October Featured Designer

I am the featured designer at Designs in Digital for this month which is pretty exciting.
I had to answer a few questions for the gig and some really made me think.
Anyway here they are.

How did you first get started designing?
I used to do only paper scrapping and card making. When I left full time work in the childcare industry I started up a little micro business making cards and scrapbooking for others. This led me to do a weekend course on how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator so that I could make my own graphics for my cards. Before you knew it I was hooked on the software and then one day whilst surfing the net I stumbled across digital scrapbooking. I started to make my own papers and embellishments and one day Robyn Gough (the original owner of Clickchic Designs) approached me to sell in her store.….and as they say the rest is history.

What do you love about being a digiscrap designer?
I am constantly surprising myself with what I can create. I love seeing what others do with my kits and feel it is a huge compliment that they actually want to use them. I also love the fact that by creating my own kits I have a never ending supply of scrapping products for my personal layouts.

Is there a particular creative process you go through when you’re designing?
No not really. I just go with the flow. Each kit generally comes from a different inspiration and once I start….the kit and the creative process take me where they want.

Where and when do you do your designing?
Any chance I get. I am lucky enough to have my own craft-room/office so everything is always set up and ready to go.

What inspires you to create?
It can be anything. I always have ideas floating around in the back of my mind. Sometimes it can be a layout that I am doing and I require a little something for it which leads to a whole kit. Other times it can be a colour or an advert or a song.

What is your programme of choice? Any favourite tools you like to use?
Photoshop is definitely my favourite program and I enjoy Illustrator too. It’s great when I can combine the two.I tend to use a lot of blending modes and I really must use my Wacom tablet more often.

Do you have a favourite kit you’ve made? Why is it your favourite?
I think my latest kit is usually my favourite, generally because I have often learnt a new skill in the process of making it.

Do you have any favourite styles for your designs?
Mmm, this is hard. I have quite eclectic tastes and I like to try my hand at most styles. I really strive to recreate that paper scrapped style though for most of my layouts and kits, but it can be fun doing something more digitally oriented.

What do you feel is your strength as a designer?
My willingness to try new things and experiment.

What do you like to do when you’re not designing or scrapping?
I am really getting into web design lately since I finished a Graphic design course. I am in the process of building up a little business in this area. I love to read, garden, restore furniture and of course anything crafty.

What are you working on right now?
I always seem to have a number of projects on the go at the same time. This ensures I never get bored doing the one thing and ideas that I come up with that won’t work for one kit will generally work with another.