Invisible Friends, our new creative woman of the Pond needs no long, preambling, introduction.  She’s the brilliant Jen from Tater Tots and Jello.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go visit her now.

Let’s learn more about her, shall we?

1) How did you get started blogging?

My sister, Wenderful, had a blog for like a year before I started mine. She kept telling me how much fun blogging and the whole blogging community was. I wasn’t very interested for a long time. Then one day in August I was feeling a little down as a mom, and I thought I’ll just make one and see how it goes. And that’s how it started.

How did you come up with your title/ name?

For some reason the name was just in my head. I wanted to blog about my life, which was mostly about my kids. And the two terms — tatertots and jello– just seemed like something that you don’t really make unless you are making them for your kids. Plus I live in Utah, and Utah is notorious for strange kinds of jello. I just thought it was funny.

2) What does being creative mean to you?

Being creative has always been very important to me. All through school my favorite classes were always art ones. I love learning new things and trying something new. Being creative truly makes me happy.

3) Why do you think it’s important for women to balance creativity in their daily lives?

For me, I would be so sad if I had to live my life without being creative. It is just in my soul, I guess.

4) What kind of creative things do you do every day?

I am always thinking about projects. Sometimes I will dream about ones that I want to try. Everywhere my mind is turning and I am on the lookout for a good idea, something pretty, something different to try, a new technique. Sometimes it is a curse. But most of the time I love it. My kids get sick of me always talking about projects or the blog.

5) Tell me about your family.

Well, I am married to Jeff. We have been married for 20 years this May. It sounds like such a long time! Where did all of the time go!?! In my defense, we did get married young!

6) Favorite food?

I love most types of food, but my favorite is Mexican. I could live on chips and salsa. And in the past few years, I have learned to love sushi too.

7) Favorite song?

Hmmmm, I don’t know. I love music. I listen to it all the time. I think my favorite band right now is Keane but I love U2 and Cold Play.

Do you like to dance?

I do. I haven’t been dancing in a very long time!

9) If you could take a trip with anyone and go anywhere, where would you go and who would you take?

I am dying to go to Italy. I took Latin in high school and I love historical fiction. I read all of the Colleen McCoullagh books about Rome and I would love to see that area of the world. But I also am dying to go to Paris and pretty much anywhere else in Europe. I would love to go there with Jeff and the kids too.

10) What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

My mom has given me some really wonderful gifts. My dad passed away almost 5 years ago and she has given me some of his things. They really mean a lot to me. For Christmas this year she made me a quilt and the top of the quilt is made out of my dad’s fleece jackets. I remember him wearing those so that is something that I will treasure always!

11) What’s your ideal pet?

My dog I have now is pretty ideal. She is a King Charles Spaniel and is just the sweetest dog. She is so gentle with the kids, doesn’t lick, doesn’t bark and just loves attention. She pretty much just lays around all day.

12) There’s an enormous present waiting on the kitchen table for you. What’s in it?

Ohhhhh, I hope it’s a new outfit from Anthropologie and tickets to dinner and a movie. That would be awesome!

13) How did you get started as an artist? What kind of mediums do you like to work in (I know there’s a ton!)?

I took as many art classes as I could all through school. I had an amazing art teacher in high school who really inspired me. She taught me so much. She really got me started on pencil and charcoal drawing. Then recently I took an oil painting class from a wonderful world-renowned artist that lives in my neighborhood. She taught me so much! My next thing I want to do is take a watercolor class. When I go to Europe someday, it is my dream to go around the countryside painting landscapes there. That would be wonderful!

14) What are your favorite things to make?

I love to make pretty much any type of project. I am not great with things that are tedious so those types of things aren’t my favorite, but I will do them to get to the total effect of the project. I love the feeling of finishing something that I love. It’s great!

15) What’s your favorite thing to make and give as a gift?

It depends on the person I am giving it to. I love to think up a present for a person based on what I think they would really enjoy. And I love watching that person open the present and see what I’ve made just for them. That is a great feeling!

What do your children think of your art?

My kids think I’m nuts most of the time. I get caught up in projects and they think I should be paying more attention to them. But I think they secretly are proud that I have something that I love to do.

16) How do you constantly think of new ways to beautify your home?

I think I have ADD – seriously! I get a project done and then I am thinking of what I am going to do next. I get bored with things really fast. I like change. I am always rearranging all of the furniture and the color schemes of all of the rooms.

17) What do you want to achieve with your blog?

You know what– I have struggled since I started my blog with what the purpose is. I started it the blog just for me. I hope maybe I inspire other people to be more creative and try new things.

19) What do you hope people get from your blog?

I hope that I lift people up and are a positive influence on them. I would love to make the world a kinder, nicer, happier place in my own tiny way.

20) Who’s your favorite artist? What inspires you?

I just love Amy Butler. And if you’ve been on my blog, you can probably tell. I love her easy style but the fun, happy energy that she creates through the colors in her fabric. I love her farmhouse style that is coupled with a modern edge. I think she is just a genius.

21) What are your goals with your art?

In terms of art-art, not crafts, I really want to learn more techicques and get better as an artist. I would love to evolve into a more “serious” artist and be able to paint and create art that will last and be passed down someday. That would be amazing!

22) Tell me about your Etsy shop.

I started my etsy shop thinking that I would have all sorts of time to make things. But the reality is that with my four kids and everything that is going on, I really had to choose between the shop and the blog. And for now I chose the blog. I wish I had more time to be able to emake things to put in the shop. I do think that etsy is a genius concept and I love it!

22) What other creative hobbies/ skills do you hope to tackle?

Oh, I have a whole bunch! I talked about wanting to take a watercoloring class. I also want to take a photography class, a Photoshop class, and learn to knit this year. I wish I didn’t have to sleep! I could get so much more done!

23) What do you hope to do in the future with your blog?

I love the social aspect of the blog. I love meeting new people and developing friendships. I just hope to continue the blog and meet more amazing people like you!

24) What’s the favorite thing you’ve ever posted?

I think my girls’ room re-do’s are my favorite. It was so much fun to be able to create those spaces just for them. And have it be a surprise. To see their faces when they walked into the room and how happy it made them. Nothing can compare!

25) Edward or Jacob?

Oh Edward all the way! I love that movie. I could watch it every day. How lame, right?! I can’t wait for Eclipse!

For more about Jen, visit Tatertots and Jello.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a week of whimsy coming up!