Articles : Creative Team Digi Reveals

Featured Designer - Kim Hill of CG Essentials

Discovering Digital Scrapbooking

This week, the Creative Team are highlighting one of the most happening sections of our digi store - none other than CG Essentials!

Designer Kim Hill is, according to her own website, a "professional photographer turned stay-at-home-mom of two amazing boys." She, her husband and their little family reside on a lovely property in New York State.

Kim discovered digital scrapbooking a little more than four years ago, when she first heard about it through a mom's group. At the time, she was unaware that other people sold pre-made kits to work with, so when she created her first layout in November 2004, so she threw herself into learning how to use Photoshop to make her own items to use. It was initially trial and error, but eventually she figured it out and her "entrepeneurial husband" gave her the push she needed to open CG Essentials in January 2005.

" I get the bulk of my inspiration from fashion and home decor. I love to see all the new patterns and colors arriving at the various stores. I primarily scrap my two boys and occasionally throw in something about myself," Kim says of her sources for inspiration.

Kim joined the ranks at A Cherry On Top from the very beginning, and currently has the largest shop in the digital store, with more than 300 products available for sale.

To stay up to date with Kim, you can also visit her blog, A Day In The Life of Kim.

So how has the Creative Team played with Kim's products this week?

Christmas Snow, by Janell (janello)

Janell mixed products from three of Kim's kits to showcase her family over the past Christmas, using elements and papers from the Benjamin, Olivia and Snowboarding kits.

Love, by Sara (keling)

Sara chose to highlight a rare, smiling photo of her husband for this week's reveal. She wrote: "I'm not much of a red person, but the little bit of red on the dark colours really make the layout pop, and I just love the texture and detail Kim has put into her Adoration kit." Sara also used Kim's Musical Interlude kit and Clipping Masks - Set 5.

Butterfly, by Diana (dianagirly)

Using Kim's Oooh La La kit, Diana really brought her  layout of her little one to life with some awesome texture.  "I love Kim Hill's designs. Each kit is full of colors, embellishments, and wonderful textures," she said.

How To Give Mommy A Heart Attack, by Karin (mayerkt)

The ever-reaching escapades of Karin's little boy, Liam, allowed Karin to pull together paper and elements from Kim's Worn & Torn Sampler Pack and Kit to show off Liam's inner dare-devil!

Sam, 1 year, by Angie (nun69)

Angie wrote: "This is for the Digi Designer reveal Kim Hill...I LOVE her stuff...there are so many things to choose from and I an always find something in one of her kits to use! This is my oldest DD, Sam, at the ripe old age of 1 and she will be 16 next month!" Angie used the Raspberry Sorbet kit.

Summer Lovin', by Laura (Art_Teacher)

Also using the Raspberry Sorbet kit, Laura shared: "This reveal was to showcase Kim Hill's marvelous designs, and it was hard to choose! You might be able to tell I was inspired by our school's recent production of "Grease" and I came up with this quick, easy layout in just 30 minutes! That's how easy Kim makes it to use her gorgeous creations!"

Cardboarding, by Ronny (Smiley-Scrap8)

Ronny said: "What makes me love Kim's designs most is that they look like real products I would use on paper pages. I strive to have my pages look like paper pages, and using Kim's designs makes that soooo easy." Ronny used the Snowboarding and Musical Interlude kits, as well as Tea Stained Alpha, all by Kim Hill.

Trace Atkins, by Amanda (mkcdaisy)

Amanda took full advantage of Kim's Musical Interlude kit in her layout featuring photos of Country singer, Trace Atkins, at the Houston Rodeo.

Just Add Dirt, by Sarah (davsar)

Sarah said: "I really love this new kit by Kim - I thought the grunge like qualities went well with pictures of me playing in the dirt." Sarah used Musical Interlude, Old Barn Alpha and  Carnival.

Products used in this week's reveal:

You can find all of these awesome items, and more, at Kim's ACOT shoppe: CG Essentials!

About the author ...
Sara Westhead (Keling) resides in West Yorkshire, England, with her husband of 8 years, Andrew, and their two boys, Tommy, aged 6, and Jonathan, 3. Sara started digi-scrapping in January 2006, and relies on her background in advertising and graphic design. She was a formerly a journalist in Bermuda, but is now a stay-at-home-mom working to change the world!

Published on 03/12/2009. Submitted by Keling