Feature Artist - Maggi

~Happy Tuesday all,
~So this week we have the fabulous Maggi, who is not only gorgeous BUT she's a very talented mixed media artist - this lady can actually create anything from, well, anything!!!! She also creates for the wonderful Gauche Alchemy:
Hi everyone and thanks for having me Vicki! For those of you that may not know me, my name is Maggi, I'm 33 years old and I live in North Carolina, USA. :) I've been creating crafts of all kinds for as long as I can remember (my mom is a huge crafty person so I learned a lot from her, including an obsession for Mod Podge lol). I enjoy doing a wide variety of crafts: scrapbooking, mixed media altered art, ATCs, collage, crochet...just about anything I can glue to, on or down I'm into! lol When I'm not getting down with my crafty self, I love playing video games, reading, blogging and indulging my newest obsession: Pullip dolls. :)

Who is your biggest inspiration???

Oh boy, no way can I narrow this down to just one! LOL In terms of particular artists that I find inspiring, I am always enthralled with the amazing ATCs and art quilts of Frieda Oxenham, the gorgeous customized Pullips turned Pollips of Sheena and the incredible scrapbook layouts of Yvonne Yam If I had a fifth of their talent in these creative arenas, I would consider myself 110% more awesome. lol

Why did you start creating?

For me, creating is something I have to do, whether it's painting, crocheting, scrapbooking, whatever. I've always got to be making something and if I'm not making it, I thinking about it. I've got a notebook that I jot down ideas or sketches of things I want to make. There's just something inside me that is always in creation mode...and that usually involves glitter in some way. LOL

What is your favourite thing to create?

Wow, this is always changing for me, I'm distracted very easily creatively speaking. lol Well, scrapbooking is always a constant because I want to preserve my family's memories. But otherwise I'm in a constant state of flux and flow with the things I consider my favorite. Right now I'm obsessed with crocheting and mixed media altered art. :)

What are your favourite manufacturers?

I love Ranger Ink because they make my beloved Stickles. LOL I love Cosmo Cricket's style of scrapbooking materials, they're always so colorful and retro looking. Most of what I use to create isn't sold as supplies though, I adore using vintage ephemera (such as book pages, wrappers, receipts, etc) and those you can find for free if you pillage your house for about an hour. LOL.
You design for Gauche Alchemy what is it you love about designing for them?

Gauche Alchemy is an interesting team and store to design for because they're not like any other crafty site out there. Although they supply products from well known manufacturers, their specialty is vintage ephemera and found objects. You know, things you wouldn't normally think to use on scrapbook layouts, cards or even some art journal pages and mixed media pieces. Gauche Alchemy forces you to create outside of the box and it was from them that I came to love mixed media. Their Themed Paper Craft Kits and Mixed Media Color Kits are perfect for mixed media or ephemera newbies because you have it all right there together, coordinated and easy to use. We have a lot of fun and come on, who doesn't like being a little Gauche now and then? ;)

You have a vintage blog as well as your creative one,

I sure do! Besides crafty what nots, vintage is a H-U-G-E passion of mine. At first I blogged about it all at Just Add Glitter and Stir but last year decided to split it off and Circle 7-2099 was born. This is my vintage home away from home where I can obsess and post about everything vintage. :)
Do you create with music? If so what is your favourite creative song?

Well now that Toot (my one year old daughter) is here, most of the time I'm listening to The Wiggles. LOL But when I get the chance to choose my creative soundtrack, I love listening to JPop (Japanese pop music) and depending on my mood will listen to The Monkees and/or The Doors (they're my creative comedy and tragedy as it were, lol).

What are your 3 must-have creative items?

Glitter, Glitter and more Glitter. LOL ;) Just 3?! Okay, let's see...Stickles, Tacky Tape and Sequins. :D

Have you ever created anything you've hated?

Oh heck yeah! I'm pretty critical of myself and tend to not like a lot of what I make. HOWEVER I've been working on that and have been forcing myself to be more confident about my work. Not all of it may be ready to hang in the Louvre but you're never as bad as you think you are. :) The trick is to understand, accept and love your own personal style. It's not about mine looking like yours and vice versa. I think once I get that down, I'll start to hate less and less of what I do. :)

~Maggi now has a giveaway to offer:

Thanks again for interviewing me Vicki, I had so much fun today! :) I would love to offer a little prize to your readers: their choice of any of Gauche Alchemy's Mixed Media Color Kits These are so awesome and fun to use, I have one in every color! lol This picture shows an example of ourBanana Hammock kit but the winner can pick any one of the color kits in our store:
Good luck everyone and thanks for letting me hang out with you today! And now as I like to say: Go glue something awesome onto some awesome something! :)

~Thanks so much Maggi for your wonderful interview AND this great giveaway - so fantastic. If you want a chance to win just leave a comment, giving Maggi some love... and I'll draw a winner. Please leave your comment no later than Saturday night.

~love, Vicki xxx