I am so excited to have a giveaway of my friend Courtney Walsh's book The Busy Scrapper.
The book was just released!
This is Courtney's second book. Her first book, Scrapbooking Your Faith, had beautiful layouts and amazing inspiration.
Courtney's new book is perfect for all of us that want to preserve our family's memories, but have a hard time finding the time. She has so many beautiful and easy layouts to follow. I love to scrapbook but the more behind I get….the more I don't want to do it.
To encourage your scrapbooking endeavors I would also like to include in the giveaway a HUGE supply of papers and embellishments from my collection.
Just leave a comment and you will be entered in the giveaway.
I have known Courtney since elementary school. It has been so much fun reconnecting with her within the past year. She is amazingly creative in so many areas. I hope you enjoy the Q&A. It was fun to learn even more about her and what inspires her.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere. Oh, I hate when people say that. The truth is, I find inspiration in the quiet moments. Late at night when I've just laid down to go to sleep. Walking through Barnes and Noble by myself on those rare occasions when I leave the house. Flipping through my favorite magazines…like the Pottery Barn catalogs and the now defunct Cottage Living. In the quiet, I can hear my brain… and while I live in chaos, I find the rare quiet moments motivate me the most.
How do you balance family and your career?
I am still figuring this one out. We are all such busy people–but especially women. We have much to juggle. And as soon as we get free time, we add something else to our plate. For me, it's about learning to say no. Learning that just because I CAN do something doesn't mean I SHOULD. So, I've had to clear my plate of a lot of things to focus on what's important. Then I carve out times for creativity within the day, usually during naptime, and I keep that time sacred.
Could you tell us a little about the new direction you are being lead?
Well, I feel like right now I'm in a bit of a transitional period–and I love it! I've recently given up most of my scrapbooking responsibilities so I can focus more on writing. I still have a couple of scrapbooking things I'm doing, but they aren't ongoing… instead, I am re-discovering the theatre, writing for the stage and learning a whole new craft of writing fiction. It's been quite a journey so far. I wonder what's around the next turn!
As a writer can you put into words how you felt when your first and now second book was published?
Well, I was pretty excited about that. My first book, Scrapbooking Your Faith was a labor of love. It was such a quick deadline, but the words really spilled out of me. That book is really what's on my heart. But seeing it in Barnes and Noble and seeing it on the front rack at Hobby Lobby and Michaels were big moments for me. (I never even got a picture of that! I need to do that!) But you have to understand by the time it actually gets released SO much time has passed from that first deadline that in a way, all that lag time almost sets you up for a little bit of deflation. You have moved on by then so you have to return to a project that is now 6-8 months old. It's an odd feeling, but definitely one where you thank God for giving you that crazy opportunity!
You have worked with some of the most amazing women in the scrapbooking industry. Is there anyone that has been a mentor to you? My dear friend Leah Fung. She is a contributing editor at Scrapbooks, Etc. but when I met her, she was just breaking into the scrapbooking world. I loved her pages and told her so and I was excited to find out she was coming to Chicago for the trade show the following summer. We met there and she was designing for Chatterbox, introduced me to all those girls and really helped me learn what I needed to do to get my pages published. She was definitely a mentor and very good friend to me. I love that girl!
Whose work are you inspired by in the scrapbooking industry? In the theatre? As a writer?
Hmmm… in the scrapbooking industry… I am most inspired by the new products that come out. Those designers are artists behind the scenes… especially seem drawn to Basic Grey, Chatterbox, October Afternoon and other lines that have a real homey type feel. I like homemade stuff!
In the theatre, right now, I'm totally inspired by the kids I'm teaching, but again, the material inspires me. I have dream shows I want to direct like Godspell and Little Shop of Horrors and The Music Man and working with those shows totally inspires me. I am also hugely inspired by Kristin Chenoweth who is a genius onstage and I will always love a good Oscar Wilde play!
As a writer… Jane Austen's stories grab and move me. Always. I study movies a lot to learn about good storytelling though I know there are so many differences in the crafts. Love the work of Susan Meissner…I'm reading her book The Shape of Mercy right now and loving it. Also love Deborah Raney whose books are ones I would read over and over again (which is incredible because I just don't do that… who has time!?) Ted Dekker, Angela Hunt and my all-time favorite Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
I would LOVE to win Courtneys new book. I have her first one and I love it. Thanks for doing the interview. What a talented woman. I wish her luck in her writing endeavors.
you don’t have to enter me in the giveaway because i don’t scrap, but this was a lovely little interview.
xo
i know….i’m pushing my luck entering another giveaway, right?
i’m so with you about getting behind and then feeling too overwhelmed to know how to start! i really need to get the girls books out again.
maybe some new paper would inspire me.
wink wink.
that was a nice interview and seems like a very happy family.
have a beautiful weekend.
chas
I just recently found your blog. I’m not sure how I came across it…you know how one link leads to another! I have quite a few blogs I follow, but I’ve never actually commented on any of them! Maybe I’ll have some good luck!
WOW! What a great post….I can relate as Scrapbooking is something I love, but I am behind more than I want to think about. Sometimes I get on a roll, and can accomplish several pages and other times I get hung up on the tinest details. No matter how I THINK my pages look, everyone enjoys looking at them. I always try to remember it’s more about the contents..the pictures..the memories and I don’t have to be a perfectionist. I like the motto at Paper Source “DO SOMETHING CREATIVE EVERYDAY” and I really do try to live by that motto!
that looks like a book that i can definately relate to right now.
I hope I win!! I need some scrapbooking inspiration desperately. Thanks!
Those look fabulous! I would love those…I need inspiration when it comes to sitting down and scrapbooking! I also love those sample pages you posted!! PICK ME!:0)
love, love, love it! great hearing more from you, courtney! what a fun, fun give away, jeanne! love you!
I quote adorable, endearing and desperately forgetful Dori in “Finding Nemo”….which I just saw…again for the umpteenth time….OOOO, OOOO, PICK ME, PICK ME, PICK ME! That scene makes me laugh. Everytime. And thus I now have a time in which it makes perfect sense to quote her! Please enter me in the scrapbook drawing 🙂
Congrats on your friends publication!! thanks for visiting my blog and I love yours…your are a terrific seamstress!
i would love some new inspiration and ideas…sooo far behind, it’s hard to know where to start! i would love to win it!
thanks
rachclegg@yahoo.com
Thanks for popping by my blog! I love your blog template & especially your header/banner design – it’s very beautiful…You sound like one completely busy lady & I LOVE the look of your scrapbook layouts 😉
Oh how I would love to get hold of your friends’s book. It would be perfect for my life as I, like you, get despondent when I get too far behind. The papers would be a HUGE bonus too as I’ve had to cut my scrappy budget this year!
Loved the question and answers. I love reading interviews with Moms and how they are juggling life and there talent!And what the do to be creative. Thanks what a treat. She is so inspirational and her book looks amazing!
LuLu
Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog. I am happy you left one. I am visiting your blog for the first time and to my wonderful surprise The book, Scrapbooking Your Faith, is one I use often and love very much. I have a Faith Group that meets and I use it a lot for inspiration. It is also wonderful to get to know the woman behind such great inspiration. The Q & A was amazing. I would love to have her second book as Church, Family and 4 great kids keeps me pretty busy. I will be by to visit your blog again. Thank you for inspiring me today!
I have been looking at this book online ever since I first saw it highlighted on someone elses blog!
I am SOO in that rut of being behind and then being discouraged because I have soo much to catch up on!
I have a 19 month old son, we just moved and my scrap area is in the basement (which is still not even sort of safe for him to go into due to boxes and excess stuff that still needs a home) so my only time to scrap is during his nap — which is something he doesn’t take every day!!
I can’t wait to get a chance to see this book!!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
right about now i am wishing i was a scrapbooker.
Oh wow! I so enjoy scrapping and yet I often feel overwhelmed by that huge stack of photos awaiting me. Courtney’s style is so fun … would love this book as I’m sure it would inspire me to get going. Thanks for a chance to win!
hey Jeanne- I have an award waiting for you, come on over and check it out!
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY PLACE. LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU BETTER. WONDERFUL BLOG YOU HAVE. SO INVITING, WARM, AND WELCOMING.
HUGS FROM MAINE
http://sophie4me.blogspot.com/
wow! It must be really neat to be able to say, “I knew her when…” What a talented gal she is. Thanks for sharing the interview with us.
I don’t know if I’m too late for the giveaway but I wanted to drop you a note anyway, Jeanne.
Hey Jeanne…Everything looks so amazing congrats to your friend on her second book…All my very best to you!!! Hope this finds you well…xoxo Jennifer
I just had to tell you that I featured you on my blog today!!
hugs,
LuLu
thanks for doing a fun giveaway! 🙂
I love the colors on the layouts! Some great ideas. I’m not much of a scrapbooker…but I love making cards and other crafts!
Thanks for sharing the fun!
I could use all the scrapbooking help I can get. My youngest of 4 is almost 3 an I’m only thru scrapbooking the first 4 months of my eldest. Does that make any sense? Anyway, I have YEARS to catch up!
I just found your blog today and love it! Wow do we have a lot of the same interests.I homeschool,sew,read,love aprons & have three adorable children.I have not scrapbooked for a while because of homeschooling but it would be nice to get started back again.Your bags and aprons on Etsy are adorable!
Thanks for sharing with us a wonderful new book.
Count me in. The book looks divine and I would love to win.
Michelle
looks like a lovely book! i need to get out my scrapbooking goodies more often!