Inspiration Elevator - February 2014

Welcome to our February 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 back Audrey Yeager this month as a guest designer. Audrey recently came into ownership of My Scraps & More online store, and has graciously offered a prize this month! Read on to find out how you could win!

Our challenge this month comes from the very talented Michelle Hernandez.  Here's how she expressed this month's challenge:

"I'm going through one of the toughest times of my life right now. Huge changes, dashed expectations, embarrassing set backs- it's all overwhelming, all the time. I have the love and support of my family and my health- so it could be worst but still - it sucks.

My challenge for February:  Tell a story visually or through your journaling that speaks to your greatest challenge and most importantly how you dug yourself out. This should be a celebration of your faith, personal resilience and/or creativity. A story you'd like to tell your kids, grandkids or yourself when things get rough."

I have to admit that this challenge had me stumped for a while.  We all face many challenges throughout our life and I found it hard to say what my greatest challenge has been.  So I decided to do a layout based on something that I have struggled with over the years and how I have dealt with it.

I.don't.like.to.fly! 

I used to, but I had a terrifying experience once while flying and now it is a huge struggle for me to get on an airplane!  I titled my page "Learning to Trust" because trust is the only thing that makes it possible for me to even think about traveling in an airplane.  I have to trust that not only is flying a safe way to travel and that the pilot and crew really do know what they are doing, but I have to ultimately trust that I am in the hands of God and in His loving care, no matter where I am!  Whether I am standing on the ground or 30,000 feet in the air, God is taking care of me.

I used my Silhouette to create the 'windows' on my background paper and then I added the cloud photos behind them.  It really gave the feel of looking out the windows in an airplane and it set the stage for my layout.

One of my favorite elements on my layout is the cloud and airplane cluster at the top of the page.  I die-cut three clouds using different pattern papers and then I added a wooden cloud and airplane from Freckled Fawn. I also used a bit of twine for the plane's flight path.
 

I had some rub-ons from Chic Tags that worked really well with my page, so they were added, and of course a bit of stitching always gives the perfect amount of texture and interest.  I also used some molding paste with a stencil to add a border around my page.

One of the most important things on my layout is the journaling.  It was hard to tell the whole story without writing an entire book, but I tried to capture my personal struggle and my reason for wanting to overcome it.

Thanks for a great challenge, Michelle!  I enjoyed digging deep and scrapbooking my story. I hope you will visit each of the blogs on our Design Team to see what they did with this challenge. I am sure you will be inspired and encouraged by their creations.

Michelle Hernandez
Ann Jobes
Laura Whitaker
Lisa Moen 
Cathy Harper
 Lisa Spiegel
Joanne Burton- You are here!

Jodi Wilton

Guest Designer:  Audrey Yeager

We would LOVE to see you take up Michelle's challenge this month, so if you do, please share it at our linkup on the Inspiration Elevator Blog.

So, how do you win Audrey's prize? It's simple - leave a comment! Audrey will choose one random comment from one of the Design Team member's blogs to win a $15 gift certificate to My Scraps & More. Thanks so much, Audrey!