20 Questions with Lynnette Penacho
Hey hey Sweet Shoppers! A brand new month is here, and with it the changing of the guard in one of my favorite new spotlights here at SSD, our featured designer highlight. This month, I’m really excited to get to know Lynnette Penacho, better known in the shoppe as Nettio Designs, a little bit better. Lynnette has been part of the Sweet Shoppe family for ages, scrapping as one of our talented SugarBabes and now contributing to the scrumptious goodies you can pick up in the shoppe week after week as one of our designers. Lynnette has always had a signature style that has made her pages jump out of the gallery and I love that you can easily add a bit of her style to your own pages with her amazing line of templates. If you haven’t tried them yet, get ready to be blown away, because her template pack, Circtangular, is your gift FREE with any $10 purchase made in the shoppe between now and August 15th…
Just The Basics
When is your birthday?
I just turned 30 on May 24th.
Do you have a nickname?
Nettio is my husband Adam’s nickname for me. He’s Adamo and I’m Nettio – it’s all very cutesy, haha. The names actually came from an episode of South Park we watched in college where Cartman made a robot named Awesom-o. We were joking around and I dubbed him Adam-o, he dubbed me Nettie-o (short for Lynnette) and the names stuck.
Where did you grow up?
California, specifically the Bay Area/Central Coast area of Northern California. I’m from a small farming town which shares it’s name with a popular teen clothing store, despite there being no tie between the two.
Where do you live now?
Where ever the Army sends us, which happens to be San Antonio, Texas right now. But in the past six years we’ve lived in Seoul, South Korea, Colorado and now Texas. I’m hoping for an Easy Coast move next so I can say I’ve lived in every time major zone in the U.S.
Do you wear glasses or contacts?
I’ve worn contacts since I was in middle school and I refused to wear my glasses full-time. Thankfully my dad had worn contacts for many years so my parents were cool with me getting them. I still remember coming home from the eye doctor when I got them and being amazed that all the green blobs I’d been seeing were actually leaves on trees.
What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
Strong margaritas and good craft beer.
Where would you go for your dream vacation?
Australia. Adam and I are currently saving up in hopes of going for our 10th wedding anniversary in a few years.
What’s your pet peeve?
Drivers on cell phones. And drivers who think “hands-free” means putting your phone on speaker and holding it…in their hand. Seriously, your call is no where near important enough for you to block traffic because you’re driving 20mph on the freeway and don’t realize it.
If you dyed your hair, what color would you dye it?
I haven’t had my true natural color since I was 18 so I always have some kind of highlights or dye going on. Right now it’s an auburn-y brown with caramel highlights.
Right or Lefty?
Lefty. I’m the only lefty in my family. I’m pretty sure that makes me extra awesome, haha.
Inside The Artist’s Studio
What’s your best selling product ever?
My best selling product here at Sweet Shoppe Designs is my Instagram-inspired templates, Photogram 2×2.
How would you describe your design style?
Clean & modern with a paper-lovin’ twist.
Do you scrapbook too or just design? If you scrapbook, share your favorite layout. If you don’t, do you wish you did?
I’ve always considered myself a scrapbooker first, designer second, which is why I like designing templates because I can use them for my own layouts. It’s always tough for me to choose a favorite but this page is one of my favorites I’ve done this year. The photos, design and story are all very much me.
Is there another designer you look up to? Someone you “want to be when you grow up”.
I’ve always been a huge admirer of Ali Edwards. I love her clean and modern approach to storytelling and the way she’s crafted a brand that encompasses such a wide variety of formats (blogging, classes, digital & physical products) but still stays true to her personal style.
What do you look for in your creative team members?
I’m always on the lookout for awesome, creative and adventurous scrapbookers who aren’t afraid to take my templates and really make them their own. For me design is as much about design skills as it is about crafting a personal style. And of course, you have to have a personality that fits well with me and my team.
Food For Thought
When was the last time you tried something new?
A few years ago I chose “adventure” as my one little word for the year and since then I’ve pretty much made it a habit to regularly try new things, whether it’s a new food, new skill or whatever. It’s not always comfortable but it definitely keeps life interesting because you never know when that new thing will end up turning into an old fave.
What’s your favorite quote?
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
What’s one downside of the modern day world?
Being connected 24-7. Not only can it be a huge source of distraction for an info-junkie like me but the expectation and pressure to stay connected all the time is so much higher now. Especially when running an online business, it can feel like your time is never really your own.
What is the biggest obstacle that stands in your way right now?
Time management. I’m not the best at detailed planning so trying to keep my procrastination and perfectionist tendencies in check while managing everything can be a struggle at times.
Are you more like your mom or your dad? In what way?
I like to think I’m a pretty good blend of them both. I get my more artistic & crafty side from my mom and my tech-lovin’ side from my computer engineer dad.
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Now that you’ve gotten to know Lynnette a bit better, take a peek at some of her favorite products, and don’t forget you can pick up her whimsical and fun template pack, Circtangular, FREE with ANY $10 purchase made in the shoppe between now and August 15th!
