Interview with Janet Babar

Hi, everyone!  Mitzi here.  Today I have another Designer Interview to share with you.  But first, I would like to remind you to check out our Butterflies challenge that is currently going on.  Our designers have outdone themselves yet again with mindblowing inspiration pieces that will get your creative juices flowing, guaranteed!  The deadline is Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 11:55 pm EDT, so get coloring and crafting~!

Click here to go directly to the Butterflies challenge page for all the important information.

Now, without further ado, please welcome Janet Babar to the interview~!!  She is one of the three designers who joined Aurora Wings' Design Team starting in April.  I will be bringing the interviews with the remaining two designers in the upcoming months.

Janet Babar

Mitzi:  I think the first card I saw from you that was made with one of my digi's was "Bone Queen" that you submitted into Feb. 2014's FB group contest. Your take of it in shades of blue was so unexpected as most people see poppies and they usually think 'red'. I loved the beautiful paper and a bold use of black accents on that creation. How long have you been coloring/paper crafting and how did you get started?

Janet: Blue Himalayan Poppies are one of my favourite flowers,.
I met a wonderful lady when on holiday in Cuba in 2005.  Once when her and OH came to stay, she wanted to go to a craft shop as she had made cards for years.  She now designs craft CDs and I am on her DT. While in the craft shop she bought me some crafty stuff, gems papers, craft knife (which I still cannot use LOL), etc., and from then on I was hooked.

Janet's awesome card with "Bone Queen" and "Oriental Poppy".

Mitzi: Your coloring and card-making skills are impressive. Do you have any secret (or not so known) skills that others don't know about?

Janet: Thank you for the compliment, Mitzi,  Any skill I have has come from practising especially with colouring I don't think I have any skill that any other crafters don't know about.  All I know is that my cards have changed beyond recognition from when I first started and are still changing as I learn new techniques. 

Janet's winning card (Feb. 2014) with "Girl Flower Butterfly".

Mitzi: Next question.  Do you have a neatly organized crafting space (That's what I'm guessing...) or do you craft anywhere inspiration strikes regardless of where you happen to be?

Janet: Ha ha, it is neat and tidy as long as I don't go in there.  Otherwise, it is a complete tip.  This photo was taken when it had just been painted and a new carpet fitted.

Definitely lots of storage space!

Mitzi: Wow!  Looks nice in there. Hehe.  Curious what it looks like when you've been busy in there...  OK, next question.  When you're not coloring and crafting, what do you enjoy doing?

Janet: Nothing !!  We live in a quite large house that was built in the 1700s, so there is always something that wants fixing apart from that I do like to go on holiday.

Janet's awesome shadowbox with "Santa Muerte".

Mitzi: Haha.  Your house sounds romantic, but it does sound high maintemance. ^^;  Now, I have a few random questions for you, just for fun.  What is your favorite genre of movies?

Janet: Murder mysteries.

Mitzi:  I didn't know what to expect from you on that one.  Cool!  OK, continuing on the 'random fun' question... If you were to describe yourself as a single type of flower, what would you see yourself as?

Janet: Lily because it is tall, slim, and elegant just like I would love to be!

Yet another gorgeous work by Janet with "Lily Lily".

Mitzi: Lovely pick! Now getting back a little bit on track of discussing crafts, what is your favorite art/craft tool and why?

Janet: Alcohol pens (Copic, Promarker, Graph'it,  etc.) because I absolutely love colouring, oh, and my Ebosser for cutting dies and embossing because I nearly always put dies and/or embossing on my cards.

Mitzi:  I guess alcohol pens of one brand or another have been the favorite tools of everyone here so far.  No surprise.  OK, here's one of my favorite questions just for fun.   When you were little, what did you want to be when you grow up?

Janet: I always wanted to be a nurse, and that is what I did. 

Bright and sunny with "Dandelion Sprite".

Mitzi: Awesome!  Last question. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you like to go visit?

Janet: We have travelled a lot to Europe and the Caribbean, and I have loved every place we have visited, but the one place I would travel to again if given chance would be the 1st place we ever went and that was an Island called Mali Losin, which is in Croatia (It was Yugoslavia when we visited.).

Mitzi: Yes, you were on holiday when we first talked about your joining the design team, too.  I hope I get to be as well travelled as you are someday. ^_^  Well, thank you for joining me here today for this interview, Janet!  It was fun getting to know you.  You've been pumping out one impressive creation after another ever since you joined our team.  I would like to take this moment here to showcase some of my favorites from you.  And readers, please go visit her fabulous blog to see more of her beautiful crafts (each with more photos).  

Delightful Asian theme throughout with "Chrysanthemum Festival".

Stunning beauty with "Crimson Wings".

Beautiful card with "Steampunk Angel".

Gorgeous card with "Viridis Incendia".

Beautifully masculine card with "Tempest of Ice".

"Wedding Couple" with perfect embellishments.

Aren't these just gorgeous?  I hope you enjoyed reading the interview with Janet today and loved what you saw in these pics.  Thank you for joining us today!

I just want to remind our readers/followers one more time about the Butterflies challenge going on right now.  All you need is a butterfly in some way, shape, or form incorporated in your creation whether it be in the hand-colored image itself, die-cuts, or other embellishments used.  Easy enough and fun for everyone, right? :D  So, join today with your lovely creation!!

I would also like to mention our very active FB group, if you're not already a member.  We have members posting creations daily, monthly contests (which you can enter without having a blog, for those of you who don't have one), special events, and special offers for members only.  Hope you can join us at the FB group, too!

Interview with Sandra Carey

Welcome to the Designer Interview #3!  Once again, I'm your host, Mitzi. *waves*  I'm so glad you can join us!  Today, I'll be introducing you to Sandra Carey.  Please welcome, Sandra!

Sandra Carey

Mitzi: I think the first card I saw from you that was made with one of my digi's was "Las Calaveras" (Sugar Skull Day of the Dead Catrina), which made a huge impression on me. I loved the monochromatic color scheme you chose and all the embellishment that you made the card with. The visual impact was complex, yet inviting. How long have you been coloring/paper crafting and how did you get started?

Sandra's stunning card with "Las Calaveras"

Sandra: Yes, that was the first card I made with one of your Digis and fell in love with them all. I have only been colouring for about a year and still have a lot to learn.I started cardmaking quite a few years ago when i made one for a friend, and haven't stopped. I love all types of arts and crafts, and did art as part of my GCSE's* as growing up, but was not able to follow my dreams . I love to colour with my son who is also doing art GCSE's and also A levels next year .
*General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14-16 in secondary education in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Mitzi: That's awesome!  Talent for art runs in your family.  Next question.  Some people find a layout or a style that works particularly well for them and stick with it. In your work, I see a delightful creativity that is fluid and not fixed or static. Each of your projects is distinctly different, yet all are so well done. This gives me the impression that you are one of those people who are good at most everything they try their hands at. Do you have some skills that you excell at that not very many people know about?

Sandra: When you apply for a design team, they often ask about your style, I and I always say I don't have one particular style. I always go with how the image makes me feel which I think puts people off but I do like to try my hand at different things even if it does not go to plan.

Sweetly precious card with "Bluebell Sprite 2"

Mitzi: No style, or maybe it's better described as 'versatile'. :D I always admire this quality in people when I see it! I've noticed that you are very good at focusing in on one aspect of an image and expand that into the overall design theme. You certainly have a wonderful knack for it. Next question. When you're not coloring and crafting, what do you enjoy doing?

Sandra: This is going to sound a bit strange, but I love to work alongside my Hubby in the garage as a mechanic. We love to fix old Volkswagen's, and I also love photography.

Beautifully restored VW's by Sandra & her Hubby

Mitzi: I love it! (The 'hidden talent' question she dodged gets answered here, too! lol) It is an unexpected answer perhaps, but delightful! It's always great for a couple to have a hobby/activity they can do together. ^^ How cool is that!! OK. Next question. I saw on your FB profile that you're a fan of Miami Ink (I'm a big fan, too!). Do you have any tattoos on you? Or maybe you're like me -- just adore the art form, think that the people who make them and have them are fascinating, but do not have them on themselves?

Sandra: I am a big fan of tattoo art, and I do have a tattoo. It took me along time to pluck up the courage to have one, though am not a fan of pain! lol

Sandra's tattoo

Mitzi: Awesome! Thanks for letting us take a peek at your lovely tattoo! I love to design tattoos for clients, but I have none on me. Part of my problem is that I cannot seem to settle on one definitive design choice... I may be sticking with Sharpie tattoos. lol OK, next question.  What is your favorite genre of movies? (random)

Sandra: I like to watch action /thrillers, but don't do horrors.

Mitzi: If you can choose to be any animal for a day, what would it be? (random again!)

Sandra: Gosh, animal for a day would have to be something that gets plenty of rest as I don't get much.

Mitzi: May I suggest a cuddley sloth as your choice then? XD Or a newborn kitten.

Free wallpaper at http://pcwallpaperhd.com/cute-baby-sloth-wallpaper-hd.html

*squee* OK.  Moving onto the next question.   What is your favorite art tool and why?

Sandra: It would be my pens as find colouring so relaxing .

Sandra's beautiful card with "Diamonds"

Mitzi: Just for fun, when you were little, what did you want to be when you grow up?

Sandra: I wanted to be a nurse and did EMI* nursing for a long time until I had my first child. *EMI = Elderly Mentally Infirm

Another lovely card by Sandra with "Peace Rose"

Mitzi: I always ask this question to see how different what you wanted to be and what you are.  In your case, you got to be what you wanted to be as a child.  That's awesome, Sandra!  Here's my last question. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you like to go visit?

Sandra: I have always wanted to visit Germany, and am hoping to get there in the next couple of years.

Mitzi: I am not surprised by your answer after seeing your restored VW photos and can just imagine where you guys might be visiting and what you'll be doing in Germany. XD That will be great fun for you! Thank you so much for your time with this interview, Sandra! It was fun getting to know you. Now I would like to showcase some more of your lovely cards for our readers here.

Stunning card with "Beloved"

Lovely sunshine with "Rose Fairy"

Gorgeous coloring on "Himalayan Blue Poppy"

Wonderful interpretation on "Crimson Wings"

Just PRECIOUS! with "Sleepy Bunny Elf"

Wonderful display with "White Poppies"

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Sandra as much as I did. Thank you so much for joining us today! I will be back next Monday with Designer Interview #4 with Lorraine Craig Mackie. Hope you can join us!! 

Till next time, happy coloring~!!