teenage boy kits though that reflect more than sports and in something other than blue and orange. Something like cellphones, facebook, guitars, books, science, microphones, some of the vernacular and texting word art, etc. Grays and blacks and more subdued colors would be awesome. Those kits may exist, but I haven’t exactly gone out searching for them.

How great to get to know one of our newer members that has just jumped right in and has become such an amazing community member!!  Way to go, Shelle!

-Lisa (kelseyll)