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I have been a follower of Aniia’s blog for a long time as I love her work. I was so happy to finally meet her last November at the Paper & Co show.

1. What do you do to get into your creative zone?
Oh geez. I depend on deadlines. I thrive on them. Deadlines, challenges and directions gives me the creativity I need. So if I don’t have a deadline or a “purpose” with my scrapbooking, my creativity feels pretty flat. Sounds sad, huh? Yikes. So whenever I feel restless because I don’t have anything I really oughta do (because – when I have deadlines I’m usually pretty good at getting them off the way so that I won’t have to stress, which in turn makes me stress for a few days then I don’t have anything to do the rest of the days when I actually could have been working on stuff in a non-stressed-way) I start looking for challenges and stuff on the web to join spark my creativity. And ofcourse, a glass of wine never hurt anybody *smirk*
Also? I think my messy desk should be mentioned. If I – once in a BLUE moon – attempt to put things where they’re supposed to belong and like, try to have a clean(ish) desk – I only get frustrated because I CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING AT ALL! There IS a system in the mess. Sort of.

2. Do you ever create hidden meanings or messages in your work?
You know, I’m a pretty private person really, so when I actually do feel like including deep, personal stuff (which I usually just have to share still – it’s not the same if I can’t share stuff on my blog/otherplaces…I’m weird I know, when I still insist I’m a very private person) I like to do it like that – envelopes, symbols and/or just gesso/paint over text – the point is just to have it written down, gotten it out of my system, not that anybody’s supposed to be able to read it…

3. If your creative work were edible, what would it taste like?

Haha, letsee, I love Ben&Jerry’s Ice Cream (especially the cookie dough one!!), so I’d love it if people found my work as delightful as that ;D

4. What is your favorite creation?

Erm. Just one!? Yikes. It’s like asking me to pick my favorite child! Sooo, since I have two children, it’d only be fair to let me share two favorite creations, no? *wink*

Ania2 – it came together perfectly, it contains happy colors, it uses my fave Hambly stuff, like transparency, kraft stickers, rub-ons, even fabric & one of my fave thing to do w/paper to get extra dimension (simply just fold the edges once or twice & staple it together), FELT..bling….sigh..

And Attitude_web – it contains ME (one of the rare images with me in them *wink* *grin*), my favorite stilettos and is an ode to them (because I’m afraid I’m getting too old for such footwear, too often opting for comfort than style these days – a sure sign I’m getting old! sigh!) And – uhm, colors, killer heels, sewing, lovely splatters, rub-ons, transparencies, tape, scraps – what more can you want??

5. What is your biggest creative success so far and why?
Oh gee, this one is hard – and I have to admit I am tempted to drag in my photography in here. You see, without scrapbooking I would probably not have taken up photography the same way I now do. Without the photography I would not have stood in front of my biggest and scariest task until now, a work position as a journalist, which only happened because the passion for photography led me to intern for the local newspaper as a pressphotographer for a year, which in turn helped me (and them, haha) discover my skills for writing, which in turn led me back on the path of journalism (a dream I had abandoned when I was in college), and now I’ve got a real job as a journalist…even if only for a few months (I’m filling in for someone who’s going on a maternity leave), it’s still a job I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d actually be offered, just like that…. I have not lost sight of my biggest dream, to be able to work as a fulltime pressphotographer, but this is a welcome step on the way…. plus..all the weddings I’ve been lucky to photograph – it’s amazing and a huge responsibility, being allowed to take such a small yet big part of someones wedding – to be the only one besides the bride and her closest one in all the preparations before the big “yes”, to capture their dreams, emotions and promises of the day – [insert delightful sigh] – simply..to have people actually trust you enough to give you a job, whether it’s accepting scrapbooking design teams, wanting you to do their photosessions or a fulltime job. I dare say starting with scrapbooking has given me all that.

Here is the link to my online portfolio by the way – http://www.annejolexander.com

Thanks Aniia !!!

Nat