Sunday Spotlight

Hey, everyone, Lori here, aka beancounter, bringing you this week’s Sunday Spotlight. Before I tell you who it is, I first want to show you the layout I saw in the gallery that really caught my eye, and I knew she was someone I wanted to get to know more about!!

Isn’t this great??? For this layout, she used Trixie’s gorgeous kit, Black Tie Event which you can find here https://trixiescraps.com/shop/complete-kits/black-tie-event-digital-scrapbooking-kit-wedding-formal-special-event

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Barb, aka bcalberti!!

Tell us a little about yourself including a little interesting fact about yourself:)

I live in Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee. Both my husband I were born and raised here and will probably be here the rest of our lives. I’ve got two kids – my son is 7 and starting 2nd grade and my daughter is 5 and will starting kindergarten this year. They are the reason I digi-scrap, I love to document the day to day stuff of their lives. I work as a Nurse Practitioner helping patient’s with end stage renal disease – I’m lucky, I love going to my job in the morning.

Interesting fact – hmmmm….. I’m actually pretty boring – I’ll have to think about that. My husband would say that after 40 some years on this earth, why now have I finally started to get into buying shoes, clothes, jewelry, and perfume.

What program do you use to digi-scrap?

I use Photo Shop elements 7. It’s the version that was available when I started digi scrapping. I haven’t upgraded because I’m still trying to figure out how some of the stuff in version 7 works.

Do you use a Mac or PC and why?

Totally PC – Mac’s scare me, just cause I’ve never used one.

What are some of your other hobbies/interests besides digi-scrapping?

Well, I’ve got a husband, two kids, and a full-time job – add to that the cleaning, soccer practice, laundry. Hmmm…. My first passion is really quilting. I find it very therapeutic to take beautiful fabric, cut it up into thousands of pieces and then sew them all back together again. I think, like digi scraping – it’s the colors that draw me in. I also recently got a Kindle – so I try to keep up with some reading and then maybe a minute or two in the garden. I just got a macro lense from my husband for my birthday, I’ve been taking close ups of every flower in my yard and trying to get off of just using the automatic settings on my camera.

Why did you decide to start digi-scrapping?

I always wanted to so something with all the pictures I’d taken of my children. Digital was great in that I was able to just snap pictures daily to see them grow and live life. It wasn’t until my son started 4K and went on his first field trip that I really figured it was now or never to start.

I never was into paper scrapping – looked cool, but too much physical stuff (remember, I’m a quilter and already have a room of stuff, I didn’t need more) and although my friends at worked tried to temp me into the paper world, I just couldn’t do it. I saw a program at a local electronic store about digital scrapping. I tried it out, but it was cumbersome and limited. I started searching on-line and found the whole world of digital scrapbooking and I’ve never looked back.

How long have you been digi-scrapping?

It seems like so much longer, but just over 3 years.

What is your favorite thing about digi-scrapping?

I love everything about digital – but I really love templates, sometimes I’m just not every creative, but when I’ve got a pattern to follow it gets me going. I also love the ease of journaling. I really didn’t journal much in the beginning, but I do much more now. If I look at a photo and I know the story behind the photo then I want to document that for my kids to see when they are older. I also love that I can make one layout, change the pictures and then it is unique to each of my kids. Oh, and there’s all the color cropping, editing, coloring, enlarging you can do to your photos.

Seriously, I could just keep going on and on about why I love digi (ask my paper scrapbook friends. I’m constantly trying to convert them). Did I mention that I love how quick and easy it is and clean up is a breeze and at 3 AM when I can’t sleep, I get some of my most beautiful layouts done

I love the friends I’ve “met” through the digital world and all those I haven’t met that inspire me with their beautiful layouts.

What are some elements you can’t live without?

templates of course (you should see my template folders). I love staples, paperclips, brads – anything I can use to make it look like I’ve tacked down a tag or a ribbon. Tags are a must for dating my pages and if I’m using flowers on my page – definitely leaves (drives me nuts when the kit I’m using has no leaves!!!)

Just for fun, if you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Alaska – top of my list. Then to Italy.

Doesn’t Barb sound like a great person to get to know?? I know I loved learning more about the person behind that beautiful layout! Thanks, Barb, for allowing all of us a little glimpse into your life, and I look forward to seeing more of your gorgeous layouts in the gallery:)