Profile of a Stamper - Tania Gould

http://www.taniagould.blogspot.com/

Name
Tania Gould

Location
Launceston, Tasmania

Any jobs other than crafter
Raising a beautiful, very-chatty 4 yr old!

Favourite craft type/style
Anything that can be turned into a gift for someone.

How did you get started in crafting?
I've been “crafty” for years now, trying my hand at many things like beading, cross-stitch/long-stitch, scrapbooking, quilting, folk art, and painting but my latest and greatest is STAMPING!!

What made you interested in stamping/card making/scrapbooking?
I love that you can simply personalise what I once used to spend a lot of money on – cards! I am also a bit of a way-too-keen photographer and have thousands of photos of my daughter, so what better way to show them off but in scrapbooks! I haven't done any for a little while but I am itching to get back into it – now just gotta get the mojo going and actually go print some pics!

How often do you stamp/scrap?
Since moving house, I haven't be able to stamp as much as I'd like, as there seems to always be something that needs unpacking or sorting out. But generally, I would create something at least several times a week.

Where do you get your inspiration? Are you inspired by anyone in particular?
I tend to find my inspiration a lot these days from things I'm seeing in magazines and on TV, particular colours or layouts or ideas that can be converted into paper or ribbon or embellishments. I often get an idea just while watching a show on TV – BUT I really need to learn to either go and do it then and there or at least write it down, because once I have slept, it seems to disappear by the next day! Grrr!

What’s your favourite technique to use?
Embossing, Embossing, Embossing… oh and I love Embossing!!!! I can't “resist” a bit of embossing!!! And my other fav thing to use is the Sponge Daubers – how did I survive so long without them!? They give a much softer, more subtle look compared to plain sponges. I love to soften the edges of a card with the Sponge Daubers.

What tip/s would you give to other crafters?
What I find useful in my craft area is a plastic tray with all the regular most-often used items, that way they are all easy to grab and also easy to put away. I also have an area that is exclusively reserved to my beloved Stampin' Up Heat Tool – he has his own power point and sits pride of place ready to go at any time I need him (which is every single time I craft!)

I am very fortunate to have, at the moment, a whole room just for me and my craft items. I am still waiting for built-in wardrobes to be installed in all the bedrooms, but when I do, my craft room will have an entire wardrobe of shelves, shelves and more shelves!!! In the meantime, I have little “stations” of areas, eg. All my Designer 12x12s are stacked in my wire cubes that I bought from Bunnings and assembled and tied together with plastic ties. Also, I have baskets with all my punches in and another with the odds and ends like the Circle Cutter, Brayer, Crimper etc. I have little plastic trays to hold my Markers, which I love because it keeps them flat so the ink doesn’t run to one tip and not the other. I have a big plastic container with a lid full of odds and ends of ribbons and twine etc....and sometimes I find I'm inspired just by sifting through that container and find a beautiful piece of ribbon and then the rest is history! Now, I could rabbit on about my craft supplies for days, but for now, this is where I'm at. I am looking forward to having most of my supplies tucked away in a cupboard to keep the room neat but more importantly to keep them out of the direct sun light – as it’s heart-breaking to see a beautiful piece of DSP faded on one half. :(