We felt it would be lovely to let you get to know our incredible team a little better... So we have introduced Friendly Friday... And for the next few Fridays we will be interviewing another incredible member of the Craftmania Family.. Today, we have pinned down Jamie to pick his brains with some quick fire questions... Jamie is one of the Owners of Craftmania, a TV Demonstrator & has also been a Product Designer for Creative Expressions 1 - What’s your favourite craft?
Oh don't ask me that... It has to be a 50/50 split between Cardmaking & Scrapbooking... SO can I get away with saying Papercraft?
2 - What’s your favourite project you’ve completed?
Ok, it is at this point I wish I had have said no to taking part in this... They are all my children... how do I pick a favourite..🙈 I'm going to go with this one...Because this one was made with one of my very first dies, from my very first die release. At the moment these came out I had achieved one of my life long goals, and I couldn't have been happier... more excited for the future and proud of what Craftmania, YouTube and Creative Expressions had helped me achieve. (I'm not good at this quick fire bit)
3 - What craft have you tried and decided isn’t for you?
Beading - My short fat fingers are not designed for the evil world of BEADS lol.
4 - What’s your favourite top tip?
A rule I often break... But if you put the same colour in 3 places throughout your project it will look at home on your creation, you pop a bright pink flower on to a card wth no pink on it anywhere elese... I wonder where that's come from or why.. so I would use that pink in a layer or sentiment, gem, ribbon.. just something to ground it.
5 - If you could only craft with 3 colours for the rest of your life… what would they be
This one is easy - Red, Green, Gold!
6 - What’s the worst crafting mishap you’ve had?
Oh my goodness! where do I start.. I hope I am not alone in having a list, but I think my worst one has to be Live on Create and Craft with Loen when I cut the wrong die out of the only sheet I had to hand (that had been stamped coloured, glittered) for the pieces to paper piece in to the die I had already stuck down lol.
7 - How do you combat crafty brain fog?
I have a few ways I get out of a slump... - Pick your favorite stencil and meduim and create a background... The ideas will soon flow.. - Make Flowers... You start building and cutting flowers and foliage and before you know it you'll be building a display and looking for a butterfly/sentiment to fill the spaces... hey presto you're back to building a card.
8 - What colour do you tend to avoid while crafting? Bright colours... I tend to opt for pastels or dark shades.
9 - How would you describe your crafting style?
Like a firework. I know I have style and certainly 'go to' ideas.. but actually I try to avoid having too much of a style.. I think craft (like life) is all about exploring and experimenting and I love so many design styles from minimal to cluttered.. If I was a chef I wouldn't only cook one meal... so as a crafter I don't only want to make one card... but saying that if I ever find one a style I love, it may be time to get married and settle down with it.. we will see...
10 - Go to card blank size?
10" x 7" - I know it's not a small card.. but all that space! ❤
11 - Wet glue or double sided tape?
Wet glue, I'm too wonky for the commitment double sided tape needs.
12 - Gold or silver ?
Going for gold! (you probably know my answer to that one already)
13 - Favourite occasion/season to craft for?
It has to be Christmas! The themes, the colours, the glitter!
14 - Favourite Die?
Well this is awkward... I don't want to pick one of mine... how big headed! So I will pick one of my all time favorites.. This adorable Vintage Rose is probably my favorite today.. I love the detail Sam has captured in this one, and the fact it is more about the cut in than the cut out. 15 - Favourite Product?
Again a little awkward... lol... But I will skip mine and go for...
Gilded Touch...
This is always on my desk! I love the ability to highlight small areas, and the fact it is waterbased so I can turn it in to a paint, I LOVE IT!!
Also depending on how you apply it (stipple brush for instance) it keeps it's texture.
16 - Where do you find inspiration?
I have answered this a few times... but my answer is always the same... EVERYWHERE. If the colour scheme for a high street chemist looks good, or a swedish furniture store, or the cover of the magazine on the coffee table... high chance is that will work in your crafting. One of my favourite shaped cards I created a few years ago, come to me when I sat at the trafflic lights and looked at the back of the car in front of me, and I thought I have got to bring that curve in to my crafting.
17 - What’s your favourite crafty storage hack? Keeping my flower dies in little pots saves me so much time popping them back on magnetic boards/in folders etc.. I just use them TOOO much to keep faffing putting them away in an organised fashion lol.
18 - A piece of helpful advice you would give a new crafter?
It is only a piece of card. I know... it's one you have probably heard a million times... but I still think it is the best thing to remember... we all have them times when things don't go to plan.. so keeping in mind it is just a piece of card.. can really save our sanity!
19 - What’s your favourite craft tool/gadget ?
I don't know who wrote these questions.. but I'm having words! They aren't as easy as I was told they would be lol. This again varies... And I have a top 100 with this too! But at the moment I am most shocked and impressed by these... Craft Scrappers... I thought for over year 'I don't need one of them, I've got palette knives' But honestly this makes applying paste soooo easy and much cleaner and I truthfully think I use less product and get a smoother finish.. so truly I am in love!
20 - What’s next on your crafty wish list? Well.. I am currently trying to collect the Simon Hurley Create Inks... and the Craft Artist Fusion Inks... So about 45 more ink pads to go! 🙈
Thank you Jamie so much for giving us a little insight in to your crafty mind and what helps you create your amazing cards. If you have any questions for Jamie, pop them in the comments!