January's Guest Designer Ashli Oliver (aka soapHOUSEmama) + Giveaway

Ashli Oliver (aka soapHOUSEmama) is a recovering graphic designer, a homeschooling mother, wife, daughter, coffee addict, knitter and gardener with an extreme passion for mixed media paper crafting and memory keeping. Ashli has been scrapbooking since 2011 and finds great joy in both the creative process and the final piece. Most of her craft time is found in the wee hours of the evening when all of her kiddos are in dream land. Although, Ashli never misses an opportunity to grab a snippet of time during the day to shuffle some paper around. When Ashli is not blogging at purplemailbox.com, you can find her designing for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, Cocoa Daisy Kit Club, and A Flair For Buttons.

Guest Design Q&A
1. How long have you been scrapbooking and why did you start? Since 2011. It all started when I asked my good friend, an avid scrapbooker, how to best make baby announcements for our third child. Well, she took me to Archivers and it was all downhill from there! I have actually written a whole series on my creative journey and you can read about it here: http://purplemailbox.blogspot.com/p/my-creative-journey.html

2. How would you describe your scrapbooking style? A little of this, a little of that... a decent amount of mess amongst a sea of white.

3. What scrapbookers have influenced you most? May Flaum, Shimelle, Anke Kramer, Celine Navarro

4. What is your favorite thing about kit clubs? A gorgeous pack of matching goodies at my door every month! Plus, I LOVE the community. It is so inspiring to see what each and every person does so differently while working with the same supplies.

5. What are your 5 favorite scrapbooking items? Loew Cornell Watercolor Set - I use watercolors on almost every project. I could not do without these! Maggie Holmes Open Book Clips - these are just the cutest and I have been using them on lots of projects! Perfect Paper Adhesive - Love this stuff! Pitt Pens - the perfect pens for anything and everything White paper - I know, I know... not that exciting, but I love to layer it up and work the tone on tone action!

6. How would you describe the Citrus Twist January main kit and what do you enjoy most about it? Feminine, Soft, Lovely, with just the right amount of Bling! This kit is so very pretty, but also mixed with the perfect amount of contrast! There truly are so many possibilities. My favorite part was all of the metallics, paired with the soft pinks and blues.

**Remember to leave Ashli some love and we will pick one winner to win ONE of her favorite things!!**

Here is a look into her scraproom:

While house hunting some decade ago, we were blessed to find a home with it's two car garage converted into an interior space. It is one of the things that sold us on our home. With a little elbow grease and some old orange shag carpeting removed, we now have the perfect family studio space! Most of it is occupied by our four girls, where they have space to craft, sew and paint as their hearts desire and I have claimed the far right corner for all things scrapbooking and pretty paper. It is indeed my happy place!

And here is a layout she did using the January Main Kit.  Love the layering!

Make sure to say hi to our guest and get entered in to win a prize!!  Happy New Year!!