July's Scrapbooker Spotlight

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Allow us to introduce Jennifer Larson of Maple Grove, Minnesota—an Ella reader and the winner of our July cover contest! Her layout about last year’s vacation to Olympic National Park shows off all the hallmarks of great scrapbooking: several great photos that showcase different

aspects of the event, meaningful and engaging journaling, a color palette that suits her page theme, great product combinations, handmade touches like stitching and hand-written journaling, a well-placed quote, and a purposeful and cohesive design. Now, let’s meet the woman behind the layout.

My name is: Jennifer Larson

My family is made up of: My husband Derick, my sons Rowan and Dominic, and my cat Agatha.
~Are they all (but especially the cat) secretly British, do you think?

I've been scrapbooking since: I was pregnant with my first son in 2002, so about 8 years.

I spend my days: teaching high school students English (September through June) and chasing after my two boys (June through August).
 

The Cover Layout "I enjoyed trying to evoke the tranquil feel of the Olympic National Park Beaches we visited last summer. Here the flourish stitches reminded me of waves. I mixed a few threads to make the colors less intense.” Supplies: cardstock (Bazzill, Stampin' Up!) • patterned paper (Creative Imaginations, My Mind's Eye) • letter stickers (Making Memories, Carolee's Creations) • button (Stampin' Up!) • die cut (K & Company) • punch (Fiskars) • ink (Stampin' Up!) • journaling stamp (Studio Calico) • stitching templates (Bazzill) • thread (Bazzill, May Arts) • gems (Mark Richards, The Robin's Nest, Stampin' Up!) • stickers (October Afternoon) • pen (Zig) • 12 x 12 page by Jennifer Larson

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My cover layout was inspired by: two things—the colors of the Washington coast and sorting through my leftover photos from vacation last year and finding these four that didn’t make it into the family album.

I'd describe my scrapbooking style as: linear but whimsical. I like things to be lined up and structured in some way, but I like something to “break free” in a fun way as well.
~Based on what we’ve seen so far, this description is very apt. (Don’t you love the word “apt”? It's also very British.)

My favorite inspiration sources are: our family stories—the things that happen every day to me and mine. Creatively, I love Studio Calico, write.click.scrapbook.com, Ella (seriously!), and various online galleries.
~Well, how about that? And we’ve already partnered with both Studio Calico and Write.Click.Scrapbook. Looks like Jennifer joined the right parade!
 

A Favorite Layout "The lessons are a list of what I wanted to remember the next time I go camping. I loved turning one of my typical lists into a layout, pairing it with an enlarged photo of me on this camping trip." Supplies: cardstock (Bazzill) • patterned paper (Making Memories, October Afternoon) • wood letters (Making Memories) • rub-on letters (Upsy Daisy Designs) • buttons (Stampin' Up!) • brads (crafts supply) • die cuts (October Afternoon) • punch (Fiskars) • stamp (Heidi Swapp) • ink (Tsukineko) • stickers (October Afternoon, Scenic Route) • flowers (Prima) • pen (Zig) • 12 x 12 page by Jennifer Larson

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If I could go back in time, I would: talk with my mother-in-law the weekend before she died.

In 10 years, I hope to be: not too stressed out. My sons will both be old enough to have driver’s licenses!

People are always surprised to find out that I: have a tattoo.
~We are intrigued! What does it depict?

My guiltiest guilty pleasure is: a bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine, and reruns of Bones while I surf the net on my husband’s laptop.

If I were a scrapbook supply, I'd be: My Bazzill flourishes stitching template because I use it all the time. It’s permanently attached to me, so I’m almost there already.
~Aha! We think we know what the tattoo is.

Another Favorite Layout "I love scrapping my boys’ relationship. Here I scrapped them in action on vacation doing what they love: climbing rocks." Supplies: patterned paper (Basic Grey) • overlay (Hambly) • wood letters (Harmonie) • buttons (Jillibean Soup) • paper border (Bazzill) • punch (EK Success) • sticker (Studio Calico) • gems (Recollections) • mist (Maya Mist, Tattered Angels) • rub-ons (October Afternoon, Daisy Bucket) • 12 x 12 page by Jennifer Larson

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If I were to author an eBook, I'd title it: Recording the Everyday Stories. I’m an English teacher, so this is what I teach my students to do: recognize what’s significant in their lives and express why it’s important.

If there's one thing I know for sure, it's this: Stories matter. Recording the stories matters. Sharing the stories matters. (I hope that counts as one thing, not three.)
~Who’s counting?

I never thought I'd: be married with two kids. Seriously, I always pictured myself as a single, career woman. Who knew?

I've loved elephants ever since: Truth be told, I’m a giraffe gal, but I love how elephants can give themselves a bath with their noses.
~Yeah, giraffes are pretty cool, if you like tall, gangly creatures. But do they have legendary memories?

	Jennifer's Scrap Space "I store my stuff in a nice corner office downstairs, but I prefer to scrap with the family, so I put my favorite stuff (yes, patterned paper and stickers, I’m talking about you) in the living room. My desk is a lap desk and the ottoman. Miraculously, my boys have never hurt any of my layouts. My cat may have licked a photo once, but never again."
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My travel plans this summer include: Disneyworld!

My most amazing vacation ever was: going to Germany with my family when I was about 10. We lived in the Azores at the time, and we flew aboard a military plane, I think, and I remember it all so vividly.
~The fact that she lived on the Azorean islands is definitely the coolest part of this response! We learned from Wikipedia that in 1877 Mark Twain said, “I think the Azores must be very little known in America...” We’re going to venture a guess that the same is true in 2010—it certainly was for us.

My biggest travel mishap was: leeches. I won’t go into detail.
~Thank you.

My favorite Ella eBook is: I have three! Design Workshop, A Year in the Life, and Stretch Your Sketches. I’m addicted to eBooks, but I don’t want to be cured.

Wasn’t that fun? Make sure you keep an eye on our submissions page for your chance to enter our next cover contest; you, too, could have your deepest, darkest secrets put on display for all the world to see. In the meantime, find more of Jennifer's fun perspective at her blog.