BYOC January: Cool and Grounded

I was born and raised in Hawai’i, now living on the East Coast, I’ve been married nearly 20 years and have two awesome daughters. I’ve spent over 30 years in the classroom as a teacher and also run my own photography business. I love walking in the woods, making beautiful things, and laughing my butt off—preferably all in the same day.

My creative style is vibrant, fun, and just the right amount of snarky. As a photographer, I’ve learned to find beauty in the ordinary, and that definitely shows up in my scrapbooking. On The Lilypad, I’m constantly inspired by the community—especially layouts that evoke joy. There’s nothing better than scrolling the gallery and feeling that spark to create something of my own.

I’m totally hooked on templates. Starting from scratch can be overwhelming, so templates help me visualize the page and jumpstart the process. I also rely on shadow styles that I tweak as needed—they’re a big time-saver.

If you’re new to scrapbooking, my biggest piece of advice is this: print your stuff out. I’ve been making books for years, and my kids still look through them all the time. I leave them out in our living room, and guests flip through them too. Your work is meant to be appreciated—so let it be seen. And don’t forget to share your pages in the gallery! We love following along with your life and celebrating your creativity. This is a global, joyful, and delightfully supportive community—and there’s always room for more.