Leah is one of the newest members of the Making Memories design team. We are so excited to have her and wanted to introduce her to everyone.
How long have you been scrapbooking and what got you into it? - I started scrapbooking soon after my son Alex was born. A neighbor of mine was a Creative Memories consultant and she convinced me to give it a try. I was hesitant at first because I never considered myself artistic, but I immediately fell in love with this hobby. I liked that it gave me a creative outlet and that I was able to display all the photos of my new baby, instead of keeping the pictures in a box. Then once I discovered that through scrapbooking I can share and document my thoughts, feelings, family history and family values for my children, I was completely hooked. It’s been nine years since that first scrapbook page, and I love scrapbooking more today than ever.
What is your favorite MM's product? - This is a tough question. I love it all – I really do! If I had to choose, I think my favorites are the papers in the MM Kids Ethan and Sam lines. I love these simple color schemes and patterns. In fact, all the papers and embellishments in the MM Kids collection are so fun to work with. Another fave of mine is the MM label holders – they’re a staple for me and I use them all the time. I also can’t get enough of the Fresh Anthology papers, buttons, ribbon, and trim – MM always has the cutest stuff!
What are the top 3 places that you have visited? - My parents really enjoyed taking the whole family to visit different countries, so I’ve been fortunate to travel overseas several times. My favorite places overseas were Tahiti, Paris, and Geneva, Switzerland. I want to take my family to different countries as well. In July, we’re going to Japan! I hope to see Australia one day too.
What do you listen to when you scrapbook?
Sheryl Crowe
Norah Jones
Corrine Bailey Rae
Laura Jensen
Earth, Wind and Fire
What was your reaction when you became part of the MM design team? - I couldn’t believe it! I received an email from Gail saying that she would like to add me to the team, and I was soooo excited – I must have read her email ten times! The first person I told was my husband because he knows how much I love working with MM. He was and is very happy for me. I walked around that entire week with a big goofy smile on my face. I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this amazing team and this awesome company!
What is your favorite technique right now for scrapbooking? - Sewing. I have a feeling this will always be my favorite technique.
When you get in a creative rut, what do you do to get inspiration? - I usually look through my scrapbook albums because nothing inspires me more than seeing pictures of my children. I also see colors, compositions, and ideas that have worked for me in the past, and I sometimes use those as starting points for a new page. I also get tons of inspiration from reading Scrapbooks etc. and MM’s idea books. It really is a blessing for me to work with companies that inspire me.
What does your design surroundings look like? - I have a modest scrapbook room, not very big, and built on a small budget, but I love scrapbooking in that room because it’s filled with colors and simple things that inspire me. Hanging on my walls are a few of my favorite scrapbook pages and three large pegboards holding tools and supplies on hooks. Sitting on shelves are framed pictures of friends and favorite quotes. Also on the shelves are colored photo boxes and fabric-lined baskets filled with embellishments. My scrapbook table is a small wooden table with a spinning caddy sitting on one corner.
Tell us about your family. - I have two little boys – Alex and Andrew. My husband’s name is Robert and we’ve been married for 14 years. I met my husband in graduate school. We’re both chemists: Robert is a formulations chemist and I am a medicinal chemist. Even though we’re both scientists, we rarely talk about science at home. You’re more likely to find us talking about our children, chess, or what’s on T.V. this weekend.
What is your favorite single possession? - I think my favorite possession is my laptop. I love that I can take it from my scrapbook room to the kitchen to Starbucks and get work done almost anywhere. With it, I can work for different companies and still be at home with my children.
