Inspiration Elevator #15: A Childhood Memory

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is 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. You can view all of the challenges our new Inspiration Elevator Blog, here.

This month's challenge is issued by the super talented, Lisa Moen. Here's what she had to say in her very own words:

"I have been thinking lately, that I have only done one layout of my childhood and realized that maybe some day, my kids or grandkids would enjoy looking at a few more pages and learning about my siblings, my parents and I.
So my challenge for you this month is to create a page about a childhood memory of yours. It can be a good, a bad, a funny, a photoless or whatever you choose kind of layout.

Just remember to add journaling to tell the story behind your childhood memory.
Can't wait to see your projects!"

Lisa, makes a very good point in her challenge..how many of us take the time to create pages about ourselves for our children or future grandchildren? I admit to being more than guilty. For me, one of the biggest reasons is that the old pictures of me don't often inspire me creatively and the new digital age brings so many options for creating great photos as the foundation for my pages.

Secondly, I hate to journal. I do. I hate trying to formulate the ideas or memories in coherent words and then to put them on my pages it always seems to mess with my design (wait and see!) Old memories need journalling but I guess the argument can be made that NEW ones do too. But, alas, this is what IE is all about...the challenge, the boundaries, the idea to push oneself into the uncomfortable to create (possibly) something amazing!

I'm not sure if this is amazing exactly but it certainly was challenging and I always enjoy that. Lisa has asked we choose a childhood memory and I did stretch the definition of childhood just a bit. In the photo below I am 14 years old. The photo was taken by my dad while I cleaned our pool; a job I loathed with the passion of ten thousand fiery suns. But sometimes, like this day, my dad would get out his SLR camera and start shooting. It was just him and me in the quiet of the yard and the sound of the pool vacuum and the shutter on the camera. I used to think he was taking pictures of the flowers or trees but photos like these were just as common. I cherish the memory of these times with my Dad and in retrospect there were lots of them..perhaps he found these times just as great as I did? I know a 14 year old child isn't the easiest time a parent has, but there were lots of these photos. As a parent myself of one, I know now that they reflect how he thought of me often and how much he loved me. (ok I admit to crying a bit as I type this..ack!)

So here it is! I began by using an old jar lid covered in watercolour paints to make the circular shapes and let them drizzle of the page. I even added a flick or two of turquoise as well.

I layered the patterned paper from We R Memory Keepers and machine stitched them.

I even added some Studio Calico butterflies distress with a sanding block and smudged with watercolour paints to create flow and direction in this upper right corner. The doodles were an after thought but I think I like them. They are all over the design in little bits..let me know what you think!

Finally, the title and the journalling: STRESSFUL!!! I don't usually struggle with titles as a few tried and true methods usually work perfectly..but this time it didn't flow. Finally, I decided to not write as I did above in my post, I just left the strong emotion out of it...I wrote about being 14 and struggling to find my way. It eased the pressure a bit and I suppose those feelings about my Dad will just live on here for me ...and for all of you.

I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of me and my memories. I hope you will play along with us and be challenged to dig a bit into your own memories. Maybe you to will find something that was meaningful and bring a happy tear to your eye.

 I hope you will stop by and see what they have created:

Lisa Moen
Christa Uttley
Cathy Harper

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

 Laurel Seabrook

Jodi Wilton

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes

Laura Whitaker

Sue Sykes

Until next time, keep doing what you love to do,