Featured Artist- Rhiannon Christianson

Hello! Balance is proud to feature artist Rhiannon Christianson from Rings Like A Bell. Rhi is super talented and has a very clean and feminine style. Her photography is so crisp and the displays she creates in her photos is perfection!! I had the pleasure of meeting her through Amuseapalooza, Tami Wood and Rhi's piggy ATC. Rhiannon had linked her piggy ATC on one of the Amuseapalooza challenges and Tami and I fell in love with the ATC. We immediately contacted Rhi and became fast friends. She is such a wonderful person- one of the best friends I have made through blogging!! Thanks for sharing your talent and art Rhi!

Here is my interview with Rhiannon:

How long have you been stamping? I have been stamping for six years now.

How long have you been blogging? I started blogging about two years ago...right before my second child was born.

What made you decide to start a blog? I decided to start a blog because I wanted a place to share recipes as well as pictures of my kiddos for my family and friends who live far away. After the birth of my son, my blogging took a hiatus :) I then started blogging on cardmaking and crafting stuff in June of this year. That is the primary focus of my blog now, as well as the occasional recipe and of course pics of the family.

What was your first stamping experience? My first stamping experience was a Stampin' Up! Stamp Camp at my awesome demonstrator's home. I probably still have the projects/cards that we made that evening tucked away somewhere :)

What was your first stamp? My first stamp set was "Holiday Wishes" by Stampin' Up!...I used it to make Ryan's and mine first Christmas card :)

What are your favorite stamp companies? Hmmmm...this is tough, there are so many GREAT companies out there!! I was a die hard Stampin' Up girl until this year...I still love their stamps, but also enjoy A*Muse, Close To My Heart, PaperTrey and I just bought some Bellas by Stamping Bella...so excited!!

Where do you get inspiration from? Lots of stuff...usually things that I see around me: Clothes, advertisements, Designer Paper, magazines...I am constantly seeing color combinations or techniques that I want to recreate!

What other hobbies do you enjoy? Let's see...I love to spend time with my family, as well as scrapbooking, reading (when I get the chance), coffee with friends and cooking/baking.

How do you Balance your art with being a mommy and a wife? Great question! Let's see...I have made a space in my office/craft room for my oldest, Maya, so that she can create with me. She loves to make cards and whatnot for her friends :) and we get to spend time together doing what we both enjoy. I also have a pact with myself, that I have to get my "chores" done before I can play...this makes cleaning, laundry and cooking more doable, knowing I get to play afterwards :) Ryan and I also, don't watch a lot of TV, so he will spend time doing what he likes to do in the evening while I create...and then we will usually watch a show or movie we have netflixed at the end of our day before bed.

Do you have favorite blogs? Yes :) Let's see...the list seems to be growing, but here are a few: Balance (this really great gal, Kristina, always has fun things to share :), by Samm (she has great scrapbook page ideas...I love what she does), Stampin' When I Can (Who does not LOVE Allison! She pretty much rocks), Taylored Expressions (Taylor's site actually introduced me to the whole stamping blog world!) and Prairie Paper and Ink (Amy is so down to Earth!)...those are just to name a few that I visit faithfully :)

Do you teach stamping? Yes, I just started teaching stamping/cardmaking/papercrafting classes at my local Michael's store.

Do you have a favorite stamping moment? I can't pinpoint just one moment...I think one of the best things that happens while stamping, is when a design comes together! That is what makes it all worth while :)

Thanks for sharing your passion with all of us Rhiannon! And now here are a few samples of her art:






Here are a few altered items:





Rhi resides in Washinton state with her husband and 3 gorgeous children.

So are you feeling inspired? Thanks Rhiannon, you inspire me all the time!! You are the best!! ((hugs))