Well Vesta was last month and it was her turn to pick someone for this months highlight.  She chose…me

So here goes…

All About Nicole

1.  When did you start scrapbooking and why?   I started scrapbooking when I was young. When I was real young I would make cards for people and sign Coley Creations on the back (which I still do).  In high school I had the folders with the clear pockets on the front andme and my best friend  would design covers for them with pictures of us and our friends.  Then in high school my aunt had a Creative Memories party and I spent over $100.00 out of my own paycheck and I was totally hooked.  This was my first experience with scrapbooking in the album sort of way.  I really haven’t stopped since.  I didn’t do much after high school. I got into family history research after my grandma died and wanted to preserve all of that information.   When I got together with Jacob and he had 2 boys I started up again and really  haven’t looked back since then.  Now though I think it is not just my hobby as much as my life.  lol.  I have an entire area in our room now dedicated to it, and I took over one closet for supplies.  I work here to support my habit.  :)  But it is so worth every minute and dollar because  I am documenting these moments that could one day be forgotten when my children get older.  I do it for my 4 boys.  I would love to know all these kinds of things about my parents and grandparents.  So that is why I do it. 

2.  What most inspires you?  There are so many things that inspire me.  Mostly it is Jacob and the boys that just inspire me to do the entire process of what it is that I am doing.  For other things it is jsut things I see, ads, other layouts, creative people that I work with, creative things I see online and on others blogs, the colors of a pretty shirt.  There are so many inspiring things in this world I can’t help not be inspired by it all. 

3.  Tell us 3 random facts about you that most people don’t know.    Oh my.  I don’t think I am that interesting, but let me see.  Most people don’t know that I have 4 boys (Ryan-14, Marcus-12, Little Jacob-3 1/2 and Caleb-Almost 17 months). I like to put ketchup on my macaroni and cheese - something I have been doing since I was young.  The last thing most people don’t know about me is that I have a degree in Liberal Arts.

4.  How often do you scrapbook?  It really depends from day to day.  I try to do something everyday but honestly that does not always happen.  I always have some kind of project going or started, but there are those days when I just don’t get to sit down at my desk and do it.  The kids keep me going in a million different directions that is for sure.  I would say on average though I do at least 5 days out of 7. 

5.  How long have you worked at Scrapbook Boulevard?  I have worked here for 16 months.  The only way I can remember is because I started when my youngest, Caleb, was 3 1/2 weeks old.  Lisa called me when I was in the hospital, and then called again the day after I got home.  I interviewed with Vesta the day after my 2 week check up from having him and was released to drive again.  So that is always how I remember how long I have worked here. 

6.  Do you have a favorite product or embellishment?  I don’t know if I have a favorite because I really love it all.  lol.  I LOVE thickers alphabets, I love stickles.  I love ribbon but don’t use it that often.  I just love patterend paper too. 

7.  Do you have a favorite paper line or company?  Now this is a hard question too.  I love Bo Bunny.  My favorite cardstock is Bazzill, and I don’t really venture away from that. 

8.   Describe your process for creating a layout.   I don’t have one process really.  Sometimes I am inspired by a layout I see in a magazine, and don’t set out to make it exactly the same but just go with where it ends up.  Sometimes I am inspired by the pictures I have.  If this is the case, I grab the pictures and go through my stash of paper to see which papers I like best with it.  I lay it all out and rearrange until it is what I like.  I sometimes just don’t think too hard and just glue it down right away and most times I like it but soemtimes I rip it up and redo it.  I start with the arrangement of photos and then I do the embellishments and title and then I do the journaling. 

9.  Tell us a little about yourself.  Well I am a pretty simple person.  I like the outdoors and we like to go dirt bike riding. I love to sit outside and let the kids play in the yard and Jacob BBQing and just hang out as a family. We love to BBQ all year long.  I love to scrapbook and just create.  I love photography.  I have done a few photo shoots that I have gotten paid for and I really enjoyed it.  I worked for Kiddie Kandids for 5 1/2 years before I had Jacob, and then 2 Christmas’ ago I worked at Sears portrait studio.  I have the camera out almost everyday.  I love to read also.  I have been on a reading kick lately and have been reading my books in about a day and a half.  I like to crochet too and have made a few blankets. I also like to sew.  I have made curtains and blankets, and shirts. I am making a few gifts for Christmas this year as well using my sewing machine.

10.  Do you listen to music while scrapbooking?  No.  My scrap area is in our master bedroom. This tends to be the room we all end up in so it is nice that we can all be together doing something.  Jacob is usually on the computer, I am scrapbooking, the kids watching tv and the babies playing with their toys on the floor.  So I am usually listening to the kids, the tv and Jacob all at the same time while I am scrapbooking. 

11.  Do you do mini albums too?  I do.  I always say I am out of room and I won’t make anymore, and then it never fails, I make another one.  I can’t help it I love them. 

12.  What is your favorite thing about working for/teaching at Scrapbook Boulevard?  I love it.  I love our wonderful customers.  I love my coworkers.  I love the inspiration I get from working here.  I just love it all.

13.  What is your favorite layout you recently did?  I did a layout about our love of hot chocolate.  It was fun to take pictures of the kids with their hot chocolate and then I loved the paper that I used on it.  I love the memory  that I got down on paper that will be nice to look back on when the kids are older. 

14.  What is your favorite tool?  Why?  I love my revolution alot.  I don’t have alot of dies, but I love it just the same.  I REALLY love my crop-a-dile just as much.  That sucker cuts through anything.

15.  When do you get most of your scrapbooking done?  It is usually in the evening time.  After we have had dinner and all baths are done.  The kids are all realaxing and ready for bed and that is when I can get most of it done. 

16.  What is your favorite technique?  I think I tear paper the most.  I am not one to measure, so I like the “unmeasured” look of it.  I like inking alot too, but don’t use it often since it takes a bit more time. 

17.  Do you tend to use certain colors more often than others?  What are those colors?  Since I have all boys I rarely break out the pinks and purples.  I tend to use alot of blues, browns and greens.  I have been using alot of orange and red alot lately too. 

18.  Are you “caught up” in your scrapbooking?  No.  Will I ever be?  I have no idea.  I don’t scrap in any set order though, so it is what it is.  I just scrapbook what inspires me and go from there, wheather it is old photos or brand new photos.

19.  What is your most favorite thing about scrapbooking?  That I am capturing these memories that could one day be forgotten.  I love when the kids look through their albums and say “Oh I remember that …”  I love when I catch Jacob talking about what good work I do to others.  I love that I can use my creativity on all sorts of projects. 

20.  When did you officially “know” you were a scrapbooker?  I have always known I was, but I think I really officially knew was when I took over an entire closet in our bedroom for “my area”, and then had so much I had to move to a desk in our room and just use the closet for my stuff.   That is alot of stuff. 

The topic question for week 13 is…

LIST THREE DREAMS FOR YOUR FUTURE. 

On Saturday Donna Salazar came to the store and it was great.  She laid out all of these goodies and basically was free range for everyone.  Look at all these goodies she had to offer.  I wanted to get a picture of Donna, but everytime I was going to ask she was busy and then I forgot to do it before I left.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time.  The layouts were beautiful that I was seeing from everyone.  Donna is super sweet and brought her adorable daughter and her daughters adorable bff.  They were cute and helped out alot too.  Here they are posing just like in the layout picture. 

Here are some more pictures from the day.  Everyone is working hard and having fun.  I did get half of Donna in one picture.  Well WordPress is having issues now and it won’t let me upload anymore pictures.  So I will work on that tomorrow. 

Since the theme of the event was Oktoberfest, the food was from none other than Weinersnetzel (I don’t know if I spelled that right). 

Glimmer mist was a big hit as well that day.  We had 5 boxes that I had opened just that morning and put some out and then everyone could dig through the boxes for more glimmer fun.  Oh my gosh it was glimmer heaven for sure. 

It was great to meet Donna, she is super nice.  Vesta and I looked through one of the scrapbooks that she brought and her work is beautiful for sure.  I hope Donna comes back for more fun on the boulevard soon. 

I know I am a few weeks behind on the weekly topics so I will catch up on that now. 

WEEK 12.  What is the last conversation you had?

WEEK 11.  What do you think about technology like cell phones and the internet?
WEEK 10. Have you ever wanted to change you name? If so, to what and why? 

I think that catches us up on that now too. 

I will work on the photo thing tomorrow. 

Happy Creating ~Nicole

Congratulations, Addie! Addie is shown with her daughter, Tiffany. They were so excited about winning the basket, that Addie text Tiffany (in school!) and left work early to come and get it! Addie said she had a great time at the Scrap Pink crop, too. Eventhough she went by herself, she didn’t crop alone! She was made to feel like “one of the family” by the other, friendly crop participants. Addie said she laughed till she cried! She had so much fun, that she can’t wait to do it again so she is signing up for the Oktoberfest Crop in October. We can’t wait to have you again, either!

A HUGE Thank You to ALL our Scrap Pink participants and those who purchased raffel tickets. Your generous donations were incredible! Steve and I will be sending a check to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for:

$1002.00

That’s 20% more than last year!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Joy Pierce won the $50 gift certificate from Scrapbook Boulevard for Visiting at least 16 of the Shop Hop stores!  Everyone who participated in the 2nd annual Shop Hop and visited at least 16 of the stores had their names in the drawing.  Congratulations, Joy!

Lisa was the big winner of our Dinner & Scrapbooking evening at Scrapbook Boulevard.  She referred over 70 potentially new customers to us.  WOW!  We sent each of her friends and family coupons to come shop.  We can’t wait to meet them! 

Lisa came and cropped with us for FREE on August 29th.  She got to order anything she wanted off the Guiseppe’s menu and I delivered it to her.  Steve took this picture of her and I told her no one would want to win dinner from Scrapbook Boulevard if that’s all they got!  We all cracked up laughing.  It took us all awhile to get our composure back to be able to take this picture.  No wonder Lisa has such a cute figure;  She doesn’t eat!  Thanks again, Lisa!

The topic question for week7 is:

LIST 5 THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU. 

This will be a fun one.

~Nicole

The topic question for WEEK 6 is…

NAME A CHARACTER IN A BOOK, ON TV OR A MOVIE THAT YOU ADMIRE.

~Nicole

WHEN DID YOU START SCRAPBOOKING?

I’ve been doing some form of Scrapbooking for as long as I can remember.  Seriously!  I remember scrapping as a kid back in the 60’s and 70’s (I was very young then , of course!).  My reasons for Scrapbooking have changed over the years, but now I scrapbook for fun and of course to leave something of myself behind.

WHAT MOST ISPIRES YOU?

I’m inspired for so many things, but mainly by the women (and sometimes men) who share their stores and projects with me.

TELL US 3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT YOU THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW.

* I played flag football in college.  * I worked in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, but I still can’t speak Spanish well enough to carry on a conversation!  *  I am a cancer survivor.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SCRAPBOOK?

Not very often. I try to do a little something every month.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED SCRAPBOOK BOULEVARD?

3 years- Since June of 2005.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PRODUCT OR EMBELLISHMENT?

I love BRADS!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PAPER LINE OR COMPANY?

I have several favorites, but right now I’m lovin’ KaiserCraft!

DESCRIBE YOUR PROCESS FOR CREATING A LAYOUT.

I start with the story I want to tell, then I either take the pictures I need, or I just print the pictures from pictures I already took. I look for a layout sketch from any of my sketch books ( I have a ton!), or from magazines. (I almost never design a layout from scratch!)  Next, I choose the paper, embellishments, etc. and last I assemble the page.  Sometimes I do the journaling first, sometimes last, but a page is never completed until I’ve written the story.  Often I will use my QK Revolution tool to cut out my title, but I’m never satisfied with it, so I keep cutting titles out using different fonts and paper until I like it… No wonder it takes me 2 to 5 hours per page!  But it’s not about the volume of pages for me…it’s the process and the story that are important to me.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I grew up in Washington state and I still consider myself a “northwesterner”.  I really miss the green! (But not the rain!)  Both my parents are gone, so it’s just me and my sister.  We’re as close as we can be living so far apart.  I have a wonderful husband, Steve and we love to travel even if it’s only to the beach.  I had a career with Verizon for 26 years.  In addition to scrapbooking and paper crafting, I enjoy birding, biking, hiking, antiquing and spending time with my sister and nephew.  I hope I’m really not as boring as this makes me sound!

DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE SCRAPBOOKING?

No, I like it quiet.  I don’t mind if there is music or the TV on in the house, I jus’t don’t want any additional noise in my scrap room.  It distracts me.

DO YOU DO MINI ALBUMS TOO?

Yes!  I really enjoy doing mini albums.  They seem more achievable!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING FOR/TEACHING AT SCRAPBOOK BOULEVARD?

All the people I get to meet and all the stories they tell.  I’m also inspired by all the beautiful things others have made that I get to see.  I work in a pool of creativity!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAYOUT YOU RECENTLY DID?

It was a layout I “scraplifted” from one of the brochures we recieved from Adornit.  It’s a picture of Steve reading to my nephew.  It’s one of my favorites because the memory of Steve and Daniel sharing that moment is very special to me.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TOOL AND WHY?

No question, the Quickutz Revolution table top die cutting tool.  I use it for just about every paper crafting project I do.  I use it to cute my scrapbook titles, sub titles and die cut embellishments. There is so much you can do with it!  It’s endless.  Don’t get me started!

WHEN DO YOU GET MOST OF YOU SCRAPBOOKING DONE?

When I’m home alone or when Steve is doing something that doesn’t involve me.  I scrapbook best when I’m alone.  When I go to crops I am so distracted by the wonderful things everyone else is doing that I don’t get anything done.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNIQUE?

Distressing my paper and pictures with ink.  I love the old, vintage look.

DO YOU TEND TO USE CERTAIN COLORS MORE OFTEN THAN OTHERS? WHAT ARE THOSE COLORS?

Because I’m such a “nature nerd”, I tend to use more greens and browns.

ARE YOU “CAUGHT UP” IN YOUR SCRAPBOOKING?

By my definition of “caught up”, yes.  I only scrapbook when a picture or story inspires me.  I don’t feel I have to scrapbook every moment in my life.

WHAT IS YOU MOST FAVORITE THING ABOUT SCRAPBOOKING?

The stories that we are leaving behind about ourselves.  I love that I can do something fun and creative but worthwile.  I used to just make cards, but knowing someone would eventually throw my work away was discouraging.  But scrapbooking is an important piece of my and my family’s history so I don’t feel that my effort and creativity are going to waste. 

WHEN DID YOU OFFICIALLY “KNOW” YOU WERE A SCRAPBOOKER?

I “knew” when I kept getting asked to be the “scrapbooker” for my sorority chapter.’

Thank you Vesta for all the interesting information.  Now lets see who Vesta chose for September (Vesta was really for August but we were having issues getting her answers to forward to me ).

Come in now and spend only $10.00 and recieve a “sale” bag.  To this “sale” bag is a pink coupon attatched.  Then between September 12 - 19th bring back the bag with the coupon attatched and recieve 25% off everything that will fit into the bag.  How cool is that.  Stock up and fill the bag up!  Details are included on the coupon.  Hurry before we give away all the bags and coupons. 

~Nicole~