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I’m totally flabbergasted that Cathy Zielske, with whom I share my love for Green Day ;-) took the time to give me an interview.

Photo taken from The Sequel

Cathy is the Creative Director for Simple Scrapbooks magazine. She scraps since 2001 and has been published in many many magazines. She is the author of the two books Clean&Simple Scrapbooking and Clean&Simple Scrapbooking the Sequel.

Hi Cathy, I’m so happy to have you here: Cathy, you are very successful in the scrapping world. What, scrapbooking-related, is your proudest accomplishment?

Probably the day my Fed Ex guy delivered the first copy of my book, Clean&Simple Scrapbooking. I was giddy with excitement. It was a very cool thing.

What was your first LO ?- can we see it?

My first layout was about my Mom and my kids. You can see it in Clean&Simple Scrapbooking: the sequel.

Can we also see a recent one?

Sure. This one makes me happy:

Simplicity is about making hard decisions , decisions about what to NOT put on the page. How do you prevent all those cute buttons, colorful ribbons and scraps laying around you from jumping onto your layouts ;-) ?

It’s not a hard thing at all! I love scrapbook supplies as much as anyone, but I don’t like my pages to feel overcrowded and busy. So, I keep them stripped down, with just a few embellishments here and there.

I would like to ask you some questions about your second book Clean&Simple Scrapbooking The Sequel.

In your introduction you write that you are not embarrassed anymore to say that you are a Scrapbooker. Why was saying it, ever embarrassing?

Well, because people gave you that look…you know the one: “Oh…you’re a scrapbooker…how….nice.” Like they instantly lumped you into a very uncool, crafty sort of category. I think the word ‘scrapbooking’ conjures up a very old-fashioned image. So, I always felt like I had to elaborate, and try to explain just how cool scrapbooking really was. Like I was trying to make converts left and right!

Cathy, in the Sequel you show a lot of layouts using your own handwriting and paint. How does this fit in with your evolving style?

Well, I think you can take any “trend” and apply it in a more simplified way. That’s what I am trying to do more of. I like to play and experiment, but I also like to keep it simple. I just don’t want to get bored with always doing the same thing, over and over.

On page 33 you ask your readers “What makes you tick?” I’ll give that question right back to you and ask “What makes Cathy Zielske tick?”

Passion. A lust for life. Highs and lows. And in-betweens. I’m very much a passion-driven soul. I’m also a Pisces, which means I’m dreamy, and have my head in the clouds a lot. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. LOL!

How has the internet and blogging changed the scrapping world in your opinion?

I think it’s encouraged women to write. It’s also created communities for women to bond and feel empowered by so many unique voices out there.

How did Scrapbooking change your life and do you like it?

Scrapbooking didn’t change my life, but it definitely added an element I didn’t know what missing. I still love the hobby. Even if I don’t make a layout for a month at a time, which is often the case with my hectic work schedule.

Are there any plans to visit Europe esp. Germany and teach some classes ;-) ?

I’ve had a handful of invitations, but I haven’t been able to act on any of them yet. Never say never. I’m heading over to New Zealand and Australia in a few days to teach. I guess you can’t really pick a further place to fly away to, other than say, South Africa. So, maybe it will whet my appetite for international travel.

Is there anything you would like to add ?

Just to say thank you. The fact that scrapbooking is taking off all over the world is the coolest thing ever to me. I love knowing that people in Germany are creating and documenting just like people in Minnesota, USA. That’s a cool thing!

Thank you so much Cathy for taking your time! Have a safe flight and a wonderful time in New Zealand and Australia!

Nat