Meet the Designers - Julie Kraling

Hi Everyone!  My name is Julie Kraling and live in central Iowa with my Husband and 12 year old twin girls.  My family is everything to me.  They are the loves of my life.  My daughters amaze me with the things they can do at such a young age.  The other love of my life is crafting.  It is the calm in my crazy life.  I love paper- love the feel, the smell, and texture, and I love to create with it.  I am happiest and am my truest self when I am creating.  My crafting style changes with my mood but I always have to use some ribbon on my projects!  You can see my ever changing style at my blog “ A Little Bit of Bling” http://jk-littlebitofbling.blogspot.com/.  If I am not in my craft room you can probably find me in the kitchen cooking (which is another love), riding bikes with my girls, or loving on my pets.  I look forward to my time on the Linnie Blooms team and hope that I can inspire you in some small way.

Meet the Designers - Karen Crossen

I am thrilled to be a guest designer for Linnie Blooms!! I am a full time mom, chauffeur, referee and short order cook for my 3 busy girls and my wonderful husband!  We live just outside of Atlanta and love it down here in the south!

I like to garden, play tennis and ice skate but . . . I LOVE mixed media art!! I never thought that I could be any good at art, because in school, I was never good in traditional art class. If somebody had just told me there was more to art than straight lines and realistic looking drawing, I might have done much better!! Now there isn't a day that I don't have paint or glue on my fingers and I have found my passion! So now I always tell people to jump in, put your fingers in the paint and play because you never know what might happen!

http://ijustneedmoreglue.blogspot.com/

Meet the Designers - Guest Teresa Cash-Czech

Hello - my name is Teresa.  I am a self taught mixed media artist and my passion is to create art about "Simple Truths/Simple Reminders".  Always mindful of ways to encourage myself and others to be the best that we can be.  Sometimes all it takes is a moment to ponder a simple truth or simple reminder to help make a shift in our thought.  Each of my art pieces are inspired by something that had happen or is happening in my life.  February 2011, I had just turned 58 years old when I started my creative journey.  I had no idea which direction to go but I was committed to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving.  Knowing that eventually I would find my way.  There has always been a small voice within my soul urging me to move out of my comfort zones and face my fears to realize my true creative potential.  And for one reason or another I ignored the urgings.  I was convinced there were logical reasons to stay in my nice little world.  Yet I knew deep in my soul I yearned for more.  I just hadn't realized how strong my desire was until I took that first step.   Now there is no turning back.  I am more alive in a way that is hard to put into words.Along the way, on my creative path, I have been guided in directions I should go.  Sometimes I listen and sometimes I allow fear to hold me back.  I am learning so much about myself.  I have changed and I know it is possible for you, too.Until August 2011 I didn't even know that I could draw nor paint.  Now I know it is my God given talent and I will keep pursuing it.To learn more about my creative journey follow me on my personal blog  http://www.asmilemaker.com

Meet the Designers - Baerbel Born

Hi! My name is Baerbel Born. It's a typical german name, and thats because I am german, living near Cologne. Three husbands so far, one kid from each, first grandchild is on its way. I studied arts and grafics in the 80s, ran a stamp shop in the late 90s and retired from arts and crafts 2003. But guess what? You never can retire from creating! Once a crafter, always a crafter. So I came back even now and then and 2013 is my year of arts! I totally love recycling and using uncommon materials and techniques. Combining all my hobbies (sewing, painting, stamping) is a must. Recently I had the opportunity to visit a paint manufacturer...I have been in heaven! The smell of acrylics, glue and canvas has been so wonderful! I wish I could jump into that giant paint tub and take a bath. I don't have a style, because I love them all: shabby and clean, simple and complicate. I see beauty everywhere, and cannot decide to leave any of it behind. I hope I have ideas you find inspiring and useful. Big hugs, Baerbel

http://www.baerbelborn.blogspot.com

Meet the Designers - Pinky (Cristal) Hobbs

Hi there, it's just me Pinky- your average ordinary crafter and mom who happens to have pinky hair. 

I live in Middle Tennessee right below Nashville with my 3 crazy active boys, 14 chickens, 2 dogs, and 1 bird. It's a crazy life but it's my life. 

I have been paper crafting for about 6 years now and I known for my FEARLESS lack of inhibition style scrapbooking. I scrap it all, the good, the bad, and even the ugly. I want to remember it all!

I will try anything once and I will share all my secrets with you because scrapbooking is all about sharing and making it from the heart. 

I love all styles and all creations because they all come from love.

I hope I inspire you to be more creative. What is life without creativity?

www.blueyecicle.blogspot.com

Meet the Designers - Tina Phillips

Video Designer, Tina Phillips

Hello!!!!!!! First of all, let me say.. Im soo excited to be on Linnie Blooms Design Team... It's such a wonderful opportunity... I love creating! I love art! I grew up in rural Indiana, and well, I still reside here.. I live in a farming community, cornfields as far as the eye can see.. lol. Im 32 years old, and haven't been blessed with children, although I DO have a fur baby, My cat Sissy and she has a pet of her own, a zebra finch named Hermie.. I have always done crafting and art since I was a wee lass :) My mother and sisters are all seasoned crafters (with styles of our own). We try to get together once a month to craft together.. I love doing mixed media, cards, tags, altered objects, and well just about anything and everything.. I also enjoy singing and being outdoors. I love sharing my ideas with others and gaining inspiration as well :) I share all my creations on my blog, youtube, and my personal facebook.. Hope to hear from you all soon.. HUGS Tina...

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/uniquelytinafaye

Blog:          http://uniquelytinafaye.blogspot.com

You Tube:   http://youtu.be/1yiA9b_W3qg

Meet the Designers - Kelly Starsky

Being a mom to 4, wife to 1, dog-mom to 2, pediatric physical therapist, jewelry/bead artist, pathological picture-taker, Girl Scout troop leader, un-paid chauffeur, painter, chocolate chip cookie monster, Sunday school teacher, and one crafty chick means I am busy or crazy, (or maybe a little of both). Scrapbooking (and all of my artsy passions) let me bring all of these layers of my life together.  And then, I have a reason to escape to my craft dungeon too.

I describe my style as “a little bit of everything”.  Sometimes it might look flowery, sometimes vintage, sometimes shabby, sometimes full of layers, and sometimes clean and simple.  It often includes LOTS of photos.  Oh, and I have a passion for purple (ever since I was 7 and I had a purple shag rug and posters of Shaun Cassidy and the Fonz on my wall).

You can see my artsy escapades at my blog, She’s the Crafty Neighbor, www.kellystarsallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

The Linnie Shape Flower is colored with Distressed Stains.  The Linnie Shapes Butterfly is colored with Distressed Stains and outlined with Copic marker.