Happy Blog-aversary, Inspiration Elevator and a Giveaway!

You may recall that the purpose of the Inspiration Elevator challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to mature as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow. You can view all of the challenges at the Inspiration Elevator Blog. 

This month we are celebrating our anniversary with a BLOG HOP! So be sure to hop from blog to blog below as some of our designers are offering prizes! We also welcome Katherine Sutton as a guest designer to Inspiration Elevator! Katharine has Guest Designed for us and her fabulous style will inspire you to take your scrapbooking to a new level!

Now for our Challenge:

It's a 2-part challenge since it's created by Christa and Ann!

The first part of the challenge is to use a selfie. We are all a part of social media to some extent, so selfies are everywhere. "Call it another trend in narcissism, or call it art, but the "selfie" has become a mainstay of our virtual identity." 
Here are a couple articles for taking a good selfie, if this makes you uncomfortable (as it does for me - A)
http://www.bustle.com/articles/7142-how-to-take-a-selfie-pro-photographers-give-us-all-their-best-self-portrait-secrets
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-tuttlesinger/six-tips-on-how-to-rock-a_b_3750316.html

The second part of the challenge is this: 
Every month the reveal preamble begins with: 
"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 extend ourselves."
So this month we'd like you to share something about scrapbooking. It could be why you scrapbook, what you love best, what you get out of it, your most amazing experience or, where you see your craft/hobby/art in the future. 


AS I was a part of creating this challenge I knew where I was going to go with the writing part of it first (for once!!!) but the selfie was a problem. Let's face it..who loves a selfie when you are forty-smething and just coming off an 8 week bout of life latering peumonia? Not me that's for sure! I tried several but I looked pale; more freckles and black under eye circles than there ought to be. I thought'd have to suck it up and be dissapointed in the finsihed product before I even started, but I was lucky to find a selfie from last summer. One I'd taken before the last six months kicked my bahookie! I looked tanned and relaxed and I remember the day exactly as I lay on the deck with my Bo-bo enjoying the warm summer sun for a few minutes during quiet time. It's a good memory.


The rest came surprisingly easily and I am pleased with the final result.

Here's my take on this challenge:

Watercolour splatters, painting and a piece of patterned paper from Echo Park began the base of the design.  I added a Silhouette cut title too in black to anchor the design and to balance the black washi and other black details.

I was inspired by one of the patterned pieces of paper from Echo Park and created the fun flowers. I also edged them in paint.

Finally, I added my hand journalling (pardon its sloppy appearance. I am not happy with my writing! Ugh!)

Now for the fun stuff: 

1. If you follow comment here and tell me about why you love to scrapbook,
2. Follow my blog and 
3. Follow the Inspiration Elevator blog

 I will enter your name for a draw  (April 22) to win a $10 gift certificate to Big Picture Classes.  When we created Inspiration Elevator three years ago, Ann and I believed it's main purpose was to help us and others grow in this craft. Big Picture Classes has been helping Scrapbookers and Card makers do that for years!


Remember to hop around to the other blogs and see what out designers have created and what prizes are up for grabs! (Be sure to read the instructions as each designer has her own requirements to win!)

 Ann Jobes
Christa Uttley
 Joanne Burton 

Lisa Moen  

Lisa Spiegel

Michelle Hernandez
Katherine Sutton

I hope you feel inspired to play along with our challenge this month, and when you do, please share it using the linky tool on our Inspiration Elevator blog and/or our Inspiration Elevator Facebook page. We'd LOVE to see what you made!

Until next time keep doing what you love!