Welcome Back, Terry!

Whether you are a regular on our Message Board or just follow the blog... I'm sure you know Terry.  She's been a TSR Favorite and a Mod Squad member, and now she's back as our Message Board Moderator.  We're all pretty excited about it!  Terry is a kind, thoughtful, creative gal - and incredibly inspirational.  I can personally blame Terry for getting hooked on Project Life, and someday I want my photos to be as awesome as hers.  *big love*  But just in case you haven't met Terry yet, pull up a cup of coffee and let's chat!

TerryB

Terry, how long have you been with TSR?  And what do you love about it?  

I joined TSR back in December of 2007. I love the kits, but I especially love the community.  It's a great group of gals on the message board, and I'm so glad to be a part of it.

So, I've got to ask...  Gina, our guest designer, can do a cartwheel.  Can you? 

Haha! Yes. I can do a cartwheel, but I prefer not to. It hurts my wrists!

You take amazing pictures.  What equipment do you use?  What's the most important tip or trick you've learned?

I'm a Nikon gal! My husband bought me a D5100 for my birthday last year, complete with a zoom lens. *love* My favorite lens though, is my 50mm prime lens. Love the shots I get with it.

The most important tip I've learned, generally speaking, is to carry your camera with you, and take lots of pictures. They're digital, and you can always delete later. Technically speaking...don't be afraid to zoom in, and use natural light whenever possible. I'm slowly learning to get out of automatic, but it's a long process, and I've got a ways to go.

List 5 random non-scrappy things found in your scrappy space.  And how about letting us have a peek at your space, too?

A ceramic bird, a cup of coffee, an Easter lily (it makes my whole room smell wonderful), a tiara *wink*, and my theater tickets. I'm not sure why they are there really, but I'm afraid if I move them now, I won't remember where they are!

I use a corner of my bedroom as my designated scrap space. I don't have a lot of room, so I am constantly reorganizing, and finding new ways to store my supplies.

What's your fave hot beverage?  Are you one of the (many) gals that loves the coffee that comes in our kits?

I love coffee and tea. I have a couple cups of coffee in the morning to jump start my day, and then I switch to decaf tea.

I've mentioned Terry's Project Life pages, so let's look at one of that format.  Plus, let's have a look at one of her traditional layouts, too!

Thanks, Terry!  Welcome back, and thanks for bringing so much inspiration and thoughfulness to our Message Board!

- Theresa/Savi

Mod Squad: Gab & Janine

It's a new quarter at The ScrapRoom, and that means a changing of the Mods on our Message Board.  I'm sure you've noticed Janine's challenges and Gab's Question of the Day by now - so let's meet our new Mods and get to know them even better!

Janine

Gab:  "I'd love to say I'm the younger, better looking, skinnier woman standing in the photo - but I'm not!! I'm the one sitting down!"  (But I think since she's the one getting the present, she's really better off.  LOL)

Part of the fun part of welcoming a new Mod Squad to TSR is getting to interview them.  Here's what Gab and Janine had to say over a (virtual) cup of coffee with me:

So, how did you two get started in scrapbooking?

Janine:  I start scrapbooking fervently once my first child was born.  I took so many pictures and wanted to document their stories.   A friend introduced me to Creative Memories and I used their products exclusively for 6-7 years.  I have over a dozen albums completed from that time.  However, I became bored with their products, and started seeking out new ways to tell my stories.  That is when I found TSR. Now, my paper driven interest has moved into also being a creative design outlet for me.

Gab:   I'm not really sure how I first heard about scrapbooking. I've always done crafts and always liked stationery - when I was little I wanted to own a newsagent which is a shop that sells newspapers and magazines and stationery and Lotto tickets and things like that. I get a craft shopping magazine once a quarter, and in it there was a "Hot off the Press" book on scrapbooking - I ordered it and devoured it. At that time I was living in Hong Kong and there wasn't really any scrapbooking shops. A friend of mine had just had a baby and her mothers' group was doing an introductory scrapbooking session - it was Creative Memories. So I went along and got hooked. Soon I was buying stuff online. And I bought magazines. One day I was on the ferry reading PaperKuts magazine (don't know if anyone will remember them?) and bumped into a friend that I only knew slightly. She was reading Creating Keepsakes. So we got talking and got to know each other better and eventually opened up a business together selling scrapbooking supplies and running classes.

Wow, Gab!  So you must have some favorite paper lines after being immersed in a business like that, huh?

Hmm, favourites is always a problem for me as I can never narrow it down! When I first got started in scrapbooking hands down my favourite manufacturer was Making Memories. That was before they even did paper. They had rub-ons (I still have some!), and frames and just cute embellishments. Then for a few years my fave was KI Memories. Then I fell in love with Chatterbox - they were one of the first companies my friend and I opened an account with. Then I discovered Scenic Route and Basic Grey. I was very sad when CBX and SR stopped manufacturing. Now days it's probably a tie between October Afternoon, Basic Grey, and Jillibean Soup.

How about you, Janine?

1. My Mind's Eye - classic and beautiful papers
2. Basic Grey - same reason - it's all about beautiful paper, isn't it?
3. American Crafts - what would I do without their alphabets
4. Following in fourth place is a three way tie: Fancy Pants, Lily Bee and Pink Paislee because they consistently put out lines that stand out among my favorites.

Alright, Janine... I challenge you to tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

1. I am a one-handed scrapper.
2. I have relentless determination to accomplish tasks that I find worthy and desirable.
3. My favorite foods are lasagna, anything super spicy and Godiva truffles.
4. I once tried to race a police car at 1:00 in the morning when I thought it was a friend on the road coming up behind me.
5. I'm a certified scuba diver.

Whoa! Alright, I'm coming over to dinner sometime. *grins* And finally, Gab, what is your desk trying to say to you right now?

OMG my poor desk! I'm not really a tidy person and the biggest disadvantage of having my own scrap room is also the biggest advantage - the fact that I can close the door!! I very rarely have even 12" of space on my desk so I know it would be shouting at me to put some stuff away! I'm actually in the process of sorting and purging and deciding what scrappy goodies to take to Hong Kong as we move back there on 10 Jan.

And we've gotten the update from Gab since this interview that not only did they make it just fine to Hong Kong, but ALL their luggage did, too! Here's hoping for some scrappy happiness for you in Hong Kong again, Gab!

Both Janine and Gab have a favorite layout to share with you. Enjoy, and stop by and say hello the next time you are on the Message Board!

"Teddy Bear Picnic" by Gab

"He Did It Just For You" by Janine

- Theresa/Savi

Mod Squad: Andrea & Joyce!

If you've been anywhere near our Message Board this month, you've noticed that Andrea & Joyce are our new moderators for the quarter - and their goal is to keep us all chattering and challenged and inspired to get more pages done.  I can support that!  *grin*  And since they're at the helm for the next 3 months, I thought it would be fun to get to know them a little bit better.  Plus, I am maybe a little bit nosy.  *wink*

Did you know Andrea & Joyce live near each other and are friends from way back?  Yep, awesomeness!  

Joyce (on the left) says:  "Here is a picture of Andrea and I at a crop together back in the spring. We like this one because we are doing our favorite thing together....scrapping at a crop!"

Andrea, how did you get started scrapping?

I got started in scrapbooking in 2001.  I was invited to a CM party.  I had always scrapped in a sense.  I loved to save all memorabilia, and took lots of pictures & stuck them, randomly, into books.  Anyway, I went to that party and the rest is history.  I bought a little 5 x 7 scrap book & the kit to go along with it & that was it...I was hooked.  I was stuck on CM for quite some time & then branched out when I discovered all of the other beauty the scrapbook world held for me!  HA!!  Luckily, I did do CM or I would have never met Joyce!! 

Joyce, you've been scrapping for a while now.  What 3 tools and piece of advice would give a newbie scrapper?

Tools:  Paper trimmer, a good pair of scissors, and a Creative Memories multi-purpose tool.  Advice:  Be inspired by others scrapping abilities but don't ever feel like your pages aren't "good enough". You are preserving memories and that is beautiful thing! 

Okay, Andrea.  Five random facts about yourself!  Go!

1. I LOVE Hulk Hogan.  If I ever meet him I WILL kiss him, and I want him to flex his bicep so I can hang from it.  My husband has been warned.
2. I want to go to all 50 states before I travel out of the country.  Well, unless I could convince my husband to take us to Niagara Falls, Canada side. 
3. I have never been drunk.  Not even lying!  
4. I love the way my husband smells when he gets home from work all sweaty & dirty.  Rawr!!
5. I have approximately 350+ LO's that need to go into albums, and I still need to buy the albums.  UGH!!

Joyce?  How about you?

1. Coffee is my favorite beverage.
2. Together my hubby and I have 7 kids and all of our names begin with J while all our animals begin with C.
3. I can't sleep with my feet out of the covers for fear something will grab them.
4. I have to have something red in every room of the house.
5. I love Nutty Bars! I mean, really love them....they are good with coffee!

Andrea, what is your desk trying to tell you right now?

If my desk could talk it would be asking me why all I ever do is make bows anymore!  I'm sure it is crying that I don't love it anymore. I had to scrap on a different table Monday night because I have too much ribbon, bottlecaps, glue sticks, etc. on my scrap table.  It's terrible, but I do love it, and I promise it I will scrap on it again...very very very soon! 

So what non-scrappy items are in *your* space right now, Joyce?

Shania Twain CD, my 'Dotty' Scentsy warmer, my collection of DVD's (Sweet Home Alabama, Andy Griffith, Gilmore Girls), a bird house my son made for me when he was 6 (he is 29 now), my collection of hand made items from Kenya, and Russian dolls.

Sounds like we're in for a fun time, ladies!  I wish I lived a little closer, myself.  I can imagine coffee (and nutty bars!) with these two would involve lots of giggling and perhaps a little coffee out the nose periodically.

Now before you head back to the Message Board to see what Andrea & Joyce are up to today... here are their favorite layouts to share with you.  Enjoy the inspiration!

"This is Us" by Joyce

"Pure Joy" by Andrea

- Theresa/"Savi"