Guest Designer Steffanie Seiler

Welcome today's Guest Designer, paper crafter and Craft Warehouse Design Team Alumni, Steffanie Seiler! We love Steffanie's clean and simple layouts easy enough for any crafter to  create!                                                                  
We asked Steffanie to tell us a little about how she started scrapbooking, what inspires her, and what her favorite Craft Warehouse products are. Here is what she had to say...

I was first introduced to scrapbooking about 13 years ago.  It was shortly after the birth of our first child and I had oodles of photos that needed a home and a place to tell their story.  The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  I quickly became obsessed and now scrap or create nearly every day.  I love it! 

I now have two terrific boys who are my primary source of inspiration. Recently I have been trying to focus more energy into my own story-telling and also that of my husband. I’ve come to realize that our children (and maybe their own children) may someday want to know what made us tick. Or they may like to be reminded of things they had forgotten about us. Or maybe it’s just an attempt at my own self-preservation! Whatever the reason…I’ve decided it’s important.

I’m very inspired by color. My favorite photos to scrap are outdoor photos, especially summer and fall. I prefer more saturated colors over muted tones or pastels. I’m attracted to clean lines. I love texture and layering. Dimensional adhesive is probably one of my best friends---I have a hard time scrapping without it!

I love shopping at Craft Warehouse---there is such an amazing variety of products to choose from! Right now I am in love with burlap! I have several ½ yard rolls of burlap (1 in each of 3 colors!) and have also used pre-made burlap tags and wired burlap ribbon. It adds great texture and depth to just about anything I’m creating.

 I also really like the wood veneer shapes that are very trendy right now---Studio Calico has some adorable ones! I’m a sucker for travel paper….which is ironic because I really don’t travel that much. Maybe it’s wishful thinking! Oh, and let’s not forget baker’s twine. I have a “small” stash of that, too, and am always looking for new and creative ways to use it.

I am a firm believer in there is no right or wrong way to create. There is a place for every style and every learning level. The most important thing is that you are happy with your results….and having fun while you’re at it! Sometimes you don’t learn how to do something until you try it and tweak it and sometimes try it again. I am always learning new things and figuring out stuff as I go. Don’t be afraid or think that you can’t. I’m here to tell you, YOU CAN. When I look back at my first scrapbook pages, I can’t believe how far I have come in my journey. And to think that I never thought I was very creative…now I think different.

Visit Steffanie on her blog, Facebook, and Pinterest! Make sure to come back tomorrow to see her card tutorial using Echo Park!