Hi Everyone - this is has been a busy blogging week for the Design Team - there have been heaps of ideas so enjoy our recap and the work of our Guest Designer - Michelle Hernandez

Weekly Round-Up
This week we have had an album from Tanya, a recipe book from Joanne, 2 layouts based on our monthly sketch from Lowri and Michelle and some cards from Betsy - including one based on our sketch


Betsy started her personal blog this week - you can find her at http://bestofbetsys.blogspot.com/ so make sure you become a follower to see her beautiful card creations when she begins posting!

I also recapped all the information about this months challenge in this post yesterday - make sure you get your entry to us to win a spot on the Design Team for a month!

This week we are featuring the work of Michelle Hernandez - look at these amazing colours - I just love how she packs so much on a page!



Michelle lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and gorgeous daughter Lola. She has kindly answered our questions and shares her 3 favorite layouts. Make sure to look below some see some more amazing examples of her bright, fun and detailed projects 

How were you introduced to scrapbooking?
I've been cutting and pasting magazine photos into art journals for years but I started using commercial scrapbook products in 2009 when I was trying to draw a flying bird for my daughter's room and found I really REALLY couldn't. So I started shopping for bird silhouettes, found all these amazing online stores and was instantly hooked. The first few months I bought a ton of stuff but never used it because I was scared to mess it up. 

What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
I'm usually inspired by a photo I've taken but also street art or museum exhibits. Inspiration also comes from news stories, phrases in a book or subway adverts (ads make for great page titles). Lately inspiration comes from problems I'm trying to tackle in my crafting- missing mojo, sewing machine mishaps, messing up a page with wayward spray mist, how to determine a project is "finished"- things like that.

Hope Sprung This is a page about my daughter Lola who was diagnosed with a Cystic Hygroma at 19 weeks and with Fetal Hydrops at 26 weeks (these are almost always signifiers for severe disabilities or genetic defects). Doctors didn't think Lola would survive and recommended "termination" but I was SURE she was going to be OK so I stuck it out. She's thriving now with no genetic or health problems- doctor's still don't know what caused the fetal distress. The stress of this pregnancy was what started me scrapping- I needed a distraction from all the nasty medical news.

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
I like to upcycle things. I use paper bags, my daughter's baby shoe boxes, bubble wrap, glass baby food jars anything I have lying around that I think looks too expensive to throw out. I experiment a lot but the projects rarely get photographed because frankly they're hideous. I keep at it because I want to improve as an "artist".

What is your favourite scrapbook brand and why?
Ok this is a hard question. I love several brands to death and collect them compulsively- Maya Road, We R Memory Keepers and Sassafras Lass are right up there but the stand out is Studio Calico. The colors, the stamps, the wood veneer- they just ROCK my world. I like how their papers have this sophisticated hipster feel but can be used for pretty much everything. I recently got some MLS papers from a team mate at Paper Issues and found them so incredibly FUN to work with that I keep going back for "just one more page"- the colors and simple shapes make me feel free to just wig out design wise.

Missing: Scrap Mojo We all know how it feels when the mojo takes a break- uncool!

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
I CANNOT create without fine cutting scissors and my pop dots. I also use hand stitching so my sewing needle and a thumb tack for punching holes in the paper. And edge punches LOVE those! I would add stamps and ribbon but so far those just get collected for their cuteness.

What is your current favorite technique or embellishment? 
Currently I'm machine stitching in my pages. I really wish I had taken a Home Economics class because I see what others are producing and I want to attempt it but my skills are lacking.

Rice Luv The journaling in spanish reads: Your first hard food was rice. You made me laugh when you picked the grains up one by one.

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
This year I'm improving on my sewing, my cutting with exacto knife and producing more pages. I'd also like to expand into mixed media painting and knitting- pray for me because I am highly impatient and the learning curve for these is STEEP. :)

Tys Page This page took a while to come together and when it did I was floored by how much I loved it. That happens a lot- I go in blind (no sketch or prior idea for a page)  and end up with a great project. Then I need someone else's perspective to help me see what I did.

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
DO NOT go bananas and try to buy everything- your style will change and you'll have all this stuff you'll hate later on. I would say look in unexpected places for design inspiration- ads, non scrapbook magazines, the supermarket. Always carry your camera- your phone should have a camera. And try to get your kids or other family into scrapping- it's even more fun when done as a group.

Do you have a blog
YUUP! http://myanaloglife.blogspot.com

Here is some more of Michelle's work..








Thanks Michelle!

Be sure to keep an eye on the blog this week for some more great ideas and don;t forget to enter the challenge!


Lowri :-)