Designer Spotlight: Elaine Howell & Hilary Kern

I hope you are enjoying our Designer Spotlight Series! We have two more LBH gals to share with you today...Hilary Kern and Elaine Howell.  Hilary Kern, is our Prep Captain! Hilary works mainly "behind the scenes" at the LBH kitting and prepping all the fabulous Project Kits and Classes we have at the LBH.   Elaine Howell, is a talented designer and instructor at the LBH. She is our "in house" Silhouette Expert! 

Hilary and Elaine also happen to be Besties! When they aren't creating or prepping, you can find these two gals exercising or visiting over coffee. Read on and get to know these two besties today!

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Designer Spotlight: Hilary Kern

Hello!  I am Hilary Kern, Miss Tracy likes to tell everyone I am the Prep-Captain at The Little Blue House. I work closely with Miss Tracy behind the scenes, preparing many of the project supplies and kits for all the FABULOUS projects our designers create. It is a fun job, I just love working with such AMAZING artists!

I have always been a craft enthusiast, my mother was of the belief, “Homemade gifts are always better, it is like giving a little of yourself in each gift”.  I was the 3^rd of 6 children, but my mom still found time to sew and knit. My dad could build anything. Every year he designed and hand cut our Christmas Card for home Silk Screening. They both always encouraged us to be creative and so you might say, my love of crafting is in my DNA.

I have been married for 25years to my WONDERFUL husband Kevin, and we have 3 beautiful girls. We moved to Keller in 1995. By this time my budding photo hobby had evolved, into  the family historian through the lens of the  Mom-ographer. Looking to preserve these memories for the next ONE HUNDRED YEARS, I took up the hobby of scrapbooking. About 1998 I met my BEST friend Elaine Howell, and we quickly bonded through faith, crafting and kids.

So what do I always like to have when I go crafting?

My BEST FRIEND Elaine of course!

 My name is Elaine Howell and I am a Designer and Teacher at The Little Blue House.

This is the corner of my scrap room where I have all my cardstock. As you can see our friend Tim Holtz is watching over me.  This picture is taken from a magazine that he was in years ago - I had him sign it at a scrapbook convention. As a joke I brought him to a scrapbook retreat I attend with a group of friends -we affectionately call ourselves "the Hags". We laugh every time and have convinced 

ourselves Tim goes on retreat with us.
I love his work and am inspired by his creativity.

Here are a few more pics of my studio. The window over the tables is from the house where Dan's grandmother was born - I love the colorblock look. 

I used cardstock in the front of drawers to mimic the colorblock look
of the stained glass windows - makes it look neater too.

Here is some of the shelving in my closet.

Now for a little about me. I have been married to Dan for 35 years. We met in college and I can honestly say he drives me crazy but I love him more today than ever.

I have two grown kids - Jonathan and Kristen. I love being the Mom to adult children. 

I also have one "old man" orange and white kitty named Sunny.

My working career started in high tech electronic sales (go figure)and I did that for 25 years. After a layoff I was left with looking for something new to do. I tried a few things and then one day  I went to Anthologies with a group of friends to take a class. I met Tracy and Susan (they were the teachers) - my friends would ask me questions (I would have them over to do crafts so they knew I knew a little something) - Tracy asked me whats up with this and I explained. She asked if I would be interested in a job designing and teaching. She asked me to bring her some samples of my work - I WAS SCARED TO DEATH and SO NERVOUS. I guess she liked what she saw and the rest is history. I had always wanted to be a teacher and I am blessed that I am able to do what I love. 

 I come from a creative family - my grandmothers sewed and did needle arts.
My Mom is an amazing seamstress, needleworker and now paper crafter. 

My Dad after retiring early did beautiful word work - everything from simple wood toys to artistic spalted wood turned bowls.  I have always been involved in things creative. 

In the Spring of 1998 Hilary and I were invited to our first Creative Memories party. We were hooked!! I went through the chop your pictures into shapes phase, the sticker sneeze phase, a big paper piecing phase and then I met "Glitter"! 

I love all things that sparkle.

Today I would say my style is classic. I love details whether it's ribbon, buttons,feathers or any other kind of embellishment. I scrap 12x12 albums and I do like to make cards. With guidance from Susan Tidwell I have started to venture into Mixed Media and I must say I love to get my hands dirty! 

I have to say I LOVE MINI BOOKS - I am going to start a class called Cover to Cover where we will create various types of mini books.

  Here  a few mini books and a layout I have done.

                                      

You may have noticed these are older projects, I took a six month hiatus from designing last year because we moved. I am so glad to be settled and creating again.

I am doing the One Little Word workshop with Ali Edwards and I attended the Faith Journaling Workshop at the LBH. I am really looking forward to doing both this year.

My other new passion is the Silhouette. I love the flexibility that it gives me to create.

My blog is GlitterMeHappy stop by and check it out.

There is always something happening at The Little Blue House, stop by the website or visit us at the store to see the latest and greatest.

Tracy took this picture of me at my table - this is as clean as it will ever be...BIG LOL!!

Elaine
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Thanks for joining us today on the Blog...
Tomorrow is our final day of Designer Spotlight
make sure and tune in! :)

 

This just in.... Creating with Cattle-ist Workshop is coming up soon! Cheryl Darrow, owner and creative director at Ten Seconds Studios will be in the HouSe....
Wed. Feb. 18th 10am-1pm or 6pm-9pm
Her leather book is now on display at the LBH
Come by and Check it out & Sign Up for this Lovely Leather Workshop!!