Featured Mom - Melanie of GraphizAddicts.com

I met today's Featured Mom, Melanie, in an online parenting forum. For those of you who don't participate in message boards, often users have images that show up at the bottom of all their posts. It's called a signature and it's a way to make your posts more personal. When you use a signature it's easier for people to put a personality to a screenname which may be something like User135. Signatures can include text, pictures, links and animated images called 'blinkies'.

H: What do you like to create?

M: I use Paint shop pro X to create artist signatures and tags...Generally graphics..I love scrappy type graphics and I love working with photos. Im addicted to making blinkies. Kinda got hooked! I love to make things twinkle and show off my personality. Little bits of art almost.

H: This is a blinkie that Mel made for me. I used it in my signature for a long time as it was such a fun and easy way to give readers of my posts some background information. Melanie has been creating custom graphics for about two years now.

H: How did you get started?

M: I loved seeing some of the work that others came up with..I got itchy fingers and wanted to learn how to do my own. Now I love to do it for others. It makes me feel good to share my talent.I also co -own a graphics forum. This has grown from a hobby into a passion. I love to share it and to help others to learn all about it.

H: Were you creative before you had children?

M: Yes. I have always loved to draw and paint...anything crafty. I drove my Mum crazy..I was always "making" something! My mum still has all my ceremic sculptures I made too. Some are pretty crazy!

H: Have your methods changed?

M: Yeah, having kids means I dont get alot of time to do "real" crafting...or make the mess. I'm the type to leave a project and come back to it later but I can't do that now. Little hands touch!!

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

M: I guess the best part about creating stuff digitally is that I can leave it, come back, do a bit more, go away, come back . I often have a new creation open on my pc for hours..sometimes even days! Its like drawing or painting with no mess!

H: Do your kids show any creative spirit?

M: Oh yes. Alex ( my daughter) LOVES to draw. She is pretty creative too. She's always glueing and sticky taping bits of things together. She also loves to write short stories and has a very vivid imagination!

H: What have you learned after having your kids (in relation to your art)

M: That my kids help inspire me. Photos, books, little sayings. Little pieces of them inspire me. I love to make new tags with photos. To capture their personalities or a special moment. They bring me so much joy and It helps to keep me inspired.

You can see what Melanie is up to by visiting her website: http://www.graphiczaddicts.com/

and here is a link to her newest tutorial: Autumn Angel: http://graphiczaddicts.com/tutorials...tumnangel.html

Mel also has a blog so you can stay up to date http://graphiczaddicts.blogspot.com/

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