Next up in our Biker Chick Spotlight is Jen Gallacher (and for those of you who are curious, the "ch" is pronounced like a "gh" so it sounds like "Gallagher"). As Renee mentioned in her first post about our team, Jen is the most senior member of our Biker Chick team. You've seen her work in many of our catalogs and projects (and we're excited to share her latest Training Reel tomorrow ... three cards featuring the brand new and sparkly yummy Cupcake Love collection)!
Jen describes herself as a "full-time" scrapbooker - working full time in this fun and exciting field. In addition to lending her creative inspiration to our team, Jen is also a blogger for Northridge Publishing - and has recently started appearing in their videos. She also regularly teaches classes at Two Peas in a Bucket.
So what don't you know about Jen? I asked her her secret for finding time to scrap during the busy holiday season, and how does she stay inspired?
And so ... here it is. She is a "morning person." But she means morning morning. Like 3:30 a.m. morning. Yep. You read that right. That's when Jen gets up.
She said she has a bag of m&m's to get herself going and starts with something non-creative - like updating her blog - then after about an hour she's ready to get going while the house is quiet and she can enjoy the sunrise. So while all of you are sleeping, Jen's scrapping. And that's how she maintains her edge! You can do that too, right? Yeah, me neither...
Anyway, here are a few more things you may not know about Jen Gallagher:
LYB: Computer or handwritten journaling?
Jen: I can't stand my own handwriting so it's always computer writing for me. Besides with the computer, I can change things up and use a different font to fit the mood of the layout.
LYB: How long does it typically take you to complete a layout?
Jen: I'm an "in and out" kind of scrapbooker. If takes longer than two hours, it's not worth it. Sometimes a sketch helps me move more quickly. I create my own.
LYB: Crops or scrap alone?
Jen: If I'm need of a social outlet, then I go to a crop. But it's too hard to pack up my entire office and take it with me so I usually scrap from home.
LYB: Best time or money savings tip?
Jen: Buy only what you'll need and purge OFTEN. Look for local charities to donate your items to or have a garage sale. Too much stuff weighs me down and keeps the creative juices from flowing.
LYB: Favorite types of projects—pages, mini albums, cards, altered projects, etc?
Jen: A card if I only have a little bit of time, or an 8 1/2 X 11" layout if I have more. I'm drawn to this particular size most often.
LYB: Cardstock or patterned paper?
Jen: The patterned paper inspires my cardstock colors, but I typically have lots of cardstock on my layout.
LYB: What is your ‘go to’ embellishment?
Jen: Buttons with a close second in stamps. My projects don't feel complete without a button or two.
Thanks Jen, for sharing your inspiration! We're so proud to have you as a member of our team!
Whoa, my clock doesn't even HAVE a 3, 4 or 5 a.m. ON it!!! LOL! Love your work, Jen! So glad to see you here!
Posted by: Kathy | Monday, December 06, 2010 at 09:30 AM
My goodness you get up early... but the early bird gets the worm and your work is really lovely. TFS.
Posted by: Liz Qualman | Sunday, December 05, 2010 at 10:29 PM