Member Spotlight | Maria Lacuesta

My name is Maria Lacuesta (username analogpaper) and I am a blogger, designer, and memory keeper living in the Boston area with my boyfriend Ray. When I'm not happily crafting pretty paper and pixels in my tiny studio, you can find me enjoying the neighborhood I love and dreaming of my next project. I believe in cultivating a happy life and, for me, that means creating something every day and giving thanks for all the little things that make life so wonderful. I’ve always been a paper crafter, but I really started scrapbooking with my first Project Life album, documenting those everyday moments that are so easy to forget. Well, now I’m thoroughly hooked and love this amazing hobby that allows me to create something that’s meaningful, not only to me, but also to the loved ones in my life.

SC Member since: May 2013

All time favorite past kit or collection:

Until quite recently, it was Penny Arcade, but now, Poet Society holds the number one position.

What do you do when your kit comes?: After a barely concealed fist pump, I grab my package and run upstairs to my apartment where I unceremoniously rip open the box on my floor. If it's a collection that really speaks to me, I usually start pulling Project Life cards immediately for a layout. Lately, I've also been Instagramming a photo for the #mysckitishere feed. I love looking at everyone else's images and #studiocalico is one of my favorite hashtags.

What's your go to technique?: Most of my scrapbook pages and Project Life layouts are hybrid. I usually print and cut embellishments on my Silhouette Cameo when I'm creating a scrapbook page. I also love playing with digital stamps and typographical elements in Photoshop. I often include full page photos in my Project Life album and I'll add embellishments right on top of my images. I confess, I used to be so worried about ruining my pretty paper and photographs, but creating hybrid pages has made me so much less fearful!

Share your top 5 products:

1) Sequins - I love the look of paint splatters, but I get so nervous because I can't just hit cmd+z if I mess up! Sequins are such a nice alternative because I can carefully place them, and rearrange them, to my heart's content.

2) Digital Products - I always feel like I have a well stocked supply closet because I can just print out paper, journal cards, and embellishments as I need them.

3) Wood Veneers - I love the added texture wood adds to my pages and I especially love arrows and hearts.

4) Badges - I don't have very many in my collection, but I think badges are so special. My favorite kinds have cute words or phrases that feel like they were made especially for my layout.

5) Project Life Cards - Despite my growing collection, I can never resist a well designed Project Life card!

Where do you go when your mojo is low?: I absolutely love Instagram. There are so many talented makers I discover there everyday and I'm always inspired to live a creative life. However, when my scrapbooking mojo, in particular, is low, I find the best jumpstart is to step away from scrapbooking. Instead, I'll turn to other types of media for inspiration. I especially love looking at editorial layouts when planning my scrapbook pages. I love to collect inspiring images on Pinterest and I often reference my Design Love board when I'm creating a sketch for my page. Cleaning and exercise also help jumpstart my creativity, but I avoid those routes whenever possible!

Thank you for letting us spotlight you, Maria! We loved getting to know more about you! If you'd like to see more of Maria's work, be sure to follow her here at SC, on her blog and on Instagram!