Designer Spotlight: Trine Secher
Today's featured designer is our own Trine Secher! She is always adding to her great collection of freebies, and she's recently started a new store. I'm really pleased to offer this chance for you to get to know her a bit better.
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? Where do you live? Who’s in your family? What do you do in the average day?
A: I am Danish Design, but when I’m not designing I go by the name Trine Secher. I am 45 years old, not married and have no kids, but I live with my “family” (= my two best friends) in a big apartment in eastern Copenhagen, Denmark. I have been without a steady job for more than 4 years now and the last year I have spend on sick leave due to MS. I am currently working a few hours a day in an academic book shop, but when I’m not there I must admit that most of my time is spend with my computer. I sometimes break away to watch British crime series on TV - I’m a BIG Poirot fan! Wow, I need to get a life!
Q: How did you start digital scrapbooking? When did you start designing?
A: Actually, I never started digital scrapbooking. I made a few greeting cards for family events. But then one day 5 years ago I got a new computer with a free Photoshop Elements included and I was hooked. I leaned to use if by trial-and-error and a little online tutorials and about 6 months later I started designing - mostly for fun. But when I ran out of archive space I figured it might be a good idea to share some of the material I made and I started my blog Nothing but Freebies. Some time later I was invited to join the store Scrap it Sassy, but, unfortunately, that closed down in February this year. That then inspired me to open my own store, Everything But Freebies, and I took the dangerous step of making it a Trust Store. Now I’m waiting to see if that was wise…
Q: What tools do you use to design?
A: I use mainly Photoshop Elements, but if that doesn't fit my needs I go to Photoshop, Shape Collage, Photo Scissor Genie and others, but that doesn't happen very often.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite designs you’ve created?
A: It’s funny, cause right after I finish a design I’m almost never 100 % satisfied, but I usually get there after a few weeks or months of not looking at it. But a couple of times I was pretty satisfied with my work right from the start and that was the kits “Let’s Chai”, now available in my new store, and the matching “The Easy Life”, soon available in my store. The reason for my satisfaction was that the “feel” of the kits - I wanted to jump right into them and live there forever.
Q: What are some designs that inspire you?
A: I cannot pinpoint any one or two designs that inspired me, but I can (if that’s allowed) mention a few designers that started me out all those years ago. Far Far Hill/Nearstore was one of the first sites I put on my read list - fantastic vintage designs! Then came Automatic Cupcake which brought PS actions into my life. And finally I have to mention Marisa, not because this is for DigitalScrapbook.com, but because her papers inspired me to make more out of my own. I could go on and on, but let’s stop here. Now I mostly get my inspiration from everyday life - songs, books, nature and art.
Q: Do you have any advice for designers?
A: For new designers I can only say “Hang in there”. Follow your heart and creativity, there will always be someone out there that likes your designs, and then forget about those who don’t - they don’t matter. But in the more practical category I would like to make a plea to designers to make an effort when it comes to naming and marking their designs. Make sure that everything your customers/users download is marked with title, your name and TOU. And if you are making PS Layer Styles, PLEASE name the individual styles!!!! I have more than 3000 styles named only “style #” and that does not make it easy to neither find nor give credits.
Q: What brought you to DigitalScrapbook.com? How do you use the things you’ve downloaded from here?
A: It’s been so long that I can’t remember how I stumbled upon DigitalScrapbook.com. I have been aboard almost since the beginning and followed to the new site with great pleasure. I remember that when I first got to know the old site, I was ecstatic about all the free material that Marisa gave away, and I think I have just about every single design from back then. I download as much as I can, mainly templates that I can work on and make something of my own with, but I really have a weakness for the papers, which I use for my little private greeting card production (family and friends only). I usually use one or two DigitalScrapbook.com Items in my kits - an example is day 7 of last year’s Advent Calendar. But also my Special Freebie is made with DigitalScrapbook.com material. Besides the downloads I am a busy user of Marisa’s tutorials. She has taught me SO much that way.
Blog: http://nothingbutfreebies.blogspot.dk/
Store: http://everythingbutfreebies.blogspot.dk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trine.secher.5 (it’s my private FB but you are very welcome to stop by)
And here is a special freebie Trine has made for the DigitalScrapbook.com readers!
If you are a budding designer or know of one, and would like to be featured here at the DigitalScrapbook.com blog, send me an email at [email protected]
Blog By
About Me
Hi There! I’m Marisa Lerin and you’ll see me around at DigitalScrapbook.com a lot. I started this site in 2010 soon after I discovered a new love in digital scrapbooking. DigitalScrapbook.com has gone through some significant changes since that time and it’s grown into this lovely community site you are seeing now. I am daily surprised by the turn of life’s events that has led me down this path. If you're new to the site, welcome! Here are a few tidbits about me that I hope will help you get to know me better!
I’m originally from Minnesota, USA, but spent a good chunk of my childhood living abroad (in Bolivia and Hong Kong). I returned to Minnesota to attend university, got married and then moved overseas again (Korea, then Jordan and 1 year of traveling). My designs are heavily influenced by these many nomadic years. I am currently back in the USA, now living in the great state of Oregon!
I have no official training for what I’m doing, since I decided very wisely (haha) to study physics in university. I am always learning new things about digital scrapbooking, and this community has been immensely helpful for that!
If I manage to stop digital scrapbooking you will probably find me watching TV, reading or baking. I also enjoy writing for the blog here at DigitalScrapbook.com where I talk about whatever happens to be catching my fancy at the moment.
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Recent Comments
Love your papers!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It is nice to meet you. Your kit is wonderful. I am going to check out your blog now.
Thank you so much everyone.
I'm glad you came here and that you like my work. I'll look forward to seeing you all on my blog.
XOXO
Trine
TYVM for an awesome freebie. I follow your blog, love everything you share with us. Congrats.
Thanks for sharing your story Trine, I enjoyed it! I always love to hear about how people develop their time and talent into something special. Thank you also for the freebie kit :]
I love Trine's designs! Thanks for encouraging us newbies to keep at it regardless of others' opinions.
So good to meet you. Will definitely follow your blog. xoxox Beth
Thank you very much for this interesting designer spotlight. I love your designs, Trine. Thanks for the lovely freebie kit :)
Oh I love her stuff!
Hi Trine! Your creations are wonderful. I really like your style! Thank you very much for the freebie.
I will certainly follow your blog.
Thank you so much, Trine!!! Your designs are wonderful and so pretty! You are very creative!!
Nice to meet you Trine! I will have to go check out your sites and thanks so much for the beautiful goodies!!