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
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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 …
I’d also like to welcome our March Calendar Girl, Lydia Tarbox (ltarbox), and introduce this month’s Guest Designer, Suzy Iverson of 
As the song goes, all you need is love
… and within a family there is an abundance to capture. There are so many little glimpses into the power love holds. When my children look back through my scrapbooks as adults I want them to feel the overwhelming love I have for them. I want them to see my heart on each and every page.
