Friday Feature: Elves in the Attic

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
My name is Julie and I live in Edmonds, WA – a smidge north of Seattle. I am a stay-at-home-parent to three smart, witty and all-around cool kids and have a fantastic husband who is always able to make me laugh. If I’m not home playing with paper and glue, I’m probably at an ice rink or soccer field, doing yard work or baking up something tasty.

I opened ElvesInTheAttic.etsy.com in June 2009 after much prodding by family and friends. I work out of a little room in our home that serves as both my “studio” and our home office. It is usually in a state of chaos, but I’ve decided that chaos breeds creativity.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
I have always enjoyed arts & crafts sorts of things. The “legit” scrapbooking started 11 years ago. A friend showed me a scrapbook she had made and told me that there was a scrapbooking store nearby. I had never heard of a whole store devoted to this stuff and was hooked the moment I walked in the door and saw all of the wonderful paper and supplies.

The card-making started when I needed to find ways to justify all of my scrapbooking purchases. Of course I now have a decent collection of rubber stamps that don’t have anything to do with scrapbooking. One of the things I love about making cards is the gratification of a completed project in a timely manner.

3. What tool can you not live without?
Paper trimmer. If I had to give that up I’d have to kabosh the whole thing. Can’t cut a straight line for the life of me.

4. What inspires you?
I find inspiration in my fellow crafters, magazines, catalogs, billboards/ads, and the textures in nature.

5. Name one favorite item from your store.

I love the embossed background on this card and keep meaning to make more.