Resume

Cheryl S. Ashcraft
Digital Layout Artist and Digital Template Designer

 I am currently a stay-at-home mom with a previous career as a certified legal assistant. I have always been interested in crafts, but as a new mother, that translated into traditional paper scrapbooking. I was a paper scrapbooker for 10 years, and have been designing digital layouts since August 2008.  In addition to creating digital layouts, I began designing digital templates in February 2010 under the name Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs. My template designs can be found exclusively at Sweet Shoppe Designs.

I currently create digital layouts for these amazing designers:

Erica Zane @ Sweet Shoppe Designs
ForeverJoy Designs @ The Lilypad
Kristin Cronin-Barrow @ Sweet Shoppe Designs
Simple Pleasure Designs @ Sweet Shoppe Designs
Studio Basic @ Sweet Shoppe Designs
Laura Wilkerson @ Sweet Shoppe Designs
Lorie Davison @ OScraps
Traci Reed Designs @ Sweet Shoppe Designs

Contributor:

Staff Writer for My Scrapbook Art (site closed)

Staff Writer for Digi Shop Talk (former contributor - site closed)

Recognized and Featured:

Digi Shop Talk 2008 Scrapper's Choice Award Winner ~ Best Use of DST Gold Member Kit (site closed)

My Scrapbook Art Ultimate Artist Contest Winner December 2009 (site closed)

Digi Scrap Addicts 2010 Scrapoff Winner January 2010 (site closed)

ScrapMatters Queen of Scrap 2010 Winner June 2010 (site closed)

Podcast Guest for The Daily Digi, Digi Scrap Geek, and A Creative Approach

Gallery Standouts at various sites and blogs

Gallery Standouts Blog, showcasing some of the most outstanding digital scrapbooking layouts posted in the galleries, almost every single day:

2024:


This is always such a difficult choice to make! All of the layouts chosen are simply amazing, but I kept being drawn back to Healing is Messy by Cheryl Ashcraft. I love all the ways she has used the word strips and photo! Such gorgeous layers and stunning color combinations. Such a powerfully creative layout!





What a great way to express her emotions! I believe we can all relate to what’s written here—it’s beautifully done. The photo strips and frames layered on top of her photo, along with all the papers and embellishments, are perfectly placed. I hope she continues to heal and come out stronger on the other side.




Finger Pointing - September 16, 2024

This is a complete jaw dropper. And that’s what I did. I’m even having a hard time to come up with words. First, everything goes together perfectly. Second, even though there is so much to look at it has been placed in a good flow and it draws you in. Do you ever look at a piece of artwork and think, “that’s what I want to do when I grow up!”?




Finger Pointing - August 29, 2024

I absolutely love this page from Cheryl. The element clustering is absolutely amazing. Plus I love her use of paper. And the black & white photo goes so well with the warm Autumn colors.





The first page that caught my eye was “You + Me” by gonewiththewind. Love the colors, layering and the repeated photo!




I love seeing designers scrap, it’s always nice to see what they create. I love Cheryl’s amazing shadows (as always) and the fantastic layers. The colour palette is so cheerful and suits her pool day photos. The little tickets and labels scattered around holding her journaling are a great idea, I need to remember this.





Starting with Oh Heavens! by gonewiththewind. I know here we are all about the scrapper and the page, but when you get people like Cheryl, who is the full package, a fabulous scrapper, an amazing designer of templates that can rock any style, and a person so inspiring in any level….(I’m sure I am not the only one who has been lifted by her many, many times!!!!) who has created an equally beautiful and talented daughter that is following her steps and is rocking the designs, and you get a combo of mother and daughter talents in a page…..well, this NEEDS to be highlighted. The marvellous combo of patterns, the choices of elements beautifully put together in perfection layering, killer shadows and the presence of her beautiful self in an awesome black & white portrait to balance the whole thing….well… PURE AWESOME!




Finger Pointing - April 28, 2023

Another fabulous designer who scraps, and one who shares with us her making of the pages….a VERY favorite of mine and I am sure she needs no introduction, plus I wont speak about my love for her or we will be here till next week LOL, but I know you know her and agree, she is the amazing hand that creates the Fiddle Dee Dee Designs products , Cheryl aka gonewiththewind with Ocean Child.  The way she creates spaces in the page, the absolutely fabulous clusters,  the amazing photos and her choices of elements, with a mixture of textures and elegance all over, plus the most perfect shadows….. Pure.Awesome!




2022:

Finger Pointing - July 24, 2022

I’m always in awe of Cheryl’s layouts.  She is absolutely the best at mixing all the patterned papers together and it always works.  I love all the use of the bold colors mixed in with the paints .  The little tag/word art cluster is pretty fab and then rounded out completely with the gorgeous black and white photos!




Finger Pointing - June 3, 2022

I love this patterned background and Cheryl scrapped it so beautifully.  All her gorgeous clusters that accent those gorgeous black and white photos also create more depth on this fabulous background paper.  I also love the different paper pieces that are used to create the mat for the photos.




Finger Pointing - May 16, 2022

I love the predominantly neutral background as it makes the all the layers and colors just pop.  This is another layout that captures some great personality!  Love the use of the black and white photo!





Another immense talent, gonewiththewind (you may best know her as the creative genius of Fiddle Dee Dee Designs) with Breathe. I can be here for hours telling you of the love and admiration I feel for this lady, but I’m sure at least an 80% of this industry feels the same way. The page gives me a mixture of feelings for a number of reasons, one is that I know that feeling well, as I know many of us who find solace in our creativity probably do, when you fight with a body that refuses to cooperate, when life becomes harder and we still need to carry on… so much present in the page, and I think this is the very first time I see a photo of Cheryl without a smile…and isn’t the mask that is covering…those eyes speak a language many of us know well….and still, with all her talent, she transforms all that into the most beautiful piece of art, and a message that helps each and everyone of us who feel that way so many times…. the beauty of every every bit of the composition, the mixture of doodles with more corporeal elements, a soft background that grows with stamps and little bits in scatters, the beautiful word strips, then the strength of that picture cemented with the black and white….but softens by great pieces of nature, layered and surrounding it are flowers, hearts and butterflies…. once again, that incredible power we have been given with our scrapping…we transform the not so beautiful, the hard facts, feelings, events that have nothing of beauty…into a marvellous piece of art. And I wish I could give more than words here….





All her pages are a standout, actually, she IS a standout herself. Her galleries are full of gems, if you don’t know her as a scrapper, you may as the creative talent behind Fiddle Dee Dee Designs. I’m sure her templates have given many of us foundation to some of our most amazing pages. I found so much joy in finding this, as Cheryl is like my sister in law was, a giver, a warm soul that, even fighting life herself, always has a way to heal ours…I’m sure many, many of us in the industry have experienced the power of her creations AND the marvellous soul she is… I had made myself a promise that this year I would try not to write about the artist beyond the page, but today, and with these lady?  I find it almost impossible, the page itself gives way to my pouring my heart. This is not just a beautiful visual marvel, but a truthful portrait of someone so talented, so creative and inspiring, words feel short.  Here is her beautiful self, in a photo using a mosaic overlay done with all the layouts she made in 2011 (I think it is, unless my sight tricks me, I’m reading 2011). To make her even more beautiful, a mixture of textures and colors co-habit in perfect harmony. There is dynamic in the composition, the perfection of those shadows, the attention to detail all over the page…. absolutely amazing, as she is.





Ok, so I am a BIG fan of Cheryl’s templates and her layouts always make me gasp with delight. I just LOVE the layering here and how it is essentially monochrome with red highlights. The use of multiple labels to hold the small amount of journaling is a lovely idea. The shadow work on the heart is just so perfect! I am a fan of big titles and the one here a fantastic use of alphas, especially as it keeps to the monochrome theme.









Oh my gosh, how stunning is this page!! I have been a fan of Cheryl’s scrapping for as long as I can remember and layouts like this are exactly the reason why! The background paper is gorgeous and her cluster work is beyond beautiful! I love all the different colors and how perfectly they all work together. Amazing design and such a beautiful photo! I adore everything about this page!




I’m always in awe of artists who can pull off a diagonal design like I am a Story Teller by gonewiththewind. I love how the black and white image is adorned either side by a pretty range of dainty elements while the floral borders adds to the feminine look of this page. Beautiful!




Another moving page is Not My Best Day by gonewiththewind. This page created a rush of feelings for me. Since I scrap to capture memories, this reminded me that I should document both the good and bad parts of life. Very moving page!!!



2020:


Now, jumping from the minimalist again to the fearless (indeed) energy and talent of a lady I am sure we all know and admire, we all delight with her heart and generosity, and with her creations that allow us to be a bit of the artist she herself is: Be Fearless by gonewiththewind. You may know Cheryl as the wonderful creative mind behind Fiddle Dee Dee Designs, and I am sure she has provided so many of us with her creativity to start our pages from her own talent…. and in here my heart sings in so many scales, I know I will need to keep this short, so I ll move o n to this marvelous perfection of a page: The beauty of a full page coming from such a creative talent makes the whole thing impressive, , there is a fabulous background of magic, with so much to discover from the profile of the feminine to the photography of her mother’s heart, her beautiful daughter , surrounded by the most perfect pieces on telling a story, if ever in our industry the term “dressed Up” fitted a style, most certainly is with Cheryl’s pages and this one takes the crown!!!!! With all my heart, hope you are doing well, my friend, this is so so very beautiful!!!! (as are you!)




Next up is Love My Life by gonewiththewind! Oh my gosh, just look at all that beautiful color!! So much gorgeousness in this page! I love all the beautiful paints and the fabulous tilted papers! Her cluster work is simply amazing and I am in awe of all the little details. Absolutely perfect shadow work as well. Such a beautifully scrapped page!



2019:


I am such a fan of Cheryl’s work and have been for so many years. She is such an amazing scrapper! How gorgeous is that cluster of flowers and leaves?! The mix of colors and textures is absolutely fabulous and I love the contrast between that and the bare trees of Autumn. Her paper layers are so beautifully done and I adore the word strips and stamped date!




Last but not least we have This Is The Good Life by gonewiththewind. I do have to admit, I am a sucker for this color combination!!! I love the warm, autumnal colors, but throw in that hint of blue and it just sends it over the top!!! Love all the clustering details too!!!




It may be a bit premature to begin thinking about Christmas but this bright, colorful layout grabbed my attention immediately when I spied it in the gallery. I like the stacked paper circles behind the photos. There is a lot going on here but the page is still cohesive. I like the mix of fonts and alphas and the way the subtitle is placed on the curve of the circles. The scribbles, string and scatters wrap things up nicely.




Starting off boldly is Note to Self by gonewiththewind. This layout not only reminds me that I must take more selfies but that I must go off the beaten track with my page designs every once in a while. I love the funkiness, the series of fun photo’s and quite simply, just how eye catching this is! A terrific page!




2018:


This page is so incredibly pretty. That photo is amazing and I love that she used the space on the photo for her title work. The yellows, blues and greens are gorgeous together. I love the doodled border and that great watercolor camera drawing your attention to the little tags with the details of the page. Her clustered elements and paint work and all the little details on the page work so very well together!




If you have been a reader for a while, you know about my huge love for designers who scrap…in this case, that love goes even further because not only she gives us a free master class with her “watch Cheryl Scrap” videos, but also her designs allow us to shine with her talent in her templates. She is an inspiration go me (and so many of us, I am sure) in many more ways than just scrapbooking, each page is the perfect definition of memory keeping, as you can see in this all over marvel! Being a travel addict, I love this even more! There is here each and every detail of what makes a scrapbook page a perfect record with style, beauty and technique, the two photos balanced with the sizes, the travel elements so beautifully chosen and placed, the inclusion of the tickets and all over shadows that make you want to reach to touch, and as if that all was not enough, there is this awesome tittle with combined alphas, the wire ones in the bottom, and the journaling with the perfect font… everything becoming the perfect definition of the most amazing memory keeping!!!!




Last but, especially in this case, never- ever -ever! least, My Favorite Story About Us by gonewiththewind: I’m quiet sure Cheryl doesn’t need an introduction, but in case you are not too familiar, you may also know her as Fiddle Dee Dee, and she is one awesome story teller, doing so through words or composition, elements or lines, paper layers galore or …well, whatever style you can think of , she mastered it, and this page, so full of love, memories and delightful elegance just makes my heart fill with joy. Love the kind of Kraft paper in the background, the contrast that makes with not only the photos but with those ripped papers scrap, the bits and pieces scattered as i carelessly but each in the perfect place, the layering of word arts that assert and re assert the always present love, no page more qualified to close this , it will stay with me inspiring in so many ways!!!!!!!



2017:


Up next is this beauty titled 1st Anniversary by gonewiththewind. Absolutely LOVE the design and everything that is going on here! And like the layout above, I adore the kraft background. The painterly touches beneath everything really adds the perfect touch.




This layout by Gonewiththewind is so well balanced and so well done. I really love how she used the same photo of her beautiful kids each month. What a great way to document their relationship and their changes over a year period. The fact also, that this is a template made by Cheryl herself, is outstanding. The placement of the elements and the shadows are a standout in itself. Love everything about this!



2016:


Classy, Sassy & a bit Smart Assy by Cheryl aka gonewiththewind aka Fiddle Dee Dee Designs, who is the beautiful lady herself here portrayed in the page!!! Those photos alone are a gallery stand out with capital letters, the template (which was created by her too!!!) a delight, the pieces, the colors she used are all in such perfect harmony… everything in the page is perfect, every detail comes together with the next and make this page into a total awesome one!!!!




I love seeing traditions documented in our scrapbook albums! In my family, like Cheryl’s, making pumpkin pies is a ritual performed several times over each fall. You can never make just one and trying to get that crust perfectly browned is an art. This is a wonderful story to have recorded for future generations who will, I’m sure, also have fond memories of baking with family at the holidays. I love the sequence of photos to tell the story, the tilted and stacked frames, the tucked bits and the “dripping pie filling”. It’s fun to Watch Cheryl Scrap it, too!




The vibrant mix of colours attracted my attention to I’ve Got This by gonewiththewind. I love the horizontal design and use of colour in different forms here, the strips of colour, the embellishments and the splatters, all grounded perfectly by the darker shade of brown/black. The layering is beautifully done in such a way that the black and white photo shines through and the word strips compliment the journaling tag and add great interest. A lovely piece of work!




It was an inspired choice to scrap with a photo taken from this perspective, standing behind the subject. But it works so well for this story, she’s watching her daughter walk forward, moving toward her goals and aspirations.  It’s our job as parents to watch them move away from us and see it as positive growth. For me, the paint echoes clouds and the knowledge that the sky is the limit.




Joy by gonewiththewind is simply gorgeous! There are so many clusters of elements surrounding the photo that really draw the eye in. The black and white close-up is perfect and truly pops with all the bright colors on this page. I love how the top paper is lifted from the striped background. Great brush work and the simple title just works.




Now my next two pages were something EXTREMELY difficult to decide….. you see, they come of an event called the Calvin Ball, which is a month of scrapping at Get It Scrapped which is an educational site. The goal of the Calvin Ball is to get you to scrap… no prizes, no fierce competition but the joy of seeing your photos or thoughts & feelings scrapped, and there being no affiliation with a particular store makes it for an amazingly gorgeous page galore…so you can imagine my heart break at having to close down tabs… First one I have for you is Home Sweet Home by gonewiththewind, another one of my super idols for so many reasons, one of the most amazing scrappers we have the blessing to have in this industry. She is an awesome story teller, be that on her full on pages, tons of photos, amazing clusters, super layering, but also in the every other way, like it shows in this amazing page.. the photo is of an amazingly welcome home, and her addition of elements makes it so that speaks even louder. I couldn’t read what the tag says because my computer was pixelating when zooming in, but anything that is written will only be an affirmation of the page tittle and the feeling it brings us… gorgeous, absolutely amazing page!!!!




Read & Escape by gonewiththewind: Another awesome memory keeper, with an awesome page in every way possible and also coming into the line of keeping our story known for the ones coming across them in the future. This makes me want to go straight out to scrap some of my childhood and teens stories…  the page composition is gorgeous, the photo something close to my house living room (thank goodness for E-Readers these days!!) wonderful layering, love the pieces she chosen of elements, that tag tucked under the photo, the shadows are impressive….and the journaling that is priceless… as if wasn’t enough show of talent and inspiration, she shares with us in a video the scrapping of the page….. (you can get the link in the page description, just click on the LO name high-lit here!) the journaling is also transcribed in the page description….  awesome awesome and more awesome!!!!!!



2015:


Great composition, so many amazing details to look at. I feel giddy when I see this page as I am loving all the bits and pieces of it. It was so hard for me to read the journaling though I love everything about the page. Love the touch of red flower, vine and papers and the elements on the side.




WOW!! I just love the stunning cluster work and layering showcased so beautifully on this page! The colours from the fun selfie photo have been pulled into the page so perfectly! I*heart* the mix of elements here, from the flowers to varied papers, the acrylic number, paint, stamping and glitter, there is so much to find and admire! I also really love the word strips, word arts and quotes scattered around the page! xx



2014:


The paper just makes that photo pop! The alignments are perfect- notice how the title points right to the eye? Excellent move. I also love how she’s used the arrows to add in more photos. It’s so clever! Also, the little bits and elements add the perfect amount of polish to the page.




Sandy Toes by gonewiththewind: I’m quite sure most of you know this talented lady: she is the gifted mind of Fuss Free- Fiddle Dee Dee- Not always I come across her own pages, but when I do, it is guaranteed to be amazing & I’m sure you will agree with me. The beach, the sun, sand castles, everything comes together in so much fun with the super colorful background, an amazingly beautiful page!!!



2013:


SMART little inventor by gonewiththewind  Love the photos on this page!  So cute.  There are really great details, like the stitched down title and layering of elements.




Not only do I love this page, I love the photos.  The magnifying glass really magnifies the photo (nice touch) and the photo of the back of the camera is one of those shots we see everyday but don’t document.  I love it!




Oh, I can so relate to this, spelling errors and such. Fun page with the word art and the blocked design.




Today Always Forever by gonewiththewind I don´t know what I love more here because there´s so much to see! Perfect photos and details and perfect colors! Love the word arts and arrows!!




So in heart with the repeating circles.  Do you see them?  The magnifying glass, the wheel, the paper circle.  So very clever.  I am of course over the moon with this kit and Cheryl did an amazing job (as usual) showing it off.




2012:


First I have to say that this page is SO what I’d love to do today! But I’m on diet, so let’s not think about it! lol I love the clustering here! All photos with a lot of wordarts and elements! This is SO cool!! (now I have to try to forget about those fries! thanks, girls! LOL)




This one made me laugh, basically because I have SOOOOOOO been there. If school doesn’t start soon (it starts tomorrow), I’m on the fast train to Crankyville myself.  Great photos, great layering, and I always appreciate a good self-deprecating layout.  People who can laugh at themselves are just the best.




I love all the titled angles here, it adds such dynamism to this page and echoes the tumbling dice element too! A perfect Vegas page!




I really love this layout for the fact that nothing is quite as expected – the shapes are a bit wonky, the colors are cool, and the font is a bit jumbled and really fun.  I just think it’s fabulous, because of course, it IS.




Funniest  photos ever! Did I mention I’m jealous? How can Cheryl take all these awesome pics???
Every time I pick up my camera my daughters simply run as fast as they can! LOL Love the shadow work and the clustering here too!!!




The vintage photo treatments and strong page composition make this page very successful. I love the balance of feminine touches with fun teenage pics. Well crafted!



2011:


Love, love, love the design here! Gorgeous photos and those circles are just perfect! Love how she scattered tiny flowers through the page, a great touch even for a boy page!




There is such  feeling of crispness here that provides the perfect counterpoint to all of the patterns. The details are amazing, especially the fun palm tree cluster. So creative!




This is such a  beautiful, elegant celebration layout. I love the vintage effect from the buntings as well as the sparklers with the title work. Delightful!




This one made me go WOW! The subdued background is the perfect backdrop for that amazing cluster that jumps right out of the page! Nothing but fabulous!




I had to pick a royal wedding page didn’t I?! It is required! I just loooved this one!! I think every girl grows up with princess dreams. I love her journaling and I am determined to keep my princess dreams too….though they are a bit different dreams now.




I love the soft, dreamy colors of this page. I love all the details here: the word strips, the patterned papers, the clustered elements. Perfect design.




I absolutely love the layered mix of colors and patterns here. Everything really pops against the neutral cardstock. So so stunning.



I don’t know where to start looking or where to end, my eyes go all over the page, absorbing everything over and over again. There are so many details and accents and the big journaling is fantastic.



Finger Pointing -February 11, 2011)

This is gorgeous! I love the depth and how it feels so much like a real journal page. Fab use of colors and elements here and I love that quote she used. Perfection!



Finger Pointing - January 11, 2011)

This page is so fun and girly. I love the doodle-y elements and the layering here. Fantastic!



2010:


This is elegant and magical at the same time. The perfect shadowing on that wooden background makes it extra special.




This feels so real, I want to reach out and grab that frame! Great clustering and shadow work.




Another page that makes my heart go pitter patter, the softness and seemingly randomly used elements, the lace next to some grunge, all so fabulous!




I think we can all relate to this page. Love love that she took the time to scrap this.




How fun is this layout?  I think the photo is perfection and the element choices are wonderful. 




This is a paper scrap lover’s dream… in digi of course.   LOVE all of the strips of paper and ‘papery’ feel to this layout.




Pink and gray are one of my most fave color combos! I just love it!!! It’s the perfect contrast I think. This page is amazingly creative and really standouts!







WOW!!  Love this, it has a hodgepodge feel where everything is out of place, but isn’t.  Gorgeous designwork!




A page full of sunshine! Such a lovely photo and all the sun flares are just fabulous.




Love this…the shadowing on the chunkier elements, the photo, the title.  Perfect.




I was stopped dead in my tracks on this page.  LOVE! The vintage feel and the elements take this page to another time.  SO perfect for those fun easter egg hunting pictures!




The killer post-processing on the photo, beautifully detailed element work and overall organic feel here really made this layout. Just stunning!




Great use of symbolism here.  Not a LO about music but about what she has composed through her scrapbook and art.  Visually stunning.




Another bucket list (I couldn’t resist showing them both!) and another incredible collage of hopes, dreams and aspirations.




Guy pages are few and far between in the galleries so when one shows up, it totally grabs my attention. This page is stunning! Love the blending and repeated photo.




What a great scrap page. Her photos really pop here. Awesome shadow work too!




Such a pretty page – lovely colours, lovely processing on the photo and wonderful shadow work.




Wow!  Great photo, great colors, great composition. It just jumps out in the gallery.




This is so pretty!  Purple for a boy layout isn’t conventional but works so nicely here.  I appreciate how much thought went into the shadow work, she really paid attention to the highlights on all the elements and rotated and shadowed accordingly.




Colourful, collagey, arty fun! This reminds me so much of my student sketchbooks.



2009:


This layout really stood out amongst the Christmas pages in the galleries with its fresh colours! I love the natural organic feel this has, the swirly wire across the page is just perfect.




I might have actually gasped out loud when I saw this layout pop up in the gallery. Isn’t it stunning?  Everything was chosen perfectly.  Even the font matches the feel of the layout.




Another page with a great diagonal flow to it, and another page with journalling I can really relate to – I love seeing that pile of books waiting for me too. I love the eclectic assortment of goodies she used here, just perfect for the theme.




I’m in love with this layout.  The layering of papers, the scattering of elements and the bold black accents.  And yet the photo remains the focus.




I love the combination of the bold prints and the white background here. Everything just pops and really draws the eye to the page.




Awesome layering and great use of elements, she did it again! This girls knows how to rock her pages!




Here is another 9-11 layout that is just as moving as the previous but so different. I love the symbolism and imagery here. It’s so emotional.




I love the repetition of the photos here and the way the design flows through the page.




Great flow created with the “bridge” between the photos, the layering is awesome, the photos perfect for this kit, very fun page!




This is such a sweet page. I love the photos and how they are framed. Also love the selection of elements and how they relate to the photos.




Oh so creative how she used the ladder. You almost see the love ‘growing’, this page has a nice soft look. Great shadowing too!




love love love how this looks like 2 real pages out of a paper scrapbook. so touchable.




I love how the bold colors and patterns in this really made it pop from the gallery. There are so many fun little details in this that I’m sure I could look and look and still see something new everytime. Love it.




The shadows!! I just wanted to reach out and touch this very tropical page.



2008:























Featured in the following publications:

The Artisan Notebook (stopped publication in 2013)

Digital Artist Magazine (stopped publication in 2010)

Everyday Storyteller Volume 1


Layout Art:

You can also view all my layouts here on my blog or on Pinterest as well.

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