For several years our November Challenge has always been us asking you to share your gratitude. This year is the same. We believe in grateful hearts and we love celebrating gratitude year round...but especially in November.
Valerie is here with you guys this month. Here's what she came up with!
Hello! It’s Valerie and I’m here to introduce the November challenge to you. This month the challenge is “Gratitude.” Document a single thing you’re grateful for or document a whole list—whatever! Simple right!?
There’s almost an infinite list of things I’m grateful for, but there’s one big thing I wanted to reflect on and document my gratitude for this year that I’m sharing with you today in layout form. I really wanted this layout to be about the words and the story and I think I accomplished that fairly well.
My time as a foster mom has been life changing in such an amazing, unexpected way. Emotionally, it’s both the hardest and greatest thing I’ve ever done. When my husband and i began this foster care journey, we had dreams and hopes of adoption while being well aware that the goal of foster care is to return children to their family.
God obviously had other plans for us…better plans, we just didn’t know it yet. He changed our hearts and opened our minds. Foster care is not about me, it’s not about us, it’s about the child—she needed us, she needed a family, she needed to be showered with love. I had to stop worrying about what would happen to me—the heartbreak, if I had to give her back.
Someday, I still hope adoption is in our future, but for now we’re joyously content sharing our home, our family, and unconditional love with these children for however long (or short) they need it.
I wrote my journaling first on a separate sheet of paper, then decided what words or sentences I wanted to stand out.
I used the Silhouette Studio software to plan out this layout. The spacing of the handwritten journaling took a little more planning and a little trial and error. Instead of penciling in the journaling lines with a ruler, I inserted dashed lines on the Silhouette document so the machine drew/cut these lines for me.
I used tracing paper to ensure i had enough lines between my key phrases. I did a test cut on white cardstock to make sure everything was spaced and aligned correctly before loading the beautiful ombre Jubilee patterned paper onto my cutting mat for the final cut. The last step consisted of added a cluster of embellishments and a photo.
SUPPLIES:My Mind’s Eye Jubilee Sherbet: “Pretty” Bubbly paper, “Peace” chipboard elements, “Happy” mixed bag, “Happy” enamel dots, “Pretty” enamel shapes, “Enjoy” decorative brads. Jubilee Mint Julep “Wild” enamel shapes and “Beautiful” mixed bag. Jubilee Tangerine “Awesome” mixed bag. Other: Silhouette Cameo (font: Pea Devon Caps http://www.kevinandamanda.com), Creative Memories pen.
Now it’s YOUR turn!
The rules (as always) are simple:
1. You can submit a layout, card, album, altered item, etc.
2. The project must consist of mainly MME. It must “look” like a MME project. It must fit the theme.
3. The project must be created new for this challenge. You may only submit one project.
4. Upload the project to the InLinkz link tool at the end of this post by the end of the day on Sunday, November 16.
5. A random winner will be chosen and announced with the November Sketch challenge on Monday, November 17.
Good luck and have FUN!
