Let's get to know...................

Die Cut Divas, let’s get to know.............?

Arlene Frances McClung

·         Tell us a little about yourself

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, USA.  We moved to California when I was 16 and I have to say I’m pretty much a California girl.  Wouldn’t really want to move and live anywhere else now.  We all complain about the heat in the summer and the rain in the winter, but all in all, I like it here.  I can drive two hours and be in San Francisco or drive two hours east and visit the snow in the winter.  .

·                     How long have you been a card maker/scrapper & when did you start?

·                     I became a sometime card maker around 1998 when a stamp store opened up in Folsom, California.  I was so amazed that people could stamp and color.  I have some Hero Arts stamps that have the year 1999 stamped on them.  So you see, I go WAY BACK!  I didn’t do too much as a friend and I opened up a small wholesale ceramics business that catered to flower shops – the one of a kind type of thing.  It really wasn’t until Hero Arts went online that I expanded my horizons. 

·                     Do you follow sketches or dive right in?

·                     I usually dive right in.  I tend to have at least a couple scraps of paper or pre-printed and/or pre-colored images around my desk.  Sometimes all it takes is to look at an image and I’m pulling markers out or digging for dies or embossing folders.  I have a box with all my scraps in it to the right of my desk and I’ll usually find something to work with in there.  When I do follow sketches, it tends to save me time.  I know what shape I’m creating with and how the final card will look like.  I tend to follow a sketch to the letter when I first use one, but then, I to experiment and try it on, so to speak.

·                     How many projects do you make a week?

·                     Now that I’m one of the Die Cut Divas’ team, I usually make at least 3 to 4 projects and those are usually during a weekend.  Sometimes it just comes together and others, it’s idea after idea and nothing works.

·                     What is your favourite tool (what can't you create without) & why?

·                     This is a difficult question for me.  I’ve got my favorite markers (Copics first and now second is Ranger’s Distress Markers).  Totally different looks.  But for me, when I think of tools, I think metal and machines, so it’s got to be my Cuttlebug.  I can emboss or work with dies.  The dies and embossing folders fairly inexpensive and I keep it set up ready to go.  Even when I kept it under my desk, it’s so quick grab and easy to work with. 

·                     What at the moment is your most favourite thing to do on your project? 

·                     My favorite thing to do is color.  I’ve always loved to color, but never really had the opportunity to color to my heart’s content and now I do.  There are so many choices now, pencils, water color pencils, and markers, Copics and Distress.  I LOVE them all. 

Hi Lovelies,

I don't know about all of you but I have loved getting to know people on our regular Let's get to know guest spot.  This month I thought it would be great to get to know one of our Divas' who works really hard behind the scenes & is ready to step in to help when she is needed.  Who is this Goddess?  Why it is none other than Arlene aka Clarian's Hawk.

·                     How would you describe your style?

·                     I still haven’t found my style, however I find I enjoy Vintage and trying something different.  I  guess you could call my style the “quirky” style.  I know Judy Jung calls it Artsy.  I guess Artsy sounds better than quirky.   I’m sure most of you know Judy as judkajudy  on Flickr.

·                     What about your style would you change (or not) & why?

·                     Sometimes I think I should make my style ONE style, clean and simple or have the ability to line images in a row with PATIENCE, however I like variety.  So I’m thinking, I wouldn’t change my style.

·                     Have you been published or on a Design team - when & where?

·                     I have not been published, but I haven’t really entered a card anywhere.  And yes, we’ve made our own Design Team on Die Cut Divas, which does take up my time searching for and securing sponsors, as well as creating for our team.  Die Cut Divas became a sponsored challenge blog this year and I have loved creating and getting to know our team, the same great team that continued supporting our Flickr group after the founder had to quit.   

·                     Describe (pictures are even better) your crafting area

·                     I moved a year and a half ago and my craft room looks messy most of the time.  However, I can find what I want and try to clean up once a week.  (TRY)

·                     Do you have a blog? If not where can we see more of your fabulous creations?

·                     My blog is “a bit of this and that” at http://arlenesbits.blogspot.com/.    Come visit sometime. 

Thank you Arlene for your wonderful interview & to take time out to share with us.  As a fellow Diva I can honestly say without you I think this blog wouldn't be nearly as good as it is.