As you know, I love to blog hop. And I def have some fave sites, which I try to visit daily. Well.......this one got me DOING!! I stopped by the My Mind's Eye blog and saw their newest challenge!! I was def inspired to actually work on a project. I see so many challenges, on many different blogs, but, I usually tend to put it off until it's too late! Hence my issue with The Color Room, Graphic 45 &Webster's Pages. I love each of these blogs, and their respective products and/or their inspiring ideas, but I just have not been able to actually get off my butt, and get some stuff done for their challenges.
Well, MME changed it for me. Here's the premise of the challenge:
- Design a layout or project based on their sketch
- You must use the word HOPE
- Use any MME product...past or present
- Must be 80% MME products
Easy, right......let me tell you, it was a challenge!! So here's my LO.....

My grand-son Mason, at Fort Sill, in Oklahoma, this past spring!! He, Mom, Moomah & Meghan were visiting my SIL Mike, for his Basic Training Graduation. I love this pic of Mason....he is looking so grown up! I know, he's only 20 mos old...LOL! Ugh....I just spent a couple of weeks with him & Ashley (DD), and I miss them both again!! Double ugh!!
Back to the LO.....So I just love the background paper 'Botanical Blue' which I purchased at the Snobby Walrus store......if you haven't already, you need to shop there!! Check it out!! Anyways, I was trying to figure out how I could still use the sketch and cover as little of the background as possible!! No easy feat, let me tell you. Well those of you who love G45, Webster's Pages & Prima papers....you understand!! The papers are soooo gorgeous, that you don't want to cover them up! That was def my issue with this paper!!!
I decided that I needed to make my circles smaller....that was the only way it was going to work. And I chose to dig through my scrap box to find co-ordinating papers for the mat & circles!! I was amazed to find how much MME paper I actually own and use!! Really, I shouldn't be so surprised! After all, isn't that why we keep turning to the same companies over & over again...........for their beautiful products!!
Once the background and mat were placed on the paper, I needed some embellies. I chose to keep it simple.....yep, this is my simple version!! I used some more MME products....the gorgeous green velvet ribbon, the vintagey rubons (MME started my rubon craze!), the cut of the alphas, and the bright blue rhinestones! But I still needed something else. Of course Prima flowers.....
I wanted to use the Prima 'Calcutta Mini Seashells', because they are white, but the centers were pink. So I thought that I would Glimmer Mist them a bit to take the edge off.......that did not turn out at all!! Now I was stuck...I had no other white flowers. What to do? Well I went to my stash again, and found some gorgeous lace that DD found for me, and I cut circles to fit over top. Now, I needed a center. I couldn't use more bling, as there was already too much. So.....back to the stash I went.
Have you ever been to the Flights of Fancy Boutique? Check it out!! I subbed their 'trim & treasure club' a month ago. Love their products. A bit pricey......but OMG!!!! Anyways, I cut some wee flowers off of a piece of trim, and voila, flower centers!! Then I added a few more blingy Prima flowers in the perfect green! The little bird, is my latest creation, 'Upcycled Bird'.....what do you think? I may start my Etsy shop off with these! Next, I added a couple of Making Memories flourishes, and a MyMadkow pin.
What about the lace?
More gorgeous lace from Flights of Fancy Boutique!!!!!! Yummmmmmy!!!! You have got to check them out....gorgeous products, and you can purchase by the yard, if you don't want a sub. See the bracket at the top of the page? Well, I cut that off of the selvage edge of MME paper!! How cool is that....and why waste any of it?
One last thing, I knew that I wanted to do some journaling on this LO (which I never do enough of!), but I didn't want to take anymore space from the background paper. Well, the next best thing......write around the edge of the paper!! I have not done this often enough, and I gotta tell you...I love the way it turned out!!
So, that's my entry into the MME challenge. I'm very excited about it, and can't wait to do more!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Lynne