What kind of computer do you use?
I'm a Mac girl. To get things done, I use my iMac. 27" of heaven. I tend to write more on our family MacBook and do most of my web browsing on my iPad. (Note that I wrote browsing, not typing. That keypad and I are not friends.)
What design programs do you use?
I use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop CS5.
Photoshop is so hard! Why can't I figure this out?
My advice: Baby steps. Help screens and online tutorials are your friend. I've had on-the-job training, but I'm going to say 80% of my most useful knowledge is self-taught. Take one task and Google it. "How to draw a straight line in Photoshop" yields a half million links. I'm starting to share video Photoshop tips and tutorials here on the blog, feel free to email me with topic suggestions.
How do you print your photos and graphics?
My home printer is an HP Photosmart Plus All-In-One. This is my scanner too. I occasionally use Shutterfly for other prints and photo books. Read how I print my Project Life photos here.
What kind of paper do you use?
I almost always use some sort of card stock for weight. I recently discovered Epson Premium Presentation Paper (in Matte) and the color quality is incredible.
How do I open one of your PDF downloads?
You need a PDF reader. You can download Adobe Reader for free here.
How do I recolor the glitter PNG files from your shop?
You can find my post with a full Photoshop tutorial on how to do this here.
Why is your free jpeg download coming over as bitmap?
Your browser is converting the file. Email me and I'll send you a file.
What kind of camera do you use?
A Canon Powershot G10.
What are some of your favorite papercrafting tools?
My must-haves are a paper trimmer, a corner rounder, hole punches and shape punches. For adhesives, I'm a fan of double-sided glue tape rollers.
Please tell me how you find the time to do all of this with little ones?
Honestly, I'm just wired to make stuff. I have little pockets in my week to do my own thing and I pounce. Since I work, this means nights, weekends, nap times. Trying to get anything done with two toddlers around is frustrating for everyone, so I avoid it. I also have an awesome husband who gets me and supports me 100%.
Why the name Design Editor?
When I started this blog I was working at The Los Angeles Times and my title there was--you guessed it--Design Editor. For years, I've been in the business of telling newspaper designers, "This works and this doesn't." I see this blog as a place to celebrate what works in the world of design. (I'll spare you from my rants about things like bad kerning on restaurant menus.)
If you have a question I haven't addressed here or just want to say hello, shoot me an email.
