January Challenge Layouts

Not sure how everyone else stays motivated, but for me a challenge really sparks my energy and creates excitement for a project. A friend of mine in California has issued a challenge for one of my online groups...a layout a month with two sketches to choose from. I've been feeling distracted with other paper crafting projects and very behind in my scrapbooks. So, since she was so generous to offer to select and post a set of sketches, I just had to try! And if I put January on my blog everyone will hold me accountable for each month now right ;)

This was the original we worked from

This was a seriously simple layout since my focus was on DONE.... My goal for my daughters is to have albums that capture their lives for them. I do love to create beautiful artwork but frankly some times you just have to get it down on paper. I am pretty sure that this took me less than 45 mins total. I kow, you can tell, LOL. But it literally fit into scraps of time here and there! I was so grateful to my friend for posting that challenge and encouraging us to get back to where we started. I'd also like to thank the artists who posted the sketches originally for generously sharing their efforts with us.

This is the original for the double page layout

                           

So, for the second part of the challenge I wasn't sure if  I'd be done in time. Unfortunately it was a sick little one at home that gave me more quiet time than usual. I decided to try this double page and just made the deadline. The final bits of this LO went on just as my girls were heading up for bed and it took me more time to put the pieces together than to plan out. There are plenty of things I would change for on this one but again, my focus was on done. Also, my photo doesn't do these wonderful papers justice(Dreamin from Close to My Heart) since it was taken at midnight and you may know about my lighting issues. ;)

Thanks for stopping by....