Challenge Spotlight: My Memories

It’s that time again! Your time to be in the Spotlight… This month’s Challenge is the My Memories Challenge hosted by Neia Scraps. If you’re new to GingerScraps’ Challenges, each month the site runs about 30-ish new Challenges, each with their own Challenge criteria. There truly is something for everyone, as evidenced by the number of layouts posted to the Challenge Galleries. There are LOTS! Each Challenge has its own Gallery, with space for viewers to leave comments. Each month there’s a Challenge Reward – a full-sized kit created by the GingerBread Ladies – that is awarded to everyone who hits 10 new layouts posted to the Galleries since the Scrapper‘s last Challenge Reward. August is also GingerScraps‘ semi-annual Scrapathon. More about that at the end of the post. Each month I do a Gallery sweep and put some Challenge layouts in the Spotlight. I look at each to see how closely the Challenge‘s instructions are met, and point out some features that might otherwise go overlooked. I don’t play favourites though. And each layout is hyperlinked to the Gallery by the Scrapper‘s user name so you can take a closer look, maybe leave a comment, you know… community things. Any time you see something in bold coloured text that is also underlined, that tells you there’s a hyperlink attached. Now let’s talk about the My Memories Challenge. 

Here are Neia‘s instructions:

Theme: Strength
Keyword ideas: strength, brave, still standing, endure Inner strength, resilience, or showing up even when it was hard.
The Challenge: Create one layout inspired by this month’s theme. A place, a feeling, or anything that makes you feel grounded.
The Keyword (Required)
Your layout must include one keyword connected to the theme.

• The keyword should be clearly visible and a main focal point.
• You can create it using:
  • A title
  • Word art
  • Alphabet letters
  • Templates

Any style, size, or placement is welcome — as long as the word stands out.
Add the credits for the product you used.

The following layouts can be found in the My Memories Gallery.

Our first layout is by Katherine Woodin. Katherine is a dedicated Scrapper who uses digiscrapping as a daily diary, so she appears in every Spotlight. 😉 I’d say the word “strength” is pretty visible, and I love that she took a selfie. Her layout is well-balanced, with the large floral cluster forming an X with her photo and “journaling blank” book, tied together with a ribbon. Rehabbing a bad shoulder is a lot of work; congratulations, Katherine!

Sandra B‘s layout is one I can identify with. I’m not a fan of heights either, but that’s not why I didn’t kiss the Blarney Stone when I had the chance… I’m also not a fan of stairs. Especially 15th century stone stairs. 😀 I knew instantly what was happening in her centrepiece photo. Did you? Strength of mind for sure!

The title of dhariana‘s layout translates to “Virgin most powerful, pray for us“. It’s an ancient Marian prayer for strength and protection. A bit obscure, but definitely meets the Challenge, amirite? The prayer card and praying angel element promote the theme.

Faith is also central to this layout by demma_b13. My brain is interpreting all sorts of things from her choice of elements but I don’t think I should expand on that. There’s a purposeful circle in the way she’s arranged her layout, moving the eye around on a defined path.

AlyciaIN implies strength by referring to a five-decade-long marriage. I love her choices here, and how perfectly they complement the story she’s telling. Her subtitle is a touch of whimsy.

I feel seen!! Here, greenfiend27 is also implying strength indirectly, and those comics are perfection. Her layout is clean and simple, and her title/journaling very descriptive.

What a message! What first caught my eye when I saw dkane‘s layout was the colour palette. It’s perfection! Then I read her journaling and subtitle – which led to to really looking at the photos. Transitions are everywhere! And self-acceptance is a strong theme too. Awesome!

That photo. It grabbed me first. Then I read the journaling. Gahhh! If art journaling was ever the absolute best choice for a layout, it’s one about losing a beloved pet. For her layout, lebjs successfully blended more traditional scrapping with art journaling to acknowledge her husband’s courage in choosing to say goodbye.

One needs not be brave to be strong, but it’s necessary to be strong to be brave. That’s what I think angbrey is saying with her pretty doodles and matching floral cluster.

Daydreamer‘s layout is an intensely personal one, which led to her concealing the identities of her subjects. Resilience is a facet of strength, maybe the most important facet. Surviving a difficult experience is one thing, coming out of it “better” is quite another. Going off on a tangent, I think she’s chosen the paper behind her photos perfectly – it immediately reminded me of the countless hospital gowns I’ve seen in my life. 😉

Now to wrap it up… Scrapathon. Twice a year, the Challenges take on a new lustre. If you complete 10 in any month. you win the Challenge Reward.

But during Scrapathon, if you complete them all, you win a mega-collab collection!

<channels Ferris Bueller> Are you still here? Why are you still here? Go on… check out the Challenges!!