Scrapbookers Anonymous October Challenge

This is another challenge I’m entering for the month of October. This time it is for Scrapbookers Anonymous blog. The requirement is to use a minimum of 3 different patterned papers from 3 different manufacturers.

(Please click on the images to view a larger version)

Most of the papers I have are from the same manufacturer i.e Basic Grey or MME so I have to really dig into my stash to see whether any of the suitable papers for this challenge come from 3 different manufacturers. I finally found 2 from Basic Grey (Scarlet’s Letter pack), one from My Mind’s Eye, one from Daisy’s D and the floral orange one from Chatterbox..phewww, all 5 papers that I bought since 2005!

At first I planned to scrap the pictures of our trip to the beach for anniversary in 2005, but I couldn’t find papers that complemented those pictures and fulfill the requirement of this challenge. Thus I changed the subject to this blooming gardenia. The last time it bloomed was in 2008 (or was it 2007) and after that she decided to stop blooming. Until recently she decided to bloom again.

I guess gardening is like life. You put all that you can and then what you can do is wait, pray and hope that whatever you do will be fruitful, and one day walla just as you thought you would never get what you want, life gives you the unexpected. I chose the life sentiment from Rhonna Farrer rub on to express what I feel in this layout.

I also love the fact that I finally get to use the journaling page from Making Memories Noteworthy notebook…I have been keeping it untouched in the stash for so long. The silver sentiment “your unique gift” is from Making Memories Charmed Phrases. The ribbons and other embellishment like felt rick rack and lace are mostly from Making Memories. I am using most of the materials which I bought since 2005, the year that I starts scrapbooking seriously.

I am all into paper distressing these days, so that’s why I distressed the paper that I used to mat the picture. For the patterned paper on the right, I decided to cut out according to the floral design and let it stick out a bit, giving a 3D effect on the layout. I thought of using flowers as additional embellishment but that would be like overshadowing the great gardenia picture I want to emphasize..heh!