Thursday, January 17, 2008

Guest Designer: Kim Reid

Today's guest designer is my good blogging friend, Kim Reid! Kim is not only an extremely talented and inspirational scrapbooker, she also makes the most fabulously adorable cards and altered projects. Her recent love of all things Magnolia has produced some jaw-dropping creations, that you should check out on her blog, Kraftin' Kimmie's Korner. I always love dropping in to see what she's been spinning her creative magic on. I'm sure you're dying to check out her Polka Stars creations and read her answers to my nosy questions, so let's get on with it. You can click the photos below to see Kimmie's creations close-up with an ingredient list.

How did you get hooked on stamping? My first love is actually scrapbooking. I have a gorgeous daughter who is the light of my life and has had flash bulbs going off in her little face for the last 15 years....she's used to it! So I had decided to get creative with all these photos sitting in albums and started to scrap. I had been finding my way around that creative path when someone invited me to a Stampin' Up workshop and went, thinking the whole time that I would NEVER buy stamps just to make my own cards!! Never gonna happen!!! Well, then she showed me how I could used them in my scrapbooks....the background stamps, the alphabets, the coordinating papers.....oh my!!! And the rest, as they say, is history......or rather, my bank account, as they say, is empty!!! And a stamper was born!!!

How often do you stamp? Every stinkin' spare minute I can find!!! And with my job at the library, a house to keep running and a teenager to run around town, that's not easy!!!

Do you have your own stamping space or do you share it with the cat, dining room, coat closet, etc . ? I am fortunate enough to have the spare bedroom turned into my studio!! Unfortunately, now we can't have guests sleep over, but oh well!! I don't want people stayin' that long anyway.........baaaahahahaha!! Really though, they have to sleep on a futon on the floor......priorities people!!!

Do you stay true to a stamping budget, or are you swayed by all the enabling out in stampland? Oh good grief....is my husband gonna see this??? I don't have a budget.......I try to do my best to support the stamping economy, so I'm easily enabled and I, in turn, make sure to enable others!!! I mean, what would happen if all of a sudden all the stamp and scrapbook stores closed up and disappeared???? You'd all come over to my house, that's what!!!

What is the latest stamping toy you've picked up that just made your heart go pitter patter? My new Copic markers!! Aaaahhhh!!! I got some for Christmas and I've barely had a chance to use them, but I know I'm going to need LOTS of practice. Better go get started!!!

Name one stamp or stamp set that you don't think you'll ever part with. I will never part with Roses in Winter by Stampin' Up because it makes a super elegant card in just a matter of minutes for any occasion. Also my latest love is Magnolia stamps.....as you can tell by my blog......and I can't EVER see parting with any of them. I collect them like some people collect figurines!!

What do you love most about papercrafting? I will always be forever grateful for the amazingly generous and creative people that I have met through this hobby/addiction!! I have awesome friends all over the globe that I have never 'met' in person, but have shared online relationships with and it makes my stamping life a true joy!!


What do you consider to be your stamping strengths? Geez, that's a tough one. I don't think I really have a strength. I'm trying to improve in every area of my stamping. But maybe I'd say ..... embellishing in just the right way. When friends are stamping they always ask me, 'what else does this need?' and I usually suggest adding some ribbon here, or a metal embellishment there....maybe a sentiment in here or whatever.

Who is your stamping hero (someone whose work inspires you challenge yourself creatively)? Man, just head on over to Splitcoast and pick a random user!! They ALL inspire me every day....that's why I practically live on SCS!!! It's too hard to pick just one. I'm constantly blog hopping and drooling over all the amazing talent out there. That's what keeps my motivated, practicing, constantly learning and creating!!!

So isn't Kim's work beautiful, and what about her gorgeous daughter? Be sure and leave a little love for Kim and her fabulous work before you leave. Okey dokey, that wraps up our Guest Designer Spotlight series for this month. We'll see ya tomorrow, when Shannan kicks off our series of Project Parade posts by the Verve Design team to give you even more fabulous ideas for using the latest Verve stamps!