“BRAVE” by Featured Artist Natalie May

Hi gang! We are super excited to share with you today the first post of the month by our featured artist, Natalie May! This is just the beginning of all she has to share with us this month, and we hope you are inspired and enjoy!

“I am a 30 something mum to a gorgeous 11 year old daughter, Jessica {otherwise known as Happydaks} and a wife to a very supportive hubby.

I’m lucky enough to be a full time paper crafter, working in Adelaide’s best
Scrapbooking shop, Seriously Scrapbooking alongside some of Australia’s most
recognised scrappers, teaching around 15 classes a month and designing
chipboard for Imaginarium Designs. I’m also an Intermediate Certified Copic Designer and love everything inky & color based.

I don’t have a particular style – versatility is my biggest asset … from heritage, simple, sketches and shabby through to mixed media and cardmaking – I like to dabble in it all!

Currently I am the Design Team Coordinator for Imaginarium Designs Chipboard and recently joined the Creative Team at Australian Scrapbooking Ideas Magazine and have been part of thesketch team for Scrapbook Creations Magazine plus their Online Team as well.
I am also loving being part of the team with kit club A Piece of Cake Designs and White With One Challenge site.

I annually teach and do make & takes at the Brisbane Papercraft Expo plus I have taught at Australian scrapbooking fairs, a few retreats and I have also taught at New Zealand’s biggest Scrapbooking retreat, Autumn Escape in October 2012 and again in April this year alongside Nic Howard from Prima Marketing and Paula Cheney from Tim Holtz and 7Gypsies.
In April I was thrilled to be sponsored by Heidi Swapp for one of my three classes in New Zealand. Over two and a half days, I taught to over 220
ladies.

I love this industry … the opportunity to teach a new technique…. Meeting so many amazing people…..and to be able to CREATE everyday is quite a blessing.

You can view more of my work at …www.happydaks.blogspot.com and find me on Instagram under happydaks.

As much as I love creating complex mixed media projects full of texture, masking and dimension, I also love to create simple as well.
I think we often forget that scrapbooking is all about the memory keeping and the photographs and get too wrapped up in the “pretty”. Don’t get me wrong, I do LOVE the arty side of scrapping but sometimes, simplicity can be just as effective.
I created this page about me …. I’ve had a pretty rough 14 months being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer last year and I have come through the other side after 3 operations and 5 months of chemo but … most importantly I have realised how strong and brave I am.

For my first project for Lindy’s Stamp Gang this month, I wanted to create a page for me … with a gorgeous quote I found on Pinterest which I adapted a little.

Using plain white cardstock for my base, I added a decent amount of water using a wide soft brush and then used Hibiscus Rose and Pineapple Paradise from the Flat Fabios Caribbean Cruise Set to add color. I used the nozzle rather than the spray with a flicking motion as it gave me better control over where my color ran. I let it dry naturally rather than using a heat tool so that the color soaked in.

The addition of Gold sequins and Gold and Black alphas add the shine that I was after. I hope you enjoyed my project for today, and stay tuned for more from me this month coming soon!”