BRAND SPOTLIGHT: JUSTINE HOVEY FROM IT'S JUST PAPER

This week, we're shining our spotlight on Justine from It's Just Paper, as part of our Brand Spotlight feature.

Justine has a huge online presence, and we are so pleased to have her as part of the CraftStash family.

Her expertise and experience make her one of the best in the business, and here's a bit more about what makes her tick!

What inspired you to start creating handmade cards?

JUSTINE: I started off scrapbooking and since the two hobbies generally use similar supplies, it was a logical step to try cardmaking next. I’d often see scrapbook pages and cards side-by-side in magazines. Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby, but the reward of finishing a project/scrapbook is a long road. I wanted something a little quicker to achieve.

When creating cards, what’s the trickiest part of your creative process?

JUSTINE: I don’t run into many moments of not knowing where to start or what to do. I have so many strategies for finding inspiration. The trickiest part for me is staying organized in a small space and knowing a can only keep a limited amount of supplies in my area.

How do you keep inspired when designing new collections?

JUSTINE: Often the idea for a collection comes to me when I’m crafting. Either I will need cards for a certain occasion and realize there isn’t a whole lot out there on that topic. Whatever happened to wedding and baby supplies? I can’t seem to find anything out there that caters to my style (hint hint for a future collection!). I am inspired by anything travel related as well. I love creating nature scenes based on my recent destinations. Animal Silhouettes was based off of my last trip home to Canada, whereas the mountain stencil was created after my recent trip to the mountains.

Any tips for someone just starting in the world of crafting?

JUSTINE: If I could do it all over, I would buy supplies for one technique at a time. I made the mistake of going wild and buying everything the moment I saw it. I wish I took the time to watch more videos and learn everything about a technique before moving onto the next one. I probably would have saved myself a ton of money if I took the time to understand which types of stamps and dies I use most.

Can you describe a memorable card making mishap or challenge you have overcome?

JUSTINE: I have many moments where I am creating and I hate the card. I often walk away and come back to it the next day and can save it. When looking at it with fresh eyes, often I don’t see the flaws I saw the day before or I have an idea of what I could add to it to make it better. This card is a perfect example of that. I ink-blended a background and didn’t like the blend at all. Most times with backgrounds like that, if you cut them up and use them with dies, they turn out really great. Good save!

How happy are you with your craft stash and what would you change?

JUSTINE: It took me a long time to really narrow down my stash and understand my personal style. I feel that at this point in the cardmaking game (17ish years later), my stash is truly filled with the products I love and want to use. The only thing I would love to have a space of my own where I can close the door and leave the mess.

CraftStash Rapid Round

What's your favorite theme to work with? Christmas

Favorite type of project to create? Cards

Most used color palette in your projects? Blue

What's the most recent craft trend you love? Foiling

Top three essential tools in your craft stash? Stamping Tool, Die Cutting Machine, Removable Tape

Unexpected talent? Organizing, Planning and Scheduling things (boring, right!?)

Ideal vacation destination? Japan

Favorite book or movie? Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Dream dinner party guest? Viola Davis

What's your go-to comfort food? Nachos

And that's it! We really enjoyed this interview with Justine and getting to know what makes her tick!