Childlike, whimsical, fun & bright...

Q:: You are a designer and also a creative team member.
Amy::
Yes, I am but I’m not a very good CT member right now [laugh]. I haven’t been scrapping much lately but I do like to try to make some pages when I get some time away from designing.

Q:: What is your reason to do both designing and CT?
Amy::
The designers that I create for are Krystal Hartley at Sweet Shoppe Designs and Nicole Sietler who is the owner of TheDigiChick. Honestly, I just admire them so much. They are both friends of mine and they are amazing designers. They inspire me a lot. I had the opportunity to be in their teams and get to play with their kits, which I love. But their friendships means a lot to me, which is the most important to me.

Q:: Where do you say your priority lies? In designing or creative team?
Amy::
[laugh] Lately, it’s definitely more of the design work. I don’t get a whole lot of time to spend on either. I haven’t scrap for myself or the designers that I create for in a couple of months. I’m lucky that they keep me around anyway.

Q:: What inspires you the most as a designer?
Amy::
Definitely my 2 year old daughter, Sophie. I spend more time with her than anyone! Everything about her, from her toys, her clothes, the cartoon that she likes to watch on TV, everything that’s bright and colorful, her personality, her humor… those are the kind of things that I try to capture in my design. My designs are really childlike, whimsical, fun and bright and that’s just because it’s where I am in my life right now with a 2 year old. As she gets older, my designs would probably change as well.

Q:: Is she your only daughter?
Amy::
No, she’s not. I also have another daughter, Emma. She’s almost 17. [laugh] I don’t get to spend as much time with her because she is always on the go!

Q:: When did you start designing?
Amy::
I was a paper scrapper since 1994. After Sophie was born in May, 2007, I try to find a way to scrap her photos and somehow I came across digital scrapbooking. That was August of 2007 and I was hooked. Before that I had done graphic designing in my professional life. So digital scrapbooking was a perfect fit for me.

Q:: We have covered when you started designing, your particular style and where your inspiration comes from as a designer. As a CT member, are these criteria applicable?
Amy::
I take a lot of photos of my family so they are definitely the main inspiration. I like to challenge myself to use styles that aren’t exactly my own. Nicole whom I create for, she has a very delicate, soft style which I don’t. I love to have a chance to try something new so that is one of the reasons I love to be a CT member.

Q:: Do you have a structured approach when you create a new kit or do you wait for inspiration to hit you?
Amy::
[laugh] No, there is no structure [laugh]. I get a lot of different ideas during the day that just pops into my head and if a particular idea pops in my head more than once than I think, “Okay… maybe this is something.” I usually have a very broad idea of what I want to do and then I go and put all the colors together first. Then I get my pen and paper and start doodling and it just goes from there. I’m not very organized as far as making plans and do everything in proper order. It’s all over the place.

Q:: How long does it take to create a kit?
Amy::
If it’s something that I really love and I feel very excited about, I can finish that kit in two days. If that is something I am struggling a bit, that could take two weeks [laugh].

Q:: Do you have moments when you feel pressurized to deliver new kits?
Amy::
I usually have so many different ideas at the same time so I try to get through them as much as I can. I haven’t felt a whole lot of pressure in a long time. I used to when I had more than one store. So I am happier.

Q:: You are selling exclusively in TheDigichick. Why that store?
Amy::
Well… [laugh] sometime after this interview comes out, that will actually be changing. I’m making changes in all areas of my life right now. We are selling our house and I am getting a part time job for the first time in three years. I will be working at a craft store which is perfect for me. I’ll be making changes in real life and online too but I really can’t tell you too much about it [laugh] until after the interview comes out! It will be a surprise and I am excited about it. I will miss The DigiChick. They have some great plans in the works and it really is such a wonderful and warm community. I plan to still be a part of it, but my designs will be sold some where new.

Q:: You have so many things going on. How do you manage your time?
Amy::
[laugh] I get up very early in the morning. Basically 5:00 o’clock in the morning and that’s my quiet time and that’s the time to get some designs done, check on my e-mails…. Alice knows because I’ve e-mailed her at 5:00 o’clock in the morning which is 5:00 o’clock evening your time. [laugh] If I am lucky, Sophie takes a good nap about 2 – 3 hours so I get a lot done during her nap. A little bit in the evening and that’s it. Other than that, I chase around after a two year old all day! [laugh].