#287 - be inspired by awards

Of course I needed to scrap the award party I talked about in the original prompt post (WM287 - be inspired by awards here) and document my sweet sister's success. Even though she didn't win the award, she was (and is) a winner for us.

It was such a fun event and a great excuse for me to fly over to the UK for the shortest of visits as well as to get dressed up in my party gear!

I again used my Counterfeit Kit Challenge May kit, Funky for this fun page and decided to fall back on my tried and tested grid design to get 6 photos on the page without covering up all of that gorgeous background paper. So pretty that I just couldn't bear to cut into it or to not see as much of it as possible.

I layered up each of the square photos with pretty papers and tissue paper to give the layout some depth and dimension. Then I raided my kit box for all the pretties that added to the celebratory feeling of the page.

These little gems have found their way onto so many pages from this kit and I love them! I wonder if I can track down some more! I'll have to ask Scrapabilly if she has some more for me!

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... :-)

#288 - be inspired by weddings

Even thought I've been late again this week in putting up my prompt, I did actually create a couple of pages which matched a couple of Whimsical Musings prompts.

This time around, I'd like to share the layout I made using WM#288 - be inspired by weddings.

Of course, I wrote the prompt after the royal wedding and so it seemed only right to actually make my own layout about the wedding in question.

I sat in front of the tv all day soaking up all the details of the event and remembered to snap a few shots of my own decorations and afternoon tea delicacies which accompanied our viewing experience!

I used my Counterfeit Kit Challenge May kit, Funky and just picked out all the bits that made me happy. I added in two part sheets of Simple Stories wedding collection, Always and Forever, for the background as I didn't have anything suitable. I like the contrast of all the pink and aqua and colourful elements on top of the simple background papers.

I just layered up lots of bits and pieces that seemed to say celebration or fun to make this a very lighthearted design.

I couldn't just pick one or two photos so I printed them all out in a small size to fit in as many as I could.

Don't forget that 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... :-)

Challenge #289 - week of 28th May 2018

Ha ha! The reason I missed putting up yesterday's prompt is my inspiration for you this week.

I'd like you to be inspired by sleep.

I came home from work yesterday and sat down for a moment with a cold drink to just rest before getting going with the rest of my evening. The next thing I knew, it was 7.30pm and I could not get my eyes open. I dragged myself to bed and woke up again this morning! I guess I needed it.

But therefore, no prompt!

Do you have your own sleep filled story to capture on a page. Or that of someone you know? Perhaps you creep in to peek at your child while they are asleep or like me, need a whole lot of the stuff! Places you sleep, what your bedtime routines are, how the moon affects your sleep, a time you were caught walking in your sleep? You might have night themed products you'd like to use. Or maybe, like me, those moments when you lie down at night are the best of the day and need a layout to record your feelings.

I'm sure you can come up with something and you just know that I want to see it!

I made this layout using a sketch and Story Starter from Simple Scrapper noting down those wonderful seconds when my head hits the pillow.

And this one talks about just one of the nicknames I was given as a teenager but one that is still true today!

And I love that these layouts find a use for a couple of the most random photos that I take!

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #288 - week of 21st May 2018

My excuse this week? It was a Bank Holiday yesterday which means I totally lost the fact that it was Monday!

But it was a wonderful weekend in my neck of the woods and this is my inspiration for this week.

I would like you to be inspired by weddings!

Yes, it was the "Royal Wedding of the Year" last Saturday. Now, that might not be such a big deal for you but it was a huge thing for this fan of all things royal and I blocked the whole day in my diary to spend hours in front of the TV with champagne, scones and Coronation Chicken. Loved it!

Of course you can take this prompt in your own wedding direction. That of your children, a vintage layout featuring parents, grandparents or even older ancestors? Maybe you have a wedding themed collection of papers that you would just love to use - a nuptial layout or not. Perhaps comparing your own wedding with the dreams of you childhood self. A wish-filled future wedding maybe? Or just a bringing together of two things that are destined to be. Several directions to go this week.

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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... :-)

#276 - be inspired by the new releases at Creativation 2018

It's May which means it's LOAD time - insert happy dance here.

So far, I'm rather behind my target of 15 layouts for the month - I've made a total of 6 so far! But inadvertently, I did make a layout that fulfils one of the previous prompts here on Whimsical Musings WM#276 - be inspired by the new releases at Creativation 2018.

Look! There's a llama! In my book, that's totally Creativation 2018 and I am thrilled to have found a way to use it on a layout. I mean, I've never even met a llama in my life so I really struggled with thinking how I was going to put it on a layout. But this fun, sun-filled layout seemed the perfect spot for the happy feeling it purveys.

I also used my Counterfeit Kit Challenge May kit, Funky for this layout which is proving to be super fun to cut up and create with.

Don't forget that if you're inspired to create this week, that you can add your creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #287 - week of 14th May 2018

Ah! I should learn to keep my mouth shut! As soon as I say that I'm keeping up with the prompts, I drop a week!

I actually made a layout using a prompt recently so I'll be sharing soon. But for today, I'd like to give you a new prompt based on a really short 24-hour trip I recently made to the UK.

I'd like you to be inspired by awards.

I went over to the UK to surprise my little sister who had been nominated for an award in the "Pride of Rugby Awards 2018" for the category "Town Centre Business of the Year". I'm so proud of her because even though she's been running creativity workshops for some time, her business has only been in its new premises - where she sells a section of modern yarns and accessories as well as offering workshops for all sorts of creative skills - for a couple of months. Anyway, I took a few photos and this prompt will be a good excuse for me to make a layout about the fun evening we had!

I'm sure you have a story or ten that feature awards of some sort. School, sport, university, work, hobby - you name it, there's usually an award to talk about and celebrate. You, your family, your children, a relative, a friend or even in your imagination. Of course, we are bound to have an item or two in your stash that feature awards in some way - trophies, banners, rosettes, stars, quotes! I'm sure you can find something to be inspired by.

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #286 - week of 30th April 2018

I'm keeping up with the posts here but not with making up the layouts. But one thing at a time, don't you think?

So, I'm back again with this week's prompt, inspired by what I was up to this last weekend. It's a long, holiday weekend here in Germany and we've enjoyed some quiet, quality down time. It's been lovely.

Today we went for a long (8km) country walk and took in everything there was to see in this wine making part of the country. How beautiful it all is.

So, I'd like you to be inspired by a country walk.

Take it literally and create a page about a walk you've made. Take it metaphorically or maybe a walk you'd like to make one day. Talk about spring or taking walks with someone special to you. Be inspired by countryside themed products. I think there are many ways to take the inspiration and make it your own so I'm interested to see where you go with it!


If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #285 - week of 23rd April 2018

If you read last week's prompt, you'll remember that I had another idea before I saw the wonderful quote posted by Pebbles Inc on Facebook. So I changed tack and decided to just hold onto it for this week.

Therefore, this time around I'd like you to be inspired by mini-letter stickers.

This is just a selection of the smaller letters that I have but there are some firm favourites there that find their way into almost every single kit that I make as well as on most of my layouts! Jillibean, Sassafraslass and October Afternoon are my all time favourites but any will work for me as long as they stick and are in the right colours!

I'm sure you have some of these little beauties in your own supplies and if you don't already use them all that often, now might the time to fish them out and give them an airing. If you do use them regularly, why not try to find a new way to incorporate them on a layout. Mix them up, arrange them differently, journal with them, use them in a mixed up title. I'm sure you can think of a dozen ways of bringing them onto your layout.

I made this layout just last week with my Counterfeit Kit Challenge April kit, Rogue for a Counterfeit challenge to be inspired by Easter. I knew that I didn't have much to say in the way of journalling so I used up a whole bunch of mini BasicGrey alphas to spell out single words of what was special about Easter 2018.

Ps. have you noticed that several of my favourite letters are from suppliers that don't make scrapbook products any more? *sniff sniff*

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #284 - week of 16th April 2018

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you are feeling refreshed and ready to start a new week.

I know that many of you in the US are still (im)patiently waiting for spring to arrive but round here, it's all systems go and as my hay fever eyes and nose will tell you, nature is bursting forth!

I had something else to inspire us this week but when I saw the image below on Facebook a few moments ago, I just knew that this would be my prompt.

I'd like you to be inspired by "kindness changes everything".

Source - Pebbles Inc on Facebook

A small act of kindness can go a long, long way. It can change the way you think about that person, a whole situation or even the world at large. It can make you see things in a clearer way, maybe more positive or even a little more self-reflective. You might be one acting kindly, or the grateful recipient of someone else's thoughtfulness. You might wish to work on becoming a kinder person or thinking about how to install that attitude in those around you. Many ways to approach this. You might even have some product with a similar quote that you'd like to use on your project.

Many years ago when I first started scrapbooking, we had a wonderful Nova Scotia adventure which became the topic of a huge scrapbook album. I had just started my blog and every day while we were there, I'd record my thoughts about our trip and that all formed the journalling for this huge project when I came back. One of the stories I told was "Never underestimate the kindness of strangers" and is one of my favourite memories of our trip. My scrapbooking style was rather basic and I'd certainly make the album differently today but this page still warms my heart. (Let's not talk about the randomly tilted tag!!!) In fact, I've just realised that this formed the prompt WM#230 - be inspired by the kindness of strangers but I think we can never have enough kindness in our lives so another prompt, similar but different, is ok!

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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 #283 - week of 9th April 2018

I'm fighting with a lacking mojo at the moment so I'm hoping that keeping up with my posts here at WM each week will kick-start it sooner or later!

Recently, I spied some papers at Scrapabilly by Kaisercraft that I just knew my sister would adore. She stopped scrapping some time ago and I've been trying to lure her back ever since. She loves all things oriental and I thought it might nudge her into cutting some paper. She really did love the products I sent but so far, no layout! Ha ha. But I got myself one or two the items for myself and this week, I'd like to find the inspiration to use it. Hence this week's prompt.

I'd like you to be inspired by these oriental design papers.

I think they are just beautiful and could use them for many different styles and types of pages. You might have some similar designs in your own stash or you might be inspired by the bright colour combinations. Maybe you just take one or two of the elements in the papers here to inspire you - design, colour, words.  The cranes might spark a bird themed story of your own or maybe you've been lucky enough to travel to the orient and want to make a travel-themed page. Origami, cherry blossoms, pagodas or buddhist temples. Maybe you just want to concentrate on your love of yoga, meditation or general worship. There's many directions if you think about it! Which way will you go this week?

Many many years ago, I bought some gorgeous paper for a Singapore themed page but of course I can't find a photo of it right now. If I track it down, I'll post it or maybe I'll just remake it as I think it's one that I earmarked to redo! However, I remember that there was lots of cherry blossom fussy cutting which was really pretty.

If you're inspired to create this week, don't forget that you can add your own creations to our Facebook group here - we love it when you share so 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... :-)