Member Spotlight-Tam Harper

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
Hi, I’m Tammie Sue Harper, but I prefer “Tam”. Tammie Sue reminds me of a 3rd grader and I changed my name to Tam as soon as I entered my first job. I’m married to Rick, my Jr. High sweetheart. We started dating when I was 14 and I married him 1 month after my high school graduation. We’ve been together for 30 years now. We have 2 children and 2 grandchildren. Our daughter Ashley married Jeff 3 years ago and blessed us with Cody and Laila. Goodness, do those grandbabies have my heart. Our son Cameron is 19 and works full time in the train repair industry. He has played soccer since he was 4 and had to give up a college soccer scholarship – blew out one knee 2 times and decided he wanted to walk instead of hobble the rest of his life. We recently moved into the next phase of our lives, we are taking care of my dad, who was widowed last year. It is interesting to be taking care of a parent and we feel blessed to be able to be there for him.
2. How and when did you start scrap booking?
I remember my first scrap booking party – it was back in the early 90’s and was a CM party. Driving there, I remember thinking, why in the world would anyone want to scrap book. I went to the party to support the hostess. Well, a couple hundred dollars later, I was hooked and have been loving this craft ever since.
3. How would you describe your scrap booking style?
My email is simplescrapper@hotmail.com and it totally describes my style. Simple. I don’t like cluttered, busy, fluffed up pages. I want the pictures to be the showcase. Now I love to do cards and altered projects with everything on them, but my scrap book pages – clean lines, simple layouts and lots of journaling.
4. How often do you journal? Is it important to you?
Journaling is critical to me. The pictures only show – the words, they tell the story, the history, and the emotions. I look back at some of my grandmother’s pictures and really wish I knew the story behind them. What made it so important to save that picture? What was life like then, who are those people and what was happening in the world? It makes me sad to see scrap book pages with just pictures and embellishments and no journaling – there is a story and it is trapped in the person. Future generations will never know that story.
Do you have a dedicated scrap space ( room )?
In my previous house, I had a 2,000 sq ft room that I used for my scrap booking paradise. I hosted crops and classes there and when creating alone, could and would trash out that room so fast…hehehe. We recently moved and now I have a corner of our family room. It is small and I had to purge a lot of my stash but you know what. I think I like it better. Everything is in arms reach and I can focus on creating and not finding.
What does it look like right now?

6. What are your "go to " tools or supplies when you scrap?
My MM cutter, my ATG gun, Xyron 150, stickles and sand paper.
7. Where do you start when you get ready to create- sketches, supplies, photos...?
If I am scrap booking, I always start with the photos. Since I have been scrap booking for so long, I am pretty much caught up. I still have some old photo’s that are to difficult to scrap – isn’t it funny how some pictures bring back emotions and memories. I have a small stash that I know one day I’ll deal with, but right now, they are tucked away, safe and sound.

If I am making cards – which I love to do, I will start with sketches. I love finding new ideas and taking them to the next level. I make custom invitations and cards for weddings, showers, parties and am quite successful with that aspect of my business.

8. Are you a scrapper or an artist? Oh, I’m a scrapper. I’ll never have a scrap book page published and that is not my goal. I like to say I can copy anything, but original scrapping ideas are hard to come by. I admire people who are published and in awe of their talent, but that isn’t me.

by: C. Mercer