Inspiring Designer: Nicola Howard

"Scrapbooking was totally unheard of in New Zealand when I started," says this month's Inspiring Designer, Nicola Howard. "I had an American friend on the internet who told me about her scrapbooking. I was curious and she gave me two websites to look at. I was hooked!"

Nicola has been scrapbooking about four years, since the birth of her first son. "I'm one of the lucky ones who has been a scrapbooker right from about the time I became a mother and had all those gorgeous baby photos to scrap!"

Nicola's simple, classic scrapbook style has earned her prizes and publication. She's won multiple awards in Paper Pizazz™ contests and publication in their book, Making Marvelous Scrapbook Pages. She also took home the honor of Best Photography in Creating Keepsakes' page contest at CKU-Anaheim in 2002. Look for her page in Simple Scrapbooks' A Simple Guide to Designing Scrapbooks.

"During the day I am a stay-at-home-Mum to two boys, age 2 and 4. I spend most days figuring out how to fit in as much scrapbooking as I can, whilst juggling the needs of 2 preschool boys!" says Nicola. "I think the inspiration behind the layout is all in the journalling. For some reason (possibly that I take all the photos!) we had no photos as a family. We weren't prepared for my Mum wanting to take photos but we posed as she asked and the results were surprising! (Especially as my Mum took the photos!!!!). "Having never seen a photo of the four of us, it was nice to reflect. This is why I wanted to use the quote as I did."

Supply list:

• Metallic Collage Papers
• Mixing Papers and Vellums
• Tag Art Cut-Outs™
• Bazzill cardstock
• Corkboard
• Eyelet
• Fibers Adornments
• Plain vellum - Stamp It
• Fonts: CK Script, 2Peas Arizona
• Zig Millenium Black Writer

"Fun thing about this layout... I only had limited corkboard. I made the tag and matted the photo, but felt it needed to be matted again. The only cork I had left had a piece ripped off the side. I used it anyway, and I feel it looks good!!!!"

Nicola's Journaling:

On the tag: From Small Seeds Grow Mighty Oaks

On the vellum: "Mum wanted to take some photos to send to Vaughan, so we all had an impromptu photo session! It was fun to do and I was pleasantly surprised when we got this photo back. We didn't have any photos of the four of us as a family, so this photo is a treasure. Nic, Paul, Jacob (3 1/2) and Braden (nearly 2) November 2002."