Meet Becky Olsen

P. Kelly Smith

Welcome to our third and final day of Card Creations: Start to Finish Week! I want to give a big shout out to those who left such sweet comments for our cover girls Tanis Giesbrecht and Charlene Austin. I know they really appreciate the love. Keep them coming! 

We may be wrapping things up here, but Cath is just getting the party started on Moxie Fab World. And guess what? You’re all invited to three more days of inspirational cards from our latest special issue Card Creations: Start to Finish, Vol. 2. And if you know anything about Cath, she loves to give away moxie fab prizes! 

Today we’re spotlighting our third cover girl, Becky Olsen, who just happens to live right here in the great state of Utah! Every now and then, she’ll pop into the office to drop off a project, and she’s usually just come from her daily workout on the tennis court. (In the summertime, she gets really tan and is the envy of every girl in this office!) Did I mention she’s also an accomplished skier? Click on her blog to see her cute Ski Ya Later Card.

I also get to see this sassy lady every month at our fun card group, which exists mainly of office staffers. We like to think we’re all amazing paper crafters, but there’s nothing like having an actual published designer in your midst to remind you otherwise. Let’s just say that we’ve all stepped up our A-game since Becky’s joined us! And that is most definitely a good thing! 

Let’s get to know Miss Becky!  

Becky Olsen

1. Where did you grow up?    

Ashland, Oregon 

2. Do you work outside the home? If so, what do you do?   

I used to be a ski instructor at Deer Valley, but my knees complained a lot, so I had to give it up. 

3. If a movie were to be made of your life, who would you cast to play the part of you?   

Jennifer Garner (Editor’s Note: Could Becky and Charlene be a part of a secret organization of paper crafting spies that mirror Jennifer Garner’s kick-butting character in ALIAS? Hmm…) 

4. What song would you choose as the theme song for your life?   

We Close Our Eyes by Oingo Boingo 

5. What is one thing most people would be surprised to hear about you?   

I love to play tennis and have the goal of becoming rated as a 4.5 in the next couple of years. I am very competitive and hate to lose. 

6. What/who inspired you to start paper crafting?   

It started with a magnetic photo album in my teens. I could keep memorabilia in it with my pictures. I was always looking for opportunities to improve the process of memory keeping. As a young newlywed, I saw the magic of embossing (over a light bulb, LOL!). Products and projects have improved significantly since then! 

7. What is your biggest paper crafting challenge?   

Enough time to get my ideas created. 

8. If you were only allowed two items to create a card beside cardstock and adhesive, what would they be?    

Patterned paper and a sewing needle with some embroidery floss. 

9. What is your favorite occasion or holiday to paper craft and why?    

This is a tough one! Probably Christmas…the products are always so fun and diverse! 

10. How would you describe your style?  

Simple and whimsical are the two words that come to my mind. If anyone has a better description, I would love to hear it! 

Becky's Sweetest Moments Card carries accents and the sentiment to the inside.

11. When is your favorite time to craft?   

Total night owl. Staying up until 1 a.m. is pretty common for me. 

12. What sort of music do you listen to while crafting?    

Usually silence. We have a busy house, so my mind appreciates the quiet when it occurs. 

13. How does your family participate in your paper crafting passion?   

It is mandatory that everyone participate as a sounding board for projects in our house. All of the different perspectives on design appeal, trends and color keep things fresh! 

14. When it comes to calls and deadlines, how do you keep yourself organized?   

I have a paper calendar on my desk that is in a weekly format. It has lists for the week and all submission deadlines that are approaching, along with due dates for projects and paperwork. 

15. Do you remember what Paper Crafts issue your first project appeared in? How has your style changed since then?    

Oh I so remember…such a huge thrill! I was asked to contribute a hybrid project to the June/July 2008 issue. I also had some holiday projects picked up at about the same time for the Holiday Cards and More, Volume 3. Not sure how or if my style has changed…I think I am pretty eclectic to begin with. 

In Becky's You Make My Heart Melt Card, the inside sentiment supports the shaped ice cream design.

16. Have you contributed to any design teams in the past or present? If so, which ones?    

I have been fortunate to work with some really nice teams in the past and present. Currently I work with Zva Creative and Ellen Hutson. 

17. Name three designers whose styles you like and why they appeal to you.     

This is so tough to narrow down! I so appreciate many different designers and their styles. 

18. Do you have any advice/tips for someone who’s never been published or who wants to submit for the first time?   

Don’t be afraid to try new things, play and have fun with the creative process. You’ll have projects that you love and want to share when you are done. Also, don’t get discouraged – submit, submit, submit! 

19. What was your inspiration for your Proud of You card that appears on the cover of Card Creations: Start to Finish, Vol. 2?   

Eeek! Now my brain hurts from thinking too much! I honestly don’t know what inspired me to try making a little pinwheel. The idea that we could make any interactive component for this call just made me so happy! I loved pinwheels as a kid, and I thought it would be a wonderful piece that could come off of the card and actually be played with by a child or adult who had just given some big effort and maybe not succeeded, but needed some encouragement for giving it a go. The sentiment came from the pinwheel “whirling” with a breath of air from the recipient. It takes a little effort to get it to whirl, but it’s worth it! 

In Becky's Proud of You Card, the inside sentiment supports the interactive pinwheel design on the front of the card.

20. Do you have a blog or online gallery? If so, please provide the URL.    

I do have a blog (http://lifeasathreeleggeddog.blogspot.com/). For those of you who would like to purchase Card Creations: Start to Finish, Vol. 2, please visit my blog to hear about the special deal you can get!  

Thanks, Becky! Our friends at Cosmo Cricket were nice enough to donate three sets of their Early Bird collection – the same collection Becky used to create her cover card above. Please leave a comment and I’ll pick three random winners to receive this collection, plus a copy of Card Creations: Start to Finish, Vol. 2. All comments must be received by midnight (MST) on Thursday, Jan. 14.  

Three lucky winners will take home this fun collection from Cosmo Cricket!

Happy Wednesday!
Kelly  

P.S. It’s time to announce the three winners from my Meet Tanis Giesbrecht post! 

1. Barbara M (Jan. 11, 9:35 p.m.)
2. Jimmi Mayo (Jan. 11, 7:30 a.m.)
3. calonghorn (Jan. 11, 10:01 a.m.)

Congrats, winners! You’ve each won the Tiny Giggle Grove stamp set from Unity Stamp Company and a copy of Card Creations: Start to Finish, Vol. 2. I’ll be contacting you shortly to get your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who left comments!