Scrapping Nirvana

I'm flummoxed. I'm flattered. I'm FAMOUS.

Check this out: this week, my gallery is being scraplifted for the "Grand Theft Layout" challenge at ScrapMatters! This is no random draw-from-the-hat kind of prize; somebody actually likes my layouts (yup, layouts, plural) enough to consider them worth imitating for their own albums ... and encouraging other people to do the same. Ever since I learned I would be featured (which was on Tuesday morning) I've been on cloud nine. Nathan (who excited for me, too) asked if I'd hit Scrapping Nirvana yet, and I admitted that this feels pretty close! :-)

So yeah, the fact that I'm being singled out on one of my favorite scrapping sites is just awesome. If you're a digiscrapper and are looking for an online home, ScrapMatters is it -- there are tons of great challenges, quality designers, and people actually look at and comment on the gallery. (Yes, I'm serious. No more posting your best layout and having to fish for compliments in the forum. People actually make a point to "leave some love" here.)

And I love the focus on scrapping what matters. To most people on that site, that means including journaling and some kind of date and often more than one picture. Looking at some of the "artistic" layouts I find on those "Gallery Standout" blogs are nice, but when it comes down to it, I really couldn't scrap like that. (Also, I find it interesting how many Mormons are on this site and wonder that's why I feel at home there. It's not like anybody puts it in their profile, but they have such challenges as "blessings" challenges -- scrap your many blessings, you know -- and people are including pictures of Primary activities, baptisms, temple weddings, baby blessings, etc.)

So. This afternoon, I decided I had time to squeeze in one of the most fun and fast challenges over at ScrapMatters: the SPEED SCRAP! Joshua watched me work on a good chunk of this layout while he snacked on cheese sandwich crackers (Logan was at a friend's house, which was how I even considered that I could participate). As I worked, Josh kept saying voicing his approval; I'm not sure if it was "whooooa!" or "wooooow!" that he kept saying, but either way I liked having my little cheering session nearby while I worked!

In two hours (and since I was late, I had more like ninety minutes), we were supposed to come up with a layout that met the following criteria (each of these steps was revealed in ten-minute intervals over the first hour):

1. Use something (or complete your entire LO) from one or more of the Design Star Contest kits.

Round 4 links are still active: Click here to go to the gallery – Download links are in the credits section.

You can use kits from round 2 and 3, but most of the links have been disabled.

2. Choose 2 or more photos (you can repeat a single photo if you’d like)

3. Use a minimum of 5 papers in your LO: patterned or solid

4. Add a title using an alpha for all or part of it

5. Add some ribbon (or just one!)

6. Include a fastener of some sort

7. Add some finishing touches like dates, journaling, embellishments, shadows, etc

I came in and they were up step three already. Yikes; FIVE papers? And I hadn't picked out what to use from the downloads (hadn't even unzipped most of the stuff, actually), nor had I picked any photos. Photoshop was giving me problems, too (had to quit out of it a couple of times). I felt at a loss at how to get started, and then (while I was downstairs getting Josh more crackers), I saw the basic design for my layout in my mind. (When I'm scrapping without a template, layout designs often come to me in this way!)

I managed to upload in time (luckily there's that fifteen minute grace period for uploading; I needed it). Here's the finished product:



credits:

Adventures in Reading by Plum Dumpling Designs (ScrapMatters design contest)

Staple Fun #1 and #3 by Gunhilde Storeide

Mostly Doodles alpha by AnnaBV Designs, available at ScrapMatters

fonts are Pea Lindsay Unicase and American Typewriter

And, as a sidenote: ALL of these are a free download!

Yeah, so I was noticing that while the composition style matches with what I typically do, the COLORS are way different! I rarely use anything this bright and don't think I've ever used anything this fluorescent. I think it's fun, though, and am glad Emmy wore her bright pink coat so I could have an excuse to add some pink to my page (a rare treat when scrapping two boys). :-)