Design Team Member Spotlight : Nicole Samuels

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Although we only announced the members of our new design team last week, we’re already enjoying interacting with them and seeing their work.  Today, we thought we’d give you the chance to get to know one of them a bit better.

BG fans and blog readers… Meet Nicole Samuels.

Nicole’s started scrapbooking in 2002.  One scrapbooking kit from QVC and she was hooked!  Since then, she’s been on several design teams, published in Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbooks etc, Scrapbook Trends, Cards, and several other idea books and online publications.  She also enjoys the opportunity to teach at local scrapbook stores, retreats and conventions.  Nicole lives in Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband, Brian, and their 4 children (Connor, Jack, Cate and Will).  When she’s not chasing around after the kids or working with paper and glue, she loves to read, study photography, browse Pinterest, go on a family stroll through Colonial Williamsburg or just be outdoors.

Welcome to the BasicGrey Design Team, Nicole!  Now for the requisite Q&A :

Where do you scrapbook? 

I have a portion of the playroom as my scrap area.  This has served me well over the years because I can sometimes steal a few minutes here and there while the kids play to scrap.  It’s also great to have a desk devoted to my scrap stuff.  That way I can leave projects out half finished and not waste time cleaning up after each creative session.

What do you listen to/watch while scrapbooking? 

NOTHING!  I love the quiet!  With 4 kids running around, it’s always noisy here.  Quiet is a nice change and I find it relaxing while I scrap.

What/who inspires you?

My children inspire me…the things they say and do.  Probably 95% of my pages are about them.  Brand new photos always inspire me too. 

What is your favorite thing about scrapbooking? 

I love the creative outlet it provides while also feeling like I am documenting things for my family.  I love picking out the patterned papers, figuring out the design, adding the finishing touches.  I never really considered myself to be very creative or artistic until I found this hobby.  It was like I had found my groove!

Do you have a scrapbooking goal?

My goal is to enjoy the process, record important memories and moments and just document my love for my family.  I don’t get stressed about scrapping every single photo or event anymore.  That’s just not possible for me!  I started doing a photo-a-day project last January and that has been very freeing in that regard.  I feel much more at ease with just scrapbooking my best photos or the ones that have good stories with them…the hundreds of others I will put in a photobook at the end of the year and call it DONE. 

What are your three favorite BasicGrey products?

  1. Out of Print Glazed Brads - I love all BG brads… I think I have a small addiction to them actually! They are perfect when you need to add a little something special to your page or title.
  2. Basics White Paper Pack – This is a must have staple for me…. subtly patterned white background paper? Love!
  3. Life of the Party Micro Monogram stickers – Another item I can’t seem to get enough of. Love that these are a great size for titles, subtitles, even bits of journaling.

We also asked Nicole to create a new layout to share with everyone.  Take a look at this amazing stitching!

Ella | Nicole Samuels 

Supplies: [GREEN AT HEART] GAH-2128 Seedling, GAH-2131 Moss, GAH-2132 Basil, GAH-2134 Veggies, GAH-2141 Kermit, GAH-2142 Sage, GAH-2139 Oscar, GAH-2145 Sticker Elements, [BASICS] BAS-2548 Booknote, [OUT OF PRINT] MET-3341 Glazed Brads, [PICADILLY] PIC-3533 Alpha Stickers.

Nicole says, “I love to include hand stitching on my pages and for this one I decided to handstitch Ella’s name.  With all the loopy style letters in her name, it was just perfect to stitch.  To get the placement of the stitched name, I first sketched it out on a scrap piece of vellum.  (You could use wax paper for this too.)  Once I had the name how I liked it, I then used my sketch as a template for punching the holes in the layout.  Finally I stitched with DMC floss and then cut out little bits of paper to embellish the letters.”  What an amazing finished look!

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Nicole a bit better – I know we sure have!  We’d love it if you took the time to welcome her to the BG team.  Leave a comment for Nicole below and we’ll select one lucky commenter at random to receive her three favorite BasicGrey products!  Comment must be posted by 11:59p MST.

Have a great weekend!

—–

CONGRATULATIONS to our winner selected at random from the comments we received by the noted deadline :
Kelly Massman            

Nice to meet you! Looking forward to seeing more of your work! TFS!
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95 thoughts on “Design Team Member Spotlight : Nicole Samuels”

  2. Congrats on the design team spot – looking forward to seeing more of your work, this page is gorgeous. And I love the micro mono stickers too – great size for card makers as well.

  5. Love how Nicole coordinated the papers to match Ella’s dress! And Green at Heart is one of my favorite collections! So sweet!

  12. wahooooooooo love BG
    and love your work Nicole!!!
    that loopy writing looks stunning!!!
    thanks for sharing

  21. Congrads on being a BG DT member. Love the
    page, especially the way you did your daughter’s name.

  23. I love your stitched title. I’ll have to borrow that idea and use it soon.
    Congratulations on being selected to the design team.

  29. Congrats, Nicole! Gorgeous layout! Your stitching is fabulous and the coloring in the loops adds extra pizzazz.

  37. Nicole, welcome to the Basic Grey Design Team. Your layout is simply adorable. I love the detail, too! Thanks so much for sharing!

  38. oooh, Nicole, i cannot WAIT to see all the gorgeous projects you’ll be creating on this amazing design team! congrats, and if this is any indication of what we can expect, consider me HOOKED!

  40. How lovely to read about Nichole and see her beautiful layout….I feel inspired to get out my needle and thread:-)) Thanks Nichole!

  41. Welcome to BG! Love your LO. I am looking forward to seeing more of your talent. I am so glad you realise how talented you are now! I adore BG Basic Whites too. So nice that they’re white without being stark.

  42. What a great layout! Congrats on the design team position. You are very creative. Good Luck!! Looking forward to seeing more of your work.