It’s always so amazing to see the work of women who put their heart and soul into their businesses. The things that catch my eye when looking for my ambassadors – women who work hard, are willing to put themselves out there for what they love and believe in, support other women, and are just, well, all around amazing? Every one of the women on the team are all of these and more, and I’m excited to share a bit about brand ambassador Julia Stainton today!
I’ve had the opportunity to work with Julia over several years through the paper crafting industry and Maya Road. And having met Julia in real life when we worked the CHA booth for Maya Road together, I can say she’s just as talented and sweet in real life as she is online! Read on to get to know her a bit better – I’m sure you’ll be inspired.
Julia first fell in love with paper crafting back in 1999. It started off as creative outlet and a way to record her family’s memories. But by the time her fourth and fifth children arrived, time became a little harder to find and she found that card making was the perfect fit. Many wonderful design team opportunities followed and since Julia has been extensively published in paper crafting magazines. Today Julia enjoys working freelance in the industry as a concept and product designer. There’s rarely a day her camera is not in her hand whether for work or capturing moments at home. Julia has been married to her better half for 26 years. She and her husband enjoy a busy household in South-Western Ontario, Canada. Winters are spent renovating their century farmhouse, and summers are spent seizing the day at the beach. To see more of Julia’s work, visit her blog Belle Papier.
How long have you been a paper crafter?
I’ve been a paper crafter for the past 17 years now. First as a hobby that focused mostly on scrapbooking and then evolved into card design. Ten years ago I started submitting my designs to paper crafting magazines and I’ve been working in the crafting industry since then.
What made you decide to pursue paper crafting?
I love being creative. As a stay at home mom of 5 kids, creativity was my outlet. Scrapbooking was a great way to document my family life and combine it with my desire to make pretty things. Card making allowed me to share my love of handmade and stay in touch with others. I also love learning new things and this has taken to my crafting to many different places. Curiosity and a willingness to try has led my creative journey through stamping techniques, mixed media, altered art, sewing, digital scrapbooking, product design and designing digital downloads.
How has your crafting evolved over the years?
Creating for me is a journey and it’s always changing. I feel like my work has improved and I’m always adding to my repertoire of creative possibilities. I love taking classes online and am currently brushing up on my Illustrator skills. I’ve discovered that I love to write and teach. One thing I’ve learned over the years is to only design with product that I love and that intrigues me. As a creative, that’s important both to my style and to my brand, but also to keeping that creative fire lit. Currently I’m working as a freelance designer, a product designer and have an Etsy shop, Belle Papier by Julia.
What kind of camera(s) do you own and what role do they play in your life?
I love my Canon camera. It’s a Rebel T5i and not too fancy but I love it and it’s perfect for my needs. My camera is always close at hand to document my family life. Creating is a large part of my life and project photography brings my work to my blog and social media to share with others. Most of the time I leave my 50mm 1.8 lens on the camera as it’s perfect for the close-ups that I shoot the most. I’d love to learn more about photography and hope to spend more creative time on it in the future.
What do you love most about your bluebird chic strap?
The thing I love most about my camera strap is that it’s not only beautiful but it is the most amazingly comfortable way to wear my camera. I’m a big believer in form follows function and all the style in the world is not going to make up for something that is hurting my neck. This scarf camera strap is a marriage of both beauty and comfort and makes my job each day just that much better.
You’ll find Julia rocking the bold blossoms scarf camera strap, while snapping product shots for her etsy store or capturing life’s little moments for her scrapbook pages. She says its bold colors and floral print work well with her personal style and her wardrobe.
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This week only save 20% on Julia’s ambassador pick! Offer ends 6/8/16.
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Thanks for sharing with us today Julia and thanks for supporting the bluebird chic brand!
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