Elegant Crafts and Homemade Gifts Interview

June Houck from
"Simply Elegant Paper Crafts"

I mean, she can take a pile of scraps that most of us would throw away, and create the most beautiful cards. So, before you throw out that little bit of ribbon, or scrap of paper, you just have to take a look at her blog, after reading our interview with her below.

I am June Houck. I currently live in Leesburg, VA with my wonderful husband, Doug, and our fraternal twin daughters, Julia & Kathryn. My dear friend, Tracy, started a blog (I didn’t even know what a blog was until she e-mailed me her link). Computers intimidate me, but Tracy inspired me! I started my blog June 1, 2007. My card and scrapbook page style is relatively simple, which is why I chose to name my blog Simply Elegant Paper Crafts.

2. I love your style. It is very appealing, and fits the elegant look I have tried to achieve with Elegant Crafts and Homemade Gifts. I am often inspired when I am shopping, or flipping through a magazine. What kinds of things inspire you?

My inspiration comes in many forms, and often times, it is unpredictable. Tucked away in my memory are decorative papers, embellishments, and other supplies that I have collected over the years. As I browse through magazines or check out my favorite blogs, I sometimes think, “I have that somewhere…I can make this too!” More often I check out challenge blogs or sketch blogs for a card design or scrapbooking layout. I think my best cards are my “scrappy cards”; I lay paper scraps and embellishments I want to use up out on my work space and try to make them into a unique card.

There are times, while sleeping, an idea will wake me very early in the morning (usually 3am), and I go to my craft room to try it out. Sometimes my cards come together quickly and other times, not so quickly. Concerning cards which I am not completely happy with, for some reason yet, but I am not totally sure why (they sometimes look much better in my head), I will walk away and then look at it again later. I find when I force it, I am not happy with the end result. When I walk away, I sometimes will think of something to add to perfect it.

3. You mention in one post, "Live, Love, Laugh," that you struggled with the design process; that you were "staring at the embellies, wishing them into a design." In the very next post, "Treasure Each Day," you seem to be immediately inspired by a scrap of ribbon. I find my own creativity waxes and wanes from project to project. How do you get your creativity sparking when inspiration seems to elude you?

Losing or fading inspiration will happen to everyone and can be frustrating especially when a deadline is fast approaching. Sometimes I need to put the project away and then take a fresh look at, or ask a friend what she thinks. Other times, I will work on another project which gives me inspiration, or I’ll browse through my supplies and find just the right fix for that troublesome project.

4. I loved your reorganized scrap room. Whenever I scrapbook, or craft, it seems I keep pulling out more and more stuff, and pretty soon I'm in a mess. Do you have any tips to keeping it organized?

When I am working on holiday cards, I pull out every paper and embellishment for that theme. I can create a big mess! I will draw a sketch on a post-it, and then stick it on top of the papers and embellishments I have chosen for that idea. This becomes a “pile”. When I have so many piles that I can barely walk in my craft room, my creative process can come to a screeching halt. That is when I need to clean it all up and put it away to start fresh on something else.

For me, organizing my craft room is always a work in progress. I love to organize! I have to have the basic supplies (tape, scissors, ruler, and cutter) at my workspace for easy reach. My creative process is frustrated if I continually have to get up to look for an embellishment or paper to coordinate with the idea formulating in my head. I store “like things” together, e.g. punches, eyelets, or coordinating items (like a stamp set that coordinates with a particular punch or ribbons & buttons that are made to match a particular decorative paper).

I think clear containers are the key to good organization. For example, I recycled my kitchen counter lazy susan spice rack. I emptied all the glass jars, ran them through the dishwasher, and then filled each jar with primas or brads (separated by color). Whenever I see a container that would be suitable for storing items, I snatch it up—I use old jelly jars for scraps of ribbon and Starbucks Frappucino jars for primas.

5. You mention selling your cards in coffee shops. How did that come about? Do you sell through other venues also?

A local coffee shop just a few miles from my house opened shortly after my family moved to VA. My husband and I would have our weekly “breakfast date” there when we got to know the owner. I asked him if he would be amenable to selling greeting cards. He said he had been approached by so many vendors, but no one had ever asked him about greeting cards. I mentioned that both Starbucks and Caribou Coffee sold greeting cards. He asked me to bring samples, and now I’ve been selling cards for two years?

6. When you get together with your "Design Diva" friends each month, you must have a lot of fun! I love getting out to craft with friends too, but I find I don't seem to get much done...probably because I end up talking to much!

I am much more creative and productive when I'm on my own, although I value the time together with my friends too much to care. Do you find you are more creative with a group, or on your own?

I need to have quiet time to formulate my ideas. When the Design Divas are meeting, I carefully plan my project ahead of time. After I create my sample, I cut all the paper and cardstock to the right size and gather my supplies for that project (adhesives, embellishments, paper piercer, etc.). Then I can chat and mass produce at the same time.

7. I want to say that your blog speaks volumes about your integrity as a blogger. You've been given several awards by your peers. What has blogging meant to you? How has it changed you or enhanced your creativity?

Blogging is an outlet for me to share my passion and to meet people that share in this obsession. I have made some good friends! I love these ladies as much as the friends I can see in person. My blog friends are a wonderful source of information regarding ideas, the latest trends, where to go for new purchases, and organization of supplies.

8. June, I want to thank you for taking the time for this interview. For my last question I'd like to ask, what got you started in stamping and card making? You are very creative. Was it something you developed later in life, or something you learned in your childhood?

My mom introduced me to rubber stamping. I was hesitant because I already had other hobbies I enjoyed; reading, cross-stitch, knitting, and painting pecan resin. My mom said she would bring some stamping magazines for me on her next visit (she resides in MD and I was living in NC at the time); I responded, “There is more than one?”

My mom asked me to meet her at a stamping convention in VA (again, I was incredulous that people attended such an event), but I went, and was hooked! I was completely overwhelmed by the different inks and which types of paper to best use. I was given some good advice: take lots of classes.

When I returned home, I checked the phone book for rubber stamping stores in NC. I signed up for Stamp Camp Basics, but was still overwhelmed. After taking lots of classes, I began to create all of my holiday cards. Another stamp store opened nearby, and I joined a monthly card swap club there and I started teaching stamping technique classes.

After a year, 6 of us were ready to move on from the card swap club, and we formed our own club. We named ourselves the Supremes. The Supremes met officially once each month and each of us took turns hostessing a luncheon. We actually saw each other at least once each week for field trips to area stamp stores or to the “trifecta”: Michael’s, ACMoore, and Hobby Lobby. We enabled each other with the ideas which we shared and we made lots of cards and projects.

At one of these luncheons (June 2003), my Supreme friend, Martha, announced she wanted to cross over into scrapbooking. I said, “Martha, that’s blasphemy!” Martha asked us to meet her at a local scrapbooking store (Memories) the following week for a field trip. I saw the gorgeous 12x12 page displays, and realized how similar it is to creating cards. I took several classes at Memories, and then my family moved to VA. I knew I would miss the Supremes dearly, but I found that my new home was even closer to a Memories store!

Before I even met with a realtor, I visited the Memories store in VA. The first person I met was Tracy. In search of new Supreme-like friends (and Tracy is Supreme-worthy), I began to teach scrapbooking and card making classes there. Three years later, Memories closed. I started teaching at another local scrapbook store, and it closed a year later. So I decided to approach the owner of the local coffee shop to sell my cards—and you know the rest of the story!


Thank you so much June for taking the time to share a bit or your life with us. It has been inspiring and a pleasure.

Be sure to take a little time and visit June's blog today. You will be inspired!

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