Introducing this month's guest designer...... Sheila!

Die Cut Divas let’s get to know....Sheila Hnilicka!

Tell us a little about yourself 
I live in South Eastern Wisconsin in a very small town.  This past summer I turned 50 which I celebrated by doing a 60 mile Susan G Komen Walk for the Cure.  It was so much fun and I would love to do another one someday.  I have three children...well, not really children anymore as my daughters' are going to be 23 and 20 this year and my son will turn 18 at the end of this month.  Yikes!  That means next September my husband and I will be empty nesters!  I have been married to Joe for 21 years and am looking forward to the next stage of life with him. 

How long have you been a card maker/scrapper and when did you start?
In 2004 my oldest graduated from middle school and the tradition at that school was to make a poster size collage of your child and how they have grown through the years.  I had NEVER done anything like that before and am sorry to say my first attempt at crafting was less than glorious!  My second daughter graduated from the same school two years later and by then I had begun both scrapbooking and card making.  When my middle daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes I needed to find a craft that was more contained and not so spread out while we adjusted to our new routine and that was where cardmaking came in.  It had never occurred to me that adults made their own cards....it was a whole new world for me!


Do you follow sketches or dive right in? 
I would love to say that I follow sketches....I would love to say that because it would make me sound cool and organized and semi-professional but in actuality I usually just dive right in.  I am getting a little bit better at using sketches as a jumping off point or even a jumping off "inspiration" point.  I do think that if I would follow sketches more I would waste time less!
 
 How many projects do you make a week?Ahhhh it would be nice to be able to make several projects a week but in truth  my life often gets so busy that I never make it into my crafting room for a week or more.  I am really (really!!!!) hoping that this changes as my life changes because I feel that crafting "centers" me.....kind of calms me down and keeps the everyday stresses at bay.

What is your favorite tool (what can't you create without) and why?  Great question!  I really, really depend on my Spellbinder Grand Caliber Die Cutting machine....I think that I probably use that every single time that I craft.  I almost always use at least one die in my cards and lately I have been adding more embossing to my cards.  I also use this series of rulers called the "Perfect Layer Rulers"  and these  have a permanent place on my desk.  I probably use these for every single card or scrapbook layout I make.  I love to have multiple matting for my projects and these babies are the best thing around for perfect mat edges every single time.  Lastly, my exacto knife...I use it for everything....cutting, picking up and moving small bits of embellishments...pressing down small glued bits of paper.....everything! 

 What at the moment is your most favorite thing to do on your project?
Hmmmmm......hard question.  I love to color and that is probably my most "go to relaxing" aspect of crafting.  I love to play around with different die cuts and am having more and more fun with assembling cards and using my die cuts in different ways.
 
How would you describe your style?Wow-I have NO idea what my style is except that I know that it is probably not considered Clean and Simple! 
 
What about your style would you change (or not) and why?I think that sometimes I overdo it on cards.....like I don't always know when to stop!  And, that can make for some pretty over the top cards.  I think if I could change anything it would be my "eye" which would become much better at telling me when a card is done. 

 Have you been published or on a Design team - when & where?
 No, I have never been published nor been on a Design team.  I have never submitted anything to magazine or any sort of publishing venue.  It is all I can do to enter the odd challenge here and there!  I am afraid that if I had deadlines the fun of the crafting would disappear! ;-D
 
 Describe your crafting area
My crafting area is split up over two levels.  I tend to be a messy crafter and so I do all my messy stuff in my basement....It would stress me out no end to have the bits and schnibbles of paper and glue and bling scattered all about my house the way it is scattered in my craft area.  Then I have my computer and camera etc upstairs in a little office which faces south and so has wonderful sun.  

 Do you have a blog? 
I do have a blog called Color Me Happy and the title is telling for several reasons.  First of all I just love color.  Secondly I like to surround my self with color as my house is very colorful inside.  And, although I tend to wear black alot I "dress" it up with very colorful accessories....I love the burst of color against a black or white background.  And finally, the title refers to the way I feel when I actually color....coloring is very soothing and calming for me and just generally makes me happy ;-D

Thanks Sheila, it was great getting to know you! 

And now lets have a look at a couple of cards that Sheila has made for the challenge....

 

Aren't these just stunning.....I am always in awe of the creations Sheila does... that die cut machine certainly got a workout with this two and come back next week when I have another card to share from Sheila.

Cheers

and the Die Cut Divas,