10 Questions with Sheredian Vickers

by Trish Dykes (Aug 26, 2009)

Many of you may already know her from her beautiful layouts posted here at Scrapjazz and at Scrapbook.com. Fellow scrapbooker and friend, Sheredian Vickers has been an inspiration to me and is one of the sweetest people that I know. As a current member of the Scrapjazz Blue Crew, a high school guidance counselor, a wife, a mother and a grandmother, she is always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.

1_345 Getting an opportunity to talk to her and share in her love of scrapbooking has been a huge blessing, one that I am eager to share with you. Join me as I go behind the scenes to find out how she got her start in scrapbooking, where she goes for her inspiration and how she creates these great layouts and projects.

How long have you been on the Blue Crew? Do you have any other hobbies besides scrapbooking?

I have been on the Blue Crew since April 15, 2005. I was so excited that I couldn't wait for Andrea to call back after seeing her number on my caller ID. I still have the link to the post on Scrapjazz. Scrapbooking is my primary hobby, and I enjoy making greeting cards as well.
I read on your blog that you teach classes at a local scrapbook store. Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences with that? I also noticed that one of the classes that you teach is "6 layouts in 90 minutes." That sounds amazing; what is your secret to getting layouts done so fast?

I've designed and taught classes at Lone Star Scrapbook Co. for several years, but I recently resigned the teaching position. I taught card classes as well as mini-album classes in addition to the very popular "6 Layouts in 90 Minutes." The layouts were designed around a theme, and generally suitable for boy or girl pages. The designs were quick pages, averaging about 15 minutes per page because I have a "no stress" rule about scrapbooking. After all, if I'm going to enjoy something, it has to be stress-free. I utilize my Three P's rule (explained in detail in a later question) to help with layout design and it works for me.
Aside from Scrapjazz and Scrapbook.com, you are also on the design team for Scribble Scrabble. How do you balance your scrapbook obligations with family time and working outside the home?

My job as a high school guidance counselor is demanding, and scrapbooking is really a type of relaxation therapy for me. Being an empty nester allows me plenty of time to enjoy my craft. I am in my studio every day that I am at home and usually find myself engaged in some type of scrap-related activity, whether looking at scrapbooking websites or making sketches or layouts or cards. I crop at my LSS on most Monday evenings and I am also in a scrapbook club where I meet with other ladies one Saturday a month for all-day cropping. I even manage an occasional crop with friends in Atlanta whenever I go to visit my daughter. My whole family knows that I'm passionate about scrapbooking and they enjoy looking at my albums and getting handmade greeting cards. Scrapbooking has offered opportunities to meet many interesting people all over the country as well as here at home. I reconnected with my college roommate through scrapbooking, and I'm able to crop with my aunt in my scrapbook club. Scrapbooking came at the right time in my life, because I don't know how I would have fit it in with children at home!
You always have such great compositional layouts. What inspires your designs?

Photos are the best inspiration for me. I always try to have the photos take center stage on my layouts and try to incorporate products and a design scheme that works to complement the photos.
When creating a layout, do you start with the photos, the papers, or with what you want to say about the person or event?

I have Three P's for designing layouts: photos, papers, and pretty it up. I start with a photo or group of photos. Next, I select papers that coordinate with the colors in the photos and won't distract from the photos. Then I "pretty it up" with embellishments. Journaling is always the final touch, but I don't journal much if the event is self-explanatory. Occasionally, I might have product that I want to use and if I don't have photos that will work with the product, I will use black-and-white photos.
I like how you have incorporated rubber stamping into some of your layouts. Do you use your stamps for card making as well as scrapbooking?

Although I use stamps whenever I can, I use them primarily in card making. Sometimes I will challenge myself to use certain stamps or other products just so they won't gather dust!
One of the things that I appreciate most about your layouts is the incredible photos that you always seem to have. Most importantly, you include yourself in many of them. Who takes all those photos of you? And do you have any advice for those of us who seldom show up in our own scrapbooks?

With digital cameras, it's easy to share photos and someone seems to always have a camera. My daughter is a great photographer and usually takes pictures at all the family events that she attends and we always share pictures. It is easy to forget yourself when taking pictures, but I've learned to hand the camera to someone else at least three times during an event.
Over the last few years, you have completed several no-buying-until-you-have-created-100-layouts challenges. Is that a personal challenge to keep your supplies limited or a good excuse for a huge shopping trip when you are done?

This is mostly a way for me to use up product. I'm addicted to patterned papers, so I often just buy with no particular project in mind. I was very proud of myself for completing the no-buy challenge and I'm looking forward to doing more. I don't feel as guilty when I go on a buying spree after going on a "scrap diet."
How many layouts/projects do you typically complete per year? Where do you store all of them?

When I first began scrapbooking, I was doing two to three layouts a week. I eventually got up to about five or more a week. Now I do one to three layouts a week and maybe more during my time off or if I'm able to go to a crop (and I actually crop instead of visit with everyone!). My most recent completed albums are on a bookshelf in the family room, and a couple of albums are upstairs in the media room. I have five albums in progress in my studio. Right now I also have a dozen or more layouts that I need to put into albums.
Do you have a current favorite scrapbook line? If you could have the entire line of products manufactured by one company, which one would you choose?

If I could have an entire line of products manufactured by any company, I'd just have to say "surprise me!" This is a very hard question. I really like double-sided papers, but I love pretty papers! I design for Scribble Scrabble and that is naturally one of my favorites. But I also like Scenic Route, BasicGrey, Cosmo Cricket, ADORNit, and Little Yellow Bicycle. Making Memories has had some fresh products lately too. As I said earlier, I am a paper addict, so anything with vivid colors that catches my eye is likely to end up on my pages.