Meet the Creative Team: Becky Pogatchnik

Today, we'd like you to meet the fifth member of our Creative Team: Becky Pogatchnik. Becky's strongly graphic layouts, infused by a sense of whimsy, are regularly featured in Digital Scrapbooking. She's known for her blending of journaling, design and photographs with a strong focus on the meaning behind each picture. She lives in Minnesota with Jamie, her husband of eleven years, and Sam, her six-year-old daughter.

How did you get into digital scrapbooking?

I have been scrapping digitally for a year and a half. It was supposed to have been “just one layout.” And that one turned into another. And another. And I never looked back. My once prized and hoarded paper supplies are now play things for my six-year-old.

Can you share a little about your scrapbooking philosophy with Digital Scrapbooking's readers?

Digital is such an ideal medium for my ultra-simple style. Some days, I barely consider myself a scrapper—I see myself as more of a biographer of sorts. My goal is to document my daughter’s life through words and photos (in that order). I want her to know who she was. Who I was. Who we were together. I create lots of “sans photo” layouts. No photos. Just words. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to just write. Don’t over-think it. Just say it. Don’t worry about complete sentences. Write like you talk. And write it while you still remember. My daughter says classic things on a daily basis, and it's usually while I'm driving. Whenever she does, I discreetly pick up my cell phone and call my voice mail, repeating what she just said.

What's something most people don't know about you?

A surprising fact about me? There aren’t many. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m passionate about life. I’m passionate about living it. Okay, here’s one. I’m addicted to America’s Next Top Model. But only so I can learn from the photo shoots.