Meet Melissa!

Greetings from Michigan, scrappin’ babes. My name is Melissa, and I am delighted to be part of The Paper Variety design team. I’m 42, a stay-at-home aspiring writer, and I’m happily married to Daniel, the love of my life.

Since I can remember, I’ve always loved to write, and I’ve always loved how photos capture slice-of-life moments. I also enjoy playing with colors and design. Scrapbooking merges all of those interests, providing an artistic way to tell the stories of my life and the lives of those I care about. Papercrafting began for me in the early 1990’s when I was first introduced to the delights of rubber stamping. I tinkered with creating stationery, and I made some note cards, but I didn’t totally embrace the craft until I discovered Stampin’ Up! in 2003. My life hasn’t been the same since!

Probably what I love most about paper-crafting is the wealth of inspiration available. So many talented and generous people inspire me, whether I find them on blogs or in magazines and online forums. I love that the popularity of creative expression has exploded the past few years and that so many of us are telling our stories in our own unique ways. Simplicity appeals to me most, but lately, I’ve stretched my creative comfort zone and expanded my style. I still dig simple, but I also love challenging myself to create more intricate designs on my pages, cards, and other projects. Right now, I’m loving the vintage trend, butterflies, paint and glitter, and all those great journaling blocks that have so many uses beyond journaling. I’m always looking for new techniques to try, and I love taking an idea and adding a twist to make it my own.

When I’m not scrapbooking, I’m talking on the phone or online, spending time with family and friends who live too far away. I also enjoy reading, knitting, walking/hiking, podcasts, and hanging out with my sweetheart.

Take a look at some of the projects I’ve created recently: