Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Challenge #4 Who's in that Family Tree?

Promise me something... you don't let this one scare you away!!
Don't make this any harder than it has to be!

Family Tree: Are you related to someone famous? Do you have a story about someone in your family you know hasn't been written down yet, and now is the time? Is there something interesting in one of the "branches"? Are you adopted and have found your bio. family (I am, and wish I had that story!)? Do you have a real "character" in your family? Has someone in your family been a movie extra, modeled, sells cars and puts out original ads :)? The stories are ENDLESS!!!! I think I really was pushing my designers with this challenge, so I am giving you more ideas than I had them!

Our Guest Designer this month is Kelly Peterson. Kelly has been scrapbooking FOREVER! OK, not that long-but since Creative Memories was the driving force in scrapbooking. She was selling insurance, and one of her friends kept shamelessly bothering her about opening a scrapbooking store! :) She is create and fun, enthusiastic and compassionate! Kelly has been published in two Pine Cone Press books, and teaches every WEEK! She really knows the meaning of customer service! When they talk about Scrapbooking's Funniest-she's it! Her sense of humor is... well, she's a HOOT! Scrapbooking is her passion! She is partner in the ownership of Scrapaganza, a store in Davenport Iowa! Scrapaganza is ALL about service! They don't just want you to buy a tool, or product, they teach you how to use it... There are many classes each month, including the largest "Scrapbooking Club" of a single non-chain store with over 120 members! If you are ever in the area, be sure to check them out! Be sure to check out their blog here!

The designers of the store include a Rusty Pickle "chef", they have all contributed to a book for Pine Cone Press, two have designed product, one has had layouts in Scrapbook Trends, several have won online and national contest and been published in online "ezines", a couple are on manufacturers design teams, or online publication design teams, AND a couple are on challenge blog design teams including (ya saw it coming) The Story Matters!... who knew such talent could come from this "small" brick and mortor store (in Iowa none-the-less)! Scrapaganza hopes to move at the beginning of the year to a larger storefront!

OK, enough about that! :)

Layouts are due (post a comment with a link or a C&P-able link in this comment section) by midnight PST (CA time) Friday September 5th!

From our Guest Designer Kelly Peterson:
(I posted the angled picture cuz those darn mirrors (embellishment) are so hard to photograph! :) )
What a great way to include a large amount of journaling!

Journaling: The funny thing is….I always knew that

I was a princess. Turns out that might not

be so far from the truth. My grandmother

(my mother’s mother) is a direct descendant

of Charlemagne, “Charles the Great,” King

of France. He was born April 2, 742. Until

the 1800’s, every branch of the Stewart family

was royal. Our family tree goes back to the year

609 AD with Arnold, St. Arnuf of Metz. Royals

married royals in those days, and the list of my

relatives are amazing. I was always told that we

were direct descendants of Charlemagne, and

Charles Stewart, the “Bonny Prince.” I was

surprised to learn that other relatives include:

Sir Robert Howard and Lady Margaret Mobray of

The house of Albinia, 1387. (Charlemagne’s direct

Descendents.) Prince Thomas Plantagenet, son of

Edward I, King of England. Then there is Edward I,

“Longshanks,” King of England born June 17th, 1239.

Henry III, “Lackland,” King of England who was born

December 24th, 1166. Shifting from England to France,

Louis VI, King of France to Philip I, King of France.

The list goes on and on. Our “House of Stewart” book

is several volumes thick. WHO KNEW!!!!! We joke

that we should walk up to Buckingham Palace and

knock on the door, and say, “HEY COUSINS!!”

(We could be arrested though.) After learning

this information, I do feel like a princess. What am

I saying, I’ve always BEEN the princess. Anyone

related to me who is looking at this page, take a look

in the mirror. Do you see royalty? I do!


From Our Designers:

Theresa:

Ashleigh:

Penny:

Journaling: I often wondered and even dreamed about knowing about my "branch" of the family tree. Sure, I'm included in my adoptive families tree, but what about those people I don't know that are my "blood"? Adopted, or not, we don't choose the families we are born into. We DO get to choose who we "carry on" with.! I choose to dwell on what the future holds & on the children I love and adore. Not those who gave me up. Sure, O would love to know... I would. It's and odd things to dwell on... But knowing where and by who I came from. But I have a father I adore and a husband I adore, and the result of that are children I adore... One of which is adopted. History repeats itself. But she is part of our "tree"! Just like me!

Kim:

Tina:Journaling: James and I started dating in 2001. I was 18 and he was 20. we got married in 2004. Had our first child Summer in 2004. We have been married for 4yrs. Now were thinking of adding one more to this family. But for now it's the 3 of us facing this world together.

Candi:
(...wait for it... a couple more examples coming very soon! :) )

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

And the winner is....

Bree! (OK girls, keep in mind, it is hard to know with certainty, sometimes, your names!! If you don't use it as your screen name :)-so Bree, if this in incorrect, please let me know!)

I saw on Scrap in Style that this dream has come TRUE! YAY!

Please email me at pennyscrapbooks@aol.com to send me your address so I can send your prize!
If you have not received a previous challenges prize, please email me!

You win a some great new Glitz Designs product! GLITZ is awesome! They are the nicest ladies over there! And their product ROCKS!! Go check them OUT!!

Let me tell you... it is always VERY hard to pick the winner each week! I am ALWAYS inspired by what you girls send us!!!! And I am THRILLED that we have some ladies that are doing the challenges from the beginning!! (If you keep that up, I hope to have a prize for ya in the future!) SO cool!!

OK, check back Weds.... or Thursday (LOL) to see what we are up to next! The next prompt is gonna REALLY be a challenge for some, because I discovered it was a challenge for our designers!
But that's OK! We'll get through it! :)
See ya soon!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Challenge #3 "Home is {where}..."

What is home to you?? It is where you want?
Our homes can be a hotel room when need be, or a McMansion... but what is at the heart of it all??
What do you have to say about where your home is? What is it's meaning? What is it missing? How is it "yours"...

Yes, it isn't always brick and mortar... many times it an issue of the heart.

Whatever it means to you, scrap it, post it and WIN a prize package from
GLITZ DESIGNS-this challenges sponsor!
And be sure to check out their "home" page, to see what is new at Glitz!! I think they have a little give-away goin' on at their blog!!

And now, for our guest designer-Emilie Ahern!!
You can see Emilie monthly in magazines, recently on the COVER of Memory Makers... Emilie has accomplished a LOT in her scrapbooking career, and we are ecstatic to have her here guest designing at The Story Matters!! Thank you Emilie! Be sure to check out her blog! I know it is one of MY favorites!! Emilie is not only talented, but pretty darn funny too!!!
And a HUGE fan of Project Runway!! I'm with ya girl!!! :)
And from our designers...

Kate: (YAY!! Kate is back!!)
Candi:Theresa:
Sasha: Home is where I sang my heart out ... and nobody cares.
Ashleigh:Kim: (Journaling reads: It's is crazy around here! We have been trying to get more 'organized' and more 'structured'...but it is just not how this family rolls...there are always messes to clean up and it is very loud when everyone is around. But I have come to the conclusion that I wouldn't have it any other way. So it is much like a circus - there is silliness, fun, laughter, death-defying tricks, and a little magic along the way...)
Tina:Post by Friday, August 22nd at midnight, PST (CA time!)!! I can't WAIT to see where you "live"!! :)

Monday, August 11, 2008

"30 Days" WINNER!!!!

Geez girls!!! Could you make it ANY harder!!! WOW!!
All the different ideas!
I have been SO inspired by ALL of you!!!
Thank you for participating!!

Tell your friends!! The more that participate, the bigger the prizes!!

With no further babbling...
Our winner is...
SUSAN!!!You'll be getting a great prize pack from Little Yellow Bicycle!!!
FUN!!!

And check out all THIS great inspiration!!!


Come back Weds. for the next challenge!!!!

Monday, August 4, 2008

LUCKY NUMBER 10 COME ON DOWN!!!

Love that random number generator! :)

OK here is our WINNER!!
Trace Geworsky said...

All I can say is...YOU ROCK!!!!!
I would love to get my hands on that album..I would add a lot of stamping and bling to the cover.
Thanks for offering us a chance at this.
Happy Thursday,
Trace G

July 31, 2008 11:39 AM

Email your address, and I will get your album out to ya!! YAY!!
OK ladies! Just a few more days to post your "30 Days" Layouts!!!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Album RAK!!!

OK ladies! I think it would be a GREAT idea for you to put these challenges into an album together!
What'cha think?
How about I help you with that, and give away an American Crafts Album to one lucky person??

Just comment here, and you are eligible to win!!

Winner will be chosen next Monday!!
Thanks for playin'!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

CHALLENGE #2

30 DAYS!!
(Inspired by the award winning show, 30 Days, on FX)If you could do ANYTHING for 30 days... Your dream job, experience a culture, be someone famous, volunteer caring for orphaned elephants in Africa... you name it! The sky's the limit!
I LOVE this idea! I could make a ALBUM about all the things, if given 30 days, to do anything!!

Our sponsor this week is Little Yellow Bicycle! A pack of a LOT of fun items!!

Please post your LO's here by Friday, August 8th, at 12 midnight, PDT (Pacific/West Coast)!

Can't WAIT to see what YOU would do!!

From our designers:
Kate is taking a challenge off for moving and settling in! Stop by her mini-book kit blog and give her words of encouragement! Moving is HARD! ESPECIALLY, I presume, with 7 kids!!

Sasha:I could be anyone for 30 days, I would be a SAHM. I would love to p/u my kids and drom them off to school everyday, I would love to be able to maintain my household during the day and not at night when I get home. I would not have to worry about TDY's, short notice deployments. Even if only for 30 days I would love your job. I would not take for granted being a SAHM.


Theresa:
I pretty much never venture far from home, but I have always wondered what it woud be like to be a city girl. I would rent a super cute apartment, drive a taxi everywhere and Starbucks would be right next to me.

Kara:
Ashleigh:Penny: What I wouldn't do... for 30 more days to train... for these dolphins to again be a part of my world! It was worth all the pool scraping, & cutting up fish! If only I could go back... I think 30 days would be enough. But if I could have the fmaily I have now AND "the boys" in my life... Maybe I would give 30 years a try! I miss ya Puka & Primo!! {2008}Candi:Kim:Tina:
If I could do anything for 30 days I would live like a Diva
designer clothes/shoes
private jets
shopping sprees
yachts
beach houses
nutritionist
personal hairstylist
spas
fitness trainer
botox
drivers
limos
parties
Man what a life i will never have but hey I can always imagine