*Meet the Design Team - Say hi to Debbi T*

1. Tell us a bit about yourself...

I am 35 and at the minute a stay at home mum to my two boys Joshua 6 and Aidan 3 - they are my world and along with hubby, we have a great family life! I am currently on a career break from my day job that is as a business lending consultant for a Bank. I am an avid papercrafter!

2. How long have you been crafting for and how did you become a crafter?

I have been crafting for about 5 years ever since my neighbour invited me over to her house to have a play with her stash and as the say the rest is history - I was hooked and there went any chance I ever had of saving for a rainy day! I discovered Stampin' Up at a similar time and I signed up as a demo not long after - I love meeting new people through my crafting - sharing new techniques and ideas and being part of a team where everyone is as enthusiastic and passionate about paper and card as I am! (and yes I do get VERY excited) I love to get together with friends who I have made through the crafting community and know that I have been lucky enough to meet some lifelong friends through something that we both share a love of ...

4. What is your favourite craft to do?

This is sssoooo hard to answer I love so many - if I would have to choose one it would have to be colouring stamped images - as there are so many different mediums that you can use to make your images look pretty and striking depending on the look/ style that you are going for... Of late I have fallen back in love with my promarkers after selling nearly all the ones that I had!

5. Do you work in the craft industry?

Technically yes through Stampin' Up! but this is really just a hobby I don't do many workshops and the customers I have I have been friends with for many years - I love just getting together with them and having a laugh - they are always interested in the games I set up as they are always of a crafty nature with prizes involved and we even make cards along the way learning new techniques and I showcase them new products
6. What is you favourite craft technique?

Again there are so many - but if you are making me chose I will have to go with Stamping on candles - I love the effect that you get and how you are able to colour them and get an amazing effect that is personal to the person that you are giving it to... The last one I did for for my friends wedding as her husbands parents have passed away - it was lit at the beginning of the service and lit through the reception as well... To know that I had created something that was important to the both of them is a great honour.

7. Who is your favourite crafter and why?

I love Nicky Hall I only discovered her recently but love her style and love the designs that she creates - I spent ages talking to her at a recent craft show about colouring, pro-markers, card and CD Roms... A lovely lady and we had a giggle too...

8. Why did you want to become a Design Team member?

I wanted to give my crafting more focus I love creating but was finding that I am very hit and miss - being on a design Team gives me a reason to craft and keeps me focused I love having a reason to craft and this is keeping me motivated and I thank Debbi so much for giving me the opportunity to work with so many other talented crafters and on such great challenges.

*Meet the Deign Team - Say hi to Marleen*

Blog: Marleen's Crafty Space

1. Tell us a bit about yourself...
Hmmm, Before I am anything else, Im a mum.. I have 3 Wonderful children. Emma 8, Michael 6, and Abbie 20 month. Emma and Michael are as crafty as I am, and have a place on a DT themselfs.
I am married to Kevin who is my best friend, and biggest fan. We live in Ireland, where Kevin is from, but I come from Denmark. I am know to speak danish when I get really cross :-)

2. How long have you been crafting for and how did you become a crafter?
I started making cards, shortly after Emma was born. My sister came over to Ireland for a visit and she had just started making cards, she showed me how and the rest is history so to speak. In 2008 i started to do scrapbooking as well.

4. What is your favourite craft to do?
The only craft I do, is cards and scrapbooking. I do love decorating the house as well, but its a far more expencive hobby, so I stick to paper most the time...

5. Do you work in the craft industry?

Well, I have just started to do demo's in my local craftshop. I would love to really work in the industry, but as my children are still quite small, I cant work full time yet. I work on several Design Teams, so pretty much all my spare time is about crafting.

6. What is you favourite craft technique?
My favorite technique has to be distressing. Any kind of distressing will do. My favorite tool of the trade is cheep nailfiles from the pound shops. They can be used for so many different things..

7. Who is your favourite crafter and why?
Hmm, I dont really have a favorite. I have gotten to know so many fantastic crafters on-line. Everyone is so talented, but all so different, and thats what I find so fantastic about paper crafting. With the same materials, no 2 crafters, will ever make the same.

8. Why did you want to become a Design Team member?
What I love about working on DT's is that it sets me a challenge. It widens my creativity.