Lisa's Lively Lovelies

To color with Copics perfectly has always been my dream and proudly today's featured artist is a Copic Certified Designer. Her creations are fun-filled that will undoubtedly flutter your heart. Let Tammy and me introduce you to Lisa Petrella...

Name: Lisa Petrella

Blog: Bellalistona

When and how did you start Cardmaking?
I’ve always been into creative expression in various forms (dance, arts/crafts, poetry/writing). I’d say I’ve dabbled in card making for the past ten years. I made my wedding invitations, and I’ve created lots of invitations and cards for family and friends. However, my interest in card making and stamping really took off a little over two years ago when I started reading several card magazines at my local bookstore and began exploring the wonderful world of crafting blogs. Through these avenues I discovered a creative community that provided the perfect outlet for my creative energy. I’ve been hooked ever since!

When would you say you are most creative?
I am most creative after spending time outdoors (hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing) and after traveling to visit a new town or city within the U.S. or in a different country. Nature and culture are so inspiring to me. When I’m off on one of these adventures, all five of my senses are actively engaged and this in turn really gets my creative mojo flowing.

What is your favorite technique?
Without a doubt, my favorite technique these days is paper piecing. I absolutely love the way it allows me to add fun and funky patterns and dimension to stamped images. Plus, it’s a great way to make use of my many patterned paper scraps.

Do trends inspire your creative process?
I am definitely inspired by trends that show up in newly released stamp sets, paper crafting products, magazines, blogs, shops, etc. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming, so I try to just follow my natural creative instincts and go with what feels right and is the most fun and appealing to me.

Is there something about paper crafting you find challenging?
There are a couple of things that I find challenging about paper crafting: (1) Finding the time to actually execute all of the ideas I have floating around in my head and on random scraps of paper. (2) Resisting the urge to buy every new stamp set and/or product that is released by all of the fabulous companies out there.

Is there a designer in the paper crafting industry that inspires you? If so, what about their style or technique inspires you?
There are so many designers in the industry who inspire me through their blogs and their published works. The crafting community is full of incredibly talented artists and super sweet people. It’s difficult to choose just one designer who inspires me. Jen del Muro’s work caught my eye a little over two years ago in Take Ten magazine. I love her layouts, and her Copic coloring skills are excellent. Dawn McVey has an amazing eye for color combinations and design. Her work is clean, fresh and so inspiring. Karen Baker is also incredibly inspiring. I love how every element she incorporates into her CAS cards has some specific purpose and/or symbolic meaning. And her blog posts are an absolute delight to read----so thoughtful and well-written. I could go on…but I was technically supposed to only choose one designer and I’ve already broken that rule and mentioned three.

How would you describe your style?
The style that comes most naturally to me is “cute and fun.” However, I love participating in challenges because they help me to step out of my comfort zone and try lots of different styles.

How long would you say it takes you to complete a card or project?
Honestly, it depends. If I’ve been tossing the idea/concept around in my mind or on scratch paper for awhile, I can complete a card in less than an hour. Otherwise, it could take 2-3 hours, depending on the level of detail.

When you are finished with your beautiful creations what do you do with them?
The cards and projects I create as a member of the Design Team for DeNami Design are mailed directly to DeNami to be used as samples at stamp shows. Some of my creations are submitted for publication in various stamping and card making magazines. The rest are either given to family and friends or stored in a basket until I have an occasion to use them. I’m hoping to set up an Etsy shop in August of this year to start selling my cards and paper crafts too!

Have a look at Lisa's cute pieces:

Aren't they so adorable?? Thank you Lisa for inspiring us this Friday with your clean and cheerful cards,,,and a mahoosive thanks to all who popped by to read Lisa's interview :) Happy Friday!!!