When Life gives you Lemons *Winner Announced*

by **sstring** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:54 am

This Challenge is now CLOSED.

Thank you to everyone who participated. I am so glad I did this challenge because these minis have been SO much fun and I really hope that all of you like yours as much as I love mine.

Skippy
Ashjoy
Sue1
Tamcan

THE WINNER IS SUE1!

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
–Walt Disney

Walt has always inspired and cheered me in so many ways – far too many to count. When thinking about this quote, I remembered him making a joke about life giving you lemons … and I can’t remember exactly but I think it was when he was talking about the swampy land in Orlando that is now the Happiest Place on Earth. This gave me an idea -

When Life Gives you Lemons….
Make a Mini Album!

So many people in my life have been going thru hard times lately, with an illness such as breast cancer, loss, conflict, military loved one overseas, loss of a home or job, etc… and it is easy to feel very low. I think there are times when it becomes difficult to keep your chin up and look for the positive, but it is so important that we “keep moving forward” in a hopeful direction.

For this challenge, we are going to turn “lemons” into lemonade! We will gather items that on their own are not wonderful but together they will make a fantastic mini album that will make you smile.

1. Find photos or magazine clippings of things that make you smile. This could be your favorite things, your kiddos, your pets, flowers, scrapping products, or all of your blooper photos where people look terrible! LOL! Just remember this book is designed to make you smile when you need a smile. You may even want to make a happy little book for a friend who needs a smile.

2. For your pages, gather leftover journaling blocks, envelopes, tags, Christmas cards, bingo cards, cereal boxes, plastic or chipboard coasters, Starbuck coffee wrap, Paint strips, fabric, bubble wrap, old book papers, embellishment packaging, cool clothing tags, memorabilia, chipboard shapes,… and just anything that would make a good “page” in your mini album.

3. Next find something to bind this mini. For example: a spiral or binding tool, ribbon, fibers, string, twine, hemp, binder rings - just about anything that you think will do the job. Then punch holes in some of your “pages” and put them together with your binding.

4. Grab all of your small paper or ribbon scraps, leftover kit papers and embellishments, rub ons, and all of those little embellishments that you never put away, and just start playing! This is meant to be stress free and fun.

There are almost no rules, just be sure to follow those steps and Enjoy! Just be sure to post your layout with “Lemons Pre-crop” included in your title in the Pimp my Bra Crop section in the gallery by NOON your time Monday, October 19, 2009. Then link your layout back to this thread in order to be eligible for a special RAK from me.

Here is my example. I had so much fun making this and then I tested it on my husband and he definately smiled - so I think it works! LOL! I used old chipboard Bingo cards for my covers. Inside I have a paint sample card, burlap, a felt doily from the $ store, a BG file folder, a piece of a plastic placemat, silk flowers, fabric, library pockets, a see packet, Prima jewels packaging, another thinner bingo card, and 2 journaling blocks ...so far. I am not finished. I just ran out of time and wanted to show you guys. I hope to do more this week.

A couple of tips: For my flower page. I flattened 4 petal pieces from a white mum with a piece of white felt in between, then I zig zag stitched all over it. The felt provides stability and you can punch holes in it for the rings. You can add fabric stiffener to the edge of the felt where the holes will be if you want extra strength. Also, I added fabric stiffener to the fabric scrap pages and they are sooo cool. I used Stiffy brand, but any fabric stiffener should work great.
HAVE FUN!!!

by **tffnyjean** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:16 am

Nice Job Susan. :thumbsup:

This looks like fun. I'm going to start gathering some supplies tonight!

by **Ashjoy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:39 am

I'm going to get started, using an idea to send to a friend. I think she could use a pick me up, and this will be a fun thing I can send her.

Great job on your mini, it turned out so nice with just scraps! Made me smile too :smile:

by **Ashjoy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:50 am

If I want to send it to a friend and make it as a pre-made so she can add her own pics is that OK? She just had twins a year ago, and her FIL who lives with her is in hospice with cancer. There is alot more going on with her an thought maybe it would be nice so she could include some pics of her own. Make sense?

by **simplyamom3** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:05 pm

Oh My Word!!!What an awesome challenge and such an wonderful mini Album! Great Job!!!!

by **sillygirl** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:02 pm

Ashjoy wrote:If I want to send it to a friend and make it as a pre-made so she can add her own pics is that OK? She just had twins a year ago, and her FIL who lives with her is in hospice with cancer. There is alot more going on with her an thought maybe it would be nice so she could include some pics of her own. Make sense?

normally we want pics but, as long as it is a mini ablum made from scratch {like susan's with bits and pieces of diff textures, backs, papers, random things etc} and embellised {not just one piece of pp and an embellisment on each page] than yes, than that would be okay.

i can see this being a good idea for gift giving...so, i guess what i am saying is make it have substance and that will be fine.

but susan can veto me :)

by **sstring** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:25 pm

Oh thats a great idea and yes, if its for a gift thats wonderful! I thought about using Starbucks cups and holders to make a little one as a gift for a friend of mine who needs to smile too.

I can not even wait to see what you guys create. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

by **tamcan** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:12 pm

Sounds like fun! What leftover goodies can I pull together! This one's gonna be for me. I need some happy. :grin:

by **Scrapn4me** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:05 pm

Cute album Susan ....

by **skippy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:41 pm

Cute Album Susan... :thumbsup:

So this is kind of a free spirited mini album...let your imagination kick in, right?

by **Ashjoy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:12 pm

I did mine tonight, so may do another one as a gift.

How many pre-crop challenges will there be?

by **scrappin{jewlz}** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:14 pm

really cute album Susan!! I'll have to look around and she what I can come up with!

by **Ashjoy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:27 pm

I uploaded my initial photos but there isn't a crop area yet. Will fix when it's up.

by **VAWM** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:01 pm

Susan, how did you know I have a lot of "good junk" to clean out? Do you have a spy camera at my house?
This should be great fun!

by **sstring** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:35 am

I am not sure if there are any more precrop challenges, these are usually meant to take a couple of days. I will check on that gallery spot.

And you know, I don't have to have a hidden camera to know you have a pretty good stash! LOL