Featured Scrapbooker

This month, I'd like to put the spotlight on a great scrapper who has taken several Feeling Scrappy classes. We have enjoyed seeing her work in class and it's been fun learning more about her. Our featured scrapper this month is Karen Perry!!


1. How and when did you first start scrapbooking? I actually began keeping scrapbooks when I was in 2nd grade. I created and maintained a yearly scrapbook of my school years through high school. Like many - I took a break during my college years and early adult life, but returned to scrapbooking 12 years ago when my 3rd child (DS who is now a Senior in high school) entered 1st grade. I finally had the create time once again to resume working on the growing accumulation of photos and memorabilia I had saved from my early years of marriage and having while my children were very small.

2. What is the most important aspect to scrapbooking to you? Scrapbooking is my creative outlet that allows me an artistic medium of preserving precious family memories.

3. What are your favorite pages to work on? I enjoy any page that involves my kids, from everyday moments such as cooking together, sports and family outings to large extended family gatherings. I enjoy documenting where we travel and the sites we get to see.

4. What, if anything, do you find hard to scrap? Including memorabilia in an eye-appealing layout frequently challenges me. I always save some bit of memorabilia when we travel, but often times do not include it in my layouts.

5. What kind of camera do you use? Do you love it or hate it? I have several cameras and use all of them, but my primary camera is a Canon digital Rebel Elan xti. I also have several lenses which I enjoy using, depending on my photo subject. I truly love my camera and would really like to upgrade to a professional model.

6. What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking? Scrapbooking is my creative outlet. It’s very therapeutic to me. Regardless of how exhausting my day or week may have been, I get completely lost once I sit down to my work table and begin a scrapping project. I enjoy the blending of colors and the ability to highlight special memories captured in photographs. As my scrapbooking circle of friends continues to grow - I am amazed at how much people have in common. It’s such a privilege to “see” into others lives as we share our photos and craft through scrapbooking.

7. Tell us a little about your family. I am married to Allen, who is a National Account Manager and product support specialist in the gas pipeline industry. He travels extensively (at least 75% of the time). We have been blessed with three truly wonderful children, Kristi, who is married and lives in the Dallas metroplex area, is 24; Ashley, who is a junior in college and recently turned 21, which is the subject of many of my current layouts; and Travis, who begins his senior year of high school this fall and is 17. Ashley is a very artistic and creative young lady and enjoys scrapping along with me. She goal is to be a professional chef and to own and operate a small deli/bakery. Travis is an all-around outdoorsman who loves to fish, hunt, play on the water and just spend time with his friends. As for me - I work full-time as a legal assistant in an 8-attorney law firm and have been in the legal field for 24 years. I have been in my current job for 8 years and enjoy working with a wonderful group of Christian people. We handle transactional matters, do estate planning, probate and real estate work. If I every have the opportunity to take some photography classes - I would love to be a sports photographer!

8. Tell us about the things outside of scrapbooking that you enjoy. My favorite activity is sports, especially football. I have season tickets to our local high school games and won’t miss a game, even if my husband is out of town! We also enjoy traveling a great deal. Upon Travis’ graduation from high school and going off to college, I look forward to being able to join Allen more often on some of his many trips.

9. Tell us something about yourself that your Feeling Scrappy friends do not know. Our family activity for many years was riding 4-wheelers together. We enjoyed having a travel trailer and would take extended trips with our quads and several other families, to enjoy the sand, scenery and time together. I still need to scrap lots of these photos! I think I would enjoy having a motor home so we could continue our travels all across the United States while affording me the privilege of scrapping as we drive along. Wouldn’t that be a dream come true for a scrapbooker!

Here are a couple of her favorite layouts-

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Karen!