Paulo Lapuz, Graphic Designer

Name 3 things in your fridge on a regular basis.
Cheese (in different varieties), Frozen Vegetables, and “Naked Cutlets” (Fake Chicken Cutlets).

What’s the strangest listing in the directory of your cell phone?
Denny’s! It’s not really safe to know you can order on the phone for pickup and have one that is five minutes away.

Name the top 5 musicians/groups you have been listening to lately.
Death Cab for Cutie, The Fray, Gregory and the Hawks, Sufjan Stevens and Switchfoot.

What TV series do you record?
Honestly, I haven’t recorded anything from the television since I was in high school. If I did though it would definitely be Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty or anything from the Disney Channel!

Describe your favorite shoes.
I can’t say I necessarily have favorite shoes, but I love the classic Converse All-Stars Lo-Top in the traditional black and white, just like our “Classic Black.” It’s slightly punk, partly emo, a bit collegiate, a touch of vintage preppy and a whole lot of comfortable city bohemian edge. It works with so many looks. You can even wear it with a suit! (No, really! I saw it on GQ once!)

Do you cook? What’s your specialty?
I LOVE to cook. I don’t know if I have a specialty but I definitely like to experiment. I follow several schools of thought in cooking, but I a firm believe in the whole semi-homemade movement. I was following it even before it was popular. And I like to experiment with all sorts of vegetarian food alternatives.

Peanut butter and
jelly. Is there anything else?

Most influential book?
The Bible.

Favorite book?
I’m currently searching for a copy of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde.

What’s hanging on the walls of your workspace?
Work calendar and employee phone list. Nothing fun OR fancy.

What do you like on your pizza?
I love mushrooms and olives.

When I’m stressed I want to…
eat everything I can get my hands.

My favorite paper craft projects are…
anything that uses paper with fun patterns or designs.

Last job BEFORE I got into crafting/current “real” job in addition to Luxe.
My current “real” job is as a Graphic Designer for a publishing company in Southern California.

I grew up in (home town).
Manila, Philippines and Long Beach, California.

The first thing I do when I have a creative project is…
write a creative brief (or at least I try to). It helps in categorizing all the information I need to make informed decisions on whatever project I’m working on, specifically in relation to graphic design. As far as just regular crafting, I try to look at all the materials I can use and work from there.

I collect…
Apple products? LOL. Well, I try to get at least two postcards from airports/cities to which I’ve been.

Essential non-Luxe craft products:
X-acto knives, a bone folder, an 18 inch metal ruler, a self-healing cutting mat (the real kind, not the hard hobby imitation ones), PVC Adhesive, and a good inkjet printer.

Favorite Luxe line & why.
Currently, I’ll have to say Polo Shirt. …But I maybe a little bit biased. Those patterns just work so well for many different applications.

What was your first paying job?
Babysitting. I love kids!

Tattoos & piercings?
None. I’m a good Christian boy!

What’s your favorite karaoke tune?
Currently it’s “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray. Gotta love YouTube karaoke.

Where do you shop most often? Where is your special place to shop?
Definitely Gap.com or American Eagle Outfitters where they actually have XS (a rarity in men’s clothing). And I love South Coast Plaza in Orange County. Yes, Orange County as in “The O.C.”

How do you order your Starbucks?
Well, I love the Caramel Macchiatto and order it with Soy Milk, or the Shaken Iced Green Tea Lemonade that’s sweetened.

Name your top 5 places you spend time on the internet?
MySpace, MySpace, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and oh yeah, MySpace.

Who’s your favorite “professional” crafter & why?
I’ve been in love with Cathy Zielske for more than a year now. As a graphic designer, I love how she spreads good taste and design sense. And I’ll always be a sucker for that Martha. I plan to take over for her one day.

What color cardstock do you use the most?
I definitely use white cardstock the most in all its glory. Not garish. Not gawdy. It’s simply understated and chic.

What do you buy a lot of? {craft related}
Definitely X-acto blades. As a graphic designer, I was always taught the basic one cut, one blade rule. Of course, I get a little more use out of each, but I make sure to replace it very often. I always buy the No. 11 in the 100 pack box.

Desert Island movies?
Chicago, Garden State, Pieces of April, Empire Records, Moulin Rouge and Legally Blonde 1 & 2.

Guilty Pleasure movies?
View from the Top, Legally Blonde 1 & 2, Never Been Kissed, The Parent Trap, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion.