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!

ALL ABOUT BEING ERIN WRIGHT

Hi everyone welcome to the fourth 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  Erin Wright ...most of you would know her as MIMISGIRL 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 use Photoshop CS2, It is what I learned on and it works for me, I have no real desire to upgrade. I don't get much time so when I do have time I want to use it creating, not learning a new program. For Christmas my husband bought a Sony Alpha 57, which I have come to love even though he usually has it around his neck. That's ok though because he takes gorgeous pictures for me!

2: Can you share a little bit about yourself?

   I am a stay at home, home schooling mum of three, aged 6 months, 5 years and 9 years. My husband is a linguist so we travel the world quite a bit and have spent the last 9 years in various countries in Asia. I love anything that has to do with creating and colour and I try to incorporate that into my family life as much as possible. I most enjoy leading art journal/art therapy type workshops and collecting inspiration for art journaling.

3: Have you always been a digital art journaler/scrapbooker or was it a gradual progression into this form of self-expression?
I have always used art for emotional expression. I found at a young age that it helped me to best process what I was feeling and was just plain fun taboot. I picked up scrapbooking when I got married in 2001 but kept it very separate from my 'art'.

When we started moving around so much I realised it just was not feasible to keep all the art supplies on hand that I liked to really make good art- or scrapbooks for that matter- and some countries just don't have supplies readily available. So when I stumbled on digital scrapbooking I was really excited but it was limiting in my artostic expression.

Then surfing the internet I stumbled on digital art journaling. So over the last 10 years I have slowly moved into more digital expression, though when I am really in emotional distress I still go for the hands-on experience. I keep several mixed media journals going in addition to my digital files. 

At the moment our living room has been converted into an art studio as I work on painting three doors my husband brought home for me. Its really fun, especially when the whole family gets into it.

4: Where do you find inspiration and what is your process in creating a page or art journal entry? 
I find inspiration everywhere really. Magazines, catalogues, billboards, nature, fashion, my kids artwork, the sock drawer...yeah pretty much everywhere!

My process seems to be a little different everytime, but usually when I go to make a page, I start with an emotion, then I find an image, quote or colour that really expresses that emotion to me and I just let it go from there. Often after I have the main bit down I find myself just cruising through my stash for any little thing that 'feels right' and throw it in for good measure.

I also have an inspiration stash of quotes and pictures that speak to me in some way. Usually I pull from this to flesh out the emotion, but sometimes when something really stands out for me I start there.

When I lead workshops introducing people to mixed media art journaling they are often a bit anxious about messing up. The thing I love most about art journaling is that it is just for me. I don't have to share it with anyone if I don't want to so I feel a lot more freedom to experiment and try new techniques. If I don't like something I can either paint over it or trash it and start again. Once folks get that, there is this amazing change and they end up doing some really great stuff. I try to encourage people new to art journaling who are feeling anxious to just let go and have fun. It works the same way in digi journaling. Everyone has a different style so just express yourself.

5: What is your favourite 'Sissy Sparrow' product/kit include a short description as to why you like it? Gosh I don't think there is one favourite product, I just love the style of Sissy Sparrows and how it matches my own style in handmade journals. I also love how the different products speak to different aspects of life and different emotions we experience.  

If I had to choose, then I love the colours and happy playful feel of  'Catching Dragons'. I have used it for a variety of different pages with different feels. I almost always used one of the Grunge Stamp Packs as well. I keep them in their own folder just to plop all over the place.

Here are two of Erin's unique mixed media style pages. 

 'Finding Trust'
Credits:
Room 19- Project 6 'Bravery' by Sissy Sparrows

'Happiness in Me'

Credits:

Catching Dragons Collection

Black Crow Collection

Trash Drawer Vol.1

Whale Whispers Kit

Beautifully Different Kit

 Below is one of Erin's cool mood boards. Its just one sampling of some of the things that inspires her.
and is put together just like a real pinboard!

Thank you so much Erin, it was fabulous to get an insight into your digi process, your art journal and mixed media background and especially love your mood board its a very cool way of having all your faves in one visual reference.
To get to know Erin more head on over to her blog 'Another Cup for the Road' 
and dont forget to check out Erin's fabulously colourful and bold works in her most up-to-date gallery   HERE at ScrapbookGraphics.
We can't way to see what you create whilst guest designing with us this month Erin!

ALL ABOUT BEING SYLVIE SANCE

Hi everyone welcome to the third 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  Sylvie Sance ...most of you would know her as Rarou47 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 use Photoshop Elements 10. I began with PSE 5 and then as each new, more interesting and powerful version comes onto the market I upgrade. I am learning to use Art-rage too but have only just begun teaching myself.

2: Can you share a little bit about yourself?

   I am 49 years old, happy (not always!) as being a mother of 4 daughters aged 22, 21, 19 and 9 can be overwhelming almost 264 days a year he he. I am divorced after a long and hard seperation but am in a happy place now.

I live in the South-West of France, between Bordeaux and Toulouse near the sea and the mountains.
I work as an auditor, in a chartered accountancy office and am extremely busy with work. Thats why I am a 'Coffee-holic'! I can drink more than a litre of coffee a day, and love it! I will have it any way offered, warm, cold, with milk, without. With cream, ice cubes and vanilla, can you tell I am a fan of coffee? I am trying to reduce my coffee intake though because I suffer from insomnia....hmmm I wonder why?

I am a bad blogger since I discovered Facebook, lol! But will blog from time to time.

3: Have you always been a digital art journaler/scrapbooker or was it a gradual progression into this form of self-expression?
I discovered scrapbooking in 2005 whilst in the U.S. I began paper scrapbooking and have spent a small fortune on papers and embellishments and still have plenty to use. I began digital scrapbooking 4 years ago when I was in hospital. Prior to my 3 month stint in hospital I was making big collage canvasses and was sad to not be able to create during my hospitalisation, but when friends gave me PSE5 I immediately loved the no-mess feeling, the reuseable possibilities of all the digi products and therefore began my love of digital scrapping.... it saved me!

I began art journaling as a therapy after my fathers death. As I was really shy, I couldn't explain all my feelings just with words and found it helped me to express those emotions visually. To this day I still keep a paper journal, where I collage, paint, draw and experiment. But most of my digital layouts explain my feelings. I joined the Art Journal Caravan with Tangie Baxter in August 2011.

After my recovery, I decided to share my experience with other people and established a weekly art journaling workshop in Bordeaux and have a group of digi students too. I also co-ordinate crop parties 2-3 times a year which is a lot of fun.

4: Where do you find inspiration and what is your process in creating a page or art journal entry? 
I am a 'sponge'. Every single detail can inspire me. A colour a recipe, a magazine, a dress a piece of  music. I am not a good photographer, but I take a lot of pics with my phone and have a special 'Inspiration' file. 

I always begin a page with a word or quote. I have plenty of notebooks filled with them which I have either read in a book or heard over the radio and when I journal I am always mindful of the feelings these quote evoke in me. Pinterest is another really good source of inspiration for me especially the 'Gardening' sections and I  often refer to the Design Seeds site for colour inspiration.

My preferred effect in digi scrapping is to use the blending modes.  I  can't make a page without it and love to layer so will often play around with these effects for hours.

5: What is your favourite 'Sissy Sparrow' product/kit include a short description as to why you like it? It's hard, because I really love all of Sissy Sparrows products. My favourite kit is probably 'Catching Dragons' Bundle for the feeling of happiness. The gorgeous papers, the light, the dragonflies and the vintage ephemera...but I also love the Room 19 series. They are so versatile and I fancy the templates that match so perfectly with each kit. I'm completely addicted to the painted Word Art, I have a special file dedicated to handmade word art and are my go to products.

One of the most important things for me when making a page is to keep it as realistic as possible just like a paper project so I love that Sissy Sparrows includes lots of handmade products to play with. 

Here are two of Sylvie's fabulous pages. Sylvie has a unique style synonymous with collage which probably comes from her other love of creating traditional canvas collages. The blending and layering in her work is viewed as a fun bold juxtapostion of elements and textures melded together to form lovely expressive backgrounds.
Sylvie's choice of colour palettes are all very eye catching and evoke an emotional depth with some elements of surprise added by overlaying the Grunge Brushes.

 'Take me as I am'

Digital Credits:

Room 19 Project 2 by Sissy Sparrows

'Toxic Love' Digital Credits: Catching Dragons Art Journaling Collection by Sissy Sparrows Grunge Brush Vol.1 by Sissy Sparrows Grunge Brush Vol.2 by Sissy Sparrows The Painted Nest Challenge Freebies Toxic Love Facebook Freebie
Below is an example of a Moodboard that will inspire and jump start Sylvie's creative process.

Sylvie has been a loyal forum member of Scrapbookgraphics since 2007 and for the last 3 years has been involved with Tangie Baxter's Art- Journal Caravan for teh last 3 years so to see more of her fantastic art and CT work visit her Scrapbookgraphics online gallery HERE 

or by visiting her blog 'Le Blog de Sylvie'.

Hope you have enjoyed that open and honest insight into Sylvie Sance, she is a wonderful artist. We can not wait to share with you over the coming few weeks Sylvie's projects so keep an eye out for her fabulous work and please make welcome by saying hello to our August Guest Creative Team Member.

ALL ABOUT BEING ESZTER!

Hi everyone welcome to the second 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  Eszter Baranyi ...most of you would know her as Beszteri 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 use Photoshop CS6 to create my projects, and sometimes I use PostworkShop 3 to add artsy look to my photos. Although I’ve never learned to take photos, I’ve certainly been a keen photographer since my kids were born. I have an Olympus E-500 camera.

2: Can you share a little bit about yourself?

   I am a controller, an analytical, a systematic person. However, I have always been attracted to arts in general (literature, music, visual arts) – when you do not need any logic, just let yourself be carried away by a feeling or a mood.

I live in Budapest (Hungary) with my husband and our two children. Motherhood has changed me: I became more open to the world around them, I marvel at things again with the children’s enthusiasm.

3: Have you always been a digital art journaler/scrapbooker or was it a gradual progression into this form of self-expression?
When I started with digital scrapbooking 4 years ago, the most important was preserving our memories. I would like that one day my kids could see the world through my eyes. Nowadays  it can also be a thought, a quote or a song lyrics that I want to display in visual form.

4: Where do you find inspiration and what is your process in creating a page or art journal entry? Inspiration can come from everywhere... Sometimes I read a good book or a poem, sometimes I listen to some music with thought-provoking lyrics, or I see an inspiring art journaling / scrapbooking kit. I have a board on Pinterest, as well, which is full of art journaling inspiration.

I really like to use stamps. The original color of most of the stamps is black, and when I want to use them on a dark background, I usually set their blend mode to Divide, which divides the blend color from the base color. 

5: What is your favourite 'Sissy Sparrow' product/kit include a short description as to why you like it? Well, it’s a very difficult question. I like all of them. But if I had to choose only one, it would be the 'Catching Dragons' Overlay pack. I always like to use text-elements to embellish my pages – I always loved to read, maybe this is the reason why I’m addicted to the text-elements.

Look at these incredible pages by Eszter.
Eszter has an eye for emulating mood and emotion through her different layers and blending. But one of her more notable signature styles is her clever photo treatment. Every single one is hauntingly beautiful and because of this she is able to pull you into the panorama.

'This is Life' 

Digital Credits:

Walking Away Mini Art Journal Kit by Sissy Sparrows
Walking Away Overlays by Sissy Sparrows
Grunge Stamps Vol. 7 by Sissy Sparrows
I Respect Me Mini Art Journal Kit by Sissy Sparrows
Room 19 - Project 4 by Sissy Sparrows

..............

Mish Mash: Blend Me Stash 01 [Blending Masks] by Captivated Visions
Mish Mash: Blend Me Stash 02 [Blending Masks] by Captivated Visions
Life WordART No. 5 by Anna Aspnes
Textured Overlays No. 6 by Anna Aspnes
ScriptTease Life Overlays No. 1 by Anna Aspnes

PinStriped Textures No. 1 by Anna Aspnes

 'Dare to Dream'
Credits:
I Respect Me Mini by Sissy Sparrows
Room 19 - Project 4 by Sissy Sparrows
Catching Dragons Overlays by Sissy Sparrows
Grunge Stamps Vol. 10 by Sissy Sparrows
Black Crow Mini Art Journal Kit by Sissy Sparrows
Black Shadows Mini Art Journal Kit by Sissy Sparrows
Room 19 - Project 5 (newsletter freebie)
The Painted Nest #10 by Sissy Sparrows
......................
I Became Somebody Else [Mixed Media Papers] by Captivated Visions
It's My Journey [Mixed Media Papers] by Captivated Visions
Believe In Beautiful [Elements & Ephemera] by Captivated Visions
Textured Overlays No. 6 by Anna Aspnes
PinStripted Textures No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
Stitched by Anna Borders No. 2 by Anna Aspnes

Eszter also wanted to share this cool video of Malcolm McLaren.
Its a little step back in time but well worth a revisit!

To see more of Eszter's incredible work head over to her 
Scrapbook Graphics Gallery or Complete Gallery 
 both galleries are filled to the brim with lots of wonderful inspiration!
 To keep up to date on Eszter check out her blog 'Eszter's ScrapBook' and be sure to follow this talented lady!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your extraordinary talent with us Eszter!

We are so excited to be able to spotlight you this month aswell as have you guest design for July you have been an absolute inspiration!

ALL ABOUT BEING DALE!

Hi everyone welcome to the first 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  Dale Bradshaw Botha ...most of you would know her as Dale in digiland! So grab a coffee and discover more about this gorgeous lady!

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

I use PSCS5, am completely self-taught and absolutely fell in love with digi work from the get go!

I love photography, but sadly do not have enough spare time to devote to it right now. I have a Canon DSLR and 5 lenses. Am totally in love with my Canon 100mm Macro Lens and my 10mm-20mm Sigma Wide Angle Lens. Both lenses allow you to be very creative!

2: Can you share a little bit about yourself?

   I live on the East Coast of South Africa near Durban

     I have two daughters and a son and three beautiful grandsons!

  Sport has always been a big part of my life (especially at school) and I still keep fit by exercising at least 5 or 6 times a week. Running (road and trail), cycling, hiking,and weight training all feature in my training schedule.

   

In 2009 I climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world and in October 2013 I am heading to Nepal  for a 19 day trek to Everest basecamp! It is all very exciting but training takes up a big chunk of my day!

   

 Chilli hot food is a favourite and I often throw chillies into my salad for lunch!

   

I am an avid reader and try to read for at least half an hour before going to sleep. Medical/murder/mysteries and non-fiction are definitely favourites. I have always wanted to be able to get inside the head of a serial killer to try and understand what makes him/her do what he/she does.

    Although I enjoy watching movies, I seldom go out to see one that is on the circuit. About two years ago I decided not to have TV in my home as it just distracted me and ate away at my productive and creative time. I have not missed it at all!!

    Creativity has been part of my life from when I was very young. My Mum was creative and was definitely instrumental in channelling me down the creative path. My father however would not let me study Art at University as he was afraid I would end up “like a hippie drug-addict”!!! Mmmmm It took me many years to forgive him for that, but one thing he could not take away was my passion for colour, design and art in general.

I did study Calligraphy for three years and absolutely loved the process, of letter construction. Studying each hand and working out how letters were formed was always very interesting to me. Those Monks were very talented and they could manipulate a quill pen as easily as blinking an eye!

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

I only started digi art and art journaling towards the end of 2010 when my daughter and her family emigrated to the Gold Coast of Australia! I joined Tangie and her Art Journal Caravan in an attempt to keep me busy and distracted as the pain of them leaving was unbearable. Have to say it took me 6 months to post my first layout..... and then I got stuck in and have not looked back! While learning how to journal, I also had to learn how to use Photoshop! Talk about diving in the deep end!!!

Self expression, especially publically does not come easy to me so this was also testing my courage! Gesso is wonderful stuff & helps me cover up those bits that I need to journal, but am not comfortable with others reading!

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

Inspiration initially came from Workshop prompts, but with practise I learned to scan a kit and choose one or two elements that “spoke” to me, using them as my starting block! This did not necessarily mean that they remained on my layout..... it is merely a way of starting, and then allows my natural creativity to take over and new ideas evolve!

I have always collected quotations that I connected with and these I have often used as either the inspiration for a page or as the final touch to a page.

Life itself also provides tons of inspiration for an art journal page. Keep a book called “Journaling Inspiration” in which you record any idea, quotation or colour that may come to you while you are away from your digi stuff!

I am not a traditional scrapper at all and love grunge and colour and lots of layers! Blending many layers to achieve a look is a time stealer, but so worth the effort in the end!

I think most of us fear that blank canvas....we don’t know where to start.... we don’t know what to do! All I can say is pick a couple of elements or backgrounds or words..... slap them all on your background and start playing with them. This will be akin to a runner warming up before a race. Never be afraid to start, it is after all your journal, your art, your story!

Art Journaling is just the best because there are no rules! How awesome is that!

5: What is your favourite 'Sissy Sparrow' product/kit include a short description as to why you like it?

My favourite Sissy Sparrow kits have to be the Room 19 Project kits. What amazing value they are for starters and one is never short of inspiration when confronted with the many elements, papers and word art for art journaling.

I am also a huge fan of  The Painted Nest Challenge and the variety of pages created always amazes me.

Here are a couple of Dale's beautiful pages. 

Dale has a talent for blending layers which add intrigue and depth to her projects. 

 'Don't Follow Me'
By Dale
Walking Away Art Journal Kit Bundle by Sissy Sparrows

'Mystery'
By Dale
Room 19 Project #1 by Sissy Sparrows
 Scribble Art Strokes by Anna AspnesFonts: Bon Ivor & Acid Label


To see more of Dales work head over to her 
Scrapbook Graphics Gallery or Deviant Scrap Gallery 
both galleries are filled to the brim with lots of wonderful inspiration!


Thank you so much for taking the time to share your extraordinary talent with us Dale,

we are so excited to be able to spotlight you this month aswell as have you guest designer for June ists been an absolute blast!