500th post + NEW CONTRIBUTING ARTIST!!

Wow I can't believe it is the 500th post on this blog! It seems like yesterday I started this :) and we are also adding a brand new contributor to the team today!! I am very honored that she said yes when I asked her!! I have been wanting to add her for a while now, but the team was full before and then the holidays... well you know, now it's January. Our NEW contributor, Vicky Alberto, was a featured artist back in August 20, so make sure you check her fabulous post about creating Diva Feather Flowers. Also please visit her blog here: http://simplypaperandcreativity.blogspot.com. I think you are going to love her amazing classic style along with her contributions to the blog! I am really excited to add her to the fabulous talent we already have in our contributors. Let's get to know Vicky with her intro again and some fun questions I asked her!!


Two years ago after having my daughter, I decided not to return to a corporate marketing job so I could raise my three young children. After 10 years in the marketing industry, scrapbooking was a natural extension of my work world to fill a creative void. I currently am on the Scrap That! kit design team as a layout artist, and their DT/Kit Coordinator. I also teach layout and flower technique classes at a local scrap shop in Alberta, Canada. I am a self proclaimed paper punch junkie and my scrap style lies somewhere between classic and shabby chic. Aside from punches... lace, flowers and Distress Stickles are what I tend to embellish my layouts with the most. My blog address is http://simplypaperandcreativity.blogspot.com and I am working on building an Etsy shop (listed under my full name vickyalberto at http://www.etsy.com/shop/vickyalberto) full of reasonably priced embellishment kits full of - GUESS? - lace, chipboard, bling, flowers and acid-free paper doilies - just to name a few items. I am so pleased to be able to share (and gain) creativity inspiration and scrappy products through the wonderful thing I used to curse... the Internet. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a walking technology phobic with a terrible sense of direction = GPS nightmare, LOL. I'd rather stay home and play with paper and my kids than do anything else (well, vacations are an exception - tour guide a must!).


1. What is your favorite aspect of scrapbooking?
I love scrapbooking because after taking care of kids all day (mine and other people's), it a great creative outlet. I'm physically busy all day so this hobby fills the creative void and mental stimulation of not working in marketing anymore.

2. What products/kit clubs are a must have for you?
My favorite products are papers with a vintage or rustic feel like Graphic 45, Prima flowers are a must and Dusty Attic chipboard. Doilies and lace are also a weak spot for me. I really do love working with the Scrap That! kits, not because I design for them but because they always include cool finds (a lot from Etsy) and beautiful embellishments that I would have a hard time finding locally. I'm also a punch junkie - especially Martha Stewart brand. Honestly, the list could go on and on.

3. How many pages do you think you completed in 2010? Was it more or less than you wanted?
I complete 3-5 pages per month and sometimes an altered item here or there - so probably around 40 pages a year. For me it's not about quantity... it's doing what I love at my own pace.

4. Is there any secret advice on how you complete your pages?
I typically have 2-3 projects on the go at a time. I like to take a break once I'm almost done and come back with a fresh perspective before glueing it down. That's probably why I'm a slow scrapper but that's how I like it.

5. Name 5 of your favorite fonts.
LOL, I don't have a single favorite font because I don't own a die cutting machine. I'd rather spend money on all the pretty letters like Thickers brand. I love the dimension of chipboard letters and all the beautiful flocked, glittered and other mediums they come in. I find it adds such a luxurious feel to a project. I also like stamping titles, especially on soft colored and monochromatic layouts.


Here are two of Vicky's favorite layouts :) Take a peek!!




Thanks Vicky, for joining as a contributor! We are totally excited to have you!!