On-line crop challenges

Scrapbook Steals issued three bonus challenges this week for their on-line crop/chat with chances to win some great product.  Since I was home all weekend with a sickly little one, I managed to complete all three challenges, but just barely.  Challenge #1 was the same as MWM #30, which is featured here.

Challenge #2 was to do a "secret" page, sharing something about yourself.  This one was especially difficult, since I have very few pictures of myself, and even fewer that I'm willing to put on a layout.  I also struggle with doing "girly" pages, since I'm always scrapping boy stuff.  I pulled out some fancy papers and started blindly assembling my layout, with no plan in mind.  This is where it got dangerous.  I wanted to try out my new i-rock tool and add some bling, but I kind of got carried away.  The final product is very busy, and is nothing like my "typical" layouts, but I'm just proud that I pulled it off.

Challenge #3 is to do a page about something you're LUCKY to have.  The layout also had to include 3 pictures and the color green.  This layout was an easy one for me.  I am blessed in so many ways, but being a mom has to be my greatest joy.  I used favorite papers from Fancy Pants Like Father, Like Son collection.

Challenge #4 was by far the most time consuming.  Melodee at Scrapbook Steals challenged us with a countdown of sorts.  For this layout we had to use the following:

10 Metal Embellishments (brads, eyelets, paperclips etc)

9 Inches of Ribbon

8 Letters (chipboard, stickers etc)
7 Non Metal Embellishment (buttons, die cuts etc)
6 Sentences in your journaling
5 Patterned Paper Pieces
4 Solid Paper Pieces
3 Photos
2 Rub On Images
1 Stamped Image

This is what I managed to put together, although I'm ashamed to admit it took me nearly 3 hours to complete this layout:

Now I'm crossing my fingers, hoping that I'll be randomly chosen as a winner.  Winning scrappy prizes always justifies me spending more time and $$ doing what I love!

Scrapbook Steals Ruby Club

Here are my layouts #21-30, (with two sketches for week #22) making me a member of the Ruby Club! 

Scrapbook Steals Emerald Club

Here are entries 11-20 for Scrapbook Steals, making me a member of the Emerald Club!

Scrapbook Steals Diamond Club

These are my first ten layouts for Scrapbook Steals, making me a member of the "Diamond Club"
                                     

Weekly Challenge #30

I love the way this week's Scrapbook Steals sketch turned out.  What a fun way to use some of my favorite paper from Bo Bunny's Roughin' It line.   Since I predominantly do boy pages, this paper compliments our many outdoor pictures.  I love doing "rugged" pages but struggle with embellishments.  Thanks to my scrappy friends I've learned that I can still include the occasional flower or "bling" on my boy stuff.  I stitched the denim flower myself and love the way it turned out.  This layout is a big deal, because it's the 30th weekly challenge from Scrapbook Steals.  At the end of each series of 10, scrappers who have completed all 10 have a chance at winning a great prize pack.  And if you've completed all 30 sketches, you get three chances to win.  I'm proud to say that I've completed all 30, with 25 of them being done the week they were due.  I didn't discover Scrapbook Steals until they were on week #5 and I've gone back and caught up with the layouts I missed at the beginning.   I can't tell you how much Scrapbook Steals has motivated me.  With the chance to win great prizes, show off our weekly creativity, and to learn from and inspire others, it has been nothing short of wonderful.  I've "met" sooo many new friends through Scrapbook Steals and love seeing what they create each week.  We're all so different, spread all over the United States and Canada, yet have so much in common.  Everyone gives great feedback and compliments and these girls have become near and dear to me!  Thanks for motivating me to find crafty time each week and helping me learn new techniques!

My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #20

With just a few hours to spare, and with a load of neglected housework piling up, I decided to put together an entry for the My Mind's Eye challenge.  This challenge required the page to be inspired by their sketch and the theme to be "I love everything about...."   I found some great pieces of their Lush collection that I decided to pair with a fav sepia print of my sons.  The brown paper is flocked and full of velvety goodness!  I made a frame around my photo using velvet Lush ribbon and added some bling with some Lush brown rhinestones.  My title was made with Lush chipboard letters.  Thanks for looking!

Sketchy Thursdays challenge

I had a lot of fun creating this week's layout for the Sketchy Thursdays 2.10 challenge.  I've had these photos sitting around for a while, just not sure what to do with them.   It turns out they fit this week's sketch perfectly: