Meet the Team week six - Michelle Webb

It's time again for another Meet the Team post, where each week we get to know a member of the Creative Expressions DT a little better. 

This week we 'meet' singer, chef, computer genius and (most importantly) passionate crafter: Michelle Webb. Read on below to find out more...

1. Introduce yourself briefly...

Hi my name is Michelle Webb and I'm 41. I work as a full time computer slave, but when I get home of an evening my pent up creativity is let loose and I love getting messy in my craft room!

I have three cheeky cats (two young ones and one kitten), who usually run away with various crafty items from my work desk, and one grown up son who occasionally joins in my messy antics!

I'm into stamping, drawing my own images, mixed media and art journalling. 

Creative Expressions DT Member Michelle Webb

2. How did you get into crafting?

Have I ever been out of it?! I was one of those whiny kids that was always saying 'I'm bored'. So my mum filled a sideboard with egg boxes, washing up bottles and anything else crafty that she could get her hands on, and I was never bored again! I always made a mess when I had a Tony Hart project on the go!

I've never stopped ever since, moving from one crafty obsession to another! I'm saving glass-blowing for when I retire in 25 years...

3. How would you describe your style?

My style usually consists of lots of layers, lots of colour and lots of mediums. It can change often too because I always like to try new products and techniques.

A beautiful festive tag created by Michelle: made using the Umount Let It Snow stamp set

4. Where do you draw inspiration from?

In a nutshell; blogs, art classes, YouTube videos, Pinterest... Blogs in particular are a HUGE inspiration for me. I get time 'suckage' though; I spend my time going from one blog to another and before I know it I've got no time left to create myself!

Also since my first visit to a class at a local craft shop earlier this year I've been on a whirlwind of discovery. I happened to go there on a preview day where art samples were everywhere for you to look at and touch. I can't tell you how life-changing that day was for me. 

Mostly this crafting lark is a solitary hobby until you find a group of like-minded people who get together to make things; then you want to do it again and again! You all inspire each other!

5. What's your favourite technique right now?

Gesso over everything! It makes everything look like it belongs there; no matter how random it looks before you put the Gesso on.

6. What's your favourite colour?

Blue and Teal.

7. What do you like to snack on whilst crafting?

Anything that will leave dirty, greasy, chocolatey marks on all my creations!

8. What do you do when you're not crafting?

I cook a lot. I used to be a chef many moons ago, so I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. And any spare time I have left is dedicated to house work...booo, hiss!

9. Tell us a random fact about yourself...

I'm in a Pop Choir! (I hear you say 'Do I have any time?! Haha, no!)

10. What craft tool couldn't you live without?

Hmm...this is tough. You know there would be tonnes of things I couldn't live without, but most of all it would be my craft mat, is that a tool? I'm not very good at this, if not then my heat gun!

11. If your house was on fire, what's the first thing you would save from your craft room?

My Distress Inks! I'd do a trolley dash to grab whatever else I could get before the house collapsed. If a fireman came to the window to rescue me, I'd hand him all my Tim Holtz stamps before me!...I have my priorities wrong don't I?

You can find all of Michelle's fabulous DT makes and more on her blog here. Next week we'll be 'meeting' another member of the team, so please check back here!