Crafting in Croatia: My first Designing Friend and a multi-challenge card

For my challenge card, please scroll below.

I'm so happy to introduce you to one of my designing friends this month.

I've been a fan of her great blog since I found it while checking out the CPS challenge blog a few months ago, where she is a DT member. She also designs for...get this...Glitz Designs and Provocraft. Lea's a whiz with her Cricut machine.

Her style is eclectic, that's one reason I love her work. She can whip up a stunning CAS card and go vintage shabby the next. That takes talent, my friends. :-) Just look at this beautiful card she made using Lovely Labels without the Spellbinder Labels 4!

I asked her a few questions just so you all can get to know her better:

1. How long have you been paper crafting and how did you get started?

I have done some form of paper crafting from a very young age, as I have always had a love of photographs, stationary, stickers, and writing. I officially began scrapbooking the summer after my senior year of high school because my aunt gave me a scrapbooking kit as my graduation gift. I got into card making in 2005, and haven't looked back since! I don't scrapbook much anymore, but I love to sit in my craft room utilizing all the fun new paper and stamp products to make cards galore!

2. What are your current favorite:

Techniques: Lately it has been glittering!
Tools: corner rounder, border punches, and my Cricut Expression!
Embellishments: Ribbon, buttons, & of course, jewels!

3. What makes a "WOW" card, in your opinion?

I think good color combination, complimentary embellishing, and rounded corners make for a crisp & clean card with lots of "WOW!" factor.

4. What inspires you to create? Define your crafting style.

Colors, patterned papers, and new stamp sets inspire me to create!! And I will go on record saying that my craft style has multiple personalities. Most of the time it is clean and simple...but sometimes other personalities take over and you will see cards covered in product, ultra embellished, and a little bit crazy!

5. Tell us something about your family. Where are you from? Other interests besides paper crafting. Or any random fact about you.

My family consists of my husband of almost 8 years, Josh, and our two dogs; a yorkie named Bailey, and a cocker spaniel named Sadie. I am also super close with my parents, and my 19 year old brother, Casey. We often drive the 2.5 hours just to spend the day together, and vice versa. I love high school and college football, so fall is my favorite time of year!! I finished photography school in October of 2009, and am now working on getting my business going. My focus is senior portraiture and fine art wedding photography...but I really do love to photograph football as well!

6. Do you have a favorite quote/verse that you live by?

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." ~Joseph Cardinal Suenens

There you have it, peeps. Now, go drool over her other beautiful projects on HER BLOG and get inspired.
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Multi-Challenge Card

And here's a card I'm entering in Lucy's polka dot challenge, The Pink Elephant #54 to use ribbons, Stamp Something Cute challenge, Spoonful of Sugar springtime challenge. These challenges all speak my language!