First Place Advanced Overall Winner: Rebecca
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm Rebecca, a 40 yo Mom from Sydney, Australia. I was born in England but have spent most of my life here. I've been married 7 years this year and have 2 boys, a 4yo and an 8 month old. I've been scrapping since January 2008. I was looking for ways to dress up my photos and I came across digiscrapping and the addiction (and spending) started :) I've never paper scrapped but am very much into photography and take photos every day for my 365 blog. I'm a computer nerd, before I had the kids I worked in IT doing tech support. I've been using Photoshop for a long time but I had to learn a whole new way of using it for scrapping :) I don't think I'd ever used the layers feature until I scrapped.
Which week's layout was your favorite and why?
My favourite is my week 3 layout, Golden Child. I just love that photo and I'd been wanting to scrap it properly for so long. I'd tried but was never happy with the results. The theme for week 3 inspired me and I finally came up with a layout that does the photo justice. I've already printed it out and put it one of my scrap albums.
Which week's theme was your favorite?
hehehe You probably think it was week 3 now but actually it was week 1. I've done plenty of layouts about myself, for challenges, but this was the first that was about how others see me and it made me stop and think about how my friends thought of me. I wanted my layout to somehow show their view of me on the outside and the real me inside.
What inspires you most for your layouts?
My kids :) I scrap to preserve my memories so that when I'm gone my kids will know who I was. Being an older mother I am very much aware that I may not be around to know my grandkids but I hope this way they can know me and what life was like with me. Every time the kids do something new or I have a great photo of them, I want to scrap it. I still miss a lot though. This time around with the baby I've realised how much I've forgotten from my eldest's baby years before I was scrapping. I can also find inspiration in a fabulous new kit, sometimes I buy a kit just for one particular element or paper that inspires me :)
Do you have a favorite color scheme?
I looooove bright bold colours. I'm not much into pastels or pinks. Maybe because I'm always scrapping boy layouts :p My favourite colour is green, lush rich grass green.
What were your main reasons for entering the contest?
hehehe I wasn't going to at first and then when I saw the quality of the layouts in the galleries I almost ran away. Not the competition galleries but the normal galleries before the competition started. I felt so out classed. But I love a challenge and the chance to collect some A5D and SPD products at a discount price, as in the weekly kit, was too much to resist (don't tell DH). I figured even if my layouts sucked as long I did a layout each week I could keep shopping and it was anonymous so if I sucked, no-one would know. That and the wacom tablet, the second prize, I'll enter anything that's dangling one of those in front of me :)
What favorite music are you looking forward to loading onto your new ipod?
I like techno and classical music but mostly I'm looking forward putting some earphones on and being able to play some Nine Inch Nails without offending anyone and without my son picking up some bad language.
Are you on any CTs? If so, which?
yep just a few :)
I am on the site CT for the new Digiscrap Addicts, yep I'm an addict.
Also the Scrap Orchard site CT but they're having a CT comp next month so I'll have to compete to see if I get back in.
I also CT for some of the designers at Scrap Orchard, Pineapple Plantation Designs, Designs by Sine and Ziggle Designs.
Then there's the studio girls, Flergs, mgl Scraps and Ziska.
And I still scrap for the designer who got me started CTing, ScrapShana but now it's her whole Digiscrapaganza store :)
Who is your scrapping idol(s)?
Wow, I have so many and a whole lot more after SUTUCS. I don't want to name anyone because I don't want to leave anyone out. I particularly admire the girls I CT with because working with the same kits it makes me more aware of just how clever they are. I'm not much of an ideas person. I can scrap (after 6 weeks I know that :) ) but so often I see other scrappers' layouts and they've used a kit in a way that I would never of though of. So there's a lot of girls who's layouts I look at and say 'that's so clever' and 'why didn't I think of that' and 'so that's what that element is for'.
List your favorite cocktail (can be non-alcoholic)
I like a straight vodka & lime, equal portions, no ice or a nice Champanska - vodka, Champagne and lime cordial :)
First Place Beginner Overall Winner: Sophie
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm Sophie I'm 24 and Scottish. I was 21 when I had my little girl Ava Charlotte, I was studying biomed but decided 2 years in that wasn't for me. I found photoshop about a year later on the signature making forums. I work part time in my friends webdesign company mainly doing admin stuff, mostly in the music industry (sounds way cooler than it is, I type up tour dates ha ha) and my boyfriend is about to graduate as a teacher.
Which week's layout was your favorite and why?
My favourite page was Week 4. It just all sort of fell together and ended up nothing like I'd planned it. Plus if it gets one more person in the world to start listening to "sparklehorse" then my work here is done ;)
Which week's theme was your favorite?
Week 4 again. I'm addicted to music so I had trouble deciding on the best song to use. I suddenly realised a lot of my favourite songs have pretty dismal lyrics so I had to can them LOL. But I really enjoyed the challenge of fitting the right lyrics to the right colours and photos.
What inspires you most for your layouts?
Ava ;) Pretty much that's it, sometimes quotes/lyrics but mainly Ava's little cherub face.
Do you have a favorite color scheme?
Oh I'm not sure, I like golds and browns, and greys I guess I'm not big into bright colours.
What were your main reasons for entering the contest?
The challenge. It was nice to have someone else tell me what to scrap. It was way more inspiring than my own ideas. My friends were entering too so it was a fun thing to do together and see if we could spot each others styles.
What is the first thing you will purchase with your prize?
Good question! I have a wishlist as big as my arm, pretty much a kit from every designer. I haven't had a lot of pennies and bought anything for a while so there are lots of new releases to play with.
Are you on any CTs? If so, which?
Yep, since starting the contest, like my friend Ellie also said, it's totally helped me improve and push myself so now I'm lucky enough to be on 3 great teams! My friends AnnaBV Designs, Tangie Baxters and Gypsy Couture's. I'm also guesting in June for Martencja and Edeline which I'm really excited about.
Who is your scrapping idol(s)?
My friend Sheri (seattlesheri). She encouraged me and many more of our signature making friends into scrapping and she's seriously AMAZING. Also Sammi, the after5 CT whose galleries I have a minor addiction to, and about a hundred other people!
List your favorite cocktail (can be non-alcoholic)
A Bollo.... nobody knows what I'm talking about he he. I used to work in a cocktail bar and we got to make up our own cocktails as specials. a Bollo (named after a character on the "Mighty Boosh") was half shots of Midori, bombay saphire, blue bolls, taboo and topped with orange juice and lemonade... it's turquoise... ick not sure I could drink it now.
Thanks for letting us get to know you girls!
