[creative] Welcome to CCAS Carrie!

[Carrie] thank you so much!

[creative] We are very excited to have you with us tonight.

[Carrie] Thanks Jen! This is gunna be fun!

[creative] How did Paper Trunk the company come about?

[Carrie] I started designing for Upsy Daisy Designs last year. And after some prayer and chats with hubby, I felt the nudge to start my own company.

[Carrie] All my friends and family knew I was headed towards my own company…I was kinda the last to know! LOL!

[guest] Carrie you were meant to do your own thing girl!

[creative] Where did the name Paper Trunk come from?

[Carrie] I was cleaning my scrap space one day and said to myself, “Wow! I’ve got a trunk load of paper!” It hit me…that’s a great name for a paper company!

[creative] Had you designed for other companies before Upsy Daisy?

[Carrie] Upsy Daisy was my first experience with designing papers

[creative] How did you get your company started and moving so quickly?

[Carrie] God’s grace…seriously! On National Scrapbook Day, my hubby and I sat down and had a serious talk about starting the business…

[Carrie] by the end of the day, we knew it was what I was supposed to do! On Monday, I made some calls and got things rolling. I wish I had time to share all the amazing details but, to make things short, everything fell into perfect place!

[creative] That is amazing how you then were able to get lines designed, printed and already shipping!

[creative] Does your husband/family support your love of scrapbooking and your new venture in starting Paper Trunk?

[Carrie] Absolutely! I could not ask for a more supportive hubby, family, and friends. I mentioned before, they all knew that I would someday be doing this before I did!:)

[Carrie] I am constantly surrounded with encouraging friends and family…it’s awesome!

[creative] What inspires you when you are designing versus when you are scrapbooking?

[Carrie] When I’m designing I am inspired by EVERYTHING! My first paper line was created because of a take-out bag I got at a restaurant. I have been inspired by t-shirts, CD covers, fabrics, cartoons, just about everything!

[Carrie] When I’m scrapbooking, I am inspired by all the FABULOUS scrappers around me!

[Carrie] I think we are all influenced by other scrappers (whether we know it or not:))

[creative] Where did you get your inspiration for the Batik & Gigi lines from?

[Carrie] Batik was designed from my girlfriends shirt! She let me borrow it over night and whala…Batik was created!

[Carrie] Gigi started out with a different name and different inspiration. I had created it to reflect different drinks like Chai tea, soad, flavored water. It evolved and became the Gigi line. My Grandmother’s name is Gigi and seemed to fit the papers. Each paper is a character trait of her!

[creative] Do you design the pattern and then add the colour, or design in colour?

[Carrie] I design in color. I like to come up with the color combos then see where that takes me with the design part.

[creative] Can you tell us a little about the designing process for new lines of papers and embellies?

[Carrie] I’m not sure I have a “process”? I kind of just sit down and play around until something works

[creative] Will you be adding more stamps to your line?

[Carrie] oh yes! the border stamps have been flying out the door. We will definitely be creating more of those!

[creative] That is great. Those stamps are beautiful

[Carrie] they really are fun and different.

[creative] Will you be releasing collections throughout the year, or at CHA shows?

[Carrie] As of right now, we plan to release at the CHA shows. Who knows…that could change!

[creative] Are you going to sell your Paper Trunk T’s? They’re so cute!

[Carrie] hee hee…I’ve had that asked a few times

[Carrie] I will try to hook that up

[creative] Did you enjoy CHA as a manufacturer?

[Carrie] I haven’t been to a show as a manufacturer yet…Winter CHA will be my first show where we will have a Paper Trunk booth

[Carrie] all the shows I’ve attended in the past have been as a designer…the shows are a blast so I imagine being a vendor will be just as fun!

[creative] How has life changed for you since starting Paper Trunk?

[Carrie] it has definitely gotten busier!

[Carrie] We are still in summer mode so when the kids goto school next month, we’ll see how it really goes! It has been a bit overwhelmng at times being a Mama to 3 young kids and owning a business. But, that is to be expected! It is all very good busy-ness.

[creative] What was the neatest product you saw at the Chicago show?

[Carrie] hmmmmm….the neatest product? I’d have to say the album inserts that have 4×6 slots! American Crafts, WeRMemory Keepers, and a few others have them. they aren’t “new” but, they are becoming more available and they are fantastic!

[creative] How old are your kids?

[Carrie] My kiddos 6, 3, & 3. Skittle is almost 7 and he is starting 1st grade. JellyBean and Gummybear are twins (boy & girl) and they are starting Pre-School!

[creative] Can you tell us more about yourself … Your family … Where you went to school …. What you studied … Who introduced your to scrapbooking … How long you have been scrapbooking …

[Carrie] okay, tha last question was pretty loaded! ROFL!

[Carrie] My hubby and I just celebrated our 11 year anniversary. We were high school sweethearts (ahhhhh)

[Carrie] We moved to Oregon 11 years ago and had planned on moving back to California after he finished up law school but, God had other plans for us. We fell in love with the great Northwest and have lived here ever since. We love raising our kids here and have established such a wonderful life here. We’ve got a basset hound, Flash…a box turtle, Miss Pickles…a water frog, Parchessi…and a hamster, Stormie.

[Carrie] I was born and raised in California. I went to 2 years of college at a private college then transfered to a design school in Los Angeles. I graduated with a degree in Interior Design. I have always had a creative heart. I was scrapbooking before I knew it was called scrapbooking! it was a natural hobby for me to get into with my design background.

[Carrie] I started seriously scrapping when we got married (my first album was our wedding reception) I was using Creative Memories products until a friend introduced me to “embellishments” and opened a whole new world for me!

[creative] Do you have any tips for anyone who wants to get into designing?

[Carrie] Learn a good graphics program for designing. A good place for some has been to create digital products. This would be a great way to learn elements of designing:)

[guest] How does your faith influence your pages?

[Carrie] My faith is who I am. Paper Trunk has a CEO and He lives miles north;) My CEO guides me every step of the way.

[guest] What is a good graphics program to learn?

[Carrie] A good graphics program a lot of designers use is Photoshop but, I work in Illustrator

[guest] Hi Carrie! I would love to know which school you went to in LA. (I graduated from FIDM and have also taken classes at Otis & taught at CDC…)

[Carrie] I am an FIDM alum!!!! Too funny

[guest] Are you planning on adding any embellishments to your lines, besides stamps?

[Carrie] Yes, I would really LOVE to add more embellies. I am researching ideas

[guest] That would be great. I am sure they will be awesome.

[Carrie] Since I’ve got your attention…what are your favorite embellies???

[guest] I would have to say rubons, chipboard, flowers, buttons, & ribbon…I have a lot of favorites!

[guest] I LOVE rubons

[guest] chipboard too!

[guest]  Me- I mostly buy paper because I make my own embellishments. But I do love epoxy, brads and eyelets. Anything metal.

[guest] Are your papers and stamps manufactured in the USA?

[Carrie] yes, they are printed here in Oregon on recycled cardstock!

[guest] That is awesome to print the paper on recycled cardstock!

[creative] I love the feel of the paper

[guest] the papers are gorgeous!

[guest] How did you find a company to print all of your designs on paper so fast? You must have had to do some heavy research

[Carrie] I had been doing research for a few months and met with a gentlemen long before I decided to start Paper Trunk. It was crazy because we hadn’t spoke in about 3 months and the Monday after I decided to start Paper Trunk, he called me!!!

[guest] How many different lines are you currently working on

[Carrie] I am currently working on a coulpe spring/summer lines for Winter CHA.

[guest] When you are designing a new line, do you choose a certain number of papers to create or just go with the flow and see what you create?

[Carrie] I chose the colors combo I want to play with and go from there. I just keep creating until I run out of ideas…then I go back and see what works best for the collectino

[guest] will you have a booth at CHA Winter?

[Carrie] yes, I will have a booth at Winter CHA (so can NOT wait!)

[guest] Were you surprised at the amount of interest in your new line Carrie?

[Carrie] I didn’t set any high expectations on my first release since I knew I was going to miss Summer CHA. What did floor me is how quickly word got around about Paper Trunk! If I had set a high expectation, Paper Trunk would have blown it away already!

[guest] How much preperation goes into the shows?

[Carrie] lots of prep for shows…there are a TON of tiny details that go into creating a booth and getting products ready to release

[guest] Don’t forget ladies…submit your layouts for the Trunk Designer of the Month for september! There is more info on the Paper Trunk blog.

[guest] I have already sent my entry in!

[guest] I submitted mine to Carrie a few days ago… *wink* *wink*

[Carrie] Yes! please check out the details for TDOM…we are selecting a Guest Designer each month.

[guest] Carrie what kind of computer do you use?

[Carrie] I use a MacBokPro

[Carrie] no set details but, I have a secret to share……

[guest] do tell ….

[guest] yes please do

[guest] We love secrets

[guest] spill it!

[Carrie] We will be having a DT call close to Winter CHA so keep a close watch on the blog!!!!!

[guest] How great is that!!!!!!

[guest] Oh how fun!!!

[guest] Yippee! Thanks for the heads up Carrie!

[guest] how many are you adding to your DT??

[Carrie] we are still working on the details of our team but, we expect it to be a good size team;)

[guest] Cool

[guest] Will you be allowing DT members from Canada?

[Carrie] yes, Canadians are certainly allowed! There is TONS of talent up there, ey? (sorry, was that bad)

[guest] LOL

[creative] Carrie, thank you very much for taking the time to chat with us at CCAS! When I got my Paper Trunk order I knew we had to get to know you better!

[guest] You were great

[guest] Thanks for chatting

[Carrie] oh my heavens! no way…it was TOTALLY my pleasure!

[guest] Thank you for the wonderful chat and letting us get to know you and Paper Trunk better!!!

[Carrie] You are all welcome to e-mail me with any further questions or comments…I love to get to know people! carrie@papertrunk.com

[guest] best of luck Carrie!

[guest] This has been a great interview. very informative Carrie.

[guest] Please come again Carrie!