Episode 45: Donna Downey Tells All

With a provocative* title like that, how can you help but drop everything you are doing and go listen right now??

In Episode 45, Donna and I talk about where her inspiration comes from, what she thinks about mean bloggers, and how she keeps track of all her fabulous ideas.

Oh, and we're giving away copies of her books!

I also announce the next book in our GoodReads.com book club -- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

You won't want to miss this candid chat with Donna... so take a listen!

*The word "provocative" always reminds me of the scene in Blades of Glory when Will Farrell's character Chaz Michael Michaels is pushing to use "Lady Hump" by the Black Eyed Peas for their performance song. "I don't even know what that means!" says Jon Heder's character. "No one knows what it means," says Will. "But it's provocative."

Comments

[Holly T.]

Loved, loved the dear aunt scrappy segment in the last podcast (your kids asking the questions was a great touch!) and enjoyed hearing from Donna D. on this podcast. Thank you!
I got a sneak peak at her books this past weekend when Wendy Smedley came to my LSS. Very fun books.
The weirdest thing that I have ever put on a scrapbook page was a laminated, pressed flower that my toddler picked for me.
HOlly T.

[Mary S.]

Love the podcast! I am a first time listener! Will be catching up on some I have missed and will not miss any in the future! The strangest thing I have used on a scrapbook page would be a drink holder from Starbucks. I love Starbucks and had to use a holder on a page!

[sue Treiber]

Hi Lain!
I enjoyed listening to you & Donna chat. She came to Mi for a weekend and we had an absolute blast.
I guess the strangest thing I have ever put on a page would be a kntiting needle & yarn. But if you really knew me you would know that that isn't too strange.

[Lainey]

Great podcast, Lain! I cannot WAIT to see Donna's new book!

The strangest thing I've ever put on a page is a Starbucks sleeve, receipt, and gift card...and once I did a layout about my addiction to the coffee flavor stickers that some Starbucks have on their bar...I steal them every chance I get! Sad? Maybe...but I DO have quite a stash, LOL!

[Christine]

Wahoo, I always love a new podcast! I love to listen while I scrap!

[Gaynol]

Dear Aunt Scrappy,

What do you do when you've lost your scrapping mojo and you just don't have any desire to scrap? How can you get yourself started again?

Signed,
Been there, scrapped that, now what?

[Kyla]

Great podcast! Donna just has the life we all dream about, doesn't she? Hmmm . . . the strangest thing I've used on a layout lately is probably a Pamper's diaper box. (I cut out a 12x12 piece as the base for my layout, peeled all the gunk off to show some partial corrugation, and slapped some acrylic paint, paper, photos and "stuff" on it. ;)) A fun, but time consuming way to recycle.

[Amy Eileen]

Hi there! I am also a first time listener but will be coming back!! Fantastic, thank you so much for providing us with this wonderful feature.

I never really use anything weird on my pages that I can think of. Hmmmm.... Ok question,

If a magical fairy god mother granted you three scrapbooking wishes, what would they be?

Too corny? lol ;)

[angela]

Always great to listen to Donna. The most unusual thing I have used is cross stitching pasted into a mini book. The book is all about projects I've stitched or hooked so I actually pasted linen cross stitched inside of it.

[kimberly Ackerman]

Loved the podcast.

Weirdest item used- the lid from a container of oatmeal because it had the recipe for cookies that my husband's sweet grandma used to pass off as her "secret" recipe- I used the lid in a layout honoring her memory.

[katie scott]

I've already got the designing with photos book, so pls put me in for the fabric book.

Weirdest thing I've ever put on a scrapbook page (ok I really hope this doesn't gross you out): My son's umbilical cord. I put it in one of those window like things. I know its strange and kinda yucky, but I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.

[Char-]

The weirdest thing I ever put in a scrapbook was my son's cub scouts neckerchief. I used it as the pattern paper. I also included the slide on the page.

[Amy Egger]

Aunt Scrappy,

When will you have a class at BPS? I loved the LOAD challenge and am looking forward to taking a class from you.

[Kari Allen]

Hi Lain! Great podcast as usual. I just love Donna D.

The strangest thing I have ever put on a scrapbook page is a pregnancy test stick. The coolest thing that I recently put on my scrapbook page is a Lottery scratch off ticket that my husband made and used as his marriage proposal to me. It is the absolute coolest thing ever and I just started working on a love story album for us and just finished that page.

Thanks for all you do, Lain!

[lacey]

Heck yeah i can drop everything NOW and go listen to the podcast! I look forward to those every week :) You know what, we must have a vibe thing going on cuz great minds think alike :) I picked up this book at target 2night, thought about getting it, although its already on my list of books to read..and put it back- ok so now, I will go back and get it just cuz ms. Lain said its a good one :) lol

[MamaSheg]

Hi Lain, great interview with Donna. I would love, love, love to win one of her new books. She is so awesome!!

My strangest item used on a layout--I'm just finishing up a layout where I used a coke can and coffee sleeve to make embellishments. I'll be posting pics of the layout on my blog in a day or 2 if you want to check it out.

XOOXO

[Laura]

I am a first time listener...Donna's blog directed me here and I sure am happy to have done so because I do find Donna to be an amazing artist and it was nice to listen to the interview and to have someone pick her brain a bit.

Ok, so I have not used anything strange on a scrapbook page so here is my question for you:

Of all the scrapbook artists out there, who has inspired you the most and why?

[june]

Hi Lain. I just discovered your podcast through Donna Downey. I had a great time listening to it. Now her books will have to be on my wish list too.
To answer you question, I would say the most out of the ordinary thing I've scrapbooked was my husband's military id tags. You know those oval metal ones with the chain that keeps them together. It's for a career scrapbook that I'm *secretly* making for him. Hee hee...

[Koren]

love the interview - thanks Lain for bringing us into a living room type chat with the artists we'd all love to have in our living room. :-}

ok - wierd item - pictures of potty. actual training toilet potty - #1 an #2. eewwww - I know but it needed recording. she was so proud of herself!

thankfully, my unmarried, childless friend talked me into putting little lids/covers on the pix so that viewers didn't have to see it if they didn't want to.

yay - I'd love to win either book...

[Sue Bone]

Not weird, I don't think, I used a green net bag from some brussel sprouts to adorn a page about my daughter at the local zoo on some green scramble nets.

Sue

[Amy T.]

Loved the podcast. This was my 2nd one and i will continue to be a listener.

Dear Aunt Scrappy:

Do you have a picture of you scrapping closet that I have heard so much about at CKC and read about. I have never seen a picture but would love to so i can understand it. Thanks

[Jess]

I too was directed from Donna's site (love her!) and I love the podcasts. I've already started listening to the other episodes. I'm hooked!

So I'm always using interesting things in my scrapbook pages. Most recently I used wrapping paper from my wedding gifts to create backgrounds and embellishments. That is probably not too out of the ordinary, but my husband thinks I am crazy! (In a good way?) hehe.

Thanks for a great podcast.

[Sian]

Loved hearing you talk with Donna. Her Decorative Journals book was the first scrapbooking book I bought and it's still my favourite. I made a 3D spider from felt with dangling ribbon legs and googly eyes to go on a Halloween layout. Maybe not that weird, but fun!

[Nancy Jacobs]

I really enjoyed listening to you and Donna. You are both such warm positive people and your podcast got my day started off on the right foot! My most unusual scrapbook item is beer coasters from breweries when we lived in Germany. That was before chipboard came onto the scene. Speaking of chipboard, I make my own from cereal boxes that I alter with paint and die cut so cereal boxes are kind of unusual for a scrapbook. This leads me to a Dear Aunt Scrappy question: I've always considered myself to be somewhat of a Sizzix junkie but would like to branch out with one of the new electronic die cutting machines. Have you tried any of them and what are your thoughts?
Thanks!
Nancy J.

[Erin Bohland]

I love your podcast. I listen to it at work and it makes my day go by a little faster.

My questions for Dear Aunt Scrappy is this.

Dear Aunt Scrappy,

I am a full time working mom to a very wonderful and busy 19 month old little boy. So by the time I get home and get dinner ready, spend time with my son and get him in bed I am wiped out. I also do not have a scrap space per se and my stuff is spread out in closets throughtout my house. So my question is number one how do I find time to scrap and second how do I make it easier for me to scrap with everything everywhere?

Thank you
Erin