For this Silhouette Spotlight, we’d like to introduce you to Laura, the designer behind Sweet Afton. She’s originally from Georgia but has been living in a farmhouse in North Carolina with her husband and 10-month-old daughter for the last several years.
Laura has been a part of the Silhouette design team for a long time and has over 3,300 designs in the Silhouette Design Store. “Many years ago when the Silhouette product line was part of the QuicKutz brand, I was a product designer and developer for QuicKutz. In addition to working on their cutting dies, I also designed and developed products for the Silhouette brand. In fact, some of the first digital designs offered in the newly developed design store were created by me. So, you could say I’ve been on the design team from the very beginning! After Silhouette broke out on their own, I continued to design for the Silhouette Design Store under my business name, Sweet Afton.”
Design ID #152188
We asked Laura what her style was when it came to her designs, and she said she’s a crafting and creative enthusiast when it comes to parties and entertaining. “I have been planning my 10-month-old daughter’s first birthday party since she was 4 months old!” What’s more, though, is that Laura always tries to learn and take on challenges that stretch her creatively. That’s how you know she’s a true artist!
Design IDs #100741, 101681, 95124, 100756
Laura’s most popular designs in the Design Store are her hand-lettered phrases or alphabet designs, particularly because they work so well with Silhouette’s vinyl and heat transfer material. However, Laura enjoys creating all kinds of things for other people. “I love taking trends and adapting them to the craft industry in a way that provides creators with the tools they need to live their most creative lives. I think we are all born to create, and I know crafting brings so much joy to myself and others.”
Just like most artists, Laura experiences creative blocks sometimes, but she does what she can to overcome them. “When I am feeling a creative block I find that stepping away from my work and spending time outside or somewhere creative, such as a museum or boutique shop, helps the creative juices to start flowing again. I also love talking to other creative people. I find their talents, ideas, and examples of hard work inspiring.”
For those who are interested in doing what Laura does, Laura says to be “willing to learn from others and taking any criticism as a chance for growth important.”
Design IDs #78104, 116715, 129338, 180757
If you haven’t already done so, check out Laura’s designs through her business Sweet Afton by browsing the Design Store and her Instagram account. Maybe you’ll get hit with some inspiration yourself!