SPECIAL FEATURE- Featuring YOU–Focus on Mars Olson

 

This is the first in an irregular series of posts featuring some DSP Members who’s scrapbooking style I really admire.

This first article in the series features someone who is admired by so many for her incredible artistic talents and her wonderful ability to create eyecatching layouts day after day.

Mars Olson is one of DSP’s Digital Elite Team. This group of scrappers is chosen every 6 months by way of a contest to showcase the kits of the DSP designers around the web.

Mars found DSP in 2005 while searching for a way to put together an album of her first grandson's baby photos. She fell in love with digital scrapping and the site. She has been very active with challenges, contests, socializing and shopping at DSP ever since! Mars is a Canadian living on Vancouver Island, BC with Ken. She is the mother of 6 grown children; Rachel, Matthew, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Mary and Daniel. Only her youngest son, Daniel, is still living at home. Her two oldest kids have given her 5 grands so far; Jenna, David, Hannah, Madelyn and Mateja; she is counting on at least a dozen grandkids by the time all her children reproduce. Mars adores her golden retriever, Sunny, and also beautiful old orange cat, Tugger, now passed away.

Mars likes chocolate and seafood. Her favourite vacation is a trip to visit the grandchildren. Mars has enjoyed doing many kinds of art, crafts and handwork over the years but digital scrapping has become the all-time favourite! She loves red! Mars says her inspiration for scrapping comes from photos of her family and the beautiful kits and layouts at DSP.

Mars has an uncanny ability to cluster elements in such a way to create an eyecatching layout that really draws the viewer in  as evidenced by the selection of layouts below

CREDITS:
Just Passing Time page kit by Lauren Bavin
Glittering News Deluxe Word art by Lauren Bavin

I love the design of this page, the perfect match of kit and photo and the clustering and layered papers draws the eye right to that precious photo which truly is a moment to remember.

CREDITS:
Kowhai page kit by Lauren Bavin
A Long Scalloped Strip Quick Click by Lauren Bavin
Endless Summer Titles by Lauren Bavin

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Modern Fresh by Lauren Bavin
Plain Fat Custom Fill Alphabet by Lauren Bavin

Journaling: Hannah at four, earnestly informed her mother that Aidan’s grandfather has a 'horse' in his throat. Aidan was a new boy in her daycare. Hannah did not know how his grandfather managed to swallow an entire horse. All she knew was that he had a horse in his throat, because Aidan told her so. This is for Hannah to see how once she also tried to swallow a horse.
CREDITS
Bombastic page kit by Lauren Bavin
Cutie Pie Alphabet by Lauren Bavin from Quite Bright Value Collection
Sprayed On Backgrounds by Lauren Bavin -Almost Orange

CREDITS
Just Spring Value Collection by Lauren Bavin
Blossoms of Friendship Word art by Lauren Bavin
Spring Floral Groupies by Lauren Bavin - cropped parts

 

Mars is not just the Queen of clustering, she is also a master at the blended style of scrapbook layout – Here are a few of my favourite examples of this style of page.

CREDITS:
Forest Deep, Mountain High by Lauren Bavin
Blenders- Maps by Lauren Bavin
Blenders- Floral by Lauren Bavin
Descriptive Combos- Nature Set 1 by Lauren Bavin

CREDITS:
Abbey Fields by Lauren Bavin

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Midnight Gold by Lauren Bavin

CREDITS:
Ruby Red Skies by Lauren Bavin
Plans and Schemes Overlay Stack by Lauren Bavin
Sunset Songs Word Art by Lauren Bavin

 

When it comes to choosing my favourite layout from Mars collection I find it almost impossible to choose

Certainly this one stands out – I loved it so much I scraplifted it

CREDITS
Octobers Gift Value Collection by Lauren Bavin
Emboss It Alphabet by Lauren Bavin

I remember the layout that really stood out to me as showing Mars as a great artist was this Sunset layout because not only did it showcase the wonderful photo and sunset but the whole layout excuded the warmth and almost made me feel taken away to that beautiful beach

CREDITS
Film Strip QuickClick by Lauren Bavin

Sunrise/Sunset Word Art by Tina Chambers

Beautiful Border Brushes by Kim Liddiard from May Club Digital

Grungy Fall backgrounds Weekly Freebie by Valerie Brumfield

 

When I asked Mars to choose her favourite layout she chose a layout that she used for her first ever DET contest  attempt ,  ( Its hard to believe but Mars didnt enter a DET contest until 2008 !!)

She said ‘funny how occasionally there is just something about one layout that makes me actually love it. thats one of them”

CREDITS
Venetian Verdigris Page Kit by Lauren Bavin
Golden Swirls Sentiments Deluxe Word Art by Lauren Bavin

You can see more of Mars aincredible layouts in her gallery. Im sure like me you will get more than a little inspiration for your own layouts there.!!