THIS was worth the wait!! (and I posted the date I said too!! WOW!

I promised you some inspiration!!

Mo knocks it out of the PARK with this one!!

Art of Being a Woman by Monica Powell

Bazzill cardstock, Graphic 45, Prima flowers, rhinestones, and felt alpha, staples, lace, Zig Writer, Stickles, Making Memories Alpha, velvet ribbon

Journalling reads,

Prince charmings, waiting for your door to be opened, the bend and snap, correct hairflip, folded laundry and sparkling floors, manicured nails, the perfect fragrance, little black dress, ironed sheets, the right shade of lipstick, girl scouts, an unforgettable smile, a coy glance and a gentle touch, lasagna and tacos, stilletto heels, therapist and nurse,

I could go on and on.

Hands down, there is art.

How fab to be be a member of such a fascinating and mysterious sex.

Women rule.

Learn it.

Use it!!

It is SO fabulous!! And the way she journaled... oh my goodness!! THIS is what I am talkin' about! This inspires me on so many levels!! Thanks Mo for this FABULOUS layout!!

Leisbeth shares some pages of a Halloween album... she is on the right track, telling the story, don't you think??
And Megan Klauer...
Never short on inspiration!

Title: These are the moments

Journaling: Chase loves to be tickled to sleep; it seems to put him into an instant trance. And yes, those are mommy's old pink slippers he snagged onto @ nana's.

Description: Although this layout doesn't show a ton of journaling, I wanted to show the importance of adding journaling to a page; whether it's a long story or simply just a few sentences. I always want to remember how my little guy loved to be tickled to sleep.

I have the BEST design team!!

And guess what??
I am adding to it!
That way everyone can have a break now and again, and you will all still have LOTS to inspire you each challenge!!

So keep those journaled pages coming!! Remember, it is open challenge month!
Just post a layout that tells a story. Period. What could be easier? Or more important? :)

See ya on the 1st (if not sooner)!!

The 15th...

...will be focusing on our "free for all" and more layouts by our designers...

Please hang in there with us as we cook up some inspiration!!

IN the meantime, submit those layouts that TELL A STORY!

Ya gotta have on laying around!!

Let's pretend it is the first! :)

OK, so in honor of our purpose to begin with, we are leaving the challenge WIDE OPEN!

Submit a layout that you REALLY journaled... not just a one liner, but REALLY told the story!
That's it!

That is what we want you to do for this challenge!

The Story Matters getting on track-take three!

We are going back to every other week.

We will feature most alternating weeks, something highlighting JOURNALING. Some will be easy, some maybe even be digital. We'll see.
Either way, we want to stay on task... telling the story.
So we are getting back on track... or trying.

Also, if you are interested in TSM Design Team, drop me an email at pennyscrapbooks@aol.com
I have a couple talented designers I refuse to let go, but instead have on break. :)
So I could use some extra help around here!! :)

Over the next couple of days, I will be adding designer layouts that feature journaling...

From me... This layout is a perfect example of why I want to tell my OWN stories. This layout was very raw... people that read it felt almost as if they were reading something TOO personal about me. (It was displayed at the store I work at... the layout focuses on the journaling, and no the photo. Adopting our daughter was the hardest thing I ever had to do, in ways I never would have guessed. Though I don't ever want her to be sad reading, I wanted to tell the story. I don't know at this exact moment where this layout is, so I can type out eh journaling. And I may not want to share it with the world of nternet anyway... but the point is, tell the story. I see this and I think to look up Psalms 62:2 again, and I am right back to when I wrote it AND I am also reminded how long I have COME from that moment in time.

So tell your story. The one that is the most benefited from it MIGHT just be you!


From Angela... (Did you know Angela was in Scrapbook Etc. just this last issue? You are sure to see Angela more and more! She is UBER talented!! :)
And not all that into tooting her own horn... so I will toot for her!! :)

Don't forget the sentiment, and the thoughts that float through your head when you see a picture. This on it 's own is a sweet picture, but how you felt and thought when you saw or took it is important...

"from a young age you had a very strong grip and Daddy's finger was your favorite anchor. I hope, baby Maia, that as you grow, live and learn, that you're never afraid to reach for your Father's hand. Dec 07"

OK, spread the word! Let's give it one more go!! Challenge blogs are droppin' like flies!
We could use a shot in the arm.
No matter where the industry goes, telling our stories is STILL very important!

No one I know, do I want your layouts to be discarded... tell the stories, so that the generations to come know who you were, what you felt, what was important to you, how you dealt, how you lived...

Rebirth...

Penny here! :)
OK, so this isn't working. But I don't want to throw in the towel just yet.

I still feel that telling your story, whatever that story is, is important. I has been almost a year and 1/2 since TSM's start. I still think journaling your story, whether in conjunction with the pretty designed layout or on it's own with a smear of paint, is important.

Stats are good.
A story is better.

So we are going to revamp a bit.
While we figure out who will be present, who is on break, and what the schedule will be, we will still present a "challenge" on the 1st... THIS will be the "easiest" of all challenges! I promise. And it will have a prize this time too!

So come back on the 1st... we might have a new look. We might not. :)
We WILL be doing things differently. That I do plan.

Bring a friend. Grab a latte. Tell your story!

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."
-William Wordsworth

Oh how time flies!

I didn't forget you!! I promise!

Before we have a technique in a couple days, I just BETTER announce a winner!!!

Thank you those who submitted!

So using the random number generator, I then found that though I figured out that our winner is local, I DON'T know what your FIRST name is!!

So...
...come on down! (Or leave a comment, and Angela will take care of you!!)

Here are the fabulous submissions!!

Fabulous inspiration!! Thanks for sharing your stories with us!!!

And come back Oct. 15th for more inspiration!!

OCTOBER CHALLENGE!

Isn’t it amazing how topics from the news can have impact on people’s lives? My challenge for you this month is:

PICK SOMETHING FROM THE NEWS!

That could be something from a way back, and how it influenced you. Or, that you still exactly know where you were and what you did while it happened.
It could also be something more recent, something that annoys you or something that totally surprised you. Or something that has a special meaning to you.

Some ideas to get you started:

• The inauguration of a new President
• A certain date when something significant happened, like 9/11
• Weather disaster – how did it impact you and/or your family or loved ones
• Politics, like the campaigns the parties are running for the election
• Moviestars or popstars in the news, like the passing of Michael Jackson
• Random events, like the birth of Nadya Suleman’s octuplets
• Or something closer to home, like a charity event at the school of your children.

News doesn’t always have to be global to make impact! Once you start thinking about it, the ideas are almost endless.

Here’s my take:

Journaling reads:

I was in Disneyland Paris with a few of my friends when Michelle got a call.
It was her sister, telling her that the Twin Towers in New York were attacked by terrorists.
We thought it was a bad joke.
Disneyland is not the place where world news is a priority.
A few minutes later, Claudia received a text message from her boy friend, telling her the same thing.
We STILL thought it was a bad joke.
We noticed nothing different in the park.
Disneyland is a totally different world, away from everything.
It wasn’t until later that evening, when we were in our hotel room, that we realized it wasn’t a bad joke.
It was real.
And the world changed forever.

Angela:

Journaling reads:

In the summer of 2008, I got to revisit the area in Minneapolis that I had lived in for a year. The trip was a year after the I35 bridge collapsed and I was reminded how many times I had crossed this bridge in 2002-2003, about 1/2 of those times when I was pregnant with my son...I worked downtown and lived across the river. It was a great year and I'd go back in a minute...just glad I missed the disaster and feel incredible sorrow for those whose lives were lost.

Monica:

Her layout contains meaningful excerpts from the Inaugural speech of President Barack Obama, which was a significant day in her own personal biography.

I hope you play along this round! Please post the link to your creations in the comments of this blog post and win a beautiful prize!This challenge is due October 31st, 2009.

I’m looking forward to seeing your creations!

Liesbeth

Technique Time...

Hi all! Angela here with a technique/project to share...and since I really am 'project girl' (love how that name makes me sound like a superhero!), I thought I'd share a technique heavy project this month.

I created these paper strip pumpkins last year and was hounded for directions....even made one large and one small out of double sided blue winter paper and stacked them to make a snowman...have fun! And don't forget to post a link to your 'daily ritual' layout in the previous post by month's end to be eligible for a goodie box from MOI!! Toodles!

Making Paper Pumpkins
Angela Ploegman

1. Gather your supplies—you’ll need patterned paper (doublesided is best), a paper cutter, and ultra tacky adhesive—I’m using a single sided winter paper in an attempt to make the photos more clear—they’re obviously not fall papers!

2. Cut the following sections from the paper…you can vary the lengths to make taller, thinner or shorter, fatter pumpkins:
Pumpkin Core:
¨ 3 x 4 inch
Pumpkin Layers:
¨ 3 x 6 inch
¨ 3 1/8 x 4 inch
¨ 3 ¼ x 3 inch

3. Apply an ultra sticky adhesive (I use the Terrifically Tacky Tape by ProvoCraft) to the 4 inch edge of the 3 x 4 inch paper rectangle. Roll into an open ended cylinder with a 3 inch diameter.

4. On each of the Pumpkin Layers, slice the paper lengthwise (widthwise on the 3 ¼ x 3 inch section) from one end to ½ inch from the other end—DO NOT CUT THE PAPER INTO STRIPS. Repeat the cuts every ¼ to ½ inch as desired. Apply an ultra tacky adhesive to the uncut end of the paper across the entire width.

5. Starting with the longest strip section of paper, apply the cut strips to the top of the cylinder created in #3 above—strips should extend above (or below, depending your perspective) the cylinder.

6. Layer the next largest section of strips directly on-top of the previous section, if your strips are cut wide, I try and stagger the strips from layer to layer. Repeat with the final section of strips.

7. Now apply adhesive directly to the pumpkin core cylinder, below the layers of paper strips.

8. Bend the shortest strips almost into a circle, sticking the inside face (when strips were extended and straight) onto the adhesive. Repeat for all strips in the shortest section.

9. Apply a second ring of adhesive further down the pumpkin core cylinder. Repeat the bending and sticking process for the second shortest set of strips.
10. Apply a ring of adhesive to the inside edge of the pumpkin core cylinder bottom.
11. Bend the longest strips as you did previous layers, but adhere to the INSIDE of the pumpkin core.

12. ‘Fluff’ the pumpkin as desired to even out the shape. Embellish as desired.

Have an AWESOME fall ladies!! See you next month!