Our March Guest Designer already shared her talents with us through her wonderful free download earlier this month and her fabulous templates and goodies shared through our Challenge Chats. Today she shares a bit more of herself through a Q&A-style interview. Read on to learn all about Suzy Iverson of SuzyQ Scraps … and be sure to enter our giveaway contest for a chance to win the full version of her amazing new kit, Serendipity!

Name:  Suzy Iverson (design name SuzyQ Scraps)

Username: suzyqscraps

Location: Ranch outside Garrison, Utah

Retail Outlet: Scrap Orchard

Please tell us a little about yourself … your family, your background, pets, hobbies, etc… I’m a SAHM to a rambunctious 2-year-old boy and wife to an amazing husband of almost 4 years. We are blessed to live in the middle of nowhere. I love the solitude and wide open spaces – and seeing bazillions of stars on clear nights. I graduated with a BS in biology (yep, I wanted to be a zookeeper) and now spend most of my free time in creative pursuits. Not where I thought I’d be 5 years later – but definitely happy. I love to create! I also enjoy reading, baking desserts (love me some cheesecake!), hiking & camping, and learning.

Are you a digital, paper or hybrid scrapper/designer? What do you like most about this method? I started paper scrapping as a teenager, back when severely cropping photos was the way to do things. I never progressed much beyond papers and stickers in all those years. In 2007, I started searching for a way to use a computer to scrapbook and stumbled upon digital scrapbooking. I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m just starting to dabble a bit in hybrid … I’ll let you know how it goes. I think one of my favorite aspects of digi-scrapping is being able to UNDO things. I’m safe to crop and move and adjust sizes to my heart’s content without any of it being permanent. No more wasted paper or ruined photos that I have to reprint. (And there’s no mess to clean up!)

And Many More... Kit

How long have you been a designer & how did you first get started? Officially, I’ve been a designer 15 months. I started playing around designing my own stuff from the very beginning and spent over a year learning all I could. I gave away my first freebie on my blog in December 2008 and started selling shortly thereafter.

Is scrapbook product design your full-time job? If not, what else do you do? I’m a full-time mom and wife – though the hours spent designing and tackling tasks related to product design probably equal a full-time job.

What software & platform do you use in your design work? Do you use any other special tools? I design on a PC – just bought a new one actually and I am LOVING its speed. I design in Photoshop CS4 and Illustrator CS4. I also use a Bamboo Fun graphics tablet. And I’d be lost without my sketch book and a handful of pencils (and a very abused eraser, lol!).

Has your design style changed over time? What has influenced this? As a brand new designer, I was constantly trying new things and mixing & matching different styles, trying to find my own niche. Confidence was a big factor in helping me decide on my current style – just trusting myself that I could do what I enjoyed & not worrying too much about what others would think about it.

Dino-RAWR! Kit

What is your biggest challenge as a scrapbook product designer? Time is definitely a big challenge, though delegating some tasks to CT members and my assistant have totally helped with that. So I guess the biggest challenge is the amount of competition in the market – trying to establish myself among all the amazing digital scrapbook designers, and stay true to myself and my designs.

What has been the biggest reward or most fulfilling aspect of being a scrapbook product designer? I find the whole creation process to be so fulfilling as an individual – but there’s nothing more rewarding for that labor of love than seeing such beautiful layouts created with my designs. It gives me tingles knowing someone chose to preserve their memories with my creations – it’s very humbling.

Where do you get your product ideas? Who & what inspires you? I find product ideas everywhere. I’m inspired by my family, nature, magazines, clothes, Web sites … even dreams, lol! My mom also likes to send ideas my way.

How long does it typically take you to design a full kit from concept to delivery? What is your process? Hmm … well, I tend to jot down ideas for kits in a notebook. I flesh out those ideas when I’m ready to tackle the kit, so from the brainstorming process to the finished product, I’d say around 3 or 4 days on average. Occasionally when I’m super inspired (and my sweet husband has the day off), I’ve been able to do an entire kit, start to finish, in 1 day. But that doesn’t happen very often.

My process … I usually start with an idea for a theme. Then I spend time brainstorming and fleshing out the idea, including possible color options. I draw & doodle and then finalize the color scheme. Then I build the patterns for the papers, with some overlap in element design. I usually texture the patterns and solids before tackling the rest of the elements. I almost always finish up with the alpha. And then of course there’s packaging and uploading and marketing.

Love Monsters Kit

What is your favorite kit and why? Right now Love Monsters is my favorite. I love the colors and I think the monsters turned out so adorable. The design of the kit just flowed … the kit is just so “me” and I just love it!

How do you incorporate “real life” scrapbooking into your personal & professional scrapbooking & design work? Personal scrapbooking – I don’t hide anything. I scrap the happy and the sad, the good and the bad (and yes, even the ugly). I struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of my son and I still have some dark layouts from that time. Scrapbooking is therapy … it helps me to document what I’m feeling, how I’m progressing and improving. I want my son and future children to know ALL of me, to see how all the aspects of my life defined who I was and am.

Professional scrapbooking – I encourage my blog readers, customers, and fans to scrap it all. I have a monthly challenge on my blog, and starting in March the challenge is all about scrapbooking our journeys through life, with journal prompts that help us to document the sweet and the bitter. I’m really excited about these challenges. I also try to create versatile kits that can be used for any layout, and even kits like Ouchies & Ickies that help scrappers document the not-so-happy moments.

Journey 365 Jumbo Kit

What has been your most popular product? Journey Jumbo 365 – unless you count the combined sales of my Stitch Hiccups collection.

What fills your time when you are NOT scrapbooking? Chasing after a 2-year-old, lol! When I’m not scrapbooking or designing, I’m spending time with my family or pursuing talents & hobbies. I enjoy playing video games with my hubby, working on house projects, baking food, and playing outside.

What advice do you have for fellow scrapbookers interested in pursuing the scrapbook product design field? I always encourage people to pursue their dreams … but make sure you prepare, and that you know what you’re getting into. Designing is only part of being a designer – answering emails, packaging & previewing, marketing & advertising, building your brand, interacting with customers, blogging, etc. eat up a HUGE portion of my design time.

When you’re ready to pursue that dream, you’ll know – and then STICK WITH IT. More than once I’ve wanted to give up … throw in my design hat and call it quits. But I’m so glad I chose to hang in there because it just keeps getting better and better.

Anything else you’d like to add? Just keep learning and stretching yourself – in your scrapbooking skills and in your life. And remember to scrap your whole journey!

And of course, the brand new release you’ve all been waiting for … the full version of Serendipity created especially for Log Your Memory to coordinate with Logbook Weekly Challenge #11!

Serendipity Kit

This brand new kit is now available for purchase from Suzy’s store, but one lucky Log Your Memory blog reader will win the entire kit for FREE in today’s Guest Designer Giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment below sharing something you think of as your lucky charm. One random winner will be drawn from all comments received here on the blog as of midnight (MTN) tomorrow, Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Our winner will be announced in Wednesday’s Story Board post. Good luck!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

Our February Guest Designer already shared her talents with us through her wonderful free download earlier this month. Today she shares a bit more of herself through a Q&A-style interview. Read on to learn all about Misty Cato of Misty Cato Designs … and be sure to enter our giveaway contest for a chance to win the full version of her amazing new kit!

Name: Misty Cato
Username: mistycato
Location: Everett, Washington

Retail Outlets:

• Sweet Shoppe Designs
  

Please tell us a little about yourself … your family, your background, pets, hobbies, etc… I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, just north of Seattle with my husband of 11 years, Barron, and our two children, Jamin (age 5) and Mya (age 2).  I met my husband while we were both students at Washington State University.  I have a degree in Chemistry and worked in research for bit and then Hospital Administration before leaving the 8-5 world to stay at home with my kids.

Are you a digital, paper or hybrid scrapper/designer? What do you like most about this method? I am a digital scrapper.  I sit in awe of talented paper scrappers and hybrid artists, but scissors and I don’t get along.  I’m lost without an ‘Undo’ button.

How long have you been a designer & how did you first get started? I’ve been designing for over 4 years.  I left a fast-paced job to stay home with my newborn son who ended up being quite a sleeper.  I found myself with a lot of time on my hands and a ton of photos. I started using my computer to put my photos on colorful backgrounds with some clip-art.  I didn’t even know digital scrapbooking existed. It wasn’t long before I found the online digital scrapping community and things took off from there.

Is scrapbook product design your full-time job? If not, what else do you do? Yes and no.  I consider being a stay-at-home mom my full-time job, but if you add up all the hours I spend each week designing products, promoting, and writing tutorials, it is probably in the ballpark of a 40-hour work week. My hours are pretty unconventional.  I get my design time in during naps and once the kids are in bed.  My husband takes over with the kids on Saturdays so I can devote the whole day to designing.  He’s completely supportive of my design work.  I’m a lucky gal.

What software & platform do you use in your design work? Do you use any other special tools? I use a PC and tablet.

"Sending All My Love" Kit

Has your design style changed over time? What has influenced this? Hmmm, I think my style has refined over the years, but I don’t know that I’ve had any major shifts in style.  I’m always learning new techniques and skills, and I try to incorporate them into my work.   

What is your biggest challenge as a scrapbook product designer? It can be challenging coming up with new products week after week.  After four years it often feels like I have done every color palette I can imagine twice over.  There are so many wonderful designers producing amazing products that I often find myself asking, “Does the industry really need another pink princess kit?” (or whatever theme I’m considering).

"Where Fairies Dance" Kit

What has been the biggest reward or most fulfilling aspect of being a scrapbook product designer? I did a CT call a year or so ago and asked applicants to link me up to their favorite page.  I read stories of soldiers returning from war, weight-loss journeys, baby’s first steps, loved-ones who’ve passed on, funny anecdotes from family life … it just went on and on.  Every page was so unique and special.  Some of them used my designs, but many did not. Still I remember sitting there thinking about what a wonderful community this is and how blessed I am to be part of preserving history.

Where do you get your product ideas? Who & what inspires you? Quite often I’ll design a kit based on my own scrapping needs or to go with a specific photo.  I frequent general design blogs, but more often than not, find inspiration in everyday life, my kids or nature.

"First Glimpse His and Hers" Kit

How long does it typically take you to design a full kit from concept to delivery? What is your process? I have an idea file on my computer filled with various color palettes and theme ideas.  When I’m ready to work on a kit, I start with a color palette and a loose idea of the style.  I usually do the papers first and finish up with the elements, but it doesn’t always happen that way.  I used to be able to design a kit in a week, but lately it can take me two or more.  I just don’t have as much time in front of the computer that I had a year ago.

What has been your most popular product? ABC & 123 is probably my best selling kit to date.  I’ve often wondered if it is because it comes up first when my kits are listed alphabetically.

"Spring Into Boyhood" Kit

What is your favorite kit and why? Probably Spring into Boyhood or Rocky Shores.  I feel most ‘at home’ with my design work when I get to work with muted colors and lots of texture; both of these kits are good examples.  Spring into Boyhood is close to my heart because it is inspired by my son. So many spring kits are about flowers, gardening, rainbows and whatnot.  My son thrives in the spring, but could care less about flowers and rainbows.  With Spring into Boyhood I feel like I was able to capture the best things about spring in the eyes of my son.  Rocky Shores is inspired by the Pacific Northwest.  We have beautiful beaches, but you won’t find palm trees, endless sunshine or white sand.  It was my way of celebrating driftwood, rocky beaches and overcast skies.

"Rocky Shores" Kit

How do you incorporate “real life” scrapbooking into your personal & professional scrapbooking & design work? This year I’m determined to put meaningful journaling on every page I create.  Eventually I want my pages to feel like storybooks; some reading like family adventures, others like memoirs of a mom, but storybooks just the same. I often ask myself if I could read a scrapbook about my great-great grandparents, what kinds of things would I be delighted to learn about?  Then I make sure I am capturing those things in our scrapbooks.  After all, one day my great-great grandchildren might be reading them.

What fills your time when you are NOT scrapbooking? Exploring the Puget Sound with my kids.  We go everywhere – museums, parks, zoos.  There are some many wonderful things to do here and it is fun to discover them with my two favorite munchkins.  I’m starting a blog devoted to family friendly activities in the Pacific Northwest.  It is still a work-in-progress, but I’d love it if any fellow Pacific Northwesters stopped by

What advice do you have for fellow scrapbookers interested in pursuing the scrapbook product design field? Do it if you love it.  If you love it, you will grow and will enjoy it no matter what others say about your work or if you make any money.  It’s ok if one of your goals is to make money, but you still need to love what you are doing.

Anything else you’d like to add? Thanks for this opportunity!  I love the mission of Log Your Memory and am thrilled to be a part of it this month.

And of course, the brand new release you’ve all been waiting for … the full version of Adoration created especially for Log Your Memory!

This brand new kit is now available for purchase from Misty’s store, but one lucky Log Your Memory blog reader will win the entire kit for FREE in today’s Guest Designer Giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment below sharing something you simply adore. One random winner will be drawn from all comments received here on the blog as of midnight (MTN) tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Our winner will be announced in Wednesday’s Story Board post. Good luck!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

If you’ve been having fun playing with the free sampler of “Color of Music” by Julie Marie Designs, you are probably anxious to get your hands on the full kit released just this week at Elemental Scraps.

The good news is this kit is now available for purchase. The even better news is we are about to announce the name of the one lucky winner of yesterday’s giveaway who will be downloading the full kit for free.

Before I share the winner’s name, however, check out some of these great pages from our gallery that were created with this fantastic kit…

"Music" by shmooangel

"A Little Country, A Little Rock" by alien21xx

"Musically Inclined" by jend

"Fanatic" by ltarbox

"Music in Me" by aly321

Commenters on yesterday’s giveaway post included:

1. lindainsask
2. margotmacg
3. Claudi
4. zonemama
5. Crystal
6. Sue
7. tettletop20
8. DonnaNJ

And now the name you’ve been waiting for … the winner of our giveaway, chosen by random number generator, is:

Claudi says: January 18, 2010 at 4:26 am Music is something I really can’t live without…. I always sing or hear music! And singing is something I really love! Esp. praise-music is something I just LOVE. I love to praise the lord with music!!

Congratulations to Claudi! Check your email for information on how to download your free kit!

And thanks to everyone who shared their musical stories & questions for Julie in yesterday’s post!

Click on “comment” below to share your thoughts…

Our January Guest Designer has already shared her talents with us through her fabulous free download earlier this month. Today she shares a bit more of herself through a Q&A-style interview. Read on to learn all about Julie Klaus of Julie Marie Designs … and be sure to enter our giveaway contest for a chance to win the full version of her amazing new kit!

January Guest Designer Julie Klaus of Julie Marie Designs

Name: Julie Klaus
Username: juliemarie
Location: Idaho

Retail Outlets:

• Elemental Scraps
• Gotta Pixel
• Also a guest at The Digi Chick in January.

My Blog: http://juliemariedesigns.com

Please tell us a little about yourself … your family, your background, pets, hobbies, etc… I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With two daughters – a teenager and a preschooler  – there is never a dull moment in my home! Even the dog is exhausted!

Are you a digital, paper or hybrid scrapper/designer? What do you like most about this method? I will always be a digital scrapper, it is really my main addiction. I have also paper scrapped in the past, and I have done some hybrid as well. Digital scrapping fits my lifestyle much better at the moment because it’s so easy to work on a layout for a few minutes at a time.

How long have you been a designer & how did you first get started? When I discovered digital scrapbooking in 2006, I had just became a stay-at-home mom. My former job was working with Photoshop, so I knew that I could create the products as well as scrapbook, but it took me awhile to get serious about designing! I began taking designing seriously a little over a year ago.

Is scrapbook product design your full-time job? If not, what else do you do? I also sell Scentsy products. I don’t actually do that for a “job,” rather I became a representative for them because I love their products so much and there wasn’t anyone locally! If you aren’t familiar with Scentsy scent warmers, they are a safe way to have fragrance in your home without the dangers of candles.

What software & platform do you use in your design work? Do you use any other special tools? I’m a Windows girl. I use Adobe Photoshop CS4 & Illustrator. I also love using ACDSee for organizing. I have a Bamboo Fun tablet that I don’t like as much as I think I should

Has your design style changed over time? What has influenced this? Yes, I look back at older stuff and cringe because my stuff now is so much better. I have taken a couple classes on using Adobe products, plus I am always on the lookout for Photoshop or Illustrator tips & tutorials.

What is your biggest challenge as a scrapbook product designer? For me personally, it’s finding the time. Like most, I wish there were more hours in the day!

What has been the biggest reward or most fulfilling aspect of being a scrapbook product designer? Thank you letters I have received from customers. It’s nice to get a blog comment thank you for a freebie, but getting an email thank you is really touching!

Where do you get your product ideas? Who & what inspires you? Almost anything & everywhere! TV shows, magazines, catalogs, newspaper ads, clothing, bedding patterns, & my own photos.

How long does it typically take you to design a full kit from concept to delivery? What is your process? I almost always start with the papers first. It really just depends on my creativity & any deadline I have nearing (unfortunately I work better under pressure). A kit can take anywhere from one really, really long evening to a few weeks.

What has been your most popular product? Giving Thanks

What is your favorite kit and why? The Good Life – it reminds me of Olive Garden, one of my favorite restaurants!

How do you incorporate “real life” scrapbooking into your personal & professional scrapbooking & design work? Looking back at the layouts I did when I first began digital scrapbooking, I realize too many of them are just a photo with a bunch of elements. Of course I think they are beautiful, but 20 years from now looking back at them wouldn’t be much different than looking at just the photos. I now realize scrapbooking is about much more than a pretty layout focusing on a photo. Journaling is incredibly important. I often ask myself  “what doesn’t the photo tell?” and that is how I come up with more meaningful journaling.

What fills your time when you are NOT scrapbooking? First & foremost, my family. I also love photography, cooking, blog reading & watching tv.

What advice do you have for fellow scrapbookers interested in pursuing the scrapbook product design field? You need to be designing because you love it, not for the money. In the beginning it will take months of hard work with little pay. I think a lot of new designers end up stopping before they get successful.

Product Samples:

"Snow Berry"

Country Christmas

Planes, Trains & Cars

So Very Basic Paper Pack

And of course, the brand new release you’ve all been waiting for … the full version of Color of Music created especially for Log Your Memory!

Color of Music

This brand new kit is available for purchase from Julie’s store, but one lucky Log Your Memory blog reader will win the entire kit for FREE in today’s Guest Designer Giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment below either asking Julie a question of your own (to be answered later this month) or sharing one way in which music has enriched your life. One random winner will be drawn from all comments received here on the blog as of midnight (MTN) tonight, January 18, 2010. Our winner will be announced in tomorrow’s post. Good luck!

Click on “comment” below to share your thoughts…

I’ve got a special treat for you today.

This month marks the debut of the Log Your Memory Guest Designer program. Through this program, one talented scrapbooking product designer will be featured each month here on our site.

Each designer’s month-long stay will include  a special guest blog post, a freebie mini-kit download, and a generous giveaway of a brand new digi-kit developed in conjunction with one of our Weekly Challenges, just for starters. Many of our Guest Designers will also be offering special product discounts just for members of the Log Your Memory community.

January Guest Designer Julie Klaus of Julie Marie Designs

Our first Guest Designer has gone all out to get this program started on the right foot. January Guest Designer Julie Klaus of Julie Marie Designs has created an absolutely fantastic digital scrapbooking kit called “Color of Music” that will perfectly complement Weekly Challenge #3 … “Do you have a song that evokes a particular memory for you?” One lucky winner will receive her amazing kit for FREE in a giveaway following Julie’s guest Q&A post, which will be featured here on Monday, January 18th.

I’m anxious to share Julie’s kit with you, but that will have to wait until it is unveiled on the 18th. I will, however, share a little sneak preview with you today. Check out this mini-kit created from the full kit …

This isn’t just a preview, however. Julie has generously donated a FREE DOWNLOAD of this mini-kit for every visitor to our blog! All I ask in exchange for this great digital scrapbooking freebie is that you leave a comment below thanking Julie for the download.

If you like this kit, be sure to check out Julie’s other products. To help get you started, she has even shared a special coupon offer just for us. You can find that HERE in our Sponsor Gallery. And be sure to come back right here on January 18th to learn more about Julie and her designs, plus try your chances at winning her full Color of Music kit!

Interested in being a Guest Designer on our site? Find out more about the requirements HERE. If you’d like to apply, feel free to download an application HERE. You are also welcome to share this information with your favorite designer friends who might be interested in the opportunity themselves.

Did you know …

• The purchase of any version of the Memory Logbook or Real Life Scrapbooking Weekly Challenges qualifies you for membership in the Log Your Memory Book Club. However, enrollment is not automatic. You need to register HERE before you will officially be added to the Club roster.
• Now through January 31, 2010, you can get a 10% discount on book orders placed through Lulu.com by using coupon code: READMORE2010. I will also honor that coupon in our on-site store.
• You can now subscribe to our daily blog posts via Kindle. Give it a try with a free trial-subscription HERE.
• We have a new group on Flickr especially for all of you taking part in a Photo-A-Day project for 2010. You can join us HERE.
• You can also find Log Your Memory enthusiasts on Facebook and Twitter!
• The best way to support Log Your Memory is to share our message with your friends and family! Every time you post a note on Facebook, retweet on Twitter or share a link through your own blog, you’re helping this wonderful community to grow and thrive! So a huge THANK YOU for all you’ve done already … and please keep it up!

Click on “comment” below to share your thoughts…

Welcome to Day 6 of our Countdown to 2010 … the last day of 2009! As of midnight tonight, we’ll begin officially celebrating (and logging) the New Year!!!

There seems to be no shortage of wonderful Christmas traditions. Just check out the responses to this December Challenge post and you’ll see what I mean.

But I haven’t heard about as many New Year traditions. So I thought I’d share a couple of traditions from within my own immediate & extended families … and then invite you to share a few of your own, as well! In fact, I’m even throwing in a little giveaway for one random winner from everyone who posts a comment in response to today’s post.

Rutten/Gunderson/Neill New Year family traditions …

• Each individual in the family writing down predictions for the coming year, folding them up, then sealing them in an envelope to be read aloud on the next New Year’s Eve. This is usually good for at least a few giggles and can sometimes be quite revealing…
• Enjoying a steak fondue on the living room floor in front of the TV on New Year’s Eve.
• Staying up until midnight to watch the ball drop with Dick Clark.
• Watching the New Year’s Day parades on New Year’s Day morning.
• Taking down the Christmas tree & putting away the decorations for another year.

New Year, New Tradition …

In the spirit of traditions and to help celebrate the New Year, we’re going to start our own special New Year tradition at Log Your Memory! Beginning tomorrow, “real life” scrapbookers of all backgrounds, mediums, ability levels and life situations are invited to submit their favorite layouts each month for a chance to win a prize as well as be featured in our latest project … the creation of a Log Your Memory “Real Life” Scrapbooking Idea Yearbook!

Winners will be chosen monthly – one for every single day of every month – plus one talented scrapbooker will receive the special honor each month of being the highlighted Scrapper of the Month. Daily winners will each receive a $10 gift certificate good toward any downloadable product in our on-site store, plus have their layout featured in our Yearbook, which will be published early in 2011.  And the Scrapper of the Month will receive a check for $25.00, in addition to the $10 gift certificate and special attention in our Yearbook!

Look for contest rules & information on how to enter in the next several days right here on our blog! Don’t want to miss the announcement? Be sure you’re on our daily update email list … you can sign up or manage your email subscription HERE.

Today’s Giveaway …

Now for today’s giveaway … to enter, simply comment below and tell us about any New Year traditions you already practice or might be thinking about starting this year in your family. The contest closes at midnight (MTN) tonight and then tomorrow, one randomly-chosen winner will receive their choice of any one download from the Log Your Memory on-site store! Good luck & Happy New Year!!!

Don’t forget … midnight tonight is also the deadline to enter the Year-End 100 Things Layout Challenge as well as our December Challenge!!!

Click on “comment” below to share your thoughts…