I don’t know about you, but I really look forward to these little Worldwide Wednesday jaunts now :)

This week I got in touch with Simone Naoum who is an enthusiastic card maker and rubber stamper from Perth, Australia.

As ever, I should take a moment to introduce you officially.

Readers, this is Simone Naoum. *wafts hand towards photo*

As with previous Worldwide Wednesday posts, Simone was asked the same set of questions that has been asked of other participants – this is what Simone had to say.

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Please can you provide a brief introduction to yourself, where in the world you are and let everyone know what you currently do in the arts/crafts industry?

My name is Simone Naoum and I’m a card maker who lives in Perth, Western Australia with my amazing husband, David, our gorgeous twin daughters, Alannah and Ella and our fluffy little kitty cat, Miggy.

When did you begin working in the creative industry and what was the seminal or defining moment that put you on that path?

I first started paper crafting about 10 years ago when I decided I would make my 21st birthday party invitations by hand.

I fell in love with all the pretty papers and embellishments that were around back then and not long afterwards I made my very first card.

I have been addicted to cardmaking ever since and 5 years ago I decided to start a blog to share my creations with others.

Is what you do now what you imagined you would be doing when you first started out?

Not at all! I thought I would just be creating a few cards here and there, but I fell in love with rubber-stamping, and now I make cards every spare second I can find these days.

I’m addicted!

 

Thinking back through the years, what memorable responses have you had to your work?

I can’t think of any one in particular but all the comments I receive on my creations always make me smile and I really appreciate that people take the time out of their busy days to let me know they like my work.

What has been most important to you as an artist or crafter – a mentor, support, knowledge, advice, information, funding, family, friends … etc?

Definitely family and friends.

My family, especially my husband, are really supportive of what I do and are always encouraging me to follow my creative dreams.

The friendships I have made through cardmaking are also very important to me. I’ve met so many wonderful people in this industry who share the same love of paper crafting as I do and it’s also nice to have someone there who understands what I’m talking about and who I can bounce ideas off.

How have you changed during your career and do you see room for more changes in the coming years?

I don’t know if I myself have changed, but my style of cardmaking has definitely changed over the years. There is a big difference between the very first card I ever made to the style of cards I create today. The card making industry is always evolving with different products and trends so I would probably say if I have changed, it’s more to do with me trying new things and techniques in my work as opposed to sticking to just one particular style of cardmaking. That’s another thing I love about this industry, there is always something new to try out there so you are always learning from doing the thing that you love.

Who/What inspires you the most?

As a card maker I find inspiration everywhere around me. It can be found in many things we surround ourselves with on a day to day basis like books, magazines, pictures and clothing etc. I also find a lot of inspiration in shop window displays. They are always great for colour combination ideas. Clothing is also really good, again for the colours but also for pattern inspiration.
I find other card makers inspiring as well. There are so many talented designers in the industry. It’s great to see what they are creating and to give it a try, but obviously in a completely different way. One card maker I always find inspiration from, especially when I’ve lost my creative mojo, is Joy Taylor at Simple by Design (http://www.simplebydesignblog.com). Her cards always demonstrate different techniques and are always fresh and stunning. The way she colours with markers is absolutely amazing!

How would you describe a creative life? Fun, challenging, rewarding … etc?

All of those options are a great way to describe a creative life! It’s definitely fun creating cards and rewarding when you see the recipient’s reaction to a handmade card but it can also be challenging. It’s challenging when you end up losing your creative mojo! It happens to most of us and we are just stuck for ideas, sometimes for days at a time1a`. It’s during this time I like to visit the places and websites I usually find inspiring. I find it always helps in giving my mojo a kick-start.

What would be your dream project?

This is a tough question to answer as I love creating cards generally. I would have to say my dream project would be anything where I get to create cards in person and alongside those in the industry who inspire me.

What wouldn’t you do without?

I could probably list a million things I couldn’t do without but I’d have to say cardstock, stamps and ink. With just those three supplies you are able to create anything so without them I’d be lost!

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I’ve just finished working on some cards featuring the trend of facets for a current publication call so unfortunately I can’t share any of those with you at the moment.

What future project(s) are you most looking forward to?

Probably Father’s Day cards, which I am thinking about at the moment. Father’s Day is coming up in September here, so I thought I would try and get a head start on a few this month. I’m looking forward to them because it will be my husband’s second Father’s Day and I’m thinking about somehow tying in his love (or should I say obsession) for soccer with something pink and girly (to represent our two girls). It’s a tricky combination because masculine cards are generally harder to make, but I think I have finally worked out an idea, so I’m really looking forward to crafting it out.

What are you doing when you’re not creating? What hobbies (creative or non-creative) do you have?

When I’m not creating I’m a stay at home mum to my 18-month-old identical twin girls. It’s a very busy and hectic job but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love every minute I spend with my girls. The spare time I have left is mainly spent card making, but other than that I also enjoy reading and just spending time with my family.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

Probably that I don’t actually originate from Perth. I was born and raised on a cherry farm in a small country town in Western Australia’s southwest. I moved to Perth 14 years ago after school and have been here ever since, although I go back home to the country quite frequently as my parents still live on the farm. I love the country and always look forward to going down there when I can. I guess you can say I’m still a country girl at heart.

Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others?

Love what you do. Sometimes in today’s cyber world crafters can get caught up in being more focussed on their blogs/websites etc, that crafting actually becomes more of a chore to them. Just create because you love to create and you will find that you’ll like the end result more and so will others, as it comes from the heart.

Where else can we find you? (Blog, website, twitter, Facebook etc)

• Blog/Website: http://www.simonenaoum.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simone.naoum
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SimoneNaoum
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonenaoum
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/simonenaoum
• You can also find my work at my Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/DesignsBySimoneN?ref=em

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So there we have it fellow jet-setters, another long haul visit to meet another Worldwide Wednesday creative.

I personally love the clean and fresh look of Simone’s cards – what do you think?

Right, we’d best all pack our smalls back into those trunks and get set for the long haul flight home. Buckle up and don’t squeal when we hit the turbulence ;)

Thank you to Simone for taking part, and thank you from me to you for taking the time to read this Worldwide Wednesday blog post.

Take care – see you in the departure lounge next week!

J :)