Featured Blogger Friday

Thanks for stopping by for another installment of Featured Blogger Friday :) This week I wanted to introduce you to my good friend Lisa Itatani and her blog "Flatfish Paper Arts". I met Lisa several years ago through a cirle journal group that we were both involved in, and that group of women has become a very special part of my life. We were even able to get together and meet in California last summer! Lisa is a creative, strong woman whose blog is filled with variety (family, cardmaking, bees, cats) and talent! Please stop by and say hello! In the meantime, here's the scoop on Lisa...

Tell us a little about you? I was born and raised in San Jose (better known as Silicon Valley) in California, which is a great place to live. I've been married to a Michigan transplant for 28 years and we have 2 grown children and 2 very spoiled furbabies. I got to see the valley change from orchards and farmland to become one of the high-tech capitals of the world. I've been teaching scrapbooking and rubber stamping classes for over 15 years. Although I love the altered art look but can't live with a lot of it, I teach the clean and simple style. I believe that once someone has the basics down, they can develop their own style or at least CASE things they like.

How long have you been blogging? Since August 2007, so I'm a newbie in the blogging world.

Why do you blog? My customers kept asking me if I had a website so that they could find out about my upcoming classes. I didn't want to go through the whole process to find out how to set myself up with a website, but when blogging became commonplace, I jumped on it. It's so easy and fast to learn. Having a blog is also a great way for my friends and family to keep track of what I'm up to.

What are your favorite topics to blog about? Cardmaking, rubber stamping, my furbabies (Honey Bunny and Purrcy), bee keeping, gardening, reviews of craft products, and travel.

Have you learned anything special from blogging? I'm a little more techy - or, as my IT guy says - just techy enough to get into trouble. I also love all the craft tutorials you can find. I learned how to knit and make a star book, two things I've been trying to learn how to do for years. I've also learned how to better stage my cards and what photos will work well on my blog. I've been known to take thousands of photos only to use one or two images.

What do you hope that people get out of reading your blog? That being creative can be learned, or at least copied well :) I hope I provide creative inspiration, that I am a bright spot in the reader's day (that's one reason why I don't rant on my blog), that my information is helpful, and that I can encourage readers to follow their creative path.

Can you give us links to some of your favorite blogs?

Understand Blue - Lydia has a wickedly funny sense of humor, great tutorials, and two great cats.

Hooked on Houses - I'm an architectural junkie.

Small Studio - I love Ginny's blog roll.

Martha Stewart - Have to love the big Martha.

I hope you've enjoyed this peek into Lisa's blog - now hop over there and check it out (including pics of her new kitten!).