Honorary Cr8tv Diva's Page

Cr8ec: It's easy to see that you have fun crafting, if you had to pick ONE creative outlet what would it be and why?

Melissa: AGGGH! Only one creative outlet? I guess it would have to be something to do with paper and pen. I love so many crafty things but when it comes down to it I *have* to have paper.

I just love the texture and the colors and how quickly you can make something beautiful and wonderful with just a sheet of paper.

So probably scrapbooking & collage & stamping & making handmade cards...wait...is that more than one?

Cr8ec: You have a really great sense of humor. Do you think your projects keep you happy, or is it your attitude that makes the projects seem like fun to do?

Melissa: Thank you so much for the compliment. I think doing crafty things (and blogging about them) is really good for my overall attitude for sure! I tend to get a little cranky when I haven't had time to do something creative in awhile.

Of course, the blog is just a "slice of life" so there are plenty of times when I'm not feelin' happy or funny. That's when you might notice a day or two of no blogging (No blogging could also be because I'm trying to dig my way out of a mound of laundry or dishes that have fallen on me and I can't reach the computer, heh-heh).

Cr8ec: Your 31 crafty flowers in 31 days is an awesome idea! I love that you even used REAL flowers (bracelet). Do you have more of these great activities in store for the future?

Melissa: Thank you, I have a couple of ideas that I've thought of since I started doing the flowers. I'm not sure I'll do 31 days in a row again though because it's pretty time-consuming to do the tutorials and my kids are always wanting to eat & wear clean clothes & stuff (they can be demanding like that).


Cr8ec: How did you come up for the name of your site (Pink Paper Peppermints) and what does it all MEAN? ;o)

Melissa: This question made me laugh. I actually used to have the explanation in my sidebar and then my blog had a major crash one day and I had to re-do the sidebars and I just realized that I never put that back! I'll have to get that posted again, but here's the story that I used to have on my blog:

"I was looking at a roll of my very favorite Christmas paper *ever*, thinking to myself, "I wonder why I like that so much?"

"Hmmm," (more conversation with myself) "I think it's because of the pink...pink and the peppermints...well...pink and *red* and the peppermints, yes, and also, just because it's paper....Because, you know, I love paper...so...Pink Paper Peppermints.

That's fun to say. Hey. Blog."

Yeah, it went like that. Seriously.

*Side Note: The peppermints in the banner are packing tape transfers from that wrapping paper. Love it. "


Cr8ec: What are your future goals for your crafting? This doesn't make sense lol, I guess I just mean, where do you want to get to with your blog/hobby?


Melissa: I'm really just having fun with it right now although I do have some ideas for the future. I actually used to teach for several different paper/scrapbook companies at conventions and trade shows a few years ago and I really enjoyed it at the time, but when I had my baby (who's now five years old!) I didn't want to do the traveling anymore.

The blog was just a way for me to stay connected to other crafty women and have fun and learn new stuff while being a stay-at-home-mama.

Because honestly, I was afraid that without the teaching jobs driving me to do those things my creativity might just kind of melt away from lack of use (what do you call that when your muscles quit working because you don't use them enough - I should know this...Ha!...atrophy...).

It turns out that being a homeschooling SAHM takes quite a bit of creativity so "creative atrophy" was a needless worry, but I'm so glad I started the blog because it has really been such a blessing and super fun and I have met so many like-minded moms who love crafting!

Now that my youngest is older, and I have a little more time I'd like to maybe try teaching some online classes. I also have some ideas for kits & things to put together for etsy that I think would be fun. And even an idea for a real, paper zine (I am really excited about this one)!

I guess sharing and teaching is just coded into my DNA so I'm always pulled back to that.


Cr8ec: What crafting tool do you use most often?

Melissa: Well, right now it's a shovel to dig through the mess on my craft table...heh-heh...but seriously, I had to think about this one for a minute.

I kind of have Crafter's ADD (actually I'm pretty sure I have regular ADD too, but that's a whole nother interview...heh-heh) so I get bored with tools & techniques if I use them too much.

Having said that, I love the distressed look, so I almost always use sandpaper on a project. Of course my Fiskars micro-tip scissors and 12" cutter are must haves (and I don't even work for Fiskars)!

I love my Coluzzle templates and you didn't actually ask me this, but I'm seriously thinking about getting a Sizzix or Cuttlebug. I have never really been a die cut kinda girl, but if I could cut the shapes out of felt and fabric & stuff that raises the stakes ya know? Plus they have way cute things now like mini chinese take-out box dies!


Cr8ec: It's obvious in reading through your blog that your faith plays an important part in your life and your art...is that something you've had your whole life or did it develop over the years with life experiences.


Melissa: Thank you so much for asking about that. It's something that I love to talk about.

Actually the answer is yes and no and it's kinda long, like "sit-at-Starbucks-for-three-hours-and-annoy-the-staff" long...heh-heh, but I will give you the condensed version.

Up until I was 16 years old I was just kind of a go to church on Easter and Christmas kinda girl because...well...that's what my parents were.

When I was 16 I met God in a really *real* way and became born again (this term gets a bad rap these days, but it really just means the old you dies and a new you is born).

My life changed pretty radically then, but a few years before I got married I faced some intense challenges and I walked away from God (this is where it could get long and weepy but I'm editing - if we ever *do* get to go to Starbucks together, and you can stand it, maybe I'll tell ya the whole story.)

The next few years I was, well, not a very nice person. I was unhappy and bitter and angry and you know, a lot of unhealthy things. I still believd in God, but I didn't think He believed in me anymore.

When I finally found my way back to Him in a real and powerful way (only about three years ago) it was as an older and wiser woman who realized she couldn't do it on her own and she needed God more than she needed to hang on to the pain and anger of the past. I also discovered that He had never given up on me (this could be a really long part too, maybe we *should* go to Starbucks).

So now I am pretty vocal about my faith. It is more a part of me than anything else and I couldn't really blog, or create or do *anything* without it.


Cr8ec: There are many cr8tv peeps who dream of having a voice in the craft industry--heck, a small business would be even better yet! How has the viewership of your blog grown and evolved and what 3 tips would you give other cr8tv women who are thinking of starting a blog of their own?

Melissa: Well, this is actually my fifth attempt at blogging believe it or not. I've tried several different blogging platforms (blogger, typepad, wordpress, back to typepad) and several diffent ways of blogging before I found what worked for me.

So the first thing I would say is to just keep trying different things until you find your voice and what works for you.

I think my current blog has grown due to a couple of things.

First, I kind of gave up having a plan and decided to just be me and write about things that I liked and loved and had fun with. I stopped worrying about attracting (or repelling) readers and just started putting my self out there.

For instance, I love to craft, I love to come up with ideas and I love to teach. Out of that sprang the "31 Crafty Flowers" that I'm doing now and that has brought an enormous amount of interest and traffic my way. I've been asked to guest blog, been featured on a major magazine's blog, been mentioned on a craft podcast and more all because I decided to do something I thought would be fun.

I also really took some time to learn about blogging and internet techie stuff and that has helped a lot. If you want to get a lot of traffic to your blog so people can *see* you being yourself you need to understand how feeds work, how Feedburner works, how to get subscribers, how Technorati works, what twitter and facebook have to do with it and on and on.

I highly recommend a blogger named Yaro Starak as a great place to start. He has tons and tons of articles and podcasts on his blog about blogging and business. I found it accidentally searching for something else and he has since become my favorite blogger who blogs about blogging!

Some of his stuff is pretty intense and is for the hardcore "I want to make a million dollars on the internet" type people, but a lot of it is really great for beginners who are just trying to figure out what it's all about. Just browse around his blog and I'm sure you'll finds some things that will help you. http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/


Community is really important too. Getting involved in a place like Cr8 Everyday Crafts is a fantastic way to reach out to other bloggers and get to know them. Comment on their blogs and just be someone friendly who has interesting things to say. Enter contests, participate in blog parties, have your own blog parties and contests etc. People can't come and visit your blog if they don't know about you!

Another thing that I think has helped grow my blog is just being someone who likes to give. If you have lots of interesting things to read and links to share and art to look at then your blog is a fun place to be. I really love creating a template and then having someone email me pictures of the kids in their Sunday school class all holding up the project they made or pictures of their daughter's birthday party decorations using that template. It is really fun!

And you know what? You reap what you sow. The more you give away the more blessings come your way. It's really amazing, if you set out to bless people, what will happen in your life!

So to sum up (heh-heh I've always wanted to say that) my three tips would be:

1)Be yourself. Don't change what you like or who you are because it's not hip and trendy. Just write about the stuff you love and post photos of the stuff you create and be you! If you don't know who that is, find out! Think and pray about it and spend time with yourself. You are probably a really cool person. :)

2)Learn, learn, learn. Do as much research as you can on blogging and crafting and techie stuff. Try it all out and throw away what doesn't work for you and keep what does.

3)Get involved in communities like Cr8 Everyday Crafts. Comment on other blogs with interesting and valuable comments. Be friendly to other bloggers and you'll find them being friendly to you!

3)Create a place that is fun to be. Give away ideas, templates, pretty art, articles, and tutorials. Make it a place people love to come everyday because there is always something there to inspire them and make them smile.

(okay that was four, but they were short!)


Melissa: This was so much fun! Thank you for inviting me to participate. I love emails (although it can take me awhile to respond) but if anyone has any questions about my answers or my blog or anything I would love to hear from them! Melissa~

Cr8ec: Thank YOU Melissa! Its so great to learn about you and your fabulous sense of business and self!!!


My personal Cr8tv Studio:
Pink Paper Peppermints