We loved announcing our brand new 2021 creative team yesterday here on the blog, and for the next few days, we’d like you to get to know our creative team members a little better. We’re starting off the introductions today with our newest creative team members: Victoria Calvin, Sidnie Des Jardins, Jess Forster, and Anya Lunchenko! 

Victoria Calvin

Victoria Calvin is the owner and creative director at Victoria Marie Designs, where she creates and teaches online scrapbooking classes, hosts annual scrapbook retreats, and creates video content on YouTube. Victoria also hosts several online scrapbooking groups on Facebook, posts daily content on Instagram, and creates exclusive videos and mini-classes for her Patreon membership community. 

Victoria has served on a number of design teams including American Crafts, Felicity Jane, Kingston Crafts, Tonic Studios USA, and Catherine Pooler Designs, in addition to guest designing for Freckled Fawn, Gina K Designs, Close to My Heart, and Citrus Twist. Additionally, she has been a featured guest on the Craft the Life You Live Podcast with Amy Tangerine and the Simple Scrapper Podcast, and her creative work has been published in Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine. Victoria believes that scrapbooking is both an art form and a vessel through which our stories are given life through words and photos! 

What is your go-to, must-have tool?  

My go-to, must-have tool is my old and trusty craft knife that I purchased over 12 years ago at Hobby Lobby. Her name is Pinky (because she’s pink)! Pinky has been put through her paces and still performs like a champ! I have several craft knives but I always come back to Pinky…she’s the MVP in my craft room.

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

Scrapbook, of course! What else would one do with an extra hour in their day besides scrapbook? I shudder at the thought!

When did you start papercrafting and how did it come about?

I created my very first scrapbook when I was in elementary school.  I took an old binder that my mother brought home from work and covered it with pages from the comic section of the Sunday newspaper. My album held all of my awards and class photos from kindergarten to sixth grade. Over the years, I scrapbooked on and off, buying most of my supplies from brick and mortar stores. In 2009, I was pregnant with my daughter Corinne and knew that I wanted to document my pregnancy experience, so I jumped back into scrapbooking. It was during this time that I learned about scrapbooking retreats, YouTube process videos, online scrapbooking groups, and magazines. Needless to say, I became obsessed with scrapbooking! The rest is history. 

At which store would you like to max out your credit card?

Just one store? Impossible! My top three are as follows: (1) Elle’s Studio, (2) Ali Edwards (give me everything she sells), and (3) In a Creative Bubble. 

Choose a favourite movie title for the story of your life.

You’ve Got Mail – not for the romantic ending, but the fact that Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) owns The Shop Around the Corner. I truly believe that one day, I will own a small independent bookstore just like Kathleen! 

If you could have one superpower, which would you choose?

Flying is my superpower! I could save thousands on airfare and fly wherever I want, whenever I want, especially to Disney World! 

Find more of Victoria’s work here: Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook 

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Sidnie Des Jardins 2021

Sidnie Des Jardins

My name is Sidnie Des Jardins, and I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. I met my husband at an 18 and under club, and we’ve been together for the past 28 years. I didn’t start in cardmaking. I started with creating T-shirts for my family, and a friend of mine thought I should sell them, so I started an Etsy account. I was looking for different types of T-shirt designs on YouTube, and I ran across a card made by Jennifer McGuire. I was hooked! I tossed all of my T-shirt making products and started buying paper crafting products. I began to practice card making and learned by watching videos on YouTube. In 2018 I opened up my Instagram account. In mid-2018 Simon Says Stamp offered me a home, and I’ve been there ever since.  I’m still learning and having the best time meeting people.

When did you start papercrafting and how did it come about? 

I started paper crafting a few years ago, in late 2017. I used to make fun t-shirts for my family when we would go to Disneyland. I was looking for other designs on YouTube and ran into a card from Jennifer McGuire. I was HOOKED.  

What is your go-to, must-have tool? 

My go-to tool has to be my MISTI. My stamping skills without my MISTI are horrible. I would probably waste so much cardstock and ink trying to get an accurate stamped image without it!

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do? 

That extra hour would be spent catching up with my crafty friends and seeing what they’ve been up to that day.

Choose a favourite movie title for the story of your life. 

The Divine Secrets Of The Ya Ya Sisterhood.

If you could have one superpower, which would you choose?

My superpower would be the power to make people whole again.

Find more of Sidnie’s work  here : Instagram | Facebook | Blog

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Jess Forster

Living in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two kids, Jess is a pediatric social worker by day and a modern memory keeper by night. When she is not recording her life details via heartfelt journaling or using big bold photos in her layouts, you can find Jess running, listening to podcasts, or drinking too much coffee in her east end neighbourhood of the city. Jess has worked on the Ali Edwards Creative team for the last 4 years and loves meeting fellow memory keepers at the Crop Create events in person and online.

Where do you go for inspiration?

Instagram and Pinterest! Whether it’s admiring other paper crafters’ pages or searching for home decor, I am always keen to create something beautiful after looking online. 

What is your go-to, must-have tool?  

My iPhone aka my camera. They say the best camera to have is the one that is with you, and I always have my phone with me. Personally, memory keeping has encouraged me to take pictures, which has turned into a decade-long passion project. 

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do? 

Either run, scrapbook or nap! I would love more hours in the day! 

When did you start papercrafting and how did it come about? 

I started paper crafting after participating in the Ali Edwards Week in the Life project. I love the documentary style approach of combining photos and stories, and after I completed my album, I knew that I was hooked. Scrapbooking, for me, is a creative form of self-expression and self-care.  

If you could have one superpower, which would you choose?

Telepathy   

Find more of Jess’ work here : Instagram | YouTube | Blog 

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Anya Lunchenko 2021

Anya Lunchenko 

My name is Anya Lunchenko. I am a child of God, a wife of the most amazing husband in the world, and a mother of six beautiful children. My first sixteen years I spent in Ukraine, where I was born, but am really grateful to call this country my home. I love creating and seriously can’t imagine my life without it! Currently, I am also serving on the Echo Park Paper and Simple Stories design teams and love every little bit of this journey! 

What is your go-to, must-have tool?

My favorite tool has to be an inexpensive 4×6″ Fiskars trimmer. It is the only trimmer I was able to find through the years with a perfect angle. But I am using my die cutting machine and the Silhouette pretty often, both of them have saved me so many times!  

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

I need seven extra hours! I would spend that hour clearing my table every night. I love to start with a clean surface, but sometimes the amount of projects I am working on accumulates too fast.

When did you start papercrafting and how did it come about? 

I always loved anything and everything creative, but somewhere about eighteen years ago my sister Alyona introduced me to scrapbooking. I remember listening to her and not getting why she was so excited. I worked at Michael’s Arts and Crafts store at that time as a floral designer. One day, I noticed a scrapbooking magazine, grabbed it and looked through the pages. At that point, the pieces started coming together and my life has never been the same since.  

Find more of Anya’s work here : Instagram | Blog | Facebook

We are so excited to welcome each of these talented papercrafters to the team. Please leave a comment of congratulations, and come back to the blog tomorrow and Thursday, where we will be introducing the rest of our talented 2021 team!