Inspiration Elevator November 2013

Welcome to our November Inspiration Elevator challenge. Each month our group is challenged to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow. Be sure to check out our Inspiration Elevator Blog to see all of our previous challenges.

We are thrilled to welcome guest artist Misty Russell and her eclectic, artistic style to Inspiration Elevator this month.

It was my turn to post the challenge this month and this is what I wrote:

"November's Challenge: Back in Time. I love looking through old photos (or not so old photos!) and remembering the great memories that go along with them. Some pictures evoke a strong emotional response while others just bring a sweet smile to our face as we recall the details of when it was taken. With that in mind, I would like each of you to pick a favourite photo and go back in time! I want you to take your photo and actually revisit the place where the photo was taken. Then take a 'picture of the picture' in it's original setting and scrapbook your new photo. **If you are absolutely not able to revisit the place where the photo was first taken, then pick a favorite picture with lots of memories attached to it and scrapbook that.

In either case, I want you to journal the story behind your photo. Make your journaling and photo come together in such a way that we feel like we are back in time with you!"

I have always been intrigued by the idea of taking of 'picture of a picture' and that is why I decided to make it my challenge this month!  A few days after my Mom passed away this past May, we were at her house and I found a photo of Mom in her back yard.  My son and I then went out into her yard and took a photo of the picture in it's original setting.  As we did that, I knew that for me Mom would always be associated with her yard and gardens as that was her place of peace and joy.  She loved taking care of her gardens and would spend many hours working in them or just sitting on her garden swing enjoying the view.

Here is the layout I created using the photo that I took.

I started my layout using one of the Color Wash papers from Pink Paislee.  I felt that the watercolor look would compliment my photo and the pre-cut triangles would be fun to work with!

I used a couple of chipboard words from the same collection to create my title.  This is the first time I actually machine stitched over chipboard!  I didn't know if it would work or not with my old machine, but it did and I love how it looks!

Butterflies just naturally work with a garden theme, so I punched a few of them out and added them to my page.

The journaling is an important part of this month's challenge, so I decided to give it a main spot on my layout.  I also hand-wrote my journaling onto the background, something I have only done once or twice!  I am trying to get over my fear of using my own handwriting on my pages!

I decided to continue using the triangle pattern by creating a triangle banner and placing it under the photo.  

Additional papers from this same collection were used to fill in behind the pre-cut triangles in the background.  I then used my sewing machine to add stitching in a few places on my page.   I left a few of the threads longer to create some visual interest and to give additional texture to the page.

Finally, a pretty doily, a little love and a small butterfly were added to balance out the other elements on my page.

I hope you will stop by and see what the rest of the incredible Inspiration Elevator designers have created:

Joanne Burton - that's me!

Jodi Wilton

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes

Laura Whitaker

Lisa Moen

Cathy Harper

Lisa Spiegel

Guest Designer Misty Russell

I would love if you decided to play along with our challenge this month!  Take up my photo challenge and create a layout using your picture.  Then share it using the linky tool on our Inspiration Elevator Blog and/or our Inspiration Elevator Facebook Page. I will be waiting to see your creation :)