Here’s the next Project M.E. challenge:

What character in a movie, TV show or book do you admire? Why?

Remember, you can use whatever supplies you have on hand, using whatever technique you want.  You can submit your layouts any time.  There are no deadlines.

I’m going to switch things up a bit.  I think some folks had difficulty posting to Flickr.  So, I’m going to try to make it easier for you to share your layouts (if you want to) on the Crop Candy Facebook page in the Project M.E. album.

All you have to do is log in to Facebook and go to the Crop Candy Facebook page.  Then click on the Photos tab at the top.  Next click on the Project M.E. album and you should be able to add your layouts there.  If you have problems, let me know because I’ve never done this before and I’m curious to see how it pans out.

UPDATE: I read that when you upload your layout, you make a comment and attach the picture to the comment.  It will then show up under an album called “Fan Photos.”

Questions, comments or ideas for upcoming challenges?  Please leave them in the comments section below.  Or you can e-mail me.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

New to Project M.E.?  Learn more here.

What books and/or magazines are you reading right now?  Why?

This was an interesting question for me because I’ve noticed a trend in my book selections.  As a child, I loved to read fiction and I would devour books like mad.  Then as I grew into adulthood, my tastes leaned more toward non-fiction—how to books, health and nutrition, and histories (including the historical fiction pictured in the layout).

I’m also reading more e-books. I’m enjoying the Kindle app on my iPhone because of its portability and ease of use.  I love that I can carry around three or four books in my purse without the added weight.

I’m still deciding whether I like paper or electronic versions of books.  It’s comparable to the vinyl versus mp3 debate.  It would be sad if down the road, a young person asked, “What’s a paperback?” as someone asked me not too long ago, “What’s a 45?  A gun?”  Er, no.

And now for the reveal…

Materials:

• Notebook paper packet and My Stickease
• Hodgepodge Alphabet stamps
• Mini-Medley Pewter accents (hinge on journaling)
• Pewter brads
• Designer Ribbon Rounds – Black Collection
• Reflections: “Bottom Border-Base” layout pattern (p. 29)
• Cricut Die-Cut Letters – Plantin Schoolbook
• EK Success Edger Punch

I didn’t have much space for journaling, so I decided to implement the hidden journaling technique.  I measured the available space, typed my story on the computer and printed it out on cardstock.  Then I trimmed it and adhered it to my layout.  Next, I cut out the pre-printed journaling block from one of the Notebook papers and attached a mini-medley pewter hinge.

To maintain the notebook-y feel, I  punched a decorative border to fit under my photo.

This layout was so easy to put together.  If you haven’t checked out Reflections or any of the other layout pattern books, I highly recommend you do for stress-free scrapbooking.

You can join in the Project M.E. challenges.  It’s fun to do an album about yourself and this project will help you do it.  Learn more.  In the meantime, stay tuned for Challenge #6!

Here’s the next Project M.E. challenge:

What books and/or magazines are you reading right now?  Why?

This may be an unusual question, but I think you are what you read and your book selections say a lot about you.

Take a picture of what you’re reading and in your journaling talk about why you chose this book or magazine.  What meaning does it have for you at this moment in your life?

Remember, you can use whatever supplies you have on hand, using whatever technique you want.  You can submit your layouts any time.

There are no deadlines.

Questions, comments or ideas for upcoming challenges?  Please leave them in the comments section below.  Or you can e-mail me.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

New to Project M.E.?  Learn more here.

What hobby do you have besides scrapbooking?  How did you get into it?  How long have you been doing it?  What do you like about it?

I said if scrapbooking was your only hobby, you could make a layout about that.  I also said to challenge yourself by taking a self-portrait.

So yeah, I “cheated” a bit and didn’t take a picture of myself.  And…uh…

I DO have other hobbies like knitting, but when was the last time you think I picked up a knitting needle?  Right, that’s why I did a layout of me scrapbooking.  Photograph courtesy of my SIL who shot these pics at the Creative Memories crop in Gettysburg a few weeks ago.

Materials:

• Notebook paper packet
• Hollyhock Exclusive Ink Pad
• Dimensional Elements – On Target (circle)
• Edge Distresser
• Texture Tools – Sponge
• Mini Medley Accents – Pewter (photo clips)
• Cricut Die Cuts – Plantin Schoolbook (scallop)
• Jolee’s (tag)
• Reflections: “Triple Play—Basic” (p. 97)

Using the pattern from Reflections, I kept this layout pretty simple:

1. I roughed up the edges of all the paper elements with the Edge Distresser so I could expose the white core of the black cardstock.
2. I used the sponge from the Texture Tools to ink the circle Dimensional Element.  I don’t use circles too much on my layouts so I thought I’d break out of the box a bit.
3. The Happiness title next to my journaling block is actually a cut-out from one of the patterned sheets included in Notebook.
4. Lastly, the little Jolee’s tag is something I had in my stash that I thought was appropriate for this page.

If you look closely at the picture, you’ll see the project I was working on was none other than the Valentine’s Mini Paper Bag Album.  How bold of me to pull out all my CTMH stuff at a Creative Memories crop.  LOL!!  (No one seemed to mind).

Upon close inspection, I realize I look a little crazy, but it was like midnight and I was feelin’ a little loopy.

BTW, why don’t YOU play along with this challenge.  Haven’t had too many takers so I figure either you’re busy or you’re not interested or you’re shy.  If you’re busy or not interested, don’t tell me.  If you’re shy, don’t be!  I’ve set up a Flickr group so you can post your own interpretations of the challenges.  It’s free to create a Flickr account if you don’t already have one.  Remember, you can jump in at any time!

Stay tuned for Challenge #5!

What’s the one thing you want to accomplish in the coming decade that you’ve not been able to accomplish in the last one?

Here’s what I came up with:

Materials:

• Notebook paper packet
• Notebook My Stickease
• Notice the Details stamp set (Dec. 09 Stamp of the Month)
• Tiny Typewriter Alphabet stamp set
• Noteworthy stamp set
• Bamboo, Desert Sand and Black stamp inks
• Layout pattern: Reflections – Sidebar Understated (p. 49)
• Edge distresser
• Ribbon
• Cricut Die-Cut Letters: “Plantin Schoolbook”

Obviously this was a journaling-heavy layout for me.  The one thing that I want to accomplish in the next decade is to focus on being healthier.  In my thirties, my health was something I took for granted.  Now that I’m 40, I realize it’s imperative that I manage it better–from making better food choices to exercising.

The original layout pattern suggests a 5×7 photo.  I replaced the photo with a journaling block to contrast what I did in the ’00s with what I intend to do in the ’10s.

In the strip on the right side of the page, I used generation stamping to show passage of time.  The early years of the decade are stamped lighter than the more recent years.  I also used the direct-to-paper technique to ink the edges with Desert Sand.

Lastly, one of the neat features of the Notebook paper pack is that it includes two sheets of vintage labels that you can cut out and use as accents.  Since I wanted to showcase the journaling on this layout, I needed something that would support a small photo.  This cut-out did the trick.

The other accents on the page are from the Notebook My Stickease and the Notice the Details stamp set.

Don’t forget that Challenge #4 is up.  Check it out!

What do you think?  Have you tried Project M.E. yet?  What’re you waiting for?  Make it a scrapbooking goal for the new year to document yourself.  That’s what Project M.E. is all about.

Drop me a line below.

Here’s the Project M.E. challenge for January.  It’s about hobbies…

What hobby do you have besides scrapbooking?  How did you get into it?  How long have you been doing it?  What do you like about it?

(If scrapbooking is your only hobby, you can do a layout on that).

In your layout, show us participating in your hobby and some of the things you’ve created.  For kicks, try putting your camera on the timer mode and taking a picture of yourself doing your hobby or some kind of other self-portrait.

Remember, you can use whatever supplies you have on hand, using whatever technique you want.  You can submit your layouts any time.

There are no deadlines.

Questions, comments or ideas for upcoming challenges?  Please leave them in the comments section below.  Or you can e-mail me.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

New to Project M.E.?  Learn more here.

Note: Yeah, I know–I haven’t posted my layout for the December Project M.E. challenge.  It’s coming.  I’ve been trying to catch up with myself since the holidays.  You know how it is…but as I’ve said about this project, there are no deadlines, no stress so I’ll get to it in due time.

Okay, here’s the next Project M.E. challenge layout for December.  It’s going to take a little soul searching on your part, but I know you can do it!

What’s the one thing you want to accomplish in the coming decade that you’ve not been able to accomplish in the last one?

This is not a New Year’s Resolution, but more of a New Decade Resolution.

Time Magazine recently named the ‘oos as the “Decade from Hell.”  I have to admit the first decade of the 21st century was a little jacked up and I’m not going to miss it.  With the 20-teens, we now have a chance to make a fresh start.  So what are you going to do differently?

Remember, you can use whatever supplies you have on hand, using whatever technique you want.  You can submit your layouts any time.

There are no deadlines.

Questions, comments or ideas for upcoming challenges?  Please leave them in the comments section below.  Or you can e-mail me.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

New to Project M.E.?  Learn more here.

Tweet your latest Project M.E. layout or post it to Twitpic.

Thanks to ScrapbookLatino for starting it!

What character traits do you admire in yourself?  For this challenge, see what you can do with typography.  Try to come up with interesting uses of stickers, stamps or computer fonts to illustrate your character traits.

Materials (all from CTMH except where noted *):

• Notebook and Twitterpated paper packets
• Picture Perfect stamp set (photo frame, corner borders, tiny flowers, photo corner)
• Hodgepodge Alphabet stamp set (title)
• Tiny Typewriter Alphabet stamp set (traits)
• Basic Craft Buttons
• Crystal Blue Waxy Flax (to fill the button holes)
• Mini-Medley accent (arrow photo turn)
• Layout pattern from Reflections: “Main Frame: Quilt Blocks”
• Stamp inks: Black, Crystal Blue, Desert Sand, Hollyhock
• Paper flowers*

As you know, I like using scrapbook sketches to jumpstart my layouts.  Since this challenge was about character traits, I decided to use the “Quilt Blocks” pattern from Reflections so I could have all my traits surround/highlight the main photo of me.

I love the photo frames in the Picture Perfect stamp set so I used them to replace one of the squares from the layout pattern.

The flower borders add a nice touch.

I added paper flower accents to complement the other flower elements.

This arrow photo turn is from the Mini Medley Accents collection.

Lastly, I used the Hodgepodge Alphabet and Tiny Typewriter Alphabet, and the complementary ink colors from the Notebook collection (Bamboo, Crystal Blue and Hollyhock) to stamp my traits and the page title.

That’s it!  Have you done your character traits page yet?

E-mail your interpretation and I’ll upload it into the Project M.E. photo album.  Use the submission guidelines to help you with scanning and saving your file.

Questions?  Please feel free to comment below or e-mail me.  Looking forward to seeing your creations!

** By the way, I bought the Picture Perfect, Hodgepodge Alphabet and Tiny Typewriter Alphabet stamp sets as part of Stampaganza–buy two stamp sets, get one free.  This offer is good through November 30, 2009 so act fast!

Truth is, I have been traveling round the country this year and asking how many of you have scrapbooked yourselves lately. I am stunned at how few of us tell our stories. I am guilty too, but I am trying to be better. So be better with me.

And be better with M.E.!  Have you joined the Project M.E. challenge?  Start here.  Today!