#238 - be inspired by back to school

I'm inspired right now, and motivated too. A good combination to put some creative time to good use.

WM#238 - be inspired by back to school 

I knew that I had many stories to tell about school and it was just a matter of which one to pick for what happens to be the second school-themed page this month so far. The other will be shared later in the month.

My trusty Counterfeit Kit Challenge September kit, Wanderlust, is proving useful as it happens to have a good mix of greens and blues in there as well as a bunch of interesting embellishments that I've decided match my school journey concept. Travel and stars and little elements which can be extended to fulfil the idea of school and schedules and the passage of time.

CKC September kit Wanderlust, lo#2

As mentioned, I picked out all the greens and blues I could find in this kit which matches the colours of my old school uniform - it's a subtle technique but one that I notice each time I look at a school page. Do you like to use hidden symbolism too? It's a technique I use all the time.

I've mentioned before how few photos I have from my time at school, so I'm being very careful to use just one or two photos per story so that I can stretch out those I have. This was taken recently (2011) when I attended a school open day. But the memories of the cupboard back in the day are very fresh!

I made up this page while I was at my weekly crop, pulling it together without an idea of which photo or even story I wanted to tell. I like this approach as it doesn't feel restricting and allows me to just create in a way which I feel showcases all the products and embellishments I decide to use. When I come home and finish off the page, I often tweak the placement of the smaller pieces or rework the title. In this case, I had a completely different title in fact, lined up underneath the paper block but when I decided on a topic and a single portrait photo, this position didn't work and I decided to change out the whole thing - words and all. I prefer this much more.

And there you have it. Another snippet of my life ready to be filed away. 

Will you be inspired to tell a school themed story this week? I've offered some other ideas for directions to take this prompt in the original post here if you need some more options - check it out!

As always, I love it when you share too and if you've been inspired to create, 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... :-)

Challenge #319 - week of 18th February 2019

I don't know about you but I love love love looking through the photos on my phone when I have a few minutes to kill. Having those memories right there in your hand when you're in the mood is one of the best inventions ever! And of course, there are Apps that support that desire to look back in time while you're standing in queue at the supermarket. One of my favourites is "Timehop" which reminds you of photos you have in your photo stream or on social media in previous years.

Last week I had just such a reminder - one of my favourite ever photos of my beautiful niece from 6 years ago popped up and I realised that I had a brand new one of her that I could match up with it for a "Then & Now" shot. Now that makes me happy

So this week, I'd like you to be inspired by then and now.

How you could take the prompt this week:

• a then and now composite photo such as the one I've posted above using an App or make your own collage to use on your layout.
• just take two photos and bring them together in a then and now concept on your page - like we did before reminder and photo collage apps ;-) 
• take a now and then story and compete two times - technology or growth are typical topics for these types of pages.
• Compare your own story at a point in the past with that of a child of the same age today - it's the same principle but a different comparison point of view.
• make a photo or a story heavy page with your comparison.
• My Mind's Eye had a collection line called "Now & Then" which you might have in your stash - this could be the time to use it up (heading over to my own MME supplies to see!) and I noticed that there were several digital kits featured online when I entered the search criteria "then and now"
• how about combining old and new products to give the prompt a different twist. 

I hope you'll give this prompt a try and find ways to look at "then and now". It would be great to see what you make.  You can connect with us in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken.

Have a great day everyone!

Challenge #318 - week of 11th February 2019

It's Valentine's Day week and I'd love to find a way to inspire you with everything hearts and romance this week without actually using the name "Valentine's Day"! I know, I know, it's a bit strange but we haven't done it so far and I want to challenge myself!

Let's see what we can do....

You all know that I have a "thing" for stars and constellations and night skies and I was so delighted to find this totally gorgeous Valentine's Day card when I was in the UK last week...

I could almost feel my heart do a flip when I saw it with all the laser cutting, stars, hearts and sprinkles and even though it was ridiculously expensive, it had to come home with me.

So... this week, I'd like you to be inspired by "I love you to the moon and back"

This has become a much used phrase in recent years - although the original phrase we repeat to each other is "to infinity, beyond and back again" - and I've included it on several of my pages when I purchased the Kesi 'Art Moonlight collection which I love and wish I could track down some more! I think you can see how versatile this phrase or even supplies can be.

I used it here on a layout about a special and rather untraditional Christmas Eve dinner in Prague...

and here on a page about my one and only...

and here on a New Year's Eve page...

and here to express my ongoing love for the still much-missed Bowie.

This layout uses a sketch from the March 2019 collection and a Story Starter® from the archives as part of the premium  Simple Scrapper membership, where I am on the Creative Team.

And then there are these two moon photo layouts - both using the same photo if I'm not mistaken - ha ha! But they have totally different subjects and won't be placed near each other in albums so I'm totally ok with that!

I hope I've since added journalling to this one or one of those tags is a pull out story card!

The pull out journalling here tells how I am very affected by the full moon and get positively grumpy and irrational at that time - it seems to run in the family 

Ways you could take this prompt today:

• You could literally take the phrase and use it to refer to a loved one, a child, a friend, someone you miss or something you can't live without. This is where you could pull out all the romance lovey-dovey Valentine's Day related stuff - if that's where you want to go this week!
• You could have a space inspired story - this year marks 50 years since man walked on the moon so that might be something in your family history to record on your page
• Moon inspired products are very trendy right now so maybe you have some that could be cut into today.
• Your story could involve a very very very long journey in one form or another.
• Night skies, constellations, the Milky Way, solar or lunar eclipses, full moons and other Solar System stories and supplies would all be suitable for this week's prompt.

Maybe you don't love all things stars and moons as much as I do, but I hope you'll give this prompt a try. It would be great to see what you make.  You can connect with us in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken.

Have a great day everyone!

Challenge #315 - week of 21st January 2019

Morning! I hope you're having a great start to the new week and I'm happy to report that we've had some simply wonderful winter weather round here - blue skies with a warming, bright sun and thick frost that stays all day! I think the ducks outside where we live are a little confused, as always, as to why the water is totally frozen over suddenly!

But I'm up and out early this week because I have a check up at the doctor's which gave me the idea for this week.

I'd like you to be inspired by checks.

Checking off items from a to-do list 

Checking progress on health and fitness goals

I can hear you scratching your head from here but let's think about how you could interpret this:

• doctor's check - this could include an update in a baby book through to a regular yearly routine that you'd like to record. It could be a funny anecdote, something that you'd been dreading that turned out fine or if you are recording a difficult story or journey, something from that timeline. 
• a check list - this might include any kind of list making such as Christmas lists, present lists, Monday to do lists, yearly goals and everything in between.
• quirks - we all have them and sometimes they include regular checks that you do at certain times or at regular intervals or before you do something else. Maybe you check that you turned off the iron five times before you leave the house, or like me, check that you have your passport with you every five minutes on the way to the airport.
• travel - travelling is full of checks. Packing lists, places to go, planning the trip with a guidebook, airport security checks, checking off the things you've done throughout the trip.
• household - part of running a household is having checks - mental or written down. Regular checks of equipments, supplies, things to do. Winter checks, summer checks. Clothing, cleaning, gardening, storage.
• paper supplies - I've seen many supplies which include check lists which could be interesting to  include on your project this week - paper, journalling cards and embellishments. Sometimes there are even full collections based on this style - Daily Grind from Simple Stories back in 2013 for example! Or how about a checked paper design - gingham, plaid, grid, geometric.
• general checks - I'm sure you can think of stories where something needed to be checked. Maybe even checked twice!

I hope you've got ideas churning and maybe that will turn into a page which I'd love to see!

You can connect with us in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken.

Happy Monday everyone, let the games begin!

Challenge #311 - week of 12th November 2018

Yesterday, across parts of western Europe and the English speaking world, we remembered those fallen in times of war as part of Remembrance Day. This is commemorated every year on 11th November and at 11am, a two-minute silence is often signalled by The Last Post and a reading of a verse or two of poems written during WWI.

In 1918, "at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" the guns fell silent as part of the armistice which had been agreed and signed some 5 hours before, marking the end of World War I (1914-1918).

It's a big thing in Great Britain and this year was especially poignant as it marked the 100 years since that time. I wore my poppy with pride and had my own two-minute silence.

So, this week I'd like you to be inspired by "lest we forget".

This doesn't have to be a sad story or even anything to do with loss or remembrance as such. It could be a story that you've been meaning to tell, or something you want to make sure is recorded or something you just don't want to forget yourself. Of course, it can also be a more serious project if you have something you want to put down on paper. I'd just like you to be inspired by the idea of looking back and remembering. To be honest, the phrase "lest we forget" definitely sums up one of the reasons I scrapbook. I often say, "If I don't tell my story, who will?" And that's what it's all about for me. Stories that would otherwise get forgotten.

Take this prompt in any way you'd like today but I'd love to see some recorded stories.


I always hope you share your creations and of course, here's a reminder that you can connect with us in our Facebook group here. Tag your entry with #WMXX so we know exactly which inspiration you've taken.

#306 - be inspired by strip journalling

When is the last time that I managed to make a Whimsical Musings prompt right there in the week that I posted it? It feels like a long time. But this week, I managed the seemingly impossible :-)

I promise you that the prompt came first and then this Simple Scrapper Creative Team assignment followed and not the other way around. But does it really matter anyway? I've made a page that I love and that's all that matters at the end of the creative day.

This layout was created using a sketch and a Story Starter ® from the Simple Scrapper premium membership. I loved this sketch (from September 2017) when it first appeared and knew that I wanted to use it so I was particularly happy to realise that I could make it work this month. The fact that it had journalling strips was the icing on the cake to fulfil this Whimsical Musings prompt WM#306 - be inspired by strip journalling.

The Story Starter ® was all about gifts and I knew this was a chance for me to capture my love of matching, over the top, frilly packaging!

I went with my standard form of journalling in this way. I wrote up my story on a 6x4 template, printed it out at 1.15 spacing in American Type font and then cut it up into strips and trimmed the ends so that most of the strips are different lengths. And then I adhered them loosely so that there is some dimension. Perfect!

I also added some texture to this simple sketch by stitching round the edge of the page and also along the bottom edge of each cloud, leaving the threads messy.

Last of all, I picked out some enamel dots, veneer elements and some glittery elements to sprinkle across the page in colours that sum up all that is fun about my packaging and Easter itself!

*sigh* I love my Silhouette when I take the trouble to get it out and use it! And I think I love my sewing machine even more :-)

As always, I love it when you share too and if you've been inspired to create, 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... :-)

Challenge #306 - week of 8th October 2018

I've been busy creating today and will have some shares during the week so watch this space. But I used a technique that I like a lot but I'm often too lazy to actually remember to do. And this gave me the idea for today's prompt.

I'd like you to be inspired by strip journalling.

You know, where you write or print your journalling on strips of paper and then glue them directly onto your journalling area. If I'm going to write, I usually just write directly onto the layout but sometimes, I want the story on a paper or cardstock to stand out a little more and that's when I go to the effort of printing my words and then cutting it all up in order to stick it back down again!

You can use patterned paper such as the second layout here or plain cardstock which tends to be my go to. You can make it even or staggered, whole lines of text, just one sentence at a time or even a single word. You can write, print or use a typewriter. You can put the strips close together or far apart such as in the last picture. You can make it tone on tone - first photo - or a strong contrast. However you use it, give it a try this week.

I think you know how important I think story is on my layouts and I love finding different ways to incorporate it into the design so I hope you'll find a way to take this inspiration for yourself this week.

And if you are inspired, I hope 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. 

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... :-)

#85 inspired by divided page protectors

Ha ha! Pam always knows just how to stretch me the most!

This was the first time I've scrapped with divided page protectors even though I have a full set of PL stuff here ready and waiting. I've done some small flip photo album scrapbooks à la Stacy J and that was a lot of fun but a full 12x12 divided into different sizes? New.

I obviously need practice because this took me AGES! Longer than a normal page in fact and even then, I'm not fully satisfied with the result but I have photos and some story as well as a bit of memorabilia captured so it can't be all bad :-)

I tried to use a bit of each of the papers across the three pages and mix up the photos but can someone tell me what I'm supposed to do with the small photos that I use so often - the Instagram squares and the 2x3s? They just didn't "fit" anywhere.

And even then, I had lots more photos to include - maybe I will just put them behind one of the blocks to find later on.

This was hard work but also quite a bit of fun. I think I need to practice and think it through a bit more next time.

 

Another week of creative stretching - thanks Pam! I will be trying this again!

How did you get on? First time, a Project Lifer or just a divided protector fan? Don't forget to share over at Flickr (here) with the tag WM#85

#82 Inspired by hidden journallling

I've been busy preparing hand made embellies for four layouts for a magazine commission which meant that I was running low on time for my WM challenge today. Yes, I leave everything to the last minute! I always have the best intentions. So I was glad when the following process came together more quickly thank usual.

I went around my creating a little differently this time around as I wanted to find a subject that would call for hidden journalling. And once I had that, I looked for some photos. As they were boy based, my February Counterfeit Kit, Urban, was perfect and it didn't take long for me to sort out a collection of products to use. The next challenge for me was to come up with a way to hide my journalling in way I haven't tried before. That was fun.

The layout itself, once the selection and ideas were ready, didn't take long at all. I kept it simple and am happy with the way it turned out. And the fun thing is, no one will ever really notice where the journalling is unless they really look for it.

Counterfeit Kit Challenge February kit, Urban layout #6

 

Did you notice? My title block is actually a spinner and the journalling is tucked on the part you can't see. He he!

So to recap, my process today was subject, story, photos, kit, create. Very different from my usual jumping around and just making it work. Sometimes it's fun to shake things up and head at things from a different angle. You should try something different and let us know how it worked for you.

What did you do to keep your journalling out of view this week?

Don't forget to share over at our Flickr gallery (here) with the tag WM#82

Challenge #82 week of 18th March 2013

Welcome to your new home Pam! We all hope you will be very happy with your new cosmopolitan lifestyle!

I've had some sneak peeks of her new home and it's lovely.

And off we are on another week's creative adventure.

I hope you know that I try to always have a bit of a story on my pages. Sometimes it's out in the open but sometimes, it's a bit more tucked out of the way. Sometimes only I know it's there. It's my little secret.

So that is my prompt this week. Go hide your journalling! Maybe you'll go the regular way - pockets, tucked behind the photo, slipped under the papers, slapped on the back of the page. Or you might get a bit more crafty (in both meanings of the word) and find a new way to hide it but it's still there. A little translucent pocket perhaps, a flap under the photo, a letter in an envelope, even coded (too much hard work for me but I know there's a few of you out there who might go the extra mile!)

Here are a few of our recent pages which could qualify for this prompt for a bit more inspiration:

A vellum pocket shows you that there is journalling to read but the confetti also in the pocket gives the words some protection

The brown paper bag covers up the journalling strip completely but the stitched tab gives an enticing peek of what might be inside

Partly visible, partly hidden behind the photo, the tab gives a clear instruction

My closed up doily envelope really keeps these words under lock and key 

I'm going to ask Pam to connect up one or two of her pages here too. :-) I'm sure she will wow us with her creative hiding skills!

So, get going and cover up those words. Don't forget to share over at Flickr with the tag WM#82. Can't wait to see what you make.

#72 inspired by bling, confetti and glitter

Well, I'm determined to catch up with everything as soon as I can on the prompts I've missed recently and there is a long list to be honest. Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me. I appreciate each and every one of you and even when I haven't been around, I've been thinking of you and try to get to our Flickr group as often as I can even if I don't manage to comment.

Life has not exactly calmed down round here but I am trying to just keep my head above water and make time for the things that make me happy and that most certainly includes Whimsical Musings and playing with paper.

I made a decision to leave the TV off yesterday evening and sat here looking for inspiration. It came to me from my Counterfeit Kit Challenge December page kit, Anticipate. I had posted about it on my blog and had intended to make a page about our Advent wreath tradition to include. I even had a note in my post to remind where to post the photo. Of course, I totally forgot and didn't manage to get my hands on any of my scrap supplies after I came back from our trip in December. So that was the first thing that needed to be checked off. I had the photos selected and printed so it was just a matter of picking up my kit and making it work for the prompt (immediately forgetting the original blog post also had a sketch to use!). And as the WM prompt was all about sparkle, it was perfect for this Christmas layout. I am a firm believer that everyone needs a whole lot of sparkle at that time of year.

I added in a sheet of white cardstock, glitter and sequins to match the photos and the prompt. I think this matches the prompt enough ;-) I included glitter slodges, glimmer mist, sequins, silver ink and some shimmery fabric. Ha ha, talk about overload!

CKC December page kit, Anticipate #1

So, being on a roll and thinking about how I had commented on the Flickr board that I had a sequin story to tell from my dressmaking days, I decided to carry on and finish a second page for this story. I love the way that our prompts or other inspiration pushes me into telling my story in small manageable chunks. If I ever get to put my layouts into albums, it will be interesting to see how that adds up and what bits are missing.

CKC January kit, Renew, #2

What a perfect prompt for this dull time of year. I was smiling all the time I made these two layouts.

Thanks Pam for making this week so easy for me :-)

#63 Inspired by Random Photo Collections

Sooooo happy to be here today - with power and heat restored. In case you didn't know, I live in Northern New Jersey. And although I wasn't directly affected by the ravaging Hurricane Sandy, I live on the periphery and suffered from the side effects (such as having not heat, electricity or internet for a few days).

Anyway, it has been a very long week, but I gladly bring you two new layouts for this week's prompt of random photo collections.

If you stopped by the discussion board this week you know that I had many options to choose from. In end I narrowed it down to two, which incidentally were related. I guess I can always go back and make some of the other pages.

My first layout focuses on my knack to photograph my feet. I find that it is a quick and easy way to document where I am. Or what is going on around me. Also, my feet never have bad hair days, or need makeup, or have blemishes. *wink* so they are always at the ready. This page now documents that. Even though I have used some of these photos before in the context they were taken in, I think they tell a whole different story when paired together like this.  

The second page covers a peripheral story to the last - part of the reason I walk so much is because I don't drive. And spending so much time in the car (or bus) I have developed a habit for photographing my lap. I usually have my camera at the ready or my ipod hooked up or a drink in my hands. I really enjoy this page as well. 

Although you can't see my face in either of these pages, they are so me and I love how much of my story they tell. There's a tip for you, self-portraits don't have to include your face... and you can make pages about yourself without it too. 

Hope you all had a good week and if you were in the path of this storm that you were able to stay warm and dry.

xo,
Pamage