ALL ABOUT BEING BARBARA SOKEE

Hi everyone welcome to the fifth interview from our 'SPOTflight Series' which are a little look into the lives of some of our fabulous Sissy Sparrows followers.  We get a fab insight into their motivations, influences and favourite Sissy Sparrows products.
This month we are having a conversation with the wonderful  Barbara Sokee ...most of you would know her as 'SOKEE' in digiland!  So sit back, relax and discover more about this talented lady!

1: What program are you using to create your projects and if you are a keen photographer what camera do you use?

I have and use Photoshop Elements 8. At the moment I don't have a camera. All my photos are taken with my iPhone  5 and I edit my photos with an app called After Light. I find I get more everyday photos of my family as my phone is always with me!

2: Can you share a little bit about yourself?

   I'm a SAHM for 26 years with 6 kids and married to my best friend for 27. I love to spend time with my man on dates. Decorating my home with gently used, vintage and repurposed items is alot of fun for me! Reading, gardening and spending time with my girlfriends having a good laugh. I started paper scrapbooking in 2000 and digital in 2008. We have two dogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, which are now my babies as my babies are no longer babies...

3: Have you always been a digital art journaler/scrapbooker or was it a gradual progression into this form of self-expression?

I think of myself as more of a scrapbooker than an art journaler or at least somewhere in between! While it is a form of scrapbooking that I really admire, I have a hard time with just journaling. I always need to have a photograph on my page, but I do use a lot of lyrics in my layouts when I need to get feelings down as music moves me deeply and a lot of times the artist words speak to me in ways that I can not express myself.

I also have a weakness for any type of paints and stamps and use those alot in my layouts. I like to think of my style as a white space artist. That is where I am most comfortable.

4: Where do you find inspiration and what is your process in creating a page or art journal entry? 

I find inspiration from many places, magazines, crafters blogs, music and photographs inspire me. Most times I start a layout with either a photograph or with a quote/lyric. Once I have those on a page I will start to pull elements into a page. Mostly I start with paints and stamps to go on the bottom and work my way up. 

I also love to have some 3D intems on my layout which makes it look mre 'real'. Staples and buttons are my go to items and will often be present in my pages. Once I have all my items on the page I will shift and move around, delete some that I feel just aren't right and maybe go in search of another item that fits the spot better. I will walk away alot of times and come back. If all looks right I stop and save.

5: What is your favourite 'Sissy Sparrow' product/kit include a short description as to why you like it? I just love the kit Pollen. Can you say Bees! Love Bees! Also love the March of Insects and I participate in most painted nest challenges. Love those little bits of goodies! They are also right up my alley as they provide me a great start to my layouts that I create with Sissy Sparrows goodies!

Here are three of Barbara's beautiful pages. 

'Eavesdrop'

Credits:

TPN #6

Pollen Mini Art Journal Kit

A Maiko Birds Overlay Pack

Below is the music video and song that inspired Barbara's layout Eavesdrop.

Credits:

TPN #16

Pollen Mini Art Journal Kit

Credits:

TPN #14

TPN #6

March of the Insects Grunge Stamps

Thank you so much Barbara, its been an absolute pleasur eto learn more about you and your process of scrapbooking! We can't way to see what you create whilst guest designing with us this month Barbara!
To see more of Barbara's stunningly minimal and delicate works in her most up-to-date gallery head on over to  TWO PEAS IN A BUCKET.
Have a great day!