Today’s Sponsor Spotlight is Krista, of Sahlin Studio! I’ve been a fan of Krista’s scrapping since before she even started designing, and even I learned a few new things from her interview!
Tell us a little about yourself:
My name is Krista Sahlin, designer behind Sahlin Studio. I am a wife, lucky to be married to my best friend (and ‘IT’ guy that helps keep my computer running well.) I am a mother to two wonderful and rambunctious kiddos, Sophia (10) and Gabe (8). 🙂 Random fact: I married into a difficult to pronounce last name. It drives me crazy that 99% of people say it wrong. LOL! So if you’d like to know: “Sahlin” is pronounced – (sah-LEEN) as in, Celine Dion. What else? I am an avid memory keeper (i.e. scrap addict) a love that has combined my love of digital scrapping with my found love of designing. As a designer, I love creating a mix of vintage and traditional, from paper scraps to metal finds…. an eclectic mix of these trinkets makes the pages so unique and beautiful. But most of all, it is incredibly surreal that people use my designs to help capture their most treasured memories. What a great honor to have my designs used for such special moments and occasions.
What got you started in designing?
I started digital scrapbooking in 2007 after a trip to Walt Disney World. I found amazing digi designs in the digital scrapbooking industry and was hooked. After a year of doing digi, I noticed I had specific photos that kept piling up because I was waiting for that “perfect” kit. So… I decided to try my hand at designing papers and elements to fit what I was looking for… the rest is history. 🙂
Where do you find your inspiration for designing?
First and foremost… my family. Yup, most of my inspiration comes from all of my family’s photos that are on my hard drive waiting to be scrapped into a cherished memory. When I find certain photos beginning to pile up… I know I MUST create something to scrap these memories. After family, I am also so inspired by COLOR…practically anywhere and everywhere there is color. It could be in a fabric or a pattern on a couch pillow, from my kid’s artwork to a magazine ad or an ad on a box. I find there is so much inspiration everywhere, and sometimes in the most unusual of places.
What do you like most about designing?
The fact I can call playing on my computer all day, in my pj’s… a job. LOL!! But more seriously, I love being able to be home when my kids are home, and be there when they need me.
What your favorite things to design?
I love designing elements. Seriously. I find it hard to stop… I keep going and going. Finding unique elements and ephemera is always the most fun part of the process. Also, another favorite element of mine to create is, journalers. Oh, how I love them! My main reason to scrapbooking is about ‘the story’, so I love providing scrappers with the right tools to help them tell their stories.
How many hours a week do you spend designing? Is designing your full time job?
I am lucky to call digital scrapbooking designing my FT job. I wake up each day with such excitement to design… I don’t ever doubt this is the best job ever!! Designing products makes up about 25% of my time. Doing administrative work, marketing to writing tutorials and articles take up the rest of my time. The amount of hours I work is pretty shocking, but I would have to say I typically “work” about 60+hours a week.
How do you balance your time?
This can be very challenging when you work out of your home. You don’t ‘leave the office’, so to speak.It can become very easy to hop on the computer and start working again. It is something I am trying hard to work on finding that good balance.
But in other way it is SO rewarding. When my kids are home… I’m available. When they have a field trip, I reschedule things and work at night.
What is your favorite kit?
Picking a Favorite Kit is SO hard. I have a connection with each one create.
But if I had to chose… right now, I would say “Grandma’s Dresser by Sahlin Studio”
Who would you love to collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with either Paislee Press and/or Anna Aspnes. Each of our styles
are pretty different, but I think the combination of styles would equal a true beautiful & electric mix.
What is a piece of advice you have for those that are trying their hand at designing?
1) Design becuase you LOVE it… not to make money.
2) Be sure you have a style that is different from others out in the market, something that is uniquely YOU.
What is a piece of advice you have for scrappers?
1) Scrap for yourself. – Don’t worry about having a gallery worthy page or getting caught up in the trends of what a good looking page is “supposed” to be. Trying scrapbooking with this thought in mind, “What do I like when I’m looking through my scrapbook?” If you love looking at pages with multiple, large photos… then DO it. You will never regret having those pages. But you may someday regret having the ‘trendy’ pages with tiny photos and white space.
2) Back Up, Back Up, Back Up – be sure to set a quarterly date to back up all of your files. You don’t want to learn the hard way.
What is your favorite thing about Disney? What is your favorite ride? Favorite character?
My favorite thing about Disney is all of the special, magical moments that you find there with your loved ones. They tend not to be the BIG things, but the small little things that happen that create the best memories.
My favorite ride at Disney is, “Toy Story Mania” at Hollywood Studios.
My favorite character we met, “Snow White”.
We had such an amazing experience meeting her, and it’s one we’ll never forget.
Check out some Sahlin Studio kits that are perfect for scrapping your Disney memories!
