March 2011 Monthly Challenge

[Suz Gray (craftsuz)]

 

It's March... are you ready for some challenges?  February flew by at lightening speed didn't it.  I know we're all so busy in our lives & scrapping takes a back seat at times.  I hope you will make time this month to scrap some of the photos you've taken & capture the memories.  Here's a few challenges to help you do that.

 

So lets get started... remember your layout / project only needs to fall into one of these categories (but can of course fall into multiple if you wish), and it is best if you talk us through some of your creative choices. This way we get to see how you have used your design skills to create your own personal masterpiece. This helps all our other members learn from your expertise, and will also help you understand more about the way you scrapbook - which of course helps with your future projects.

 

1.  CIRCLES, CIRCLES, EVERYWHERE - many of us have a love affair with this shape & if you've been following Paperclipping for more than a minute you know Noell is one of those people.  In this post she shared a tutorial how to make an inexpensive yet eye catching border element using patterned papers & circle punches.  For this challenge use circles on your project

 

Here's an example I made with lots of circle elements.  The painted "circles" around the large circle were made with a pencil eraser then outlined.  Lynx is thinks he is a model & poses for pictures.

 

2. COLOR PALLET INSPIRATION - Color plays a huge role in setting the tone for your layout or project.  We've heard Noell talk over the years about color bringing energy to a page & even helping to tell the story of your photo.  Noell had 2 posts last month about Color Schemes (here & here).  Storing scraps in a tray together brings many unexpected color combinations & is Noell's favorite way to be inspired.  For this challenge share with us a project AND where you found the inspiration for the color scheme.

 

For this page the colors were inspired by a 1950's kitchen.  I always loved the turquoise kitchen one of my great aunt's had - the pink & green were her towel colors.  To me these colors seem fresh & clean - sort of like a new relationship (ok stop the psych 101 Suz).  So thanks Aunt Bessie for inspiring me.

 

3.  BEFORE... YOU FORGET - In this episode of Paperclipping Round Table Noell, Izzy & the gang shared how easy it is to forget the little details of everyday life.  Even those "huge" things as a child's first words which we swear we will remember forever can easily be forgotten.  For this challenge let's journal those memories & get them recorded on a page or mini album.

 

This could have been an easily forgotten memory that I wanted to remember always... yes I tell my sons who are in their 20's this story every Christmas - can you imagine the eyes rolling lol

4.  US TOGETHER - Didn't you love the Valentine's Day post where Noell shared about her relationship with Izzy here?  Many of us don't scrap about ourselves very often.  Take this chance to create a project about your "honey" so you can remember this point in your lives together.

 

My hubby knows if I get a good photo of us together it's going to end up as a scrapbook page so he joked around the entire time well little did he know that I would use the photo anway (insert here -Dr. Evil laugh)

5.  NEW PRODUCTS - Can I just say WOW & Thank You to Noell & Izzy for the coverage of CHA Winter!  Noell wrote a blog post helping us to not get overwhelmed by all the "stuff" here.  That was like an instruction manual for watching the upcoming massive amount of video posts that really helped me make "better decisions" on my must haves.  Now the products are hitting the stores have you bought any?  For this challenge create using some new products.

 

Post your creations here (by replying to this discussion) before midnight (pacific time) March 31st. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and don't forget that you can enter up to three projects into the challenge!

Post your layouts to this thread using the photo attachment at the top instead of the attach file buttons below your comment box.  It makes it easier for everyone to see your work without clicking on links

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Join us for Paperclipping's monthly scrapbook challenge. Check it out at http://bit.ly/e6j1vH

If you have any questions, Suz, Kristyn and myself would love to hear from you, (You will have to add us as a friend to chat with us in this forum) and if you are new there is a rules thread you can look here

 

 

 

[noellhyman]

Love your pages, Suz! Thank you making this month's challenges!

[LeAnne Spetch]

Challenge #3 entry

 

It makes me really happy to have these stories documented. If I had not written them down two years ago, I would have only had some generic "you really liked these for awhile" journaling and none of my son's personality in the page.

I used a Studio Calico kit for this layout and limited myself to mainly what was in it. Since I only had one sheet of each paper, I had to be creative. I was originally going to have the two side be identical but then thought that I would split the title across the top left page with the pictures lower and across the bottom right with the pictures higher on the page and wanted the top pictures to line up with the blue wave paper. For them both to line up I would have to stager the strips, so I just flipped the right side. I ended up changed the title placement so that "animal" would line up on the blue paper and highlight it a bit and this change my picture placement somewhat. I used the animal stickers to highlight the theme of the books and make a visual triangle.
I'm very happy with how it turned out and am glad to have been able to get all three of these stories on one layout.

[noellhyman]

Your title-work is great! With the pictures are spread around the layout and the strips run at different heights, your title-work is what links everything together and draws the eye around the page. They it makes a nice visual triangle.

 

I also love the colors you chose -- They feel good to me for the nursery-age + at-home nature of the story. Light but peaceful.

[Suz Gray (craftsuz)]

This looks so great!  I love all the journaling on note paper telling the story.  Fantastic job with the titlework - it really moves the eye around the entire layout

[Tambur]

I found the inspiration for this page at the Work In Progress Blog.  The papers were in the March WIP Kit which are Echo Park and Bella Road.  

I cut the flowers from a piece of patterned paper.  The felt circle element is from Melody Ross Homespun collection.  I pulled that out of my stash.  I layered it on to the yellow floral sticker that came with the WIP kit.  The red rickrack is from my ribbon jar.  This layout is poking fun at my kiddos that continually blink when we take pictures.  To be fair 3 of them have green eyes and are sensitive to light.  

[noellhyman]

Oh, what a cute story and a cute layout! I love the colors which highlight the real subject of the story (the kids) instead of the beach. The red, yellow, and green are so yummy!

I love all the layers and how you balanced straight lines with bubbling of flowers.

 

I also love the playful teasing in the journaling! Keeps it so real and alive!

 

On a side note to help you with the blinking you journaled about -- you can solve this problem and get super amazing outdoor photos at the same time! Most people have the subjects face the sun, which causes shadows in the eye sockets + squinting. But it looks so much more amazing if you put the sun behind the subjects and use a flash! Then they get rimmed with beautiful light around their heads and shoulders and the flash fills the shadows so they disappear! No eye shadows and no squinting (or blinking!).

 

I can't remember if you're a member or not but if you are, you can watch episode 112 for instructions on this!

 

Love the layout!

[Suz Gray (craftsuz)]

I love the topic of this layout - it truly is something to remember forever.  Great design & choice of elements it's very eye catching.

[Seanna Rupe]

This is so cute!  I love the colors.  I also like the way the title is separated.

 

[Tambur]

Amazed and thrilled that we have been together for 20 years.  I have enjoyed every moment and look forward to 20+ more with this man. 

 

[noellhyman]

I love red and yellow!

 

Great layer on that flower and very nice line anchoring and leading the eye!

 

Quick note -- if you get a chance, will you please come back and share some of the reasons behind the design choices you made on both of your layouts to help you tell the story? We take it into account when we're deciding who to highlight. People are more likely to get chosen when they include an explanation. Thanks!  :)

[Tambur]

Thoughts on  my design process. 

Photo choice - I have had the top photo of us for 17 years now it was a 5x7.  Bottom photo was taken in June of 2010. 

Paper Choice -  I wanted happy colors.  I love red and yellow together.  They are vibrant and lively.  A reflection of my relationship with my hubby. 

Title Block - Technique Tuesday stamp. Wanted the tittle to be simple. 

Embelishments - all supplies came from my stash.  The die cut paper has been in my paper bin for a year or 2.  Thought I would play up the polka dot theme by using the swiss dot card stock as my base.  The bingo card, also from my stash, I pulled because of the ADORE and the color worked.  The flower, clock and brad all from my stash and just layered them - the clock because it symbolizes time. The journaling block was too heavy with the solid layer of red so I added the brad and heart to anchor it.  The ribbon layers are to draw your eye from the left to right and give the title, focal pic and journaling some weight. 

 

[noellhyman]

Thanks, Tambur! That helps a lot!  :)