Today, I want to share a Designer Showcase with you.  Sarah Meyer of SarahB Designs graciously agreed to answer some of my questions and share a little bit about herself.  (She also has a gift for you, but I’ll get to that in a minute!)

So, without further rambling on my part, here are the questions AND Sarah’s answers!

Describe your design and/or scrappin’ style:
I think most my designs are soft, clean, and a little worn–like a favorite quilt!  My scrapped layouts are pretty simple–I like the focus to be on the photo(s) and leave room for journaling.

What is your favorite part of digital scrapbook design?
Being able to make that perfect piece for a layout! That’s what got me started designing! Even though I don’t get around to making layouts as often as I’d like anymore, each piece I design is usually made with a future layout of my own in mind.

What has been your biggest challenge in designing?
Finding time!

Who are your digi-scrap mentors or heroes?  Why?
Stacy Carlson and Brenda Miller of Gotta Pixel–they both offered so much support and advice when I started designing and continue to be wonderful mentors.

Shabby Princess–she always produces beautiful products and her free kits have given so many (included me) a great introduction to digital scrapbooking.

Nitwit Collections–I love just about every single kit she puts out–I want to design like her when I grow up!

Techie question – what software do you use to design/scrap?
Photoshop CS3 and occasionally Illustrator

What does your “design space” look like?
I have a wonderful sewing room/office down in the basement, but most my computer time is spent on the couch with my laptop resting on on the couch arm and one or more of my little ones snuggled on my lap!

Do you have any hobbies, aside from digital scrapbooking?  (And if so, where do you find the time?)
I love quilting but I haven’t touched my sewing machine in a year!  Some other project always distracts me.  But I still manage to collect new fabric for future projects and sketch out new quilt designs.

Do you have a favorite product (kit/element pack/etc) that you’ve produced?
My current favorite is aptly named “A Few of My Favorite Things”

(Psst from Char – here is the preview to that kit, linked up for your convenience!)

And, because I like these questions, I’m borrowing from James Lipton and the “Actor’s Studio”, (who borrowed from French interviewer Bernard Pivot) … (except I leave out the curse word question, since this is a family blog)…

1. What is your favorite word?
sweet — has so many meanings, and all are good!

2. What is your least favorite word?
hate

3. What turns you on?
For scrapping, the first thing that grabs my attention is color combination.  A great set of colors is what draws me to a kit and what inspires me to create.

4. What turns you off?
People not being nice.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
The quiet happy sighs my little boy makes when he’s sleeping.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
That sound at the beginning of some movies now–it just gets louder and louder and louder–makes me want to run and hide!

7. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I would love to design my own line of quilting fabric one day.  As fun as it is to scrap with my own designs, I’m sure it’s just as much fun to sew with your own fabric designs!

8. What profession would you not want to participate in?
Any profession which requires or expects deceit or that promotes being unkind.

And now… I told you that there would be a gift!  Made from Sarah’s new kit, here is a fun brag book size quick page:

(The image is clickable, but if you have trouble, click HERE).

Also, by happen chance, Sarah is offering freebies on her blog for the next few days!  You need to run on over there RIGHT now and download MORE free gifts!!

AND her entire store at Digitals is 35% off through October 8th… so be sure to click on over THERE too!

Thanks SO much to Sarah for sharing today… both answers AND the lovely gift.  Please leave her a little note here in the comments, will you?

And folks.. you do NOT want to miss visiting the blog tomorrow.  I’m telling you – you need to come back!

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Juliana’s specialty is designing templates, and I fell in love with her style just as soon as I saw them. Many of the templates have unique text paths – in clouds, in the shape of a house, in a balloon, and twists and turns. They are really everything a template should be – creative and fun, plenty of room for great pictures, AND fun journaling.

And this week, Juliana has some wonderful new products available. Check out the first 11 items in her shop – each item on sale for 99 cents each, as part of the Potato Bar at Polka Dot Potato!

We’ll talk more about her designs as we go, so let’s get started with the interview questions! I asked, she answered, and you get to enjoy!

Describe your design and/or scrappin’ style:
I wish I could use a word like eclectic, shabby, funky, or something exciting like that. The word that comes to mind is balanced. I like a design to be symmetrical, or at least, asymmetrical on purpose! And I want the focus of a page that I scrap or that I design for to draw attention to the photo.

What is your favorite part of digital scrapbook design?
I love making something that other people find useful. One item that a lot of people picked up was the 24-photo template here:

I designed it so I could fit the highlights from 2007 on one page. I’m offering it for 99 cents today! (Not part of the Potato Bar, though!)

What has been your biggest challenge in designing?
Getting ideas out of my head and onto the computer! I can have an idea for a month in my head and not be able to work it out for a while. That can be frustrating.

Who are your digi-scrap mentors or heroes? Why?
I will always admire Kathryn Balint. She gave me my start in designing. She is an amazing person, both as a designer and a businesswoman. She has taught me a lot, and I am very thankful for her.

Techie question – what software do you use to design/scrap?
In the past year, I have been able to upgrade from Photoshop Elements to Photoshop CS3. I also use ArtRage and Inkscape if I am using my Bamboo Fun, which I don’t do as often as I want!

What does your “design space” look like?
I work exclusively on my laptop. It goes pretty much everywhere with me, but I mostly work in a little sitting area that I have in our master bedroom. Perfect view of the TV and very accessible to the kiddos – they hang out there with me a lot!

Do you have any hobbies, aside from digital scrapbooking? (And if so, where do you find the time?)
I dabble in photography, but mostly, it’s just scrapping for me. And of course, spending time with my family & growing in my faith are always my most favorite ways to live life.

Do you have a favorite product (kit/element pack/etc) that you’ve produced?
It usually is my newest product, but I think that my most favorite item is the font I drew. Darcy Baldwin made it into a font for me.

Any sneak peeks for us on some future products?
Just the Potato Bar for today!

And there’s more! Hop on over to Polka Dot Potato to see what else is just 99 cents per item!

It’s Char again and I have a few more questions, just for fun. I’m borrowing from James Lipton and the “Actor’s Studio”, (who borrowed from French interviewer Bernard Pivot) … (except I leave out the curse word question, since this is a family blog)…

1. What is your favorite word?
Lackadaisical. C’mon, what’s not to like about that word? And, it describes me without caffeine.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Fahrvergnügen. Doesn’t roll right off the tongue for me.

3. What turns you on?
Artistically speaking, I just love color and new ideas. I love starting new creative projects.

4. What turns you off?
People being mean. It makes me sad.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
I am still a sucker for the little sound that Outlook Express makes when I have e-mail. It makes me happy.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
The doorbell after I’ve put my jammies on.

7. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I would love to be a full-fledged photographer!

8. What profession would you not want to participate in?
I’m not into confrontations, so I would say a lawyer.

9. If you believe that Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
I believe in God, and I would love for Him to say, “You did a good job, my daughter!”

Ok, that was REALLY fun, wasn’t it?

And guess what? The fun isn’t over yet. Juliana has graciously offered two fabulous coupons to her store for all the DigiScrapChat readers.

Get 20% off your order of $1.98 or more (that’s just 2 Potato Bar items) – Use coupon code Digiscrapchat

OR

Get $5 off your order of $15 or more – Use coupon code Digiscrapchat2

These expire on April 30, 2008. You must be logged in at Polka Dot Potato to enter the code. You may only use one coupon code per order.

Did you think we were done? No, we are NOT!

Juliana is also doing a FUN GIVEAWAY today! Leave us a comment on this post, and you will be entered to win YOUR CHOICE of one of her non-potato bar items. These include great items like the ones shown (and linked) below.

How fabulous is THAT? Remember, just leave a comment in this post for your chance to win, and we’ll announce a random winner on Friday.

I want to say a special thanks to Juliana for making this Designer Showcase so fun, and for being so generous to me and to all of you DigiScrapChat readers. Please consider paying a visit to Juliana at her blog, and do NOT forget to do some shopping with those coupons!

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Check back soon for the first official Designer Showcase!

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