Today’s Designer Spotlight is on Jennifer Ellefson an admitted paper addict living in Northern Virginia!

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Did you go to school for art or design?
In fact, it’s just the opposite! I went to school for International Economics – but my mom is an artist, and my dad an engineer, so I like to think that I have some strange DNA.

Tell us about your favorite die template, technique and Preferred Product
My favorite die template – boy, that’s like asking about my favorite child! I can’t create anything without my Nestabilities, if that helps narrow it down. I love making foam stamps with my Spellbinders die templates. You can make the coolest stamps that way! My favorite Preferred Product would be Lockhart Stamps. There is always the perfect image for any card I want to make. Plus, they’re so much fun to color!

What type of projects do you prefer to make?
I love it all, but find cards are easiest for me.

Tell us about your family.
I’ve been Married for 15 years now! My husband, two sons and I recently moved to Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

About how much time do you spend crafting?
I think pleading the 5^th Amendment might be wise here…

When do you find the time to craft?
My sons are school-age, so I love creating while they’re in school. I pop in my iPod and spend the day creating!

What do you use most - paper, hybrid or digital?
Paper – love the tactile portion.

Where do you shop for supplies?
A little bit of both - local and online stores; I am really fortunate to have found a great stamp shop about 3 miles from my house, so they’re my first choice. If there is something that they don’t stock, though, I usually will order online.

How would you describe your style?
I’m very linear in my thinking, and I think my creations reflect that.

Other than paper, what other materials have you used?
I have a lot of fun experimenting with clay, and of course, the fun foam that I mentioned already.

Where do you look for inspiration?
It varies, sometimes magazines, sometimes stationery shops, sometimes online galleries.

What kind of workspace do you have?
I’m very fortunate to have an office on my first floor. I have white furniture and storage pieces, so it has a clean, cohesive look that I love. Since I’m in a house full of boys, there are frilly touches here and there – a girl has to have her space!

Jennifer chose these projects to highlight, I hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

Jennifer used S4-192 Blossom, S4-200 Flower Bouquet Miniabilities, S4-189 Labels 3, and S7-013 Grand 12″ Heirloom Scroll Border on her Cute Boy Layout.

This beautiful card uses S4-138 Petite Ovals, Large, S3-150 Ribbon Tags Trio, S3-004 Symbology and she used S4-142 Long Rectangles, Large to emboss.

This fun wreath is made from S4-192 Stars 5 and the (retired) Indulgence Font.

Thank you so much Jennifer!  Find out more about Jennifer on her bio, and visit her personal blog, Created From Paper.

Many thanks to Linda for agreeing to tell us more about herself and her art!

Tell us how you got started crafting.
As long as I can remember, I have always been interest in art.  My dad was a very talented artist, and I would spend hours watching him draw.  I always had paper and pencil in hand and tried to draw the things he did.

Do you have an art or design background?
While in high school, I took every art class I could, and continued in college as an Art Major.  Although I never received a degree, I enjoyed a few years of learning to work with all mediums.

What is your favorite die? Favorite technique? Favorite Preferred Product?
As for my favorite die, that’s difficult because I really enjoy them all, but my favorite would be the Nestabilities.  They are perfect for card making and stamping.  My favorite technique would have to be coloring with either PrismaColor Pencils or Copic Markers.  Both are great for achieving a realistic look and perfect for shading.  My favorite Preferred Product would be WorldWin card stock.  It comes in so many different colors, and excellent quality.

Do you prefer to make cards, scrapbooks, or altered items?
I love to make altered items.  It is so much fun to give something plain, texture, and depth.

How many hours a week do you craft?
Unfortunately I do not have much time during the week because of my day job.  However, on the weekend I spend every minute I can in my little room.

What time of day do you usually craft?
Most of the time I am up until three or four in the morning on Friday and Saturday nights playing.

Do you craft by yourself or with others?
I usually craft alone.

Do you shop locally or online?
I do shop at Michael’s, but mostly online.

What kind of craft studio do you have?
Since it is just my DH and I at home now, I was able to turn one of our spare bedrooms into my craft room. I could just live in there LOL!

What are some tools that you could not live without (aside from Spellbinder’s products)?
Scissors: Love the 3D look that requires a lot of cutting.
Magazines: I collect all of them. Since I live in a small town, they help me stay up to date with what’s going on in the industry.

Linda is sharing some of her favorite art pieces.  Don’t you just love the way she shades the die cuts?  They look so real!  Coming up on Savvy Saturday Linda will show us just how she shades and inks the die cuts so  you (and I)  can embellish like this!

Flower Basket

Sunflower Box

Field of Sun Scrapbook Layout

To learn more about Linda, see her bio and her personal blog!  Thank you Linda!  I can’t wait for Saturday!

Beth

Today’s Designer Spotlight is on Sharon Harnist, a member of the 2008 Spellbinder’s Design Team. Welcome Sharon and thanks for sharing your work and thoughts with us!

Tell us how you got started crafting.
I’ve been crafting since I was a little girl, mostly by doing it with my Mom, latchhook rugs, cross-stitch, embroidery, sewing clothes, ceramics, you name it!  I discovered scrapbooking shortly after I married 14 years ago and the whole new world of paper crafting opened up to me!

Do you have an art or design background?
No, but I loved the art classes I took all through school.

What is your favorite die? Favorite technique? Favorite Preferred Product?
My favorite dies are the Nestabilities, they fit in so well with all the other paper crafting I do.
My current favorite technique is using the dies to stencil with the Copic Airbrush System.  The airbrushing gives such a soft, pretty color (or more vibrant, if you choose) and covers a large area very quickly.  I really like the contrast of the uncolored areas of paper to the airbrushed colored embossing.
My favorite Preferred Product is Lockhart Stamp Company’s stamp images, they are sweetly whimsical while still being elegant and there’s a wide variety for every occasion.

Do you prefer to make cards or scrapbooks or altered items?
Really, everything!  Cards are easier and quicker for me to design.  I love scrapbooking my daughters but pages usually take me a very long time to complete, I guess because I think too much about the longevity of the project!  I’m growing to love altered art a lot more and love to make things for my children.

How many hours a week do you craft?
Too many, according to my husband!  Probably 20-24 hours a week.

What time of day do you usually craft?
During the day, when my children are in school, and late at night.

Do you craft by yourself or in a group?
I work better alone.

Paper, Hybrid or Digital?
I love paper and all the tactiles that go along with it, but am gradually venturing into the digital world.

Do you shop locally or online?
Mostly online. Believe it or not, even living in a large metropolitan area, I don’t have that many local craft stores.

Describe your style?
Eclectic, maybe? I vary between clean and simple to shabby/chic/distressed.

Where do you find inspiration for something new?

I usually start by browsing through patterned paper - that’s usually my jumping off point on any project.

What do you find most pleasing about crafting?
Taking a pile of paper, ribbon, stamps, dies, scissors and glue and turning it into a card to cheer someone’s day, a keepsake for our home, or an altered project that my girls can either play with or keep to treasure for years to come.

What kind of craft studio do you have?
Since we just moved last year, I’m lucky to have a whole room to myself. I think my husband just wanted to be able to close the door to my messy studio!

What are some tools that you could not live without (aside from Spellbinder’s products)?
1. Copic markers are my go-to coloring medium. They can be used to color rubber stamped images, ribbon, metal, wood - you name it!

2. Paper trimmer - I couldn’t cut a straight line, to save my life!

Share with us some of your favorite art!

I loved this patterned floral paper and how the color really draws attention on my daughter’s eyes. This scrapbook page was created pretty quickly, just by cutting around the pattern in the paper and letting the beautiful paper speak for itself.

I love the new Nested Bird die and how the Pierceabilities framed the roof line.

These are some of my favorite colors, rich and deep, and I liked the softness of the dimensional vellum butterfly.

Thank you, Sharon!

To learn more about Sharon Harnist, check out her bio and her personal blog, PaperFections.