I am so excited to be a part of the amazing team here at Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine! I live in a beautiful mountain valley in Utah with my incredible husband, Brad and our two teenage boys. We also have two adult kiddos who have spread their wings and left the nest recently. Growing up, my mother always had some kind of craft project for us to work on together; oftentimes they were paper-crafting projects (I think I probably designed more cards than Hallmark during my childhood). I graduated from Utah State University with a degree in accounting, and although that’s my “day job,” I think I’d much rather use paper for creating fun projects than for recording and calculating numbers! I have been fortunate to work with some of my very favorite manufacturers over the years, and I am so grateful for each and every opportunity I’ve been given. I am passionate about journaling and recording my thoughts and feelings as well as the “who, what, when, and where.” This hobby has definitely helped me focus on the most important aspects of my life – namely family – and I’ll forever be grateful for the lessons I’ve learned, people I’ve met, and wonderful opportunities that have come my way through this amazing industry.
Where is the first place you look for inspiration?
I honestly look for inspiration everywhere… and usually I find it when I’m not even really looking for it… just walking through stores or flipping through magazines. I also regularly peruse instagram and pinterest and I have a few favorite blogs I like to visit. I follow so many talented people and companies and love to be inspired by them!
What is your go-to, must have tool?
Beyond the most basic necessities (trimmer, adhesive, white cardstock). I would have to say my sewing machine! My parents gave it to me when I graduated from college—I’m sure my mom had no idea that fabric would rarely touch the machine—but paper would go through it almost daily, even all these years later!
If you had an extra half hour in the day, what would you do?
I would love to have an extra 30 minutes each day to spend one-on-one with each of my kiddos! They are growing up so fast and we are all so busy, constantly running in different directions! It would be lovely to have extra time to sit down and visit with them every day without being rushed or trying to fit it in while multi-tasking!
When did you start papercrafting and how did it come about?
I honestly don’t recall a time in my life when paper crafting wasn’t a thing! My mom always had a bag full of papers and craft supplies and she was always helping us creating something fun! She kept scrapbooks documenting our entire childhood. When I was in college I visited a store called Pebbles In My Pocket and absolutely fell in LOVE with what would become a life-long obsession. It’s not only one of my favorite childhood memories, but it’s also something I love and look forward to doing every single day!
At which store would you like to max out your credit card?
Just one store? It would probably have to be Target, because they have all the good things!
