Occasionally,
SBC hosts progressive challenges...and, man, do I find that
challenging! I'm the kind of scrapper that sits down and powers through a page until it's done. I have a very hard time leaving a layout undone, even if it's not going well. I've never been able to walk away for perspective or to get reinspired. I tend to grit my teeth, delete everything I've done if necessary, and just work 'til I'm happy with it.
So, when I progressive challenge truly makes me only do one step at a time (with a
whole day in between), I
suffer. No joke. But, I've done two of these now...and I kinda starting to like it!
SBC's fabulous Social Coordinator Tabitha hosted a nice, quick three-day
challenge during the Blog Hop weekend. And, here's what I did with it!
Day 1
Choose a patterned background.
Use another patterned paper, cut to approximately 6x10.
Use a third patterned paper, cut to approximately 7x8.
Day 2
Choose a photo and mat.
Use a punch, stamp or diecut to create seven or eight shapes.
Arrange shapes from left to right across the page to create a border of sorts.
Adhere everything to your background paper.
In all fairness, I didn't start my layout until Day 2's steps had already been posted...so I did all of this in one fell swoop. One of my papers has a very slight pinstripe to it, so that's a pretty loose interpretation of "patterned" paper, but whatevs. These are guidelines, right?
I really wanted a bubble effect as my repeating shapes border. I must have tried a dozen different things, from cut papers to acrylic shapes, and finally struck on "foam-stamping" them. These circles are actually the bottom part of an exclamation point from an alpha set! It was just what I had in mind.
Then, the dreaded waiting. I think the hardest part is the wondering if the next steps are gonna completely mess up the mental image of the completed layout that I've already formed at this point. I mean, what happens if there's supposed to be another patterned paper worked in there somehow?!
Day 3
Decorate the shapes border.
Add title and journaling.
Customize!
Splash! digital scrapbooking layout by Chanell Rigterink Credits Chevron Paper, Journal Cards, Flair: Ocean World by Quirky Twerp; Blue Paper, Ribbons: Waterpark by Just Jaimee; Scallop Paper, Waves: Seaside Retreat by Mommyish; Word Art: Splash Time Word Bits by the Cluster Queen; Alpha: Foam Stamp by Sahlin Studio; Staple: Gunhild Storeide; Fonts: Stamping Nico, Chanell's Handwriting, Traveling Typewriter
I totally lucked out on this one. The finishing steps were very open-ended, so I really got to do what I wanted. I added: flairs (to decorate the border) and two journal cards from the kit that contained the chevron paper; some waves and water-themed word bits; some ribbon to balance the left side of the page. The stamped title ties in the "bubbles" with an S from the same alpha set and the remaining letters done in a stamped font.
I really like the way this turned out. I think my favorite part is the stamping...and that's exactly the part that I probably wouldn't have come up with on my own!
