NSD Extravaganza | Introducing Susan Brown

With National Scrapbook Day  around the corner, everyone at The Odd Show Live is very excited and fine tuning the details of our special day. We thought it would be fun to ask ourselves and our guests 7 silly questions to break the ice and introduce you to them! Our first guest demonstrator is

1. Do you ink it or lick it first--and if you know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop, you may answer that too. :)

Is this a TRICK question??? I would have to say ink it first...then see what it evolves into. About those tootsie roll pops...I never counted but I can get about halfway through before I loose patience and I just bite into that chewy center.

2. pretty papers or adorable stamps? Hmmmm - another tough one! I am all about having loads of stamps {I'm a bit of a stamp hoarder} and lots of fabulous papers...I wouldn't exactly describe my stash either pretty or adorable...just AWESOME!

3. Biggest craft disaster? OK - I don't really have crafting disasters because I love to play and I embrace the unexpected and work through whatever happens...it's all part of the game of creating for me. With that being said...I do have a bit of a recurring problem with exacto knives, box cutter blades and large cutting devices...I cut my appendages. WARNING - this doesn't end pretty! It started about 12 years ago with my left thumb that I cut/smashed in a large 24" guillotine cutter, I almost blacked out because it hurt so bad! Then about 6 months later I cut halfway through same thumb with an exacto knife. NOTE TO EVERYONE: please don't use an overnight chipboard envelope for a straight edge to cut with - never, ever!!! Moving over to my left index finger...I was cutting something at work with a metal ruler as a guide using a box cutter blade {out of the handy holder of course}, I took off a 1/3 of the tip of my finger. SORRY to be gross! They couldn't put it back on...I even begged the doctor to. But through the graces of technology and this magical medicated gauze called XEROFORM...I grew 90% of the tissue back...fingerprints included. My finger was wrapped up in this gauze for 6 months. You couldn't even tell except for one little spot that looks like a blister. Then about 1 year later, in an attempt to get my ailing Iguana to eat - I was bit by him on the same finger and part of my fingernail was torn off on the other side of the SAME finger. XEROFORM to the rescue... but due to infection from bacteria in reptile saliva, my finger is now only about 75% as fat as it's matching partner on my right hand. I figure my hole hand is next...lucky for me the big industrial cutter at the print shop I work at is IDIOT proof. It has laser line safety guides and you have to push a button with each hand at the same time to bring down the blade. If you want to see a blog entry I made about my poor finger...I did have a fun time in the emergency room hijacking the hospital WIFI that day : )  http://tinyurl.com/72phzxd | http://tinyurl.com/847q9fd

4. Are you a late night crafter, during the day crafter or a combo of both? the title of my blog says it all " sbartist : painting in the dark "

5. What motivates you? Having a challenge - a creative problem to solve. I am a painter at heart, and I love to learn new things. For me an important part of being an artist is being a life-long learner. I take workshops and classes to keep my creative muse inspired. There is always new things to learn and new tools and techniques to add to one's creative palette. I am PASSIONATELY CURIOUS about creating; whether I’m making collage or assemblage, dabbling in photography, sewing, stamping, or just mixing it all up. I like to dabble in many creative things and there is a method to my madness: altered, collage-like and experimental - I “embrace the unexpected.”

6. favorite crafty tool? OMG - there is not just one...but I have to say I don't go anywhere without a black permanent marker, cutterbee scissors and a GLUE STICK!!!

7. when did you start crafting?? I don't know an exact age - as long as I can remember. But I have some old photos when I was 2 1/2, sitting in front of a freshly frosted cake at my grandmother's kitchen table. I have three pictures: one I'm sitting with my grandfather in front of cake; the second I am sitting alone in front of cake eager to taste it; and the third...me with cake painted all over my face, shirt and everywhere. So I learned to paint at a very young age...with chocolate cake!!! The real funny part is that I'm not really a fan of chocolate cake - guess I wasn't then, either LOL!!!