Challenge135

Can I tell you how grossly hot it has been at my house?!?! We've been breaking temperature records, I'm sure - too much of a good thing if you ask me! I am not so sure how I feel about these 30+ temps but I AM very glad that my darling husband decided to dig out our portable A/C unit and hook it up in our bedroom! YAY!

Tania is not with us this week again as her injury is just making her ouchy all over - send her some love tho, I think it's bumming her out to not be able to even lift her own camera (I'm tempted to make a special trip to her place to A) help with dishes and B) take photos for her!) So sadly she's unable to create a layout for us this week and I'm blaming my total lack of layout on intolerable temperatures, house guest overload & farming duties! (weak excuse, perhaps but it's true!)

However, our super-duper kick-ass design team (who live in milder climates than mine!) have all whipped up some stellar layouts and mini albums (thanks Keandra!) for this week's challenge, to

USE FINGER PAINT!

Also, don't forget that this is the last week you have to scraplift one of Gretchen's dynamite layouts...awe Gretchen, we're sad to see you go. Your pages rock, baby! This is Gretchen's last week with us but you can see more of her work on her blog (click on her name in the previous sentence!).

If you haven't already done so, be sure to join our new Lotus Paperie Network where you can "friend" any of the existing memebers, invite new members to join, share your artwork and chat with other scrappers! Check it out!

If you are new to our challenges get the lowdown on what to do and how to do it HERE. It's super fun.

Marit
this girl loves her paints!

Keely
Have I ever mentioned how I envy you guys who have "pink" in your lives? Seriously!

Keandra
Holy mini-book Batman! Get a load of all these great pages! Sorry, Keandra, they're prolly out of order!

Gudrun
Seriously, I think all your pages make me swoon!

Carol
Prolly the ONLY person I know who can rock out hand-painted irises with fingerpaint. Now that's skills!

Tania D
Oh, the stitching & the buttons...this is sooooo good!

Gretchen
I'm SO gonna scraplift this one! Thanks for sharing your amazing artwork, Gretchen. We'll miss you! Don't be a stranger :)

challenge 134

Oh dear. My poor computer is not well. I do NOT have the time it will inevitably take for me to fix the stupid thing so instead I throw caution to the wind and post this anyway and hope to GOD that it's up for you guys at exactly the time it should be.

So, that said, I have almost everyone's layouts to share with you. Tania L's layout is missing because her injuries from last year's car accident are currently winning the battle to get her better. BOOO to that! My layout isn't available because my Photoshop keeps crashing. BOOOO to that too!

But. There's more for you to see :) We've got the rest of the team's layouts for you to enjoy as well as a snazzy sketch to play with. Show us how this sketch moves you to create by uploading it to our Flickr Group. Get more details on playing along HERE.

Also, don't forget that you have until the end of the month to create a layout using Gretchen's artwork as your inspiration. Find out more HERE.

Oh, and there's that poll on the sidebar. IF you have not yet voted, please do so. You have until the 31st to get your vote in!!

While you're still hangin' around and checking out all our new fandangled links n' such, get a load of our new network. Click HERE to find out all about that and see the pure awesomeness with your own two eyes!!

Vanessa
***coming later ***


Gudrun

Marit

Keely

Tania D

Keandra

Carol

Gretchen

Challenge 133

I was awake last night around 1:00am to let the puppy outside to pee and it occurred to me that I hadn't set up todays post. Oops. It also occurred to me that during the craziness of farming and 3 weeks of house guests, I'd also forgotten to make this week's layout. So, in keeping with last week's disorganization, I present to you a very tardy post! Oh well...that's life :)

This week, our challenge was to use a blurry/crappy photo. I chose to use an old snapshot of my oldest son from many moons ago, long before I owned a "real" camera - made evident by the blurry photo and cluttered background...but I love it because every time he yawned as an infant, my heart melted. I had forgotten how it made me feel until I found this photo.

This challenge is really useful in reminding us that important moments aren't always captured in a perfectly composed, skillfully exposed image. Sometimes, the memory comes right back like it was happening at this very moment despite the bad photo. They are still worth scrapping. Easy to forget, good to remember.

If you are new to our challenges, go HERE to learn the ins & outs of how it all works.

If you haven't yet participated in the monthly Guest Designer Scraplift contest, check out the details HERE.

And in the meantime, let's see what everyone created this week.

Vanessa

Tania

Tania D

Marit

Keely

Keandra

Gudrun

Carol

Gretchen

{layout temporarily removed for publication}

Challenge 132

Booyah! Another week down and some more smokin' hot layouts to top it off! Summer is ticking along, the weather is amazing and I don't know about you but my collection of photos to scrap over the cold months is steadily growing... Can't wait to get them printed and fill up my albums that seem to gather dust a little this time of year.

At my house, we're settling our new puppy into the family routine with as much ease as can be expected...but of course, there's the inevitable puddles and poops (hey, that sounds like a layout waiting to happen!). I miss sleeping through the night but this little dog is so stinkin' cute! She might just get her own album :) You can see photos of her here.

Remember, you are invited to scraplift any or all of Gretchen's layouts that she shared with us here...upload the link in the comments section of that post by the end of the month!


This week, we're working from a fantastic sketch created by the one and only fabulous Tania - who's on holidays with her fam this week - I love what this sketch invoked in me...I used 12x12 rather than 6x12 (which you're totally allowed to do!!) and really loved using my old OLD baby photo.

If you've never participated in our challenges, check out the 411 page to get the scoop! Are you ready? Let's go!

Vanessa

Tania

Tania D

Marit

Gudrun

Carol

Gretchen

Meet Gretchen!

I love the beginning of a new month...while we're sad to see our previous Guest Designer; Bethany Kartchner go, we're so very excited to welcome a new one. This month we are privileged to have Gretchen McElveen join us for the month of July. This is one creative gal, let me tell you! If you spend any time at all on SisTv, then you are familiar with her amazing, vibrant style. She has answered a few fun questions and has shared a few of her favorite layouts below. Check it out! And if you are feeling inspired by her pages, just scraplift one (or all three!) of her pages and upload the link in the comments section below. We'll check them all out at the end of the month and choose a winner from the comments. The winner will receive an exclusive Lotus Paperie Couture Collection and 15 minutes of fame! YAY!

***Bethany, thanks for creating such amazing and inspiring pages with us! It was a pleasure to have you on our team for the month of June! ****

Stay tuned for a few announcements later this week!

And now, meet Gretchen!



Q:Tell us a bit about you and your family.

A: My family consists of my husband Lee and our dog Shada. We do have many, many children they just happen to call some of our friends “Mom and Dad” instead of us.

Q: How long have you been scrapbooking and where did you get your start in this craft?

A: I have been scrapbooking for about 7 years. My aunt introduced me to scrapbooking by way of Creative Memories during college but I did not really get into it until after I got married in 2002. I still have the corner rounder that I bought during my first CM party!!

Q:What inspires your creativity when you are scrapbooking?

A: I am inspired by a variety of things: great pictures, new products, bold colors, and other scrapbookers!

Q:Describe your creative style

A: I am soooo bad at answering this question. I think my style is fun and evolving! I like trying new products and experimenting with different techniques. When it comes down to it, though, I tend not to be a very technique-y scrapbooker. I stick with the basics: paper, pictures, journaling, and whatever embellishments strike my fancy!

Q:What are your three favorite products/techniques right now?

A: I am addicted to brads. I love hand-stitching. And I cannot get enough patterned paper with a subtle print.

Q:What project(s) are you currently working on?

A: I am working on some layouts with all new product for the My Little Shoebox booth at CHA!

Q:Describe your perfect day

A: My perfect day would require about 36 hours rather than just 24. I would not be working (I work full-time as a physical therapist). And I would not have to be anywhere too early in the morning. It would be sunny and pleasant so I could spend some time outside. I would get together with friends to scrapbook for awhile. The evening would have to involve a date with my husband (probably dinner, Barnes & Noble, a movie, and dessert). Then I would scrapbook some more until I could just not stay awake any longer.

Q:What are your three favorite layouts of all time that you’ve created (published or not)?



So remember to upload the links to your layouts in the comments section below. We wanna see how these fabulous pages get your mojo going!