SYW330 – Use Your Stash in Creative Ways with Anna Komenda

Anna Komenda: [00:00:00] looking at what you have and thinking of what can I do with it? Or how can I incorporate this picture with what I have, is for me very like, you know, kick in your head that you have to think outside the box. And this is what drives me often when I scrapbook. ​

Jennifer Wilson: Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way, the show that explores the breadth of ways to be a memory keeper today. I'm your host, Jennifer Wilson, owner of Simple Scrapper and author of The New Rules of Scrapbooking. This is episode 330. In this episode, I'm chatting with Anna Komenda, a Polish scrapbooker known for her colorful, layered style, about how she creates and the techniques that keep her pages fresh and original.

Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way.

Anna Komenda: Hello. Welcome everyone.

Jennifer Wilson: I am excited for our conversation today and to learn more about your creative process. Your [00:01:00] work is just truly beautiful. Can you start by sharing a little bit about yourself?

Anna Komenda: Sure everyone. I am Komenda I live in Poland. I'm Polish. Uh, if you know Europe. Poland and the capital city, which is Warsaw. I live just outside Warsaw in a smaller town. I have two daughters. One is 17, one is 13. The older one is the, the reason I started scrapbooking. So I always date my scrapbooking with the age of my older daughter.

So I always know how many years it's already.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. So, uh, I also have a very supporting husband as most of the scrapbookers, I would say. Especially when it comes to spending, uh, money on, uh, craft supplies.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

Anna Komenda: I also have a [00:02:00] dog, so I am a dog person. Uh, and recently because my kids do not want to, uh, be photographed as much as they wanted when they were smaller. My dog became more and more main focus on my scrapbook projects.

Jennifer Wilson: I think you're, you are not the first person to have said that on the podcast. As, as the children get older, the, the pets and, you know, sometimes the spouses and, you know, of course, ourselves, uh, can become stronger subjects. So.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. Yeah. So my dog is my little baby right now, so he's five. So he's like the main focus on pictures and on layouts.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, so fun. Have you found yourself choosing different supplies as you have started to scrapbook your dog more and your daughter's less?

Anna Komenda: Uh, honestly, I am on a spending freeze.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay.

Anna Komenda: Try at least, it's not [00:03:00] always successful. But I try to use up what I have and be creative what with what I have. And Poland, when it comes to scrapbooking, making layouts. Is not like a main goal of Polish scrapbookers. I would say card making and projects that can be useful.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay.

Anna Komenda: Like you know, something that you can give to someone, sell to someone. This is more focused. So products in the Polish shops are more focused on card making, less in layout making. So for me to get like a doggy collection, I would have to shop in United States.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: Which is not always something I would like to do because of the shipping costs and stuff like this. So I would like to be creative with what I have mostly.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you ever find yourself using products that really are made for cards as part of your layouts?

Anna Komenda: [00:04:00] Yes. I would say most of the times.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Be because, uh, first I am on the design teams and you work with what they send you. And I always try to kind of think outside the box. I know that with, uh, die or paper, most girls will make cards.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

Anna Komenda: I always try to make something different and think about the supplies, what, and I, what can I do, how can I use them to make layout or mini albums.

So yeah, I would say I use a lot of, I would say, uh, card dedicated supplies for making layouts.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm. Well, yeah, I think it's, it's important to, to be creative with our supplies, especially when shipping costs are going up for everyone as well, and we want to use our stash well, so.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Plus, you know, we have some great collections in Europe too. We have a lot of European companies that make, [00:05:00] uh, scrapbooking, uh, supplies. Like, uh, 12 by 12 papers. But I would say European style is more generic.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay.

Anna Komenda: We have uh, less very specifically teamed collections. Like we have Christmas, we have weddings, we have birthdays. But you know, they are big audience is waiting for them. But pet collection, to be honest, I'm not sure if I have seen European based companymaybe Stamperia, yeah Stamperia. Uh, made some, uh, collections, but they are not my jam. So I I do not buy, uh, collections from Stamperia. But yeah, honestly, the only source for me for good pet collection or very narrow theme collection would be American, uh, based companies. Because you tend to scrapbook much, uh, wider topics than we [00:06:00] in Europe, I would say.

Jennifer Wilson: I think it's really interesting because I think there definitely are some scrapbookers in the US who, who use very specific products. But I would say that's definitely not all of us because I buy almost no extremely thematic things. I will scrapbook my cats with anything that I have. It's very, I don't know that I've ever purchased a cat themed collection.

Um, and somebody asked me yesterday about volleyball. My daughter's a volleyball player and she plays year round. I've never purchased volleyball themed supplies either. I've just scrapbook with what I have, you know, the, the patterns and colors that I like. So, um, I think that's really interesting.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, and you know, as you said, you have to work with what you have.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: And I think that it's very, very liberating when it Oh yeah. creativity. Because looking at what you have and thinking of what can I do with it? Or how can I incorporate this picture with what I have, is for [00:07:00] me very like, you know, kick in your head that you have to think outside the box. And this is what drives me often when I scrapbook. So being creative thinking outside the box, not doing something similar that I did in the past because, you know, I have this collection, I have to use it up because I have 20 papers with, uh, doggy patterns.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: So So not that I, uh, I'm not in love with those collections.

I usually am, I am very influenced.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Like Instagram and everything. I want to have it all. But my craft room is honestly, I don't have any free space in here. I would have to purge a lot to fit more stuff. And I don't wanna purge because everything is so l

Jennifer Wilson: Yes. Yes. I think if you, if you picked everything, you know, very specifically. You, you want to keep it and use it. So I think there's a lot of folks that are in that place of having, [00:08:00] uh, packed spaces and, and ready to dig into what they have.

I, um, I have a couple like icebreaker questions that before we get into some more about your process, do you have a favorite recent layout or project and why do you love it?

Anna Komenda: Uh, actually I was thinking about it and I think my, uh, most favorite from the recent projects is the layout I made with sea creatures dies. It's called Aquarium. I don't remember the title, but it's with a lot of fishes, octopus. It's Aquarium Adventure and it has this round shape with round pictures. And I love it because it kind of made from scratch. So I use dies but everything else is like a custom made. The background is custom made. Uh, yeah. So this is something that I like to do. I like turning just regular card stock into something that, [00:09:00] um, that is very unique and original. And I know that this is one of a kind. No one will have anything exactly like that because no one will have exactly the same paper, uh, because I made it by myself.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you have any like specific, you know, art training? Because I think something like that might feel intimidating for some scrapbookers who wouldn't be sure where to start with just a plain piece of card stock to create something, um, that original.

Anna Komenda: Not at all. I actually am a geologist.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, I'm a geologist too, so that's really cool.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. Yeah. So I have more the scientific background.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: And scientific mind. I do not work as geologist right now. Uh, but you know, many years of my life were, uh, kind of being a science girl.

Jennifer Wilson: Yep.

Anna Komenda: Art something that I always liked to do. Like I was always [00:10:00] compelled to the crayons, you know? But I have never trained. And I just chose the profession that seemed like many years ago, appropriate for me. Because I was also interested in this topic, but I would never consider back then art as a, you know, career path or something like that. So. No, I have just creativity and dirty fingers.

Jennifer Wilson: I love that. Yeah. I've always felt like I've, uh, through my, through my years, that I've always needed both aspects in my life. I've needed some of the science, I've needed the art. And without, you know, a little bit of each, I'm, I'm not content, I guess.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, I, I would say exactly the same happened for me.

Jennifer Wilson: The other question that I love to ask, is there something new that you're excited to do, use or try either in scrapbooking or in your [00:11:00] everyday life?

Anna Komenda: Honestly, Uh, I kind of fall out from the loop of what's new, what's the scrappy business happening right now. But the last thing I wanted to try very much, but uh, I, I haven't purchased it yet, is, uh, Better Press Tool. I am amazed by the cards girls, girls are making with this tool, but it's like, you know, another bottomless bit.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

Anna Komenda: Because when you buy the uh, tool, you will have to buy the, um, how do you call them. The press plates. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: I was like, I really wanted to try it, but I already have a Glimmer machine, which is not as well loved at, uh, as it's supposed to be. So I just cannot justify purchasing another one to just play for a while and then forget about it.

But I would say this is something the crafty, [00:12:00] uh, space that maybe it's not new because it's already last year or maybe longer. But I didn't have no opportunity to play with it

And when it comes to like life, life. I always had a lot of hobbies. And uh, I even purchased the set to make, I dunno if it's an English word. Good macramé do you know what is you make, like, uh, you tie strings into knots.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Like

Jennifer Wilson: Macrame. Yeah. Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Macramé Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: This is something I even have a beginner set. But just sitting and waiting for me to have time, which is almost never when you scrapbook. Whenever I have time, I just go to my craft room and macramé is still something that I want to try in the future.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, well maybe, maybe this summer you'll, you'll feel like you, you wanna jump into it. So.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. Hopefully someday.

Jennifer Wilson: [00:13:00] So you've already told us a little bit about what got you started scrapbooking. Can you bring us kind of to the modern day and give us a rundown of kind of the types of things that you create and how you might describe your overall style. So for someone who hasn't clicked and, and looked at your Instagram yet and and seen your beautiful work.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. Uh, so my style evolved through the years. I had a lot of phases, even the grunge phase, which is so, no, I should hide in the closet with my grande because I was not born, not born to this. But recently. and I think as almost always, it's a lot of color, a splash of mixed media, but not the heavy one when you have to cover everything with gesso. So I just like to play with color.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: With watercolors with inks to create my custom backgrounds. And then use like stickers and other classical supplies, uh, to embellish my page. So, [00:14:00] uh, I would say this is my go-to style. A little bit of mess, a little bit of splattering. I don't like even things like, I do not work with ruler usually. But, uh, you know, I like things being crooked.

Um, like making layouts. And this I would say was my main, uh, reason for scrapbooking. But I also love creating albums and mini albums. Especially documenting our travels because I always bring a lot of memorabilia with me, like leaflet, tickets, and I.

Jennifer Wilson: Hmm.

Anna Komenda: Feel like I have to combine them with pictures. Um, so albums and cards also. Uh, cards are like a mini form of practicing new techniques for me. So yeah, I would say everything in like a small quantities and a colorful, messy [00:15:00] style. Uh, the shorter sentence, and I can give you about I like to create.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, I kind of, I was trying to find my own words for it, and I was going to say the opposite of linear. And like, you know, a little bit messy, I think definitely fits it as well. Um, but still, you know, controlled and finished. Um, I noticed that you tilt your photos, you often use a lot of asymmetry, um, as you mentioned, like building the backgrounds with mixed media. Um, yeah, I like, I love just the way that you fill the page.

Anna Komenda: I have thing, I think many scrapbookers or card makers have thing for triplets. Like, you know, the trinity.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

Anna Komenda: Golden rule. So I, I like asymmetry because this is what the triangle basically is. Uh, it's usual, well, it can be symmetrical, but you know. For me, three, five. It's [00:16:00] an asymmetrical number.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: I, you know, working with visual triangles kind of give you this asymmetrical look. And I am not like, okay, I have to be sure that my triangle is perfect, but. You know.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

Anna Komenda: I alwyas check, is it okay. I need to add something here because I need to close the corners. Like, you know.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: This is something rooted inside me to give it a little bit of asymmetrical look. I don't, well, I like the order. My house is quite clean, so maybe it's like, you know, my house is clean, my head is messy.

Jennifer Wilson: You know, I always say that it takes me like just as much time to, to place the last embellishment as it does the whole rest of the layout. Uh, just to find that, like that one thing. And sometimes it's even removing one thing to, uh, to feel like it's, it's balanced and finished.

Anna Komenda: Exactly, and [00:17:00] balance in scrapbooking doesn't mean having things even. Like on the weight.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: When you have something on one side and something on the other side, they need to weight the same. No, in scrapbooking, I would say it's much opposite. So balance is off balance.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah, it definitely, yeah. Balance is, I don't even know, but I mean, the, the asymmetric balance can still be found for sure. Uh, I don't know the technical way of talking about that, but I agree. . Can you talk us through like how you would design a page? Are you typically starting with products, with a photo?

Um, I, your, your pages are very layered from, you know, the, the foundation up. So talk us through how you would plan something out.

Anna Komenda: I have two ways of working. One way is when I'm on design team and I need to use specific product. And the other way is when I have a specific picture because I love it or I want to document the memory. [00:18:00] And those are, I would say, two very separate ways of, uh, operating. So when I'm scrapbooking my chosen picture that I want to scrapbook.

I don't have any dedicated, uh, supplies that I have to use while making this page. I usually check the colors on the picture. I pick three main colors, like, you know when someone is wearing blue t-shirt or the sky is blue or the sea, uh uh, blue. Something that kind of catches the eye, I usually pick colors that I are not in the neutral group, group like brown or beige or white. And I focus on the colors. And then I think, which collection, which product would fit this, uh, design. And from that, usually somehow my process follows like [00:19:00] naturally.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: I find the collection or maybe a paper and then I work with that. The other way is when I make a design team project.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: When I have to use specific product. And with specific product, I make like a brainstorm inside my head, of course, or I just talk to myself out loud when I have closed door in my scrap room. Then I try to think of creative ways of using it, and then I think of which picture I can use with that. What title, if it's not like, let's say it's a set of, uh, dies what title I can use, what colors. Usually I choose picture and then go with the colors. Sometimes when it's specific collection, I just find the picture that will match the colors, which is sort of cheating.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: When it comes to [00:20:00] documenting memories because apparently I'm not the documenting uh, specific memory dear to my heart.

I just want the picture that suits the colors or the vibe of the project. And I am guilty of scrapbooking the same photo few times, like many photos, many times. Because you know, for me, scrapbooking is not about the documenting memories. Well, it is, and it's a very important part, but it's also just for creativity. And you know, to unleashing the things inside me just to play, just to have fun. And not because I need to scrapbook this trip or this, memory. Just to have fun to play with. So I'm never like afraid that I will ruin it. I just throw it away and start again.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, you mentioned earlier how much you appreciate the opportunity to be [00:21:00] innovative, to be clever, to try to use something in a different way, and that's, that's part of the joy of what you get from it.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, exactly.

Jennifer Wilson: Um, one composition that I did notice that maybe is a little bit, could be slightly more symmetrical is a wreath. And you've done a number of pages that way. Do you have any tips for designing wreaths? Because sometimes it can feel a little awkward with, particularly when you're doing a wreath on a square canvas.

A circular item on a square canvas, and trying to get everything balanced. Um, how do you, how would you put together something like that?

Anna Komenda: When I think of a wreath it usually helps me either scrapbook a small picture or a set of very small pictures or one.

Jennifer Wilson: Hmm.

Anna Komenda: Big picture that is framed with a wreath.

So when it's one bigger picture that is the center part and you just create a wreath around it, it seems a little bit more simple, uh, to do. Because you already have a picture. And all you have to do is to create a [00:22:00] frame around it. And depending on the theme of the picture, if it's like a birthday page, you can choose, I don't know, little candles, uh, party hats, gifts. And you just randomly arrange them around your, uh, picture. But if you have smaller pictures and you want to scrapbook more than one. it's a little bit more tricky to balance the composition. But I think if you find elements that are similar in size, like let's say five or six of them. Let's say they, they would be flowers. You place them first and you kind of fill the gaps with smaller and smaller elements. You can either combine the picture with them and tuck it behind something, or you can finish your wreath and then just, boom, the picture on top of everything. It'll still kind of look like a element of, [00:23:00] uh, composition. I don't know. I just kind of do it. Like I never think of what should I do? I just put glue and put stuff, and what I learned through the years, uh, is to glue things down. Do not overthink. Just glue it down.

If you don't like it, you will tear it out and then just fix it with something else. But overthinking with composition is something that ruined the fun for me. Constantly putting things, not committing to gluing things down. I usually like it. I glue it, I like it. I glue it. I do not think twice about the same thing.

If I don't like it, I will just tear it out and, and replace it, which, is the perfect moment to give anyone who is listening. The perfect advice for scrapbooking, which saved me life, which saved my life many, many times, is not gluing things [00:24:00] to the very edge. Add glue in the middle.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, okay. Yep.

Anna Komenda: Leave the edges unsticked. Because this way it's easier to tear it out from the page.

Plus you can tuck things behind. And they looked like they were always there. So you can easily fix the composition if everything is not glued or from edge to edge. You can tuck things out. You can rip things out. So yeah, the best advice I could give to anyone who scrapbook, do not use excessive glue.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, no, I definitely do that as well. Um, like a related tip that I once heard was, if, particularly if you're using a lot of paper layers, is to kind of arrange them how you want and then staple them in the middle. So that you're not having to put adhesive in between all of them, and maybe you wanna add some more adhesive in the end, but at least you're getting them like stuck together a little bit in the middle.

Anna Komenda: This is something I have done many times in the past [00:25:00] too, and I usually do not add any glue because I like things whimsy, flimsy.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Like they look like temporary thing.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, I, I would say in contrast, one thing that might need a lot of adhesive is a handmade album. So I've noticed you, the mini albums that you create, uh, perhaps for your travels are typically constructed from what you have. Can you tell us more about that?

Anna Komenda: Uh, well, yeah, I barely use like pre-made album bases because it's very hard to find the one that will fit exactly, uh, the number of pictures I need to scrapbook. I have made few albums in the album binders. Usually, A5 size A5 is like six by eight paper fits inside. So I have few albums made with those, uh, page pockets. Uh, and uh, this kind of albums [00:26:00] system. But usually I just make album by myself, uh, you know, make the best fit for what I want. And I always have a pieces of cardboard in my, uh, craft room that I can cut into the desired size. Usually it's a lazy form or just cover spine. And the second cover, sometimes it has more fancy shape, but let's be honest, it's not useful.

Fancy shapes are not useful. They look pretty when they are empty. But when you try to fill them with pictures, it's not always working. So rectangular or square album is always something that I like to do. And it may seem harder to make album than buy one. But when you make 1, 2, 3, and there are plenty of tutorials online. It kind of takes half an [00:27:00] hour to make an album base and then proceed with adding your pages, pictures, keepsakes.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you, when you're working on the covers, do you, are you covering these with paper, uh, leaving them as chipboard, painting them using fabric or, or all of the above?

Anna Komenda: Well, it depends if I have a matching like a false leather. I like false leather because it's sturdy. It protects the edges. The album will last longer than with the paper. Especially I like using fabric or the false leather for the spine and the hinges. Can I say hinges?

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: Where the uh, covers open. Because with paper you have to be very careful. With adding glue, you can tear the paper just through. So you can make a hole and you'll have to repeat the process. So, uh, I would say, uh, fabric is [00:28:00] more bulletproof. But it also is more challenging while adding glue. Because it's thinner. It's thinner, so you'll have to spread the glue all over the cardboard.

I never leave cardboard blank. First because I just don't like the look. Uh, second, if you paint it with paint, the cardboard is wavy. You know, it, it doesn't look neat, I would say. So I never leave it like that. I either use fabric, false leather, or paper. And for travel albums, I prefer, at least at the spine, uh, with the fabric.

And then cover can be covered with paper. To make it more durable.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah, because I mean, there's, there's a balance between, uh, the exact visual look you want and then having it something that you can actually use and flip through and, and have others look at. So.

Anna Komenda: [00:29:00] Yeah. Yeah, you are totally right. I sometimes make just a pretty album, you know, because like I made in the past album, in the shape of a hot air balloon.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, that's fun.

Anna Komenda: Which looked wonderfully. Which has flowers on the cover. It was a wedding album. But honestly, I don't feel like filling it with pictures because it would be a nightmare.

But the looked fantastic. It was for design team so I could leave it empty and wasn't bothered with, you know, filling it with memories.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So with your work on the scrapbook.com team, I imagine you have exposure to, you know, a wide range of products. Um, and you mentioned perhaps that you don't say love working with Stamperia for example. So what do you gravitate towards and has that changed over time?

Anna Komenda: When it comes to scrapbook.com, I work with their exclusive products. So everything they design.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay.

Anna Komenda: And they send to [00:30:00] me so I can work with that. So, I'll, I would say they have mostly this simple, graphic, fresh and modern style. So most of the products they are releasing matches my style and my preferences.

So it's easy for me to work with those products. Um, honestly. I just like challenges, so whatever they send to me, this usually looks like I have my design team box. It's not for, uh, Scrapbook dot com only for any design team. Wherever new comes, I put it on my desk. I take, I have a notebook where I just write ideas. And I look at stuff and I think, okay, this one would be a card. This one would be layout. And I just make a little notes, very basic ones like with the uh, uh, aquarium type of layout that I mentioned previously. I got [00:31:00] this set of dies with fish, octopus, turtle. And I was like, it'll look great with our aquarium pictures. Just make a note, make layout with this one and those pictures. So this is what I like to do. And when I see new products, regardless of the company, um, they kind of tickle something in my head and I plan, what can I do? So I pre plan. Of course those plans changes with time and when I start to work with products. But, um, I really like dies. Because they are like one time purchase and you have them forever. So you'll never run out of them. You can create, uh, as many elements as you want. So if you like to fill the page with flowers. If you would purchase ephemera pack with flowers, you would probably run outta flowers, uh.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes,

Anna Komenda: For just a single page.

Jennifer Wilson: I always run outta flowers.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. [00:32:00] So with dies you can create as many as you wish, with as many colors as you wish. Of course, know, it takes time. But those are perfect things for the day when you feel like you would like to do something. You have time, but you know, the mojo is not mojoing. So you would like to just work with your hands, but not with your creativity. So I use those times. I put some YouTube or Netflix or you know, uh, I listen a lot of books or, uh, scrapbook or audiobook. And I just, you know, spend an hour or or two with rolling the die cutting machine, gluing. And this is something that relaxes me. I know that many scrapbookers don't like the tedious process. But for me it's, it's relaxing. It's, you know, perfect thing for my hand, not for my head, I would say.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, you know, I [00:33:00] think for sure manual die cutting. It's very satisfying. Um, just, you know, the way that it, it cuts is so different than say, an electronic die cutting machine. And it's not noisy like the electronic one. So yeah. I see. It's, it's very satisfying, similar to, to fussy cutting. Um, with less hand cramps, I guess. So.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, exactly. So this is what I love to do. So when it comes to products, I love dies. uh, I like cardstock, like paper in just one color, and I have whole rainbow of those in my craft room.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: It's something basic. Of course you can create it by yourself, by ink blending, but in blending takes time and you have like, you know, already have the shade you need.

You can arrange them, pick and choose. So, uh, yeah, this is what I, I would say I gravitate the most towards dies and just plain cardstock.

Jennifer Wilson: Well and I think your, your love of [00:34:00] dies and I would say like non consumable tools is, is also why you're on the Bramble Fox design team. This is wasn't a company I was familiar with. Can you tell us more about the types of things that they make?

Anna Komenda: This is the United Kingdom based company. They are the most known for their product, they call, call them Perspectives. And this is the acrylic shapes and titles, in variety of colors, finishes. You can have a translucent, opaque. You can have like a bat or a shiny. And they release each month new set of titles, shapes. Uh, so I would say this is the most basic product. And the titles are always funny. They are, uh, they are matching like the season or, uh, the, let's say it was Valentine's Day, so they had Valentine's Day themed [00:35:00] Pro products. So you'll always find something you like.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: The nicest thing I would say about them is the club.

You can sign up to get monthly, uh, delivered to your doorstep, set of acrylic titles. You can upgrade to having titles and stencils and a little sheet for fussy cutting. But the titles are unique and they kinof sometimes give me the idea for the layout by themselves. I see the title, I'm like, wait a minute, I have a perfect picture that will go with this one.

So I really love those products. And, uh, they also have, uh, recently especially they, uh, started releasing it more consistently. Cut files if you are into digital, uh, die cutting. Cut files. They have something that is like straight to my heart, style because I really love this kind of graphic designs [00:36:00] that they have. So, yeah, and.

Jennifer Wilson: Very fun.

Anna Komenda: They ship to United States too. So if anyone would like to have this kit of titles perfectly curated in their doorstep. They can also order it from around the world.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, that sounds really fun. Particularly because, you know, there's not as many scrapbook kit clubs anymore that have those really unique pieces. Um, so I, I feel like I used to get those when I subscribed to Studio Calico a decade ago. Um, but you just don't see those anymore, so that's fun.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, this is something, not many companies do, so this is something different, unique. I really like working with those titles. The quality is always perfect.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, wonderful.

You've mentioned how you know your process includes a lot of layouts, you know, the albums that you create and also cards. What percentage of time do you feel like you spend on cards versus [00:37:00] layouts?

Anna Komenda: Uh, it totally depends because, uh, when I have a new product or a new technique in mind, I usually make a card first. Because, uh, it's a smaller space uh, to experiments , smaller space to waste. Because I don't have to waste whole 12 by 12 paper if the experiment is a failure. So card is something I like to make first, like a warmup for the products. And I think it changes with seasons also. Because before the Christmas, I make more cards because you know you need more of them. uh, I either make a card because I want to try products or new embellishments or new techniques. Or I need a cart for a specific person in my life. [00:38:00] I don't think I ever sat in my desk and I just start making cards, you know, just out of nowhere. I usually have an agenda. Either it's using design team products or trying something new or making a curated card for a friend. So I wouldn't call myself card maker. I also don't make cards for any season, like I like making Christmas cards. I feel in the mood, like, you know, when it's December or November, you want to feel the Christmas spirit sooner.

So making Christmas projects, uh, kind of helps you connect more with the season.

Jennifer Wilson: Certainly

Anna Komenda: And for layouts, yeah, for layouts is usually too early because you have to wait for the actual Christmas to have the pictures to scrapbook. And the album to make. So cards is like something, you know, you can put yourself in the Christmas spirit. [00:39:00] And, uh, but it doesn't translate to any other holidays for me. So I hate making Christmas projects in July, like, you know, this event Christmas in July,

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: That many companies, especially in United States, because I have never seen something like this in European company. But, United States-based companies love doing that. Uh, so have never made a Christmas card, I think in July. But I love making them in November. So November and December is the time where I have more cards than layouts probably. But, uh, in the summer I usually gravitate toward layouts because I have more pictures to scrapbook from our travels. Uh, the same with albums, but with albums, I am so much behind. I have so many pictures. And because I usually scrapbook like one travel at one [00:40:00] album, travel or vacation. Let's say we go for two weeks somewhere.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: So this is one album and I don't even want to count how many. Uh, I need to catch up with years and years. Because it takes me a lot of time to make this massive album. Like three weeks, and then I need a break to kind of, know.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, certainly. Yeah. Uh, even just a, just a, a switch of, of products and a change of scenery, if you will, when it comes to what you're working on creatively. Like you can be, you know, you can get tired of things.

Anna Komenda: Yeah. Exactly.

Jennifer Wilson: I, I love this idea that I want, I wanted to highlight the idea of testing out new supplies, tools, et cetera, on, on cards or smaller canvases before you put them on a layout.

Any, any kind of warmup like that, I always feel like makes it less intimidating. Um, gets you in the, the creative flow.

Anna Komenda: Back in the day in [00:41:00] Poland, we made tags. Like, you know.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Anna Komenda: Like Tim Holtz tags. Just stamp, just add some mixed media product. But I feel like I. I made a tag and I dunno what to do with it. Like, you know, card seem more appropriate because I know I can use the outcome, give it to someone. So making, I don't want to call them pointless because I love, I know people love creating tags just for the fun of experimenting.. But for me personally, I like making projects that are either useful or dear to me. I would say. Like, you know, layout is a project that is dear to me, but card is project that I just have fun and it's useful. I can use it for someone I like. So yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: You know, I love the idea of perhaps, uh, making a tag and then writing on the back of it and then putting [00:42:00] in an envelope and sending it off that way. Um, you know, making it a card, if you will.

Anna Komenda: Yeah, you can also just add it to the card base. Of course. Yes. But you know, just making the tag for the sake of making the tag, not using.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Anna Komenda: It for something else. I never know what to do with them to put them in my craftroom.

Jennifer Wilson: Correct.

Oh, I get that. Yeah. Yeah. No, and I think having, having a purpose helps us a lot. Um, with our hobby and well with, with everything really. So, uh, the more we can understand why we're doing it, the more likely we are to, to continue to keep it up and share it with others.

Anna Komenda: Exactly, but you know, when you paint something, I like doing little watercolors. I have a notebook where I just, you know, take some, take some random things and I, sometimes I sketch patterns, sometimes I just paint. I dunno, of a bird. It's not perfect. It's, you know, nothing that I would like to show to the world. But for me it's not pointless [00:43:00] because I just practice. And when you draw, sketch, paint. It's only for the sake of being art. Like, you know, it cannot be useful. But for scrapbooking, I kind of tend to, I cannot spread the same idea onto the scrapbookikng I would say.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Yeah, that makes sense for sure. Yeah, having different, uh, different meanings behind different creative approaches as well. Um, and I think that's one of the things that makes scrapbooking special is because there are different layers of meanings. Versus, you know, something like, even, even your macrame, like yes, it could create a, a functional item and it might be joyfully creating it, but it's not a personal memory as much as obviously scrapbooking or photos.

Anna Komenda: Exactly. You put it into the right words.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, this has been such a delightful conversation. Thank you for spending time with me.

Anna Komenda: I'm so honored that you invited me and it was a blast. I am a little bit shy at the beginning, but I can be a talker, so.[00:44:00]

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, no, it's wonderful. Can you share where our listeners can find you online? Anything else you, you might have newer coming up later this year.

Anna Komenda: I would like to invite all the listeners to my Instagram because this is the most, uh, updated, uh, social media site. And for, uh, Facebook, I basically have, like when I post to Instagram, it posts to Facebook.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Anna Komenda: Automatically. So it's, I would say the same. And I have a YouTube channel where I post, uh, a lot of process videos.

Mostly process videos for layouts. Some I have also some mini albums. Classes from scratch if anyone would like to try one. I have few classes that you can learn from, you know, from the very beginning. And some cards. But for card making, it's, I would say 10%, maybe less, more for layouts. Yeah. YouTube and Instagram are [00:45:00] the places where anyone can find me, and I'm just too old for TikTok. So have never kind of spread my wings so far.

Jennifer Wilson: I understand that, so.

Thanks. We'll definitely include those links in the show notes for this episode. Again, thank you.

Anna Komenda: Thank you so much.

Jennifer Wilson: And to all our listeners, please remember that you have permission to Scrapbook Your Way.