Melissa Frances: November Guest Artist...

Meet our SUPER TALENTED November guest Artist, Wendy Anderson!

Age: 35

Where were you born, and where do you currently live? I was born in a small Utah town called Heber City. As I was growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave. Then I DID grow up and realized what a beautiful place Heber was…and how lucky I was to be able to grow up there…so I got married and we stayed. J

Hobbies & Interests: Any type of crafting, especially paper crafting. I also enjoy writing, reading, and occasionally cooking and baking (especially this time of year!).

Pet Peeves: hmmm, where to begin…misspelled words (when they are meant for the public to see them – newspapers, store marquees, posters, etc.), judgmental people, rude people, whistling…I’ll stop there.

Favorite Magazine: I don’t really have a favorite – I love to look for inspiration in all types of magazines – scrapbooking, crafting, fashion, home décor, children’s…I love them all.

Favorite Smells: Fresh baked bread, the mountains after it rains, lemon, cinnamon and cloves, fresh cut grass.

Favorite Movies or Books: I’m still a Father of the Bride fan…and I love all kinds of books – my most recent favorites would have to be the Twilight series (I’m sure you’re surprised to hear that!) ;o)

Favorite TV show: The Biggest Loser is the only one I watch regularly (unless you count shows on the Disney Channel or Noggin). I’m excited for the new season of Lost.

Favorite Season: I love them all…I love that I get to experience the full spectrum of all four seasons every year…love it!

What time do you wake up in the morning? Usually around 6:30 so I can get Meagan off to school before waking up the boys.

Do you collect anything? um...besides scrapbooking supplies and photos? ...cobwebs…

SCRAPBOOKING:

When and how did you get into scrapbooking? I started scrapbooking around 1996…after I graduated from college, but before Meagan was born. I found a cute little store called Pebbles in My Pocket one day while I was on my lunch break from work – I went in, bought a bag full of stickers and die-cuts, and I was hooked. Technically though…I’ve been scrapbooking all my life. My mom started our scrapbooks when we were born – I didn’t ever know that not EVERYONE scrapbooked!

What is your favorite Melissa Frances Product? It’s all gorgeous, so it’s hard to choose. I’ve ALWAYS loved the rub-ons…and that new holiday line looks fabulous – I can’t wait to see it in real life!

What music (if any) do you listen to while you scrap? Usually I scrap in the quietness of the night…but from September to January, you can usually hear Christmas tunes coming from my computer. J

What do you like to snack on while you scrap? M&M’s, skittles, or maybe a diet coke with lime…

How would you describe your scrapbooking style? Simple and clean.

What is more important to you…getting the photos into albums, or indulging in creativity? Can they be equally important?

Where do you find inspiration? Magazines, books, junk mail, product packaging, other scrapbookers, online, EVERYWHERE!

Do you like to crop with others or scrap alone? I usually scrap alone – late at night at home. But I do love occasionally getting together with friends to work on a project too!

How has scrapbooking changed your life? It’s really helped me to love recording our family history – and not just the big events, but the little everyday things…so I think I’m more aware of what’s going on, I write things down that would otherwise be forgotten, and I take way too many photos!

What is one scrapbooking tool, you can't live without? My little detail scissors

What format do you scrap? (12x12, 8.5x11 etc)? A little bit of everything now…but mostly 8 ½” x 11”

Which do you prefer? Scrapbook layouts, cards, altered projects? I like to do a variety of projects – Of course I love layouts because I want to record those special days and moments…and I LOVE giving handmade cards to those I care about…and it’s so fun to be creative and alter items we use everyday. I can’t choose, sorry.

Do you have any organization or time saving tips you could share? I’m definitely not as organized as I’d like to be…but I do organize everything by color – that helps save time in the long run. I also keep a book of sketches and ideas that I refer to often. I have a little bin for each family member, where we keep mementos, projects, and other things we want to save…this allows me to know right where to find things for pages.