Crafty Mama #1- Shalon & Giveaway

Meet Shalon! Crafty Mama #1.

Shalon and I met via etsy because she is the designer of my blog header and buttons. . .of which I absolutely love. She was wonderful to work with , patient and so creative. Here is a little bit about Shalon and her crafty life!

1. Tell us a little bit about your family, business and hobbies.

Hello! My name is Shalon and I am a mom to Rocio and Fiance to Israel. I am a graphic designer by night and corporate citizen by day. My little design studio is my ultimate hobby & dream job. I love taking photos and experimenting with color and artsy techniques. I run an etsy shop to sell my design services and paper goodies. I also run a blog for design talk and of course FREEBIES! Paper goodies and couture graphics is my passion.

2. How do you include your family in your crafting fun?

My family is most always included in my craft design. Whether they are there to offer an opinion or they are my test subjects. They are so understanding and willing to participate when I need them to. We also love to go to flea markets, antiquing and to garage sales to find craft goodies.

3. How has being a "crafty mama" enhanced you and your families lives?

I think every mom should indulge themselves in a crafty hobby. It feels so good to complete a project and see people respond to your hard work. Happy mama's = a Happy household

4. What is your all-time favorite craft or project that you have made?

I have lots of favorites projects. One of my recent ones was an invite I made for one of my co-worker's daughter's 1st birthday. Most of my co-workers were surprised I had a could design invitations.

5. Do you have any tips for mama's who would like to get in on the creative fun but just can't seem to find the time or money?

I am the ultimate money saver. There are so many crafts that you can absolutely do for free or with little money. A lot of times the supplies you need are right in your own home. A lot of times for me it is just thinking outside of the box. I also always suggest to people that they utilize the internet to it's maximum capability. Using websites as YouTube to show you how to make cute diy crafts or at often times reading blogs to find free tutorials. Finding the free time to be crafty may be a little tricky. Not impossible but will require a little creativeness. Since I also work a full time job, I have less free time than I would like. I often incorporate my craft time with my daughter. She is only 4 but loves to be my helper. She also has her own kiddie crafty tools to work along side me.
Visit Shalon's etsy shop: http://www.papermepretty.etsy.com/
Visit Shalon's blog: http://www.designartsoul.com/

GIVEAWAY #1

Post a comment and win this double sided coffee cozy! Make sure you also leave your e-mail address so I can contact you. Winner will be picked through the random number selector at the end of the week.