Meet Musing Marie

Fridays are so awaited as I very much enjoy featuring sweet crafters from every part of the world!!! With regard to this, I sincerely thank my team members Alia Mohammed, Amna Al Fardh and Tammy Hobbs for helping me continue this event till today (big mwah to all).....
Today's star creates very dainty and charming cards that I'm certain you'll love them from the first sight :) Not only her cards are sweet but she's much more sweeter too!!!! Let's introduce you to a new buddy- Marie Forberg :)

Name: Marie Forberg

Blog: My Creative Creations

When and how did you start Cardmaking?

I was first introduced to scrapbooking in a hobby magazine, many years ago. The magazine was from a local craft store, which was just starting to carry some basic scrapbooking supplies. I read the article, but did not at all like the style of the layouts shown. So I said to myself: I will never scrapbook! And then, 5 years ago, my nephew was born, and I slowly started to scrapbook to show all of the pictures I took of him. At that time, I had never tried my hand at stamping or cardmaking. I thought stamping looked messy, and I didn’t like the small format of cards. So I said: I will never make cards or start stamping! But then, somehow, I started stamping after all. It must have been about 3 years ago, probably. I grew into loving the smaller format of cards, and all of the fabulous ways of using stamps on cards! And now I am addicted to this wonderful creative hobby =)

When would you say you are most creative?

Well, there is really no specific time of the day, week or month that I feel most creative. It’s really random at what time inspiration strikes me. However, I will say that I love participating in challenges online. When I read about a challenge, that really gets the creative juices flowing, and card ideas start forming in my head. I also get ideas when seeing all of the fabulous projects crafters share in online galleries or on blogs. But, sometimes, an idea will come to me at any time, no matter what I’m doing. I have sometimes had to sketch or write down ideas that has hit me at times where I can’t sit down and bring the idea to life right away. I keep a binder with all of those random sketches and ideas in my craft area, which I can pull out when I have time to do so later =)

What is your favorite technique?

Stamping, for sure! I’m not sure if I would call it a technique, though. For me, stamping is so much more. It’s a way to get a perfect image every time. It’s a way to use a product over and over again, without using it up. It’s a way of making different creations, using the same image. It’s a staple in my cardmaking. It’s basically what I do, and who I am, at least when it comes to my cardmaking. I am a stamper, and proud of it =)

Do trends inspire your creative process?

Yes, sometimes they do. I find that some trends influence me a lot in my creative process, but only the ones that really speak to me. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the banner-shaped sentiment strips with v-shaped notches in the ends. I love that look so much, and I will not hesitate to continue using it even after it’s not trendy anymore. Hey, for all I know, it may be “out” already =) Anyways, I would say that the biggest way in which trends affect my creative process, is with new products coming out. Papers, stamps, dies, they are all often influenced by the new trends. If I like these new products and use them, I may be following the trends without realizing it myself =)

Is there something about paper crafting you find challenging?

Oh yes, there is indeed. One of the main things I find challenging, is getting it all “just perfect”. I am such a perfectionist when it comes to clean cut edges, absolutely straight cardlayers and perfectly stamped images. I often sit for quite some time, trying to place down a layer on a card just perfectly straight. Usually, it’s not so far from straight that people would notice it, but I certainly do. And having layers glued down that’s not straight REALLY bugs me!

Is there a designer in the paper crafting industry that inspires you?  If so, what about their style or technique inspires you?

Well, if I can name one stamp designer whose style I’m loving right now, that must be Kim Hughes, owner and designer of Paper Smooches. I LOVE her fun, cute and whimsical characters and her characteristic fonts for sentiments. Paper Smooches stamps always makes me smile when I see them =) I am also a fan of Nichol Magouirk and Kelly Marie Alvarez (from Lawn Fawn), two very talented ladies!

How would you describe your style?

Clean & Simple, fun and cute is definitely my style. I love cards that make people smile! I’m a sucker for the cute, fun and whimsical stamps, and those are the ones I use the most. I’m not really into shabby chic or grungy, although I do come across cards and projects in those styles that I really like when browsing through online galleries and blogs. I must say, it has taken me quite some time to find my own style, but now that I have, I feel happier when creating than ever before =)

How long would you say it takes you to complete a card or project?

Well, that completely depends on the project. If there is a lot of stamping to do, paper piecing or coloring, that takes a good amount of time. But I also spend time figuring out the layout of the card, what colors I want to use and what papers to use. I would say that a card can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. But I love doing it, so I consider those hours well wasted, well used =)

When you are finished with your beautiful creations what do you do with them?

Sadly, most of them end up in boxes in my craft area. You see, I make waay more cards then I’ve ever been able to give away! Some of the cards I love the most at the moment, I display on a dresser in my craft area. But when new favorites have been created, the older ones usually end up in the boxes. But the good side of storing all of my card in these boxes, is that I often have a card suitable and ready when I do need one to give away =)

Are you on any Design Teams or have served on any in the past?

Just a couple of days ago, Britta Swiderski and I launched our first challenge on the Young Crafters Unite! blog. I am so lucky to get to run this challenge blog with Britta, and to have such a fabulous design team for our challenges! You can check out our challenge blog here =) It would be a dream to be invited to join Paper Smooches’ or Lawn Fawn’s Design Team, as I love those two companies so much. It’s probably not in the cards right now, but maybe I’ll be so lucky as to get invited to join either of their Design Teams sometime in the future. Fingers (and toes!) crossed!

Here they are (you'll definitely smile),,,,

Aren't they so adorable?? Though they are not sophisticated yet they deliver bundles of happiness with them :) Thanks darling Marie for sharing your cards with us and thank you all for visiting... Remember will have a week-long celebration very soon here at Paperie Designs' Studio,,,,,, Hugzzzzzz