QOTW - February 28

Q: How do you cure "scrapper's block"?


DT answers:


Allison: Whenever I experience scrapper's block I know that's the time for me to take a break. I'll either take a break from scrapping all together or work on another project. If I come back to what I was previously working on an am still not feeling it I'll try switching out the papers or even the photos. That usually does the trick!


Brittney: Online galleries and blogs for sure! There are so many talented ladies out there, and I find them definitely inspiring!


Courtney: I haven't really experienced this yet, but once I do, I'll probably look around at galleries for inspiration or blogs. I might even look around my room for inspiration as well.


Jamie: Working from a sketch, flipping through mags and browsing through the galleries at 2Ps always help me with my scrappers block!


Jen: ewww this always seems to hit me when i really want to get projects done....I look throught he gallery and magazines and just start with a scraplift that i want to do. The usually gets my creative juices flowing and i start doing my own stuff next.


Michele: I hate scrapper's block! I look at the 2Peas gallery or browse through my idea books. I recently updated my "scrap library" and I love looking through the books for inspiration!


Monica: ugh, scrapper's block! I usually will look through magazines or online galleries until I get some fresh ideas and the desire to scrap. Then I will look for some pictures that I feel inspired to scrapbook.


Rachel: I keep sketching my ideas, blog surf, and take some time off. Sometimes I feel that the harder I try to 'cure' nomojoitis, the worse it gets.


Shannon: I try not to force it. I take a break from scrapping and let my mind rest. When I'm ready to jump back in I look at products I have, online galleries, magazines and especially sketches. Sketches seem to work best for me.


Stephanie (Steph): Blogs, galleries, and music are surefire ways to cure my scrapper's block!


Teri: Scrapper's block is the worst! I usually print new pictures or shop for something new when my creativity isn't flowing. Usually fresh pictures will do the trick!




We'd love to hear what you do to cure scrapper's block!

Random Prompts Challenge Feb. 25 - More inspiration!

We're back to bring you some more inspiration for the first Random Prompts challenge! This challenge has been fun because each and every design team member came up with a totally different interpretation. Hopefully these samples will get your creativity flowing and inspire you to create a project for the challenge!

Take a look at these projects by our design team:

Jen "Bucket Bath"

"Me when i was a kid.. so cute! My unusual scrap supplies were sand paper and cardboard and bottle top for the stamping."

Leigh "Hot Mama"

"I used a full 8x10 page torn from an old issue of Vogue as the base of this page. I love those gorgeous peppers!"

Kate "I Love U card"

"The non-scrapbooking item on this card is the cream and brown flocked border, which was  a Starbucks gifts card holder in its previous life."

Random Prompts Challenge #1 - February 25, 2010

Good morning! Jamie and Monica, your Random Prompts hostesses, are very excited to bring you the first Random Prompts challenge. Your challenge this week is to use a product not intended for scrapbooking on your layout such as an office supply, a photo from a magazine, recycled cardboard, or even a brown paper bag! You can interpret this as loosely as you'd like! This is what the hostesses came up with:

Monica "True Love"

"For the background, I used a piece of cardboard and ripped off parts of the top to reveal the ridges. Then I used Glimmer Mist in Key Lime & Turquoise to create the heart design. Last, I added green paint to the ridges of the cardboard."

Jamie "Gift Bag Mini Book"

Here are a couple of layouts from the design team:

Shannon "Happiness is a Peeanut"

"This little bag is what my husband's new iPhone case came in (got to love Etsy!) and I immediately thought of my daughter. Her grandparents have called her peanut since she was born."

Allison "Coach Love"

"I used a Coach shopping back for the background and most of the accents, including the ribbon!"


We can't wait to see what your interpretation is for this challenge! Please submit your project by 11:59PM CST on Wednesday, March 3.
Submission Instructions:

You may submit as many layouts (or cards) as you want by the challenge deadline and will get one chance at the prize for each entry. Your project must meet the criteria posted by the challenge hosts to be eligible to win. To submit your layout, add the direct URL for your layout to InLinkz. It will be at the bottom of each challenge post. You can link to your uploaded project in a gallery like Two Peas in a Bucket, a Photobucket account, or a post on another blog. Just make sure the URL takes us directly to your project and not just your blog homepage or whole gallery.

The challenge winner will be chosen by a random number generator. Every challenge winner will get a special “Challenge Winner” blinkie to use in their signatures on messages boards or blog posts. We will pool all the challenge entries and do a prize drawing with the random number generator at the end of the month. We may also occasionally have smaller prizes for mini-giveaways, so keep checking back!

If you have questions about any of this or have a problem using the blog, e-mail us at handmadelovechallenge@gmail.com

**Winner** - AAM February 11

Sorry this is so late... we used Random.org to pick a winner for the first About Me challenge and it picked...


(drumroll)








#2 - Christy!


Congrats, Christy. Send us an email at handmadelovechallenge@gmail.com to get your "winner" blinkie!

QOTW - February 21

Q: What is one thing you are itching to add to your scrap stash?


DT answers:


Brittney: A bind-it-all. C'mon employment!


Kate: More storage. Before I buy anything else I need to have somewhere to put it!


Leigh: The "Dreams Come True" Disney Princess Cricut cartridge!


Michele: The Cinch from We R Memory Keepers!


Monica: I was dying to get my hands on the Dear Lizzy collection so now that I have it, the next things on my list are Sassafras Nerdy Bird and the Tim Holtz "texture fades" embossing folders.


Rachel: Storage Units. I have no real place to store my things and no space to scrap. I'd love to add some storage to my stash so that I can find what I already have!


Shannon: Sure Cuts A Lot for my Cricut!


Stephanie (Steph): More Cricut cartridges!


What about you? What are you itching to add to your stash?!

Color Challenge Feb 18th- Even MORE Layouts

We hope that you play along with our very first color challenge! Need some more inspiration? Here are some more layouts from our DT!

Don't forget: Please submit your project by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, February 24th (see original Color Challenge blog post for complete submission instructions).

Happy Scrapping!

Monica- "A Fun Filled Day of Wii"

Leigh- "Mr. T Starter Kit"

Color Challenge Feb. 18 - More Layouts!

Here are some more layouts by the design team to inspire your creativity!

Allison: "Moving Day"

Jamie: "Anne Frank Huis"

Kate: "Slow Down"

Color Challenge #1 - February 18, 2010

Hello! We are very excited to bring you our very first color challenge! The inspiration for this color challenge comes from the Olivia Sofette at Pottery Barn. Check out this beauty!

We have included several color swatches that you can incorporate into your project. You do NOT have to use every color, and please feel free to use different shades of the colors if you do not have exact matches. Take a look at how these beautiful colors inspired your challenge hosts, Stephanie (Steph) and Michele:

Stephanie (Steph): "You Are My Sunshine"

Michele: "Mr. & Mrs."

Here are a few more layouts from some of the Design Team members:

Shannon: "Thanks So Much"

Teri Owens: "Crazy, Happy, In Love!"

Check back tomorrow for even more inspiration from our Design Team!

Please submit your project by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, February 24th.

Happy scrapping!

Submission Instructions:

You may submit as many layouts (or cards) as you want by the challenge deadline and will get one chance at the prize for each entry. Your project must meet the criteria posted by the challenge hosts to be eligible to win. To submit your layout, add the direct URL for your layout to InLinkz. It will be at the bottom of each challenge post. You can link to your uploaded project in a gallery like Two Peas in a Bucket, a Photobucket account, or a post on another blog. Just make sure the URL takes us directly to your project and not just your blog homepage or whole gallery.

The challenge winner will be chosen by a random number generator. Every challenge winner will get a special “Challenge Winner” blinkie to use in their signatures on messages boards or blog posts. We will pool all the challenge entries and do a prize drawing with the random number generator at the end of the month. We may also occasionally have smaller prizes for mini-giveaways, so keep checking back!

If you have questions about any of this or have a problem using the blog, e-mail us at handmadelovechallenge@gmail.com

Winner!

Hi everyone. I just used the random number generator at random.org to choose the winner of our mini giveaway, and it's commenter #3, Nancy! Nancy, send us an e-mail at handmadelovechallenge@gmail.com so you can get your set of handmade embellishments! Check back Thursday for our next challenge and Friday to see the winner of the current challenge.

Last of the inspiration for AAM February 11!

Here are the last of the design team layouts for the "10 Things About Me" challenge. Don't forget that you have until Wednesday by 11:59PM to submit your project to Mr. Linky in the February 11 post to get an entry into the prize drawing at the end of the month!

Michele "Me!"

Allison Romero "Guilty Pleasures"

Leigh Morris "Me in 10"

Jen Parker "Why I Love Hong Kong"

1) Luke and Pepper live here 2) views like this ( photo of HK skyline) 3) gateway to the rest of Asia 4)Bubble tea! (photo of bubble tea) 5)never far from peace and beauty (photo of our camping trip) 6)Low taxes! 7)freshest seafood (photo of seafood being sold right off the boat) 8) never a dull moment 9)the button, ribbon, and bead markets (photo of ribbon market) 10) small city that has everything, beaches, mountains, & great food!

QOTW - February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day!

Q: Do you start with photos, paper, or layout design first when creating a layout?


DT Answers:


Allison: I start with my photos first. I pick the one I want to scrap and then go through my paper, pulling out which pieces I like best at the time. I don't try and match the colors in the photos to the colors in the paper because I'm usually using black & white pictures.


Courtney: I usually start with photos, then try and find paper, and then the layout design comes last.


Jen: Hmm this changes all the time...if I have been asked to do DT work of some paper at our LSS then I start with the paper. When I do challenges it changes where I start...When I am doing something for myself I find an inspiration piece, then pick the photos...then the paper etc.


Kate: Well the first step for me is usually figuring out what I want my layout to be about. Sometimes I write the journaling down in my idea notebook before I do anything else. Then I choose a few photos I'd like to use, then sketch out a layout that uses all or most of those photos. Even though I love patterned paper, picking out the materials to use is usually the last step in my process.


Leigh: This varies. As a chronological scrapper, 90% of the time I choose photos first, then supplies, as I know what layouts I want to do. But when I have new, latest & greatest product, I’m chomping at the bit to use it! Then I will pick the pictures to match the products.


Michele: I usually start with photos, then paper, and then layout! Occasionally, I will see a paper that I want to use and I will try to think of a picture that will go well with it.


Monica: I usually start with photos, look for a design, and then pick my paper! If I am working on a sketch, though, I start with the design, pick photos, and go from there. Or sometimes I will buy new patterned paper that I just have to use and I will pick photos & a design to go with it!


Rachel: I usually start by sketching out ideas. I'm constantly sketching! Then I select my pictures and try to find papers in my stash that match, but I've been known to get pretty paper and then take pictures to match the paper.


Shannon: I usually start with a sketch or some other source of inspiration. After that I pick my photos. Then I pick my materials. It's rare that I start with photos anymore, but that is how I used to scrap. Funny how our styles change, isn't it?


Stephanie (Steph): I normally start with photos. Once I have my photos picked out I will pick out papers that go with it, and then find a layout. Sometimes I even come up with my own sketch for a layout.


Teri: I start by narrowing down my pictures. I can be snap happy, and I usually take way too many pictures. After I choose my pictures, I pick the matching paper. Then I choose a sketch to follow.


We would love to hear your answers to this question!

AAM February 11 - More Inspiration!

Hello again. We're back today with a few more layouts from the lovely ladies on our design team to inspire you for this week's challenge, which is to create a layout that tells us 10 things about you (see yesterday's post for more details). Thanks to everyone who visited and commented yesterday! In just a week we've surpassed 1,000 views of our blog!

Teri Owens "10 Things I Love"

Jamie Leija "Oddball"

"I didn't dress up for Halloween as a kid. I'm not too into music. I eat to live rather than live to eat and sometimes forget to even do that. I hate wearing jeans. I've never believed in Santa Claus. I may not know what I want to eat, but I always know what I feel like drinking. I've never been comfortable relaxing on couches. I don't drink coffee. I've always been a little odd. I like being different."

Monica Blain "10 Dream Destinations"

Brittney Aldous "All About Me"

I wish my family and I were a lot closer -I was born in good ol' Brooks, Alberta -I think about my mom every day (1961 - 2002) -My front tooth is fake - yes, really! -I'm 100%, head-over-heels in love with such an amazing man -I love spicy food. The spicier the better -I still think that my 9-year-old dog is still a puppy, and Josh teases me about that -I love photography, and I intend to take professional photography classes in the fall -I have a degree in geography, and I'm finishing up another in GIS -I love the praise that I get from Josh - it keeps me doing what I do.

We'll have a final round of layouts from our design team up tomorrow, and check back Sunday for our Question of the Week. On Monday we'll have the winner of our mini giveaway (handmade embellishments) posted. Don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post for a chance to win!

Don't forget to link your projects for the challenge to Simply Linked here.

All About Me Challenge- Feb. 11, 2010

Good morning! We are excited to bring you our very first challenge! Your challenge for this week is (drumroll please)…..create a layout that tells us 10 things about you! Our design team thought this would be a fun way to kick things off because we will all get to know each other a little better. For inspiration, here are two layouts from our challenge hosts, Kate and Stephanie, below:

Kate "10 Things Did Today"

1. Forgot to put water in my coffee maker before turning it on. 2. Rescued my coffee maker from a melt down and enjoyed my cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee 3. Straightened my hair with my Chi iron 4. Took the bus to work...I get to pass the White House every day 5. Worked from 8:45-6 6. Ran (okay, mostly walked) on the treadmill 7. Made couscous marinara for dinner 8. Checked my personal e-mail, my work e-mail, and Two Peas..twice 9. Called my boyfriend 10. Dreamed up layout ideas as I drifted off to sleep

Stephanie "10 Things"

If that doesn't get your creative juices flowing, here are a few more layouts from our design team:

Steph Beck "10 Things I <3"

Shannon "On the Verge of 25"

Rachel Hawkins "10 Places...."

We will have more of our design team’s layouts posted tomorrow and Saturday, so be sure to check back! The winner of this challenge will be posted here on Friday, February 19. Don’t forget one of our challenge winners for this month will win our gorgeous prize package!

Get your project in by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, February 17 for your chance to win.

We also have a mini prize give away just for this challenge. Kate will send someone a package of the handmade embellishments she used on her LO, customized with your initials if you'd like. Just leave a comment here by 11:59 pm EST on Saturday.

Prize Details You may submit as many layouts (or cards) as you want by the challenge deadline and will get one chance at the prize for each entry. Your project must meet the criteria posted by the challenge hosts to be eligible to win.

To submit your layout, add the direct URL for your layout to Simply Linked. He’ll be at the bottom of each challenge post. You can link to your uploaded project in a gallery like Two Peas in a Bucket, a photobucket account, or a post on another blog. Just make sure the URL takes us directly to your project and not just your blog homepage or whole gallery. The challenge winner will be chosen by a random number generator.

Every challenge winner will get a special “Challenge Winner” blinkie to use in their signatures on messages boards or blog posts. We will pool all the challenge entries and do a prize drawing with the random number generator at the end of the month.

We may also occasionally have smaller prizes for mini-giveaways, so keep checking back! If you have questions about any of this or have a problem using the blog, e-mail us at handmadelovechallenge@gmail.com

Question of the Week

Welcome to our very first Question of the Week (QOTW)! Every Sunday a question will be posted, and you will be able to see how the Design Team members answered. Please feel free to play along by posting your answer as a comment!


Question: Do you have any other hobbies or activities you are involved in?


DT Answers:


Allison: Scrapbooking is my #1 hobby. I also like photography (though I'm not the best). I LOVE to read as well.
Brittney: Another photography lover here! Once I graduate, I plan to take a couple photography courses at the university to enhance my skills.
Courtney: I love graphic design and making things in Photoshop, also reading and writing.
Jamie: I'm an avid reader and intermediate photographer.
Jen: Anything seaglass! I make jewelry and other neat things with it. When I am not in my scraproom you will find me on the beaches treasure hunting! I also love photography!
Kate: Bicycling! I bought a hybrid bike this past spring and love using it to get around DC.
Leigh: Besides scrapbooking i love reading, yoga & aerobics, and thrifting- especially vintage books.
Michele: Scrapbooking is my main hobby, but I love to read and can curl up with a good book for hours!
Monica: Hmm... scrapbooking is my main hobby but I love to read and sometimes I knit (although I only know how to make scarves!). Is shopping considered a hobby?
Rachel: I teach dance, sing in my church choir, and paint. I love to be active an keep busy!
Shannon: I really enjoy photography as a hobby. I guess you could call me a "momarazzi". I also enjoy exercise, though being pregnant has caused me to cut back on that.
Stephanie (Steph): My other hobby, which goes hand in hand with scrapbooking, is photography. I am still a novice, but I am having fun trying out new techniques!
Stephanie: I pretty much scrapbook as my main hobby. I do enjoy reading and listening to music but, it is mainly scrapbooking.
Teri: Photography was my passion long before scrapbooking. I also love to read, shop and watch my hubby play in his band as often as possible.

This is what you could win!!

The prize for our first ever challenge:

Stay tuned this Thurday, February 11 for the very first challenge & your chance to win this awesome prize donated by Jamie =)

Introducing. . . the Design Team!

**Allison**
Oklahoma
Working on Graphic Design degree
Loves . . . Sassafras In Stitches buttons

**Brittney**
Alberta, Canada
Grad student in Geographic Information Systems
Loves . . . Prima florals & bling

**Courtney**
Maryland
High school junior
Loves . . . brads & kraft cardstock

**Jamie**
Texas
Loves . . . Thickers

**Jen**
Hong Kong
Part time Mandarin teacher working on degree in International Business Relations
Loves . . . Japanese Washi masking tape & brown pen

**Kate**
Washington, D.C.
Loves . . . patterned paper

**Leigh**
Colorado
Mama & Event Planner
Loves . . . Thickers

**Michele**
New York
Middle school teacher
Loves . . . her Cricut Expression & distress inks

**Monica**
(Design Team Coordinator)
Kansas
Recent grad of Elementary Education
Loves . . . patterned paper & Thickers

**Rachel**
North Carolina
Grad student
Loves . . . her ATG gun

**Shannon**
California
Home daycare provider
Loves . . . Bazzill kraft cardstock

**Stephanie (Steph)**
(Design Team Coordinator)
Texas
High School Content Mastery Aide
Loves . . . ribbon & punches

**Stephanie**
Connecticut
Preschool teacher

**Teri**
Arkansas
Working on Early Childhood Education degree
Loves . . . ribbon & Stickles