Scrapbook Saturday

It's been a week! Scrapbook weekend, home Sunday afternoon, iced in on Monday and Tuesday, internet down on Tuesday, left for the beach on Wednesday. This is the first time I've had a moment to blog. 

Our weekend at the Memory Make Inn was another really fun time. Getting there was a little dicey due to the weather. I drove because my friends are all southerners and do not have experience driving in ice or snow. Actually, there's no driving in ice. Like I told them, my way to approach it is to go slow and take long. That worked. 

It's always a good time when I get to be with family. Plus, spending time with my friends was great too. We don't get to do that so much as of late. (Another thing you can say and everyone knows exactly what you mean!)

I'm always looking for fun things to do. Sooo, I organized one of those "secret scrapper" things like I did years ago at certain retreats. I used the website Draw Names. That way it's a surprise to everyone. It was so much fun to see all the little surprises that people came up with. I had Karolyn and accidentally gave it away pretty early on. I thought she had caught me putting something at her place. As it turned out, she didn't but by then I had mentioned it! Sheesh! I guess I'm not so good at keeping secrets. 

Jeanne had me, but I never guessed. She surprised me with some cute little hand sanitizers, fuzzy socks, Russell Stovers hot chocolate and a heart shape Valentine box of Russell Stovers along with a few other things I can't recall off the top of my head. I think everybody had fun with the exchange. At least was something different.

I also presented them with a couple challenges. The main one was: I let them each choose a magazine without telling them what it was for. Then I gave them a piece of background cardstock and told them to design an end page with nothing but the magazine. Now, I have to say, I saw a video of someone using a magazine in conjunction with their scrapbooking so that got me to thinking, "could you do a page with nothing BUT the magazine?" And the challenge was born!

The title for the page was "The End" (duh). Perfect title for an end page don't 'cha think? They were allowed to use any tools they wanted, but nothing else. I had the two girls who run the house and the other two guests be the judge. My girls did a really good and creative job. Now, just for fun, pick your favorite and see which one the 4 judges picked.

Jeanne's page---and she complained the whole time. She acts like she doesn't like my hair-brained ideas, but she's been going along with me since she could walk. That's just what little sisters do!

Pam did a pretty cute folded paper technique. On the right, she did a paper ruffle. Pretty clever.

Karolyn used the punch she had just received in the secret scrapper exchange and made a parcheesi type board. I thought that was pretty unique too.

Janet made a collage that I thought was pretty nice. She's got a lot going on, but it all works!

Nancy had "love" on the mind as she was decorating a bride book for her daughter!

This is  my layout which I did before leaving home. I wanted to make sure it could be done--a layout using only using a magazine. I used an Oprah magazine and two circle punches. I crumpled some of the circles for added texture.. I didn't show them my layout until it wall all over because I didn't want to plant an idea in their head that they might have trouble working around. I did give them a little hint to think about end pages they might have done before. At the beginning of lockdown, I did a "zoom" call with them and did a layout similar to this one. I did not enter my layout in the contest. 

So, what do you think? Do you have your pick? Here goes....

The winner is.....drumroll please.....Janet!!! 3 out of the 4 judges picked hers as their favorite! Congrats Janet!!

Maybe next time someone else will come up with a challenge so I can get in on it!!