Thursday, June 10, 2010

Profile of a Stamper - Tania Gould






Name
Tania Gould

Location
Launceston, Tasmania

Any jobs other than crafter
Raising a beautiful, very-chatty 4 yr old!

Favourite craft type/style
Anything that can be turned into a gift for someone.

How did you get started in crafting?
I've been “crafty” for years now, trying my hand at many things like beading, cross-stitch/long-stitch, scrapbooking, quilting, folk art, and painting but my latest and greatest is STAMPING!!

What made you interested in stamping/card making/scrapbooking?
I love that you can simply personalise what I once used to spend a lot of money on – cards! I am also a bit of a way-too-keen photographer and have thousands of photos of my daughter, so what better way to show them off but in scrapbooks! I haven't done any for a little while but I am itching to get back into it – now just gotta get the mojo going and actually go print some pics!

How often do you stamp/scrap?
Since moving house, I haven't be able to stamp as much as I'd like, as there seems to always be something that needs unpacking or sorting out. But generally, I would create something at least several times a week.

Where do you get your inspiration? Are you inspired by anyone in particular?
I tend to find my inspiration a lot these days from things I'm seeing in magazines and on TV, particular colours or layouts or ideas that can be converted into paper or ribbon or embellishments. I often get an idea just while watching a show on TV – BUT I really need to learn to either go and do it then and there or at least write it down, because once I have slept, it seems to disappear by the next day! Grrr!

What’s your favourite technique to use?
Embossing, Embossing, Embossing… oh and I love Embossing!!!! I can't “resist” a bit of embossing!!! And my other fav thing to use is the Sponge Daubers – how did I survive so long without them!? They give a much softer, more subtle look compared to plain sponges. I love to soften the edges of a card with the Sponge Daubers.

What tip/s would you give to other crafters?
What I find useful in my craft area is a plastic tray with all the regular most-often used items, that way they are all easy to grab and also easy to put away. I also have an area that is exclusively reserved to my beloved Stampin' Up Heat Tool – he has his own power point and sits pride of place ready to go at any time I need him (which is every single time I craft!)

I am very fortunate to have, at the moment, a whole room just for me and my craft items. I am still waiting for built-in wardrobes to be installed in all the bedrooms, but when I do, my craft room will have an entire wardrobe of shelves, shelves and more shelves!!! In the meantime, I have little “stations” of areas, eg. All my Designer 12x12s are stacked in my wire cubes that I bought from Bunnings and assembled and tied together with plastic ties. Also, I have baskets with all my punches in and another with the odds and ends like the Circle Cutter, Brayer, Crimper etc. I have little plastic trays to hold my Markers, which I love because it keeps them flat so the ink doesn’t run to one tip and not the other. I have a big plastic container with a lid full of odds and ends of ribbons and twine etc....and sometimes I find I'm inspired just by sifting through that container and find a beautiful piece of ribbon and then the rest is history! Now, I could rabbit on about my craft supplies for days, but for now, this is where I'm at. I am looking forward to having most of my supplies tucked away in a cupboard to keep the room neat but more importantly to keep them out of the direct sun light – as it’s heart-breaking to see a beautiful piece of DSP faded on one half. :(

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing with us all Tania, I love reading about someone else craft time/space/life!

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  2. One little typo....."I love to soften the edges of a garden with the Sponge Daubers." was meant to be "I love to soften the edges of a CARD (not garden!)..." I remember when I typed this and I was looking out the window looking at the weeds in the garden! LOL!!! Woops!

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  3. LOL...Tania! I thought you must have been making a scrap page or something! :)

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  4. Hahahaha. Sponge daubers are great for softening the edges of ANYTHING, so you're forgiven, Tania! Loved this little 'window' into your life. Post some piccies of your craft room once you have the cupboards???!! LOVE your work!

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