Challenge #148 - Chicago's song "25 or 6 to 4" - Featuring Guest Challenger Faye Perata {September 27 - October 3}

We are pleased to have a Guest Challenger this week, Faye Perata!

Here is what Faye had to say: Hi Hi!! I am Faye and I am really excited to be a guest designer at HMITM this week!!!! I live in northern California which is definitely not the "daisy dukes, bikini's on top" part of California. I also consider myself a Montana girl cause that is where I grew up!! Go Griz!!!! I heart scrapbooking, my cat Rory, thrift store shopping, reality tv, exclamation points!!!, ice cream, funny youtube videos, and facebook! I have a etsy shop of handmade and vintage goodies and a my blog A Little Dash of... please check 'em out if you have a few.

For my challenge I thought of two things... I love music and I love the number challenges at HMITM. So for this challenge we are going to use Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" song. Your challenge should you accept it is to...

use 25 items

OR

use 6 rub-ons, 2 (to) pattern papers, and 4 buttons.

If you want to get crazy you could do both like I did. Can't wait to see how everyone's layouts turn out!!!!!!!

Elizabeth: Loved this challenge! I put my little fish & bubble rubons onto epoxy stickers (it's hard to see in the scan) and used them along with clear buttons to imitate bubbles in a bath. I have well over 25 things on this page when you include all the pictures and letter stickers!

Janet: Great challenge to create this week. I did both of the challenge parts on this - the 25 items total with the rest of the list. I 'm really happy with the way it turned out because I thought that with that many items it was going to seem crowded but it didn't. This is a picture of my son Jeff for another page in my lodge book.

The journaling is: It's nice to see Jeff relaxing for a few minutes. We have to remind him always of the time that dad was telling him when he built his business that he used to work 18 hours a day. His comment at the time was "Dad no man can work 18 hours a day." Now it's Jeff getting up at 4 am. to spray his grapes or getting 4 hours of sleep a night at harvest time. We always say to him "Jeff no man can work that many hours. " Take a break Jeff - you need it.


Amanda: What a fun challenge! I did both parts also (if I counted correctly) using 25 items including 6 rubons, 2 patterned papers and 4 buttons. And to make it fun, I included a Top 25 list from my youngest daughter! Loving the new Crate Paper Restoration line and used mostly that on this layout as well as Glimmer Misted flowers and lace.



Anna-Karin: Awesome challenge! I used 6 rub-on letters (tiny ones, on the ticket), 4 green buttons and two patterned papers. If you count the individual letters, I used 25 items too. The title of the layout translates: ‘The fun mobile’ and it is about Anton’s fascination with his mobile when he was a small baby. Thanks for a great challenge Faye!



Thank you, Faye, for this awesome, creative challenge! Be sure to link your layouts to the HMITM thread at the Two Peas Pub to be considered for our How Awesome Is Too Awesome Hall of Fame and a chance to win a Two Peas gift certificate!

How Awesome is Too Awesome {Challege #146's Weekly Wow}

Thanks everyone for playing along with us on Challenge #146! Congrats to mytwoandras and her layout I Knew I loved you!

We just loved her big title, the borders of paper and buttons down the left side of the page, and of course, the sweet photos.





Congrats mytwoandras! Your layout will go into our HAITA Hall of Fame and you will have a chance to win a RAK at the end of the month.

August's How Awesome is Too Awesome winner

We apologize for posting the winner of the August RAK this late. We loved all the How Awesome is Too Awesome (Weekly Wows) for August. Stunning work! The lucky winner of the RAK (a Two Peas gift certificate) is Sinead with this fabulous layout called Paradise Beach, which she made for challenge #143. We love the design and colours of the layout and those cool painted circles.



Congratulations Sinead! I will contact you to get your email so that I can send you the gift certificate.

Thanks so much for playing everyone!!

Challenge #147 - Something Old Is New Again! - Featuring Guest Challenger Joyce Casaldi {September 20 - September 26}

We are pleased to have another Guest Challenger this week--Joyce Casaldi.

Here is Joyce's fun challenge:

Something old is new again! It’s time to go dumpster diving….(well at least in your scrap room) and pull out some of those old papers and embellishments and see what you can do with them. I don’t want to see them in raw form, I want you to add to them or change them to make them new. You can use paints, glues and glitters, inks or whatever other creative idea you come up with.

This is what Joyce had to say about her layout: I've attached my lo, not sure what kind of information you want but this is what I did to meet the challenge. I used scraps from a sheet of Webster's pages to fussy cut the lanter. I coated the lantern with glass beeds. I used the last flower from a Prima flower pack and used the packaging to make the butterflies. I added some PTI stamps to add dimension to the background paper. To color the chipboard frame I used distress ink and clear embossing flowers. I finsihed the project with some bling and stickles on the flowers.

And here is Joyce's layout:

Janet M - This challenge really had me thinking even though it sounds easy I hardly do anything with paint and glitter. I was at our lodge for the weekend and pulled out some really old papers and decided to see what I could come up with. I love sewing and of course I had my traveling machine there with me.

I used 20 squares of different paper and sewed them together. I punched out dragonflys and covered it with a piece of velum and sewed it over the top.

These are some pictures from around 16 years ago when my mother in law was there one weekend with us trying to get some pictures with her and the great-grandchildren.


Elizabeth: So I wasn't sure how to go about this challenge when I first read it, but when I was looking for papers to match these pictures of my son, I came across some really old Chatterbox papers (sigh...I had such a love affair with Chatterbox year ago... sigh again). I revived the older papers by cutting out flowers and layering them over the background paper and also adding some sequins and gems. Another technique I have been doing a lot lately is using foam embellishments that I do not care for anymore as popdots. I just put adhesive on both sides and it makes a nice, uniform pop on the page (works great for titles or accents).

Anna-Karin: This was such a great idea for a challenge and I had a ton of fun altering some really old stash. Most of the stuff on my page is at least 5 years old. I posted a before photo on Two Peas, as well as some close-ups, and more info about how everything was altered. The patterned paper was altered with masking, misting, stamps, paint, inks and Stickles. The chipboard letters were painted with gesso and then covered with a bunch of scrap text and ledger papers, a postage stamp and a vellum quote that I found deep down in a box. Some of the papers were first dry embossed, to add texture. Then the letters were covered with a wash of cream paint, as well as some copper glaze. Distress Stickles was added here and there. Thanks for this fun challenge Joyce!


Debbi T: I had fun with this challenge, too. I used a lot of old stuff on this, and made it up-to-date by combining it with some newer stuff and using some current techniques, like using border punches and layering. That lavendar paper is been in my stash for years and years, but I think it looks updated with the punches. I also added some bling to make it look current. I used the back side of an old chatterbox paper to cover a very old chipboard arrow that holds my title--those BasicGrey letters are also very old. I think I have every color of BasicGrey letters ever made! Doilies are trendy today, so I used one to hold my old letter stickers. And remember when metal charms were all the rage? I have a TON of those, too, and I made it updated by using it as part of my title.

The story on the back of my layout reads: It happened like this. Michele had to run out for a bit to somewhere for some reason I now don't recall and asked me to watch Monica. I think she was about five at the time. She was always an independent little thing. I was in the den watching TV and Monica was in her room playing. Or so I thought. Every once in a while I'd call out, "Monica, what are you doing?" and she'd reply that she was playing. This went on for the duration Michele was out.

Well, when Michele came home, Monica came running out to show off what she had done. And what she had done was chop off a bunch of her hair. Her bangs were gone and there were big chunks of hair cut out that left virtual bald patches. My reaction? I was mortified. And embarrassed. And filled with shame that let my best friend down. Michele's reaction? She cracked up. And told me it was okay. Because that's just the kind of person my best friend is.

We hope you'll play along! This week's winner will go into our "How Awesome Is Too Awesome?" gallery and be eligible for our monthly RAK of a gift certificate to Two Peas! Just link your layout on this thread at the Two Peas Pub.

Challenge # 146: America's Top 40

I'm so excited to be posting my first challenge here at How Much is Too Much?!
Every Sunday, my local radio station plays old broadcasts of Casey Kasem's American Top 40 radio program. In case you're not familiar, the program would count down the 40 most popular songs in America in any given week. Those 80's songs are a blast from the past for me. (Guess I'm dating myself, huh? LOL)

So for my challenge... I'd like to see you use music note type patterned paper somewhere on your page. Use a song title or lyrics in your title or journaling. Use a number or numbers somewhere on your page. And for the kicker - embellish your page with at least 40 items. (you can include your titlework into this count.. ;0) I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Debbie F: My youngest child started Kindergarten this past week. He was really looking forward to it. I had mixed feelings, since I've had a child home during the day for 13 years! He went the first day very willingly, but after school, he cried because and said, " it's really hard for me - I miss you so much." Of course, I cried too. We talked about how we can spend time together after school, and we're both adjusting. So I used some lyrics from a song by Richard Marx: "I will be right here waiting for you." The envelope is tucked behind the patterned paper and holds hidden journaling from me to my little guy.

Debbi T: This was such a fun challenge! I got lucky and found some paper that had both numbers and musical notes. These photos are from the birthday party my best friend threw me. The guy in the boxers is her son-in-law. (No, he's not a real stripper.) My ribs are still hurting from laughing so hard! I couldn't get any really good pictures because I was cracking up and he kept skipping around. If you're my facebook friend, you can see the video of this--it's hilarious! The photo on the right with me laughing is a screen shot from the video. Thanks, Debbie for the great challenge!

Janet- Thanks for the great challenge- it was a challenge to get everything in but I did it. This is a picture from quite a few years ago of dh and I at the lodge one darn cold evening when we just got there- so layers and layers of clothes to keep us warm and some dancing to make the grandchildren laugh.
PS. It's one of our favorite song also.




Elizabeth: The only music paper I had in my stash was Christmas paper, so I found some pictures that I had not scrapped yet and went to work. Thankfully the title was nice and long and made the 40 items come together quickly ;)

Anna-Karin: This was a lot of fun! I used a bunch of different music papers, music stamps and music chipboard. The title of the layout is a song from an Astrid Lindgren story and the top 10 list is a list of some of the songs I’ve been singing a lot to Anton. The chipboard brackets were flocked and the chipboard notes were painted and covered with Glossy Accents. The house is a Maya Road sheer glued to music paper. The red gear and the title letters were first stamped with a music stamp and then sponged with Distress inks.



Have fun and thanks for playing! Remember that at the end of the week one participant will be featured as our "How Awesome is Too Awesome - Weekly Wow" and will be in the running to win a RAK at the end of the month! Post a link to your layout in the HMITM thread at Two Peas.

How awesome is to awesome - #144

The weekly wow for this week is sineadk and she's from Ireland. We just love her choice of colors and the pictures she has on her layout titled Family Holiday. She did a great job on the colors and the layering of all the embellishments.



Congratulations and we hope to see more of your work joining us in the challenges in the future.

Challenge #145 - Get in Shape! - Featuring Guest Challenger Jane Howden {September 6 - September 12}

Here is what Jane has to say:

Hello everyone. I’m Jane Howden. I live an hour north of Sydney, Australia with my husband and two children. Scrapbooking is my form of creative therapy and I love producing both paper and digital layouts based around the everyday lives of myself and my family. I feel it is important to document our lives, not only for ourselves but also for future generations and to also try to preserve memorabilia from those of the past. Please visit me on my blog - Scrap Pieces of Me

One of the things I enjoy most is a good challenge so I feel very honoured to be guest designer on HMITM this week. I’m sure you will agree that we all have way too much “stuff” in our stashes and a HMITM challenge is the perfect opportunity to use some of them up – I dug deep into my own stash when putting together my layout and managed to use items I'm sure I have had in there for years.

My challenge is all about shapes - circles, squares, hearts, etc. These can be punched, chipboard, stickers, whatever you have. Choose your shape and use it at least 10 times on your layout. I’d then like to see you use the name of your shape in your title - for example “You are in my heart” or “Singing star”.

Looking forward to seeing all your wonderful layouts.

Jane's layout:

Janet M - Great idea for a challenge and I did this one while I was at our lodge so everything on it is really from my stash, I had been wondering where these heart embellishments had gone to. We work really hard to plant crops for all the wildlife down there and seeing some of the new ones every year is really exciting.

Elizabeth: This was such a fun challenge! Thanks Jane! Once I had a title worked out and an idea for the layout, it came together quite easily.




Debbi T: I agree with everyone else--what a fun idea for a challenge, Jane! I chose an unconventional shape--a tag. That's a shape, right? I used one of my Noel Mignon kits to make this page, pluse a few odds and ends from my stash. I was glad to use up some of my plain white tags since I have a gazillion of those! I was a little pressed for time last week, so I combined this challenge with the current palette over at Color Combos Galore. My hidden journaling reads:

An afternoon junque-ing with Dawn at a cool place called Chartreuse, which is only open every third weekend. We bought a beautiful shabby chic cabinet and just had a ball browsing all the nifty vintage stuff. Leave it to Farzad to find the booby door. Yes, a door plastered with pictures of naked ladies.

Georgia: Great challenge Jane - thank you!

I struggled a bit coming up with a title for my layout so instead I used a quote with the word in it, hope that isn't cheating too much! My shape is the butterfly and the quote reads...

Just living is not enough, said the butterfly... One must have freedom, sunshine and a little flower... to which I have added my title in her hair

Kathleen: This is such a kewl challenge Jane!! Really got me thinking about an appropriate title, lol, I used arrows as my shapes, I couldnt work "arrow" into the title so I put a twist on it and used "point" instead, figured they could be called "pointers", hope thats ok...!

Amanda: What a great challenge! I tried to think of a non-traditional shape and found this picture and thought "well, rain drops are a shape, right??" :) I didn't use the word "drop" in my title, but did highlight the word rainy. This was lots of fun! Thanks, Jane!

Debbie F: This layout was different for me in that I used 8 pictures on a single page layout. That posed a challenge for me in how to work in 10 of my shape - hearts. I decided to use patterned paper with hearts so as not to overcrowd my page. I suppose I cheated a bit in using the word "Love" in my title instead of heart- but that's what a heart means, right? ;0) Thanks Jane for a fab challenge!




Have fun and thanks for playing! Remember that at the end of the week one participant will be featured as our "How Awesome is Too Awesome - Weekly Wow" and will be in the running to win a RAK at the end of the month! Post a link to your layout in the HMITM thread at Two Peas.