Inspiration Elevator- Scrapping those Selfies

Ah the maligned selfie.

I've dropped quite a few Instagram accounts because the content is almost all "selfie".
Not just selfie which can be totally fun
but exposed tatas selfie.
Or duck face selfie.
Neither says anything genuine- or rather it says entirely too much- all negative.

I think women should fully own their image.
As story tellers it's crucial, we wield the camera and write down the details.
If we don't make sure to turn that camera around once in a while we will be invisible in our own story.
Regardless how we currently feel about our physical state, our children enjoy seeing us smile and celebrating life.
It sets a good example to love ourselves as we are.
Even better- it measures how far we've come when we've decided to change something.

This month's Inspiration Elevator challenge is- take a selfie!

I like scrapping selfies because they make the creative process easier.
I can focus on my current feelings or on a story I want to tell- not on trying to find matching embellishments for a theme page.

The page below was all about my feelings on moving.
I had some really cool chipboard and a neon pink Jet Blue luggage tag but that's it.
I could have used some travel themed printed items but since my feelings were mixed up this seemed more appropriate.

Scrap FX tags and chipboard. I used the PhotoBooth app to make a strip but since that's hard to print without
Photoshop and a home printer I made it into a 4x4 on Instagram and used my local Walgreen's for the print.

 What is Inspiration Elevator?

The purpose of the Inspiration Elevator challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to mature as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow.

You can view all of the challenges at the Inspiration Elevator Blog. 

This month we are celebrating our anniversary with a BLOG HOP!

So be sure to hop from blog to blog below as some of our designers are offering prizes! We also welcome Katherine Sutton as a guest designer to Inspiration Elevator! Katharine has Guest Designed for us and her fabulous style will inspire you to take your scrapbooking to a new level!

Now for our Challenge:

It's a 2-part challenge since it's created by Christa and Ann!

The first part of the challenge is to use a selfie. We are all a part of social media to some extent, so selfies are everywhere. "Call it another trend in narcissism, or call it art, but the "selfie" has become a mainstay of our virtual identity." 
Here are a couple articles for taking a good selfie, if this makes you uncomfortable (as it does for me - A)
http://www.bustle.com/articles/7142-how-to-take-a-selfie-pro-photographers-give-us-all-their-best-self-portrait-secrets
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-tuttlesinger/six-tips-on-how-to-rock-a_b_3750316.html

The second part of the challenge is this: 
This month we'd like you to share something about scrapbooking. It could be why you scrapbook, what you love best, what you get out of it, your most amazing experience or, where you see your craft/hobby/art in the future. 


Remember to hop around to the other blogs and see what out designers have created and what prizes are up for grabs! (Be sure to read the instructions as each designer has her own requirements to win!)

 Ann Jobes
Christa Uttley
 Joanne Burton 

Lisa Moen  

Cathy Harper  

Lisa Spiegel 

Michelle Hernandez 
Katherine Sutton

I hope you feel inspired to play along with our challenge this month, and when you do, please share it using the linky tool on our Inspiration Elevator blog and/or our Inspiration Elevator Facebook page. We'd LOVE to see what you made!

This is totally about my new haircut. Taken 2013.

Have a great week!
Michelle

Inspiration Elevator Challenge- Letter to your Teen Self.

Hello happy people!!!

I've been sooo busy avoiding any and all crafty pursuits. My mojo is gone fishing for the moment.

This latest Inspiration Elevator challenge freed me up a bit.

I started thinking about what I would write, how to make it relevant to my life today and to my primary audience (always Miss Lola) when suddenly the page's design mattered less.

This is a good thing as I usually get so wound up making an "original" design, my story (the whole point of making a page) takes a back seat.

AHA!!!! Here is how the page appears when I link up to my Flickr! 

You can also see everything else in my Flickr account... excuse me as I learn the internet.. again.

Here I'm using an iPod Touch and the AfterLight app to shoot and retouch my pages.
Blogger seems to be compressing the files and rendering them incorrectly.
You can try clicking on it to get a clear look- my apologies.
I started off with the 2 A Flair For Buttons flair and a Crate Paper background.
I didn't want the page to look like one of my usual scrapbook projects so I resisted
adding a photo at first but I have a bunch of these under exposed Instax Mini shots
lying around- each of those prints costs a dollar so you better believe I'm using them all!

Basically the text reads- don't sweat the failures- you get one thing right and it's the most important thing of all. 

I was talking to a past and even MORE resistant version of me so I get pretty stark in my words.

If you think I'm overly pessimistic and broody at 40 you would have LOVED me at 16.

The teen years are hard for everyone, your moral values and ideals are mostly set in place but you fall all over yourself either trying to prove you are independent and grown up or running away from doing so.

So without getting bogged down in the details (which my teen ear would have rejected anyway) I decided to give my past self some comfort. I'm not the walking error machine I was convinced I was. 

I was -am- pretty freaking great at figuring things out.

I'm almost ready to give up the hunt for perfect design and just keep doing this in all my other pages.
Scrapbooking has gotten too complicated.

And now a word from our sponsor:

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and extend ourselves. You can view all of the challenges at our Inspiration Elevator Blog, here. 

Our challenge this month was posed by the very talented Ann Jobes. Here's how she expressed this month's challenge:

My daughter subscribes to Dance Spirit magazine and I sometimes browse through it, too. One of my favourite monthly features is an article that features a different dancer each month, some photos of that dancer, and a description of their current work, and (the best part!) a letter. The theme is a Letter to My Teenage Self. The content ranges, depending on the dancer and his/her experience, morals, ideals, etc. So this month's assignment is to write a letter to your teenage self. You can take any approach you'd like to this - scrapbook page, art journal page, canvas. However the prompt inspires you. And your content is of course up to you, as well. Some topics might be: what would you try to teach yourself? Or, what would you counsel yourself to do or not do? This does not have to be a page about regrets. It could be about congratulating yourself on something you did right that has contributed to who you've become today. 

Here is a photo of a recent magazine feature, if it inspires you:

Please visit the other Inspiration Elevator designers' blogs and see how they solved Ann's challenge:

Ann Jobes 

Laura Whitaker

Lisa Moen

Cathy Harper

Joanne Burton

Jodi Wilton

Michelle Hernandez

We would LOVE to see you take up Ann's challenge this month, so if you do, please share it at our linkup on the Inspiration Elevator blog.

Get writing mi gente!

Pumpkin picking madness.

Inspiration Elevator- Facing Your Greatest Life Challenge

Hello!

So I've blogged plenty about my greatest life challenge.
It wasn't moving to Utah.
Now that it's getting closer to spring I could ALMOST like it here.

My greatest life challenge was seeing my little girl look like this:

Lola was born 6 weeks early with a condition called Chylothorax where
liquid normally recycled though the heart and out the body drained into her lung
cavities. Luckily her actual lungs had developed just enough to allow normal breathing so
she spent three weeks in the NICU with tubes inserted into her sides to drain the liquid.
She was in constant pain and I couldn't hold her for the first 4 days for fear of dislodging the tubes.

Miss Lola- hyper active, able walk at 10 months old, curly headed and sleepy eyed, currently refusing to eat anything for breakfast- is perfectly fine these days.

In 2009 I found out I was having a baby and lost my job job all in the same day.
To say I was shocked and awed doesn't explain the half of it.
And life has been crazy ever since.

Jobs we thought stable are now gone.
Neighborhoods that were affordable suddenly became the center of the cooliverse and filled with grocery stores selling exotic fruit vinegar for 20 dollars a bottle.
Moved to find new opportunities but found our backgrounds were still lacking.

 "Starting over" isn't fun- it's excruciating.
The hardest part is letting go of your expectations and your past.

So this is my page for the month:

For my page I chose to add the story to several tags behind the photo for a cleaner layout. 
I recently showed Lola the hospital photos because she asked about the small holes under each arm.
I told her those marks make her very special as only 1 in 10,000 children are afflicted and survive birth.
I used Jenni Bowlin stamps, Basic Grey alphas. The wood alphas are from Recollections
and the little wood hearts from Cocoa Daisy's January kit.

Here is the group challenge:

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and extend ourselves. 
You can view all of the challenges our Inspiration Elevator Blog, here. 

We are thrilled to welcome back Audrey Yeager this month as a guest designer. Audrey recently came into ownership of My Scraps & More online store, and has graciously offered a prize this month! Read on to find out how you could win!

Our challenge this month comes from the very talented Michelle Hernandez. Here's how she expressed this month's challenge:

"Inspiration Elevator Challenge February- Phoenix Rising.
I'm going through one of the toughest times of my life right now. Huge changes, dashed expectations, embarrassing set backs- it's all overwhelming, all the time. I have the love and support of my family and my health- so it could be worst but still - it sucks.
My challenge for February:
Tell a story visually or through your journaling that speaks to your greatest challenge and most importantly how you dug yourself out. This should be a celebration of your faith, personal resilience and/or creativity. A story you'd like to tell your kids, grandkids or yourself when things get rough. "

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes 

Laura Whitaker 

Lisa Moen 

Cathy Harper 

Lisa Spiegel 

 Joanne Burton

Jodi Wilton 

Guest designer: Audrey Yeager 

We would LOVE to see you take up the challenge this month, so if you do, please share it at our linkup on the Inspiration Elevator blog. 

Extra incentive? There is a great RAK this month!

So, how do you win Audrey's prize? It's simple - leave a comment! 
Audrey will choose one random comment from one random blog to win the $15 gift certificate to My Scraps & More. 
Thanks so much, Audrey!

Swing by their blogs and check out how they met and beat their greatest monster.

Princess hair flipping lessons. 2/14/14

Have a great weekend- even in 2 feet of snow NYC. (LOL- it's 60 degrees and sunny here in SLC- how's THAT for silver lining?)


Michelle

Inspiration Elevator Challenge: 10 years from today

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow. You can view all of the challenges our new Inspiration Elevator Blog, "http://inkspiration.typepad.com/inspirationelevator/" 

 Our challenge this month comes from the very talented Jodi Wilton . Here's what she had to say in her very own words: 

"My challenge for January. The New Year is always about bettering 

ourselves; looking into the future, and making goals (some attainable, 

some not so much). Scrapbooking is about recording the story and most of

 these stories are in the past, so we don't forget the memories we 

created. For this challenge I would like you to scrapbook yourself, your

 family, or a particular family member 

and where you (or them) would like to be in ten years time. The focus 

for this challenge is on the journaling. Your layout or art journal may 

be in the form of a letter to your future self. Your layout may or may 

not have any photo at all and be all about the journaling. Dip deep! 

Really think about what you can (or they can) accomplish! What are your 

dreams? What are your goals? Good luck ladies!"

This was a great challenge. I often thimk about the future but don't get very specific. I visualize a future where I own a home and plant a garden. Where my daughter wants to hang with her parents even if they are super embarrasing. Where my husband has the job he wants and the telescope he's been dreaming about for years now. 

Im so sorry if this photo looks fussy- it's taken with my ipod and I can't figure out how to fix it- it looks clear when I check it out close up. A mystery.

An experiment in minimalism and restraint. Perhaps not my best page
but it's exciting to try a new thing.

Jodi Wilton http://luvalotland.blogspot.ca/

Michelle Hernandez  http://myanaloglife.blogspot.ca/

Ann Jobes http://www.lovestnpaper.com/

Laura Whitaker http://scrappinaroundtheclock.blogspot.ca/

Lisa Moen http://lisasscrappyhideaway.blogspot.ca/

Christa Uttley http://dowhatyoulove-maxadriane.blogspot.ca/

Lisa Spiegel http://lisaspiegel.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Joanne Burton http://scrappingoutsidethelines.blogspot.ca/ 

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

Inspiration Elevator Challenge- Nostalgia

Hello!
Today I'm bring a page I made for this month's Inspiration Elevator Challenge- Nostaligia.

I have a different perspective on this challenge because I don't really scrap to capture moments or even record my life.
I do it because I love messing around with paper and because it gives me a good reason to keep shooting photos- something I would otherwise forget to do in my normal day to day routine.

Basic Grey film strip paper- I'll need to get a couple more of this print. The flair is from A Flair For Buttons, chipboard and white laser cut tags from Scrap FX. New York flag from Reminisce. I also cut some leaves from vellum just for the heck of it. Since we put our things in storage and brought essentials with us when we moved to Utah, I don't have much in terms of items that are nostalgic but the printed film strips are good stand-ins- read below to find out why.

My page doesn't have a lot of journaling this month.
I've covered the subject of Brooklyn longing so frequently in the last couple of months I really just wanted to make a page to match this summer 2013 photo I love.

I am deeply nostalgic for my college days when I spent all day (literally) in the darkroom developing film and printing black and white photos for my next critique class.

The photo is of a near perfect day in May.
We walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
Discover new parts of the park by getting lost in the streets.
Finally, the sun is setting,
Saidy has brought her nephews and Lola finally has someone her own age to play with.
The food truck tacos we buy are delicious.
The salsa band playing outdoors in the park is so amazing we get up and dance in front of everyone.

Lola sits on David's shoulders the whole time.
Then... fireworks!!! Someone is getting married and we get to share in their joy.
And I cry
I AM SO HAPPY!
I know we may never get to come back to a summer concert in Brooklyn Bridge Park again.

I'm painfully grateful. 
New adventures and perfect days await in Utah but nothing compares to golden evenings by the water;
Lady Liberty waving her torch just a quarter mile away.

Quiet subway rides home

You fall asleep yet it is us who sit dreaming

This is home.

Those banner stickers are from the Target dollar aisle- they've been on a roll lately with the kraft stuff.

Onto the official challenge~

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow.

You can view all of the challenges our new Inspiration Elevator Blog, here.

We are also pleased to welcome Denise Morrison and her stunning artistic style back to Inspiration Elevator.
Our challenge this month comes from the very talented Lisa Spiegel .

Here's what she had to say in her very own words:
"October is my favorite month of the year. Hands down. The temperatures here in Southern California finally start to drop, we wear a light sweater, maybe even a little boot. We pull out the scarves and the jeggings and put away the capris and tank tops. Leaves begin to change and we prepare for Halloween! My whole house is decorated, from top to bottom, and it is no small feat. I even swap out my dishes and serving ware in preparation for Fall and Halloween and I love to just keep the festivities going all the way through the Thanksgiving and then holiday season. My house will not return to "normal" until January. 

So, Lisa, tell us, how does this relate to a scrapbooking challenge? Well, what I've found over the years is my scrapping even changes over the holidays. I layer more. Reach for the bling and really dig deep to embellish with meaningful objects. Journal my thoughts and stories and feelings. Fall just make me nostalgic. So here is the challenge. Create a layout that is nostalgic...the feeling should be evident from the title, the visible journaling and the embellishments you choose. 
Choose deliberately and with purpose to tell your nostalgic story. I can't wait to see how you interpret this challenge!" 
 I hope you will stop by and see what the rest of the incredible Inspiration Elevator designers have created:

Lisa Spiegel

Laurel Seabrook 

Joanne Burton

Jodi Wilton

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes

Laura Whitaker

Lisa Moen 

Christa Uttley

Guest Designer Denise Morrison

If you feel inspired to play along with my challenge this month, please share it using the linky tool on our Inspiration Elevator blog and/or our Inspiration Elevator Facebook page.
We'd LOVE to see what you made!

Normally dancers go in front of the stage but we had 3 toddlers to care for so we got up and danced
right in front of all these folks- and it spread. It WAS a good day.

Scraplift challenge! 1 hour "lucky" scrapbook page

Hello there!
I've decided to move my scrapbook "hot topics" post to sundays.
I suspect most of my readers don't want wordy posts on wednesdays.
If you feel otherwise please feel free to leave a comment!

Today I want to share a 1 hour project I made for the True Xoxo Scrapbook Challenge Blog.
I've been scrapping with these gals since the group formed in 2010.
I stick around because group leader, Lindsay, comes up with THE BEST challenge ideas!

Here's my page:

Materials: Studio Calico "Darling Dear" paper, Glitz filmstrip transparency (which comes with those
awesome mini windows! LOVE!), Heidi Swapp Teal mist, Sassafras Lass woodgrain alphas
and red alphas from Joann's. Teal tape from Target.

Xoxo has two scrap lift challenges a month.
The way it works is you swing by and pick a page to lift. Then link the page up.
Simple!
The winner of each month gets a GDT spot on the team which is nice since we get to chat.

The only family photo in front of a fantastic sunburst mural that is gone now.
Dave and Lola were complaining mightily so
all I got was this one photo. I find Lola co-operates with smiles more if she
sees what is happening in the camera- which makes sense, actually.

The March mid-month challenge theme was "lucky" in honor of Saint Patrick's Day.

By PURE luck, I picked out a paper that had a teal title on it and some washi tape to match.
The scanner turned the teal green and I decided that was also a good thing.

The film strip comes from the AWESOME Glitz Design "Color Me Happy" collection which is one of my favorites this year.

What's this? Swing by the A Flair For Buttons Blog and read all about it!
(Please and thank you!)

Swing by True Xoxo and join the challenge.

Thanks for swinging by!
Michelle

The Houndstooth Challenge! A True Xoxo Girls post

Hello!

Today's post will be super duper quick because I have to go get a root canal!
YAYYY!
Isn't that GREAT?
Just add that to the house re-organizing, flu epidemic and Lola's pre-school applications!
This week is STRESSING ME OUT.

Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!
The challenge over at True Xoxo is- drum roll please- HOUNDSTOOTH.
I've never really gotten into that pattern.
I like it but I haven't gone out of my way to buy it.
Luckily Hambly came to my rescue (again)
How could Hambly go out of business??
HAPPY PLACE!

Swing on by and PLEASE join the fun!
We need more players- more readers- more comments!
I'd love to see your face!

SOOOO I will BRIBE YOU.

GIVE AWAY GIVEAWAY GIVE AWAY!!!

1. Join the challenge by entering any houndstooth page you happen to have posted on your blog. 
2. LEAVE LOVE FOR THE TEAM there.
3. Swing back here and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

I will award one lucky reader some awesome stash from the many items currently getting new homes.

I will pick things from your favorite color and brand to make sure you are happy.
Sound cool?
AWESOME!

What? You've been trying to reach me for to hours? SILLY!
You know I can't hear my phone! It's under a ton of crap in the very bottom of my bag!
If you want me to notice you Instagram me. See? You got a call back!

SMOOCHES!
Michelle

It's OCTOBER!!!!!! Time for a totally non traditional, totaly awesome True Xoxo Girls Challenge!

Hello scrap happy people!
It's October 1st.
I hope you have your kid's costumes ready.
Stores are only stocking the minimum holiday items this year due to the economy so it's either buy full price OR make it yourself.
Guess which one I chose?
YUP!
I'm buying one.
I can see myself happily making a costume.
I also see myself sitting in a Caribbean beach sipping an obscenely large frozen Margarita and reading a book.
Both are pure fantasy.
So off to the store I go.
Lola wants to be a T-Rex or a "ceratops".
I need to find a costume that says "I'm a T-REX!!!" but not "I'm a BOY!"

This month the True Xoxo chicks have quite a challenge set out for you.
Scrap your Halloween photos.
DO NOT use the traditional colors of orange and black.
I would add that you should try to restrain yourself from using up all your spider/monster/pumpkin/haunted house stash on the page as well.

I was SO EXCITED- S.O.  E.X.C.I.T.E.D- to be using my stash I forgot all about the actual challenge of it all so I made two pages.
Here's the first:

One of my ALL TIME favorite collections EVER- American Crafts Nightfall- orange, black and sky BLUE! LOVE it! Plus the alphas and black chalkboard stickers are so amazing! I some Martha Stewart paper stashed since 2009, Uni-ball white gel pen, orange vellum  and some Studio Calico veneer banners; I was good to go.

Also- A Flair For Buttons Vintage Halloween buttons- awesome!

Here's the one you'll see posted.
SO different from what I usually make but really I was just glad to stop over thinking and just use paper in this thing- sometimes breaking out the paint just makes me all jittery.

I finally uses the My Mind's Eye paper I bought a while ago- who can resist that Polaroid frame print? Alpha tiles, mini brads apple sticker from from American Crafts. Prima leaves and Diamond Stickles (my favorite kind).

My Mind's Eye gorgeous chipboard. LOVE diagonal stripes mixed up!

Amy Tangerine roller date stamp has the cutest saying.
Perfect for the tiny banners in this print.
I used grey chalk ink pad from Paper Source.

True Xoxo wants to see how you handle the challenge.
Swing by, leave some comment love and link up your project.
I can't wait to see what you made!

Michelle

The first Scrap FX Facebook Challenge- Are you up for it?

If you're looking for the Die Scrapperin Magazine Blog Hop please scroll down to the next page.


Scrap FX has their first scrap challenge ever up Facebook.
Swing by and check it out: Scrap FX Australia (Facebook) 
I joined in my usual way- I barely followed direction and felt my way around the design till I had a page I liked. 
This one:

Can't even tell you where that diagonal print is from- My Mind's Eye maybe? Echo Park? Fancy Pants Halloween? Who knows?! I wish I had a few more- I LOVE diagonal stripes! Also- I obviously touched my lens at some point because I can't read the journaling.. ACK!
MATERIALS: Scrap FX title chipboard, A Flair For Buttons chevron buttons, Hambly Studios NOOO! come back!!) rub-ons, Sassafras Lass stickers, Crate Paper buttons, Studio Calico Fab-Rip, Maya Road pins, Heidi Swapp neon gel pen in pink. 

So here are the rules:

• Use the following palette:

• Background should be a neutral color like black or white (HO! I managed to break the rules without even trying!)

• Email entries to scrapfxchallenges@live.com.au by midnight 14th August EST.

Here are some detail shots:

I Love You.com chipboard #2209334. Freaking AWESOME!

A Flair For Buttons yellow chevron and black arrow chevron.
I'm thinking you may want to swing by this shop- there are styles for everyone including
Project Life folks, mixed media and ephemera specialists and anyone who loves bright color.

So perhaps the page should have looked more like this? True Xoxo Girls July Challenge 

True Xoxo Girls June Challenge page. The July challenge is easier-
you have an hour to make something- easy right?

And lastly because it's midnight and I'm supposed to go to bed now. 

A shot of my Lola- after she ate an ant. (Those are ants she's holding in her cute baby pincers- ants dying as you watch- UGH!)

That's right- I CHOMPED it. 

MuChOS SmOoChEs!

Michelle