Q:: Can you tell us how you get your designer name cre@-bisontine? What is the meaning of it?
Sandrine::
I began to design in France at Digital Crea. Crea means Creation. Since I use internet, my nickname is bisontine. Often, one thinks I am a fan of buffalos (bison meaning buffalo in French) [laugh] but in fact, a bisontine is a woman who is an inhabitant of Besançon and at that time, this is where I was residing. I now live a few kilometers from there. In France, we often use the @ (that we pronounce aw) in place of the A on the internet. In a nutshell, cre@bisontine means bisontine’s creations.

Q:: How long have you been designing? How did it all started?
Sandrine::
Since a year; I sort of like challenges, and also to evolve. I have a formation in infographic I obtained in France. At that time, I was not working and I needed an activity that I would like to not lose contact with my formation.

Q:: Were you planning on becoming a designer when you started digital scrapbooking?
Sandrine::
No! I had only one goal: to try to make beautiful pages, layouts. I am not even ashamed of my first pages, which are all hanging in my living room. It’s fun to see the progression of my work.

Q:: What would you call your design style? Are most of your designs hand drawn? Please tell us how you do that?
Sandrine::
Honestly, I don’t know if I have a style. Often, I am told “this is bisontine work” but I don’t know how to define it. Maybe you should ask others. I almost never work without Illustrator. Most of my drawings are in Vector than I work on them with Photoshop. I have since a while a graphic tablet but haven’t had the chance to use it yet.

Q:: How do you come up with a design for a kit? Where do the inspirations come from?
Sandrine::
I am passionately into illustration so often; my inspiration comes from a little something I saw in an illustration in a pub, or a children book. But also, it comes from songs lyrics, children words, or an association of colors I saw in a decoration magazine.

Q:: In creating a kit, how big do you pack it? How many papers and elements are included?
Sandrine::
I never decide before. I let my imagination loose, looking for what I am aiming for. I never put a lot of papers in my sets because I always see that the same are used.

Q:: What is the design process like? Where do you start first? How long does it take to complete a kit?
Sandrine::
I always begin by making elements: this is what I prefer. The minute I have about ten of them, I turn to papers and attack them in a way they would go with the elements I just made. And I come back very quickly to the elements. It brings me more pleasure than working on the papers. And in general, this is what hooks me to a kit. Sometimes, I fall in love with papers from other designers. As for myself, I don’t think I am really good at creating them. I do what I can. [laugh]

Q:: Where and how do you name the titles for your products? What is the most difficult process in the designing work from an idea to getting it to the store?
Sandrine::
The name is chosen when the kit is done and often, I consult my team about it. Not being fluent in English myself, it is sometimes hard to find a punchy and original title. In French, I use a lot of word play. The hardest part is, I think, to find the inspiration. I am telling you this today because I am out of inspiration. It happens sometimes.

Q:: Do you also get inspired by what other designers are making? How often do you look at other designers’ products?
Sandrine::
I am part of a store where all designers are excellent. I marvel on what they produce. I tell myself “when I’ll grow up, I’ll be just like them”. I do not get my inspiration from their material. I am inspired by my Creative team (CT). When I am making a kit, I think about them. I put this element because I know that one will love it, I put this type of paper because that other one will love to work with it. When I am in my creating process, I avoid going into other stores, or check layouts on DST. I put myself in a bubble. First, because I am afraid of unconsciously reproduce what I would have seen and secondly, because while I am crafting, the talent of others depresses me. I am a type of person who doubts a lot. When I create, I avoid going to my CT (Catherine designs, Nathy and Newlifedreams): it is not good for my morale. [laugh] On the other hand, I exchange a lot with my friends who are designers and my CT. When I am not sure about something, I show them my work and tell them: “it is ugly, isn’t it?” It is horrible; I also have the need to be reassured. I always doubt myself.