Challenge #298 - week of 30th July 2018

This week's prompt was brought to my attention by our Whimsical Musings friend, Leslie (find her blog here).

I have to admit that I often just skim through Instagram and probably wouldn't have noticed this photo and especially the text below it. I find the photo itself terribly inspirational but the quote is so perfect. Especially for us as memory keepers and tellers of our stories. I always find myself justifying why I scrap so many layouts about myself with: "If I don't, then who?" I am part of a bigger story. My current will be the history of the future. I am what my history has made me. I can see my own history in that of those around me. It's all so intertwined and I'm so grateful to Leslie for highlighting this so that I didn't miss it!

Source: screenshot of Crate Paper on Instagram

Therefore, I'd like you to be inspired by history.

I don't think I need to tell you that there are a million and one ways to take this prompt - one of your own stories, your direct family, your ancestors. Your love of history, learning, historical fiction. Be inspired by this beautiful photo, the colours, the layout or the tree die cut.

I hope you can find somewhere to take this this week and that you'll share! You can do that in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)

Challenge #297 - week of 23rd July 2018

Is it hot where you are? We're suffering from a really long, hot heatwave here in Europe and honestly, I'm melting! I can manage some days of 30°C but weeks? Not so much! All the grass is parched brown and unfortunately there's a high risk of forest fires or even just field fires.

So the lure of all things cold - drinks, air conditioning, salads, water or ice cream - is definitely on my mind.

And therefore, while I was wandering around the newsagent shop at the station, this magazine really caught my eye. It's something that I use in my job as it's a publication for German learners of English but I was impressed by how modern and fun they've made this issue.

This week, I'd like you to be inspired by this cover design.

There's a lot to love here - the colours, the patterns, the individual shapes, the font in the middle there, the overall layout, the fact that it's ice cream! Take any of these for your inspiration and go for it. Summer layouts here we come.

I hope you can find somewhere to take this this week and that you'll share! You can do that in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)

#292 - be inspired by ferris wheels

I made this layout a couple of weeks ago when I had the luck to spend time with my scrappy bestie and Whimsical Musings friend, Pam, on a visit to see her in NYC. It's such a thrill to actually sit at the same table and create alongside her. I'm always in awe of her process and how easy she makes it look! A really wonderful experience for me. I took a small set of supplies and picked up a few bits and pieces while I was there with her at Paper Source.

I have to say that I returned to a tried and trusted design that I think I use far too often - either a horizontal block or a vertical one, usually along one of the 1/3 lines - but with five photos that I wanted to use, it seemed the ideal choice!

It's rare that I don't use a kit these days but in effect, the fact that I had a small amount of limited supplies with me constituted a kit, didn't it! 

Anyway, another layout made and a prompt followed! I call that a result. I'm almost done with layouts from this super short trip to Vienna with my brother but there might be one or two more small stories to tell. Watch this space.

As always, I love it when you share too and if you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here. Please don't be shy! Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)

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Challenge #296 - week of 16th July 2018

Just a day late as this Monday sort of snuck up and caught me out!

I looked back over my list to see what sort of topics we've had recently and I think it's time for something a little more random! I try to sneak these in from time to time because I know that for me, they can bring up some really interesting stories that I might not have thought about recording before.

This week I'd like you to be inspired by scent.

When I first came up with this prompt, I originally thought about the perfume that you wear every day, that scent that people associate with you - the Marilyn Chanel No5 type connection. And of course, this is what you might want to record. Or maybe you are someone who wears different perfumes at different times and always loves to try the latest releases.

I made this layout some time ago about my perfume of choice.

But of course, you might want to capture other scents that are reminiscent of certain people, times or locations. A story about someone's keen sense of smell or even a dog! I can think about a story relating to the biscuit smell that we all experienced when cuddling our beloved Boxer dog. It is said that smell can bring back memories more strongly than anything else so this might be a chance for you to go on your own smell safari around your home to see what stories come to mind!

I hope you can find somewhere to take this this week and that you'll share! You can do that in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)

Challenge #295 - week of 9th July 2018

I've been on my travels. I love travelling and when I'm visiting somewhere I love and spending time with someone I love too, all the better, don't you think?

I had the luck and pleasure of getting to travel to New York to visit our beloved Whimsical Musings friend Pam and I enjoyed every single minute. Of course.

One of the things I love the most about New York is the fantastic skyline which I got to enjoy from the ground, from up high and from the water. All fantastic in their own way.

This week, I'd like you to be inspired by skyline beauty.

You could have your own big city photos that need scrapping or a story about visiting a city that you're itching to tell. How about contrasting big and small cities or a trip you took on the water where you had the chance to take a look at the city in a new way. You might have experiences high above the city or down on the ground. Maybe you even have some skyline paper that needs using - one of my favourites of all time is the Kelly Purkey for BasicGrey - love that! While this is a somewhat more limited prompt than some, I think there's room for interpretation here with travel season hitting a peak at this time of year!

I hope you can find somewhere to take this this week and that you'll share! You can do that in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)

Challenge #294 - week of 2nd July 2018

I'm on the road as this goes live! Expect a trip inspired prompt next week *wink* that may or may not include tall buildings, skylines or something along those lines!

But this week, I'd like to concentrate on colour. In fact, I'd like to concentrate on single colours.

Back in the day, we had WM#89 which called for a tone on tone effect but this week, I'd like you to be inspired by a monochromatic colour scheme.

I use a lot of colour. I tend to mix them up in ways that others might not. I don't pay a lot of attention to the colours in my photos and often make up a colourful layout and then just add a photo on the top.

But recently, I had the privilege of using the Scrapabilly June kit which featured the Stargazer collection from Kaisercraft. I think Kaisercraft often have collections which are quite monochromatic and this kit was no exception. I was suddenly a little unsure when I saw it but as I started mixing and matching the patterns, I totally fell in love with all the shades of blue with hints of grey or cream. It was a stunning kit to use and I made four lovely layouts which are pretty much monochromatic. You can see them all in the gallery at Scrapabilly here.

Here's just one of them:

The Scrapabilly June Kit des Monats here

Take a single colour of choice and find as many items as possible in that same family - papers, embellishments, alphas etc and put them together to make an eye-catching design.

Here's another one I found that seems to prove that I'm drawn to shades of blue! Here with a hint of gold.

Of course, you could also use the idea of monochrome as part of your story - to describe your home or clothing style, even someone's personality, or a place such as a garden or a desert trip.

I hope you can find somewhere to take this this week and that you'll share! You can do that in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken. 

Or simply tell us in the comments where to find you... :-)