Author: Karen

I’ve been married for nearly a quarter of a century and have two awesome kiddos currently off at college. I’m a bit of a hobby collector—I love learning new things and trying out creative projects. Right now, some of my favorite pastimes include painting, art journaling, making hand-bound books, crocheting, and reading. In the past, I’ve also dabbled in stained glass, cross stitch, knitting, printmaking, and sewing—if it’s artsy, I’ve probably given it a try!

My scrapbooking style is messy, full, and journaling-heavy. I usually start with my photos and the stories behind them, but sometimes a kit is so fun and colorful that I’ll go find a photo just so I can scrap with it. Bright, vibrant kits always draw me in.

Photoshop is my home base when I scrap. I especially love working with shadows on separate layers so I can warp them for a more realistic effect. The pen tool is another favorite—it helps me create text boxes that fit any shape or space. And templates? I absolutely cannot scrap without them.

If you’re new to all this, remember: Ctrl-Z is your best friend. And more importantly—be brave enough to suck at something new. That’s how the magic starts.