MORE BONUS ONLINE FEATURES
 
Scrap Blog
Product Spotlight
Technique Corner
ARCHIVES: 5 Min Scrap Chat
ARCHIVES: Tech Corner

I would describe my scrapping style as eclectic, simple, busy, bright and silly

For me, my mum was the original scrapbooker. She used to paste everything about our lives into exercise books. Our family has nearly 50 years of recorded life in those books and it inspires me everytime I think about it.
I like to create things, especially odd things with an element of kitsch and I believe scrapbooking should capture every aspect of life, warts and all. I like to think of scrapping as being about silliness, honesty and memorial all at the same time.

I really try to listen to the paper

When planning my pages I usually take my lead from the photo, or photos first, and then try and listen to the papers for inspiration. Sometimes I'll go to sleep without a clue, and wake up knowing how the page should go together. If  I'm really lucky it works! But sometimes the way my layout comes together is accidental.

 I find my inspiration from happy and silly elements of my life.

 Depending on what I’m doing or where I am, my drive to scrap and my inspiration can change. Sometimes it's a feeling, a photo, paper, an embellishment or a deadline.
 Usually though, it's a bit of happy, silliness - usually photos of either my husband or my cats.

I try to combine all my life’s experiences in whatever I do.

I think I approach scrapbooking in my own special way, combining everything I’ve learned and all my experiences in my work. I've had my finger in lots of pies through my life; I’ve bagged chook poo, done fashion design, screenprinting, piecework sewing and painting. I’ve sold silk ties, done graphic art, and I own a retail shop. All these things show through my work and it certainly does lead to some interesting outcomes.

Eyelets, eyelets eyelets!

My favourite product has to be eyelets. I absolutely adore them, and my favourite way to use them is to excess! The more the better! I also love beads, glass, paper, paint, rubber stamps and of course, my husband John.

Accidental Scrapbooking

I often start out with a preconceived idea that goes horribly wrong! The challenge is then to think ‘umm….how can I creatively save this?’ Don’t give up! Look at it as a fun problem that needs solving.

Catherine’s tasty tips

• Mix paper ranges together to give projects an eclectic feel

• Wibbling is a technique that I like. It's comprised of wobbling your scissors from side to side while cutting in a forward direction, resulting in a wibbly-wobbly line.

• Batch all processes together in an industrial manner. For example, do all your photo trimming together, put double sided tape on all at once, etc. This saves time and leaves more time to play!

This layout is extremely precious to me. I am so proud if it as it has brought me closure, and helped me deal with losing my dad when I was a little girl.