Thursday, May 16, 2013

Scrap FX chipboard Insights Blog Hop (and a give away!)



Hello welcome to the Scrap FX chipboard "Insights" blog hop!
If you are looking for the Inspiration Elevator May challenge "New Beginnings" click here.

The purpose of the Scrap FX hop is to get to know the new design team members and introduce the gorgeous May 2013 designs.

I hope you are enjoying each post so far.
Here's the roster:
Michelle H  You Are Here! YAY!

First up:
Michelle Logan: What is your scrapbook "kryptonite"? I can't seem to scrapbook if I'm feeling angry or overwhelmed. Last year Die Scrapperin Magazine (Germany) challenged me to make a page and write a tutorial featuring glitter. It really stumped me. I kept comparing my ideas to other's and I just couldn't come up with something I thought fabulous and original enough to publish. The resulting page was forced and rather strange- I'm better when allowed to improvise.

Klere: Do you snack or drink while scrapping? What?
I need to stop this habit- I've gained 15 pounds drinking tea and eating cookies the last couple of years. I also have a nasty habit of eating potato chips with oranges- I like to combine healthy stuff with my heart attack food.
I used the following Scrap FX chipboard designs:
 "Cherish" mini wordlet theme pack (model number 2013053),
City Life frame model number 2013095 (I cut the words out off the frame),
Magnolia branch chipboard embellishment model number 2013002
Adrienne: How do you jump start your creativity when you find that it is missing?
I chill. Even if it takes all week. If I'm on deadline I do the following: freak out. throw stuff. freak out. take a walk. freak out. drink wine. sit down. get up. sit down. get up. sit down. start a page. freak out. go to bed. ALWAYS in the morning- finish the page.


Michelle H. (me): What do you listen to or watch while your scrap and why?
I listen to National Public Radio- chiefly for their story telling shows like "This American Life" and "Snap Judgement". I also listen to "TED" Talks on science and creativity on Youtube. Learning is a huge part of my creative process and I don't just mean scrap videos- actually I find those really boring. I feel like my brain starts sparkling when I hear something really gnarly and I immediately go and start a page. Personal stories blow my mind on the regular- I consider those my primary form of learning.
This page started at a 12x12 but I got a little too enthusiastic
with the water color and the paper  warped so badly I decided to
cut it down to 8 x11- I like it a lot more this size.
Scarlett: What is your favorite technique(s) to use right now and why? What are some tried and true techniques you love to use?
I rarely use techniques. I've actually started a blog post series called "What I Learned This Week" which I post on Mondays so I can FORCE myself to try something new and technique based each week. Right now I'm really into stencils, spray paint, vellum, paper strips and tags.

Amy: At what time of day are you most creative, or do you prefer to create?
I prefer to work in the morning but I am forced to work at night since I have an inquisitive three year old who wants to either cut, glitter or spray what I'm working on at the moment.

I promise myself I'm going to tackle a new finishing technique
each time I start a new chipboard centric page.
Then I chicken out.
I love the pieces so much I'd rather just add them with no finish at all.
Cindy: What makes your heart race?
OO this is a GREAT question. I love buying new materials- going into a store gives me the best feeling of power and control. Which is why I've cut back on it almost entirely- that's a symptom of addiction. Great color combos get my heart racing, new ideas, great conversation, my husband, riding my bike, dancing.

Elisabeth: If you were to describe one emotion while scrapbooking, what would it be?
Depends on the day. If I have a good idea I feel like I'm in my element and riding a great big internal wave. Things I see or hear start to make connections with other things I heard or saw in the past. I feel in tune. I feel the flow. 
If I'm feeling crappy everything sucks- the idea of scrapbooking seems idiotic and I question my need to create. Then I tell myself to get over myself and that this is just one blip in a long continuum.
Alternate image for this page- I was shooting at around 7:30 pm
so ambient light was a beautiful gold. The shadows proved to be too big of
a distraction and I had to reshoot.
Misty: What are you afraid of?
I'm afraid that I will fail. That I will bore people or that they hate me. I'm afraid that I suck and that most people BUT me know this. I'm afraid that my daughter will get hurt or grow up disconnected from her family. I'm afraid for my Mom who's getting older. Fear has held me back a long time and just recently I started working on fighting it.

Maria: If you could choose a talent/gift what would it be?
I wish I was more of a "people person". Social situations that require chatting strangers up face to face tend to freeze me. I have the gift of gab once I know a person better. Online is much easier because I feel like I have a layer of protection between me and strangers.


Before I forget!
Here is the Scrap FX GRAND PRIZE.
To be eligible just leave a comment on the Scrap FX blog.


Also? I am giving away the following goodies to one lucky hopper. 

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what kinds of chipboard designs you'd like to see that you haven't seen before.


Thanks for swinging by!
The next person on the hop is Misty.

Michelle H.

31 comments:

  1. wow amazing and beautiful work Michelle. I guess all items have been covered by chipboard, but not sure if I have seen an old "record" like a 45 RPM that would be a good one to have in the collection :) Love Liz
    http://myworldofscrap-hippychic.blogspot.com.au/

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  2. Dont you just hate the page warping after your hard work, but I lovely scrapping 8.5 x 11 myself, & your page is gorgeous that size..love your chippie with your pretty photo in your LO & I love your stitching too.

    I would like to see chippie shapes of teacups & suitcases.

    Thank you for letting me take a peek here.

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  3. I love anything native american indian so would love to see something along that line...mabe dream catchers and aztec designs....thaks for the blog hop

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  4. What a great insight into what makes Michelle tick!! The page you created was awesome but the stuff you shared was brilliant.... I hope your freak out moments are few my friend, we are very similar in many ways not just starting with our name!

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  5. Glad to see that Freaking out, is a normal thing! And someone who likes to learn new techniques. Wonderful

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  6. Oh My goodness.....I freak out too, I think this hop was a wonderful way to get to know the DT's! now for shipboard I haven't seen...hmmm that's a bit hard,I've seen so many lovely pieces on this hop alone....hmmm maybe cats yeah I would like a couple kitty chipboard pieces lol

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  7. interesting to know that you prefer the chippie naked...and NPR? really? I like talk radio when I'm in my car but not for scrapping...VERY interesting answers and I do know that if we ever meet IRL, we will chat like old friends right away!!! No social freezing allowed!!

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  8. Love you page and use of chipboard great work. Very inspiring

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  9. Ah love to read your answers! And it´s incredible how much we have in common! I´ve got so much fun to read it! "freak out"! Oh yes, I know this feeling!haha! So the shame you live so far away!

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  10. Wonderful colors! Love this layout!

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  11. Michelle, your creations showcase the chippies so well. Nicely embellished. I like those circles that FX has come out with. So, I guess more large framing chippies is what i would like to see more of like the wispy heart design. ps: love your blog banner, each time i visit, my eye stop and rest at the beauty of this photo!!!

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  12. Ooohhh i love "this American life" too!! I often listen to it while scraping :)
    Your project is beautiful!!!

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  13. Hi Michelle, I'm italien and I'd love to see chipboard with italian words like "ciao"(hello) "la vita è bella" (life is beautiful) "ti amo"(I love you) and so on...
    I hope to be lucky, because I never used chipboard in my pages, I never had chipboards :)
    thank you so much for the inspiration, I love your work.
    ciao dall'Italia

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  14. Glad to read all these answers and see that I'm like all the scrapers... even DT teams!!! Feel less lonely.....lol....
    Your LO is gorgeous!!! and about chipboard, I love flourishes!

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  15. I love your layout City Life! You chose a nice palette for it! TFS! :)

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  16. Thank you for posting such honest answers, it seems we are all quite alike in this crafting community. I love the use of the magnolia chipboard in your layout, it fits perfectly. I am a new scrapper/mixed media lover and I can't get over the selection of Scrap FX chippies! I guess I would like to see more fairies and more steampunk!

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  17. What a lovely spring page Michelle! I love the embellishment cluster around the photo.
    If I had to pick a design for a chipboard piece that I haven't seen before it would be a large frame in the shape of a house with the word family in script along the inside bottom of the frame. How's that for being specific?!

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  18. It is such a lovely and pretty page! I love that you kept the chippies naked, to really make them stand out among the pastel colours.

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  19. Okay...I laughed so hard when I read the beginning of your very frank answer on your fears; not so much because the answers were funny; but rather, how you stated them, and most likely how I identify with them! Thank you for that...I so appreciate honesty! Your work is lovely and very innovative - I love the juxstapostition of the straight lines above the photo, layering, and florals! You have such a unique perspective...true artist!

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  20. Oh my friend, I always adore and admire your honesty in your posts. I am right there with you on a lot of points - like the freak out...walk away...freak away...throw stuff around...freak out... get it done in the morning!! So glad to know I'm in good company and someone else is out there is with me feeling this angst, pulling a rabbit out their hat at the last minute some days. Heart racing from the addiction to buying and the power it gives?? Check. Thankfully my budget has helped get that reigned in and have no more buying power over here - ha! Besides the fear I posted to my blog, I have a lot of the same fears as you - fear of failure, of not being good enough to be around the people I'm with, has plagued me my whole life - portions of 'my story' have contributed much to this and its ever so hard to get over. Yet still we must rise and we need to understand and embrace that yes we are more than worthy - we are beautiful women - and if the company we keep can't see that well then we need new company I guess. Its taken me 36 long years to discover this and I still have much learning to go to fully embrace it. So now lemme get at your project, cuz' girl I'm lovin' it. You always say you're not about techniques - pfft! You have your own set of techniques with layering and design that you don't even choose to acknowledge. Techniques aren't all about getting messy you know. This page is a beautiful example of you showing off some of your techniques at their finest!! I adore how you've clustered and layered your elements here - all the flowers, banners, borders, tags, and other bits come together so beautifully and the raw chipboard is a perfect accent to offset the colors used here. It becomes a beautiful extension of the photo yet doesn't distract. Your stitching is another fabulous design element on this page and I love the delicate yet prominent detail it adds to the page. Also that bow is amazing!! It is perfection tied! Wow. So the next time your doubting yourself I want you to come and read this because girl I'll tell you again techniques and such aren't always about getting messy and your fingers dirty, its taking what you know and applying it innovative and new ways which is what you do consistently. I love that in you and your work!!! xo

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  21. I love how you answer the questions, Michelle.. I get a sense of the person you are, for real. I can relate to the freak out, or feeling of being stumped when something is expected or I have a deadline... It can take away my mojo, totally.. Well, and your layout..innovative and creative: amazing!

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  22. Beautiful inspiration - thanks for sharing! Hmm, good question about the chippies... I can only think of those I've seen and am dying to own, rather than examples of what I haven't come across before lol :)))

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  23. Gorgeous layout, thanks for sharing , enjoying reading the answers to all the questions. I love flourish chippies
    Mary

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  24. What a refreshing honest and authentic person you seem to be from your answers. I relate to so much of what you say. However from what I see, you need not be afraid to fail, 'cos your art is amazing. Dare I say if someone doesn't like you, that's OK. Not everyone can like everyone they meet. Just believe in yourself, you are fine, just the way you are :) :)

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  25. Aww, how pretty and refreshing colors!
    I honestly have no clue about the chipboards, as Im a total "noob".. Its only a few weeks since I found out what they were. :-p

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  26. This is gorgeous!love the colors!

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  27. Ha, ha! I don't have deadlines... So I don't freak out... I do drink wine though lol. Love your page!!! As for the chipboard... Boy chipboard that doesn't include vehicles or cogs... But what exactly, I'm not sure???

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  28. You had me giggling on that mojo question! That is me too...in fact, I lost major mojo during my unicorn spot (it was the pastels), and I literally called my mom CRYING! like a little baby because deadlines were coming up and I couldn't get past the suckiness! Crazy thing is...I had a much wider range of fans with those pages than most of my other ones.

    Your layout is gorgeous! Not your usual style but you totally rocked this page. You're a very diverse scrapper. I enjoyed getting to know you a little more!

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  29. I really enjoyed reading more about YOU, Michelle. Your page is lovely and you have a beautiful way of making naked chipboard work and accent your page, so don't go changin'... And I had to read my beautiful friend, Scarlett's, post and I 100% concur with her. Your techniques are subtle but effective and you put a page together in a way I'd never think of. Seriously, if you, Scarlett, Misty, and me were all given the same 5 products to work with, how different would our pages be - yet wouldn't they all be special and unique? We're unique, not cookie cutter creators. Ya. It's good.
    - Ann Jobes
    www.lovestnpaper.com
    P.S. Thank you for your wonderful comments on the weekend at my blog - what a treat to read those this morning!

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  30. great reading and i love your work.

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Ok peeps lets CHAT! You tell me what you REALLY think and I PROMISE to keep it open minded here.