Think you know all there is to know about Cut Loose author Crystal Jeffrey Rieger? Think again! I (Kristin) have the scoop right here, a little insight into what makes Crystal tick.
After reading the Q&A, stop by the messageboard to ask your own questions of Crystal. And don't forget to enter the Cut Loose giveaway before Monday, July 9. Click here for entry details.
And now, my Q&A with Crystal...
1. What gave you the idea for Cut Loose? OK, here is the short version. I have always been a rule breaker. Even as an adult whenever someone tells me to do one thing I automatically want to do the opposite. Just ask my husband. Now the long version and possibly more informative? (Of course this is debatable. Talk among yourselves.) I grew up in an environment where I was encouraged to think for myself and to question everything. And of course when I discovered scrapbooking this way of thinking translated to it. When I first started scrapbooking I needed to find out everything about it. Once I had learned this and felt comfortable, my scrapbooking started to change. I stopped mimicking others and started creating for myself. Suddenly I didn't want to only make my pages from left to right or pick colors from my photos. The rule breaker started kicking in. I then wanted to encourage others to be OK with doing things differently and to try new things.
2. What was it like being a Memory Makers Master? Best gig ever! Loved, loved, loved it. In fact, I just pretend I am still a current MM Master so I can live in my happy bubble.
3. What’s in your purse right now? I actually don't carry a purse. Weird, I know, but I would just end up lugging too much stuff around. I carry a wristlet.
4. What scrappers do you admire? I love scrappers who say they are not creative. I love that they think that about themselves yet they are scrapbooking. It makes me laugh every time I hear it. Creativity doesn't need to be the latest and greatest to be creative 5. If you weren’t a stay-at-home-scrapper, what would you be doing? Clearly I would be a super awesome business-type-person who made a gazillion dollars by day, a fabulous Broadway star with rave reviews by night and in my spare time the probably the tooth fairy. I mean, a girl can never have too many options.
6. What are some of your favorite blogs? I have a short attention span and love to flit from one strange and weird blog to the next. Some of my recent favorites: -Icing: About nothing serious but love the rambles and the eye candy. -It's (K)not Wood: Cannot pull myself away from this. -A Little Hut: Totally inspires me. -Matt, Liz and Madeline: Heartbreaking, but love the human strength. -Design Mom: 'cause I am a mom and I love design. There are many more and they will probably all change next week.
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Tomorrow, read more about Crystal in Part 2 of the Q&A!
Are you stuck on the scrapbooking rules? Tell us, and you’ll get a chance to win a copy of Memory Makers Books' newest release Cut Loose.
Cut Loose, by '07 Memory Makers Master (and super-blogger)
Crystal Jeffrey Rieger, is all about taking away the “shoulds" of
scrapbooking. With lots of great layouts that illustrate how to break
30 common scrapbooking “rules” (like “patterned paper must match”), Cut Loose is
bound to spark a bit of rebellion in you and get you creating in fresh
new ways. Plus, in the book Crystal shares step-by-step instructions
for fun techniques, challenges for cutting loose, and makeovers showing
the same layouts both following and breaking the rules. (And who
doesn’t love a good makeover?)
To enter the Cut Loose giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post
answering this question: Are you a cut loose scrapper or do you have
trouble letting go? The winner will be posted on the S+P blog on
Monday morning, July 7. Remember, the winner will be posted on the blog
on Monday, so you need to check back here on Monday to find out if
you’ve won!
And check back here this week for more Cut Loose fun.
What are your summer scrapbooking plans? Tell us, and you’ll get a chance to win a copy of Travel Scrapbooks!
Do you plan to take a scrapbooking getaway? Will you finally scrap last summer’s trip? Or are you staying home and enjoying some uninterrupted scrapping time? Whatever your summer vacation plans and wherever your travels have taken you, Travel Scrapbooks is every traveler’s companion to creating amazing mini albums highlighting favorite destinations—complete with innovative ideas and techniques for displaying those stacks of vacation photos and souvenirs.
To enter the Travel Scrapbooks giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post answering this question: What are your summer scrapbooking plans? The winner will be posted on the S+P blog on Monday morning, June 9.The giveaway is open until this post reads "Closed." Remember, the winner will be posted on the blog on Monday, so you need to check back here on Monday to find out if you’ve won!
Good morning, scrappers! Kristin, here. I’m so excited to announce the release of Memory Makers’ newest book, Modern Memory Keeper. Stay tuned this week for some sneek peeks of the amazing art in the book. In the meantime, read on to learn more about authorRonee Parsons and modern memory keeping. Then visit the messageboard to ask your own questions of Ronee and chat with other scrappers.
Snapshot: 3 Quick Questions
MC Kristin: How did you get started scrapbooking? Ronee Parsons: I started when my son was about one year. I had been collecting photos and ephemera to make him a baby book, and finally just jumped right in.
MCK: What creative project are you hoping to tackle next? RP: Oh my! I have so many projects that I want to get done, including a slipcover for my couch and finishing up two mixed media collages I've been working on. But I think I'm most excited to try out this awesome pattern for pants that I found at burdastyle.com. (Who knows when all of that will actually get done though!)
MCK: What blog do you visit most often? Apartment Therapy. I love all the different color combinations, seeing the personality in each little created space, and the inspiration for DIY projects.
The Deep Stuff
MCK: This book is all about scrapbooking family heritage photos, old and new. What is the most important thing you’d like readers to get out of Modern Memory Keeper? RP: There is no one way to scrap heritage photos. You don't have to do them all, you don't have to do them in order, and you definitely don't have to use only browns! Heritage pages can be just as expressive of your own personality and artistic style as your everyday photos.
I think it's pretty easy to get overwhelmed with heritage because the research can be so daunting, but really, you just need to find one photo that you like, one that inspires you, and then discover the story behind it. The rest is just self-expression.
MCK: What gave you the idea for the book? RP: I have a huge family! Tons of photos, tons of heritage photos, and honestly I felt that there were so many stories outside of my own that had shaped me and my life that I wanted to capture. I love color and texture and I felt that, although the photos of my fabulous ancestors were in black and white (or shades of faded brown), their stories were full of life and color. I wanted to represent that and share that in this book.
MCK: Tell us something unexpected about yourself. RP: One of my favorite CDs is Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell.” I suppose it's officially considered an “album” since it came out five years before I was born!
MCK: Your blog is called “Scrapper’s Muse.” What are your muses? RP: I love movies, music and books. If you look closely you'll find a lot of lyrics and quotes interspersed in my journaling on projects. My favorite movie is Casablanca (and actually, I talk about it a bit in the book) and I love all sorts of books. It's wonderful the way one book or movie can lead to the next. It's like they almost jump off the shelf at me. The book I'm reading now, Women Who Run with the Wolves, says, "Stories are medicine." That really rings true for me.
MCK: What’s your favorite layout or project from the book? RP: The first one that comes to mind is the "Treehouse" layout on page 16, and also the "Over Seas" album on page 104 … and "The Tree" album cover on page 120. Oh I don't know, I like all of them! There is a beautiful layout contributed by Cindy Ellen Russell that you definitely have to check out: "Timeless" on page 99.
MCK: Do you have anything else to share with readers? RP: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share! My main hope for the book is that a few people find inspiration in it. If that happens then it is a success.
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To keep up with Ronee on a regular basis, check out her blog. And don't forget to pick up a copy of Modern Memory Keeper!
I promised you a peek of the fabulous art in Ronee Parsons' new book Modern Memory Keeper, (now available)!
First, let me share a little about the book. Modern Memory Keeper helps you honor your family's life and times in a colorful new way. Ronee teaches how to create modern heritage keepsakes that celebrate the generations who have shaped your life, as well as family memories in the making. Plus, you'll discover innovative ways to gather stories and convey them in pages, helpful tips for digitally restoring damaged photos and 16 creative step-by-step techniques.
So pick up a copy and let Modern Memory Keeper be your inspiration for creating a visual memoir that will breathe new life into your family's richly unique history!
And don't forget to check out the Q+A with Ronee on the blog and ask your own questions of Ronee on the messageboard.
