AEzine Challenge | issue seventeen

Hi Ali,
I made the deadline for posting but didn't quite finish my project! So here is an in-progress peek at what I've accomplished so far (it was great to finally use my "Collections from the Journey" ribbon and the blank journals... I've had them for a long, long time!).
http://www.graystar.com/besser/baby-book-gallery.htm
I don't have a blog but comments or questions can be left in our family guestbook:
http://books.dreambook.com/graystar4/besser.sign.html
Thanks for always creating fun and interesting challenges! I'm thrilled to have become more comfortable using patterned paper after taking your 2/24 class in Tracy, CA!
Kathy Besser
khb@graystar.com

Hi Ali, Even though it's Autumn here (Down Under), my internal clock feels more like Spring (as we've only been here 8 months), as I've got the urge to clean and tidy. Going through my stash and using something I've been hanging onto forever was a great challenge. I got to do a new technique, which I was hesitant to do before. Look forward to the next challenge...
Lisette

Oops, I put my link in the URL: box, but here's my LO
http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1146718

Ali, I'm in the process of going through my layers and thank you for your wise counsel about taking baby steps.
After I've reached a goal I've set for myself, I'll reward myself with your product challenge.

Hi Ali! I got together with some friends and we did a swap of all the stuff we purged! Thanks for the great idea! Here's my take on the product challenge:
http://kimberlywhitedesign.blogspot.com/2007/05/penpals-ali-edwards-challenge.html
Kim

THis challenge is TOTALLY for me. It's like I have been waiting for permission to "shed my layers" I'm really excited to see what new thing are in store for me once I shed the old.
Thanks Ali.

I went through the stuff stored in my bedroom area - which doubles as my scrap space. I organized, labeled, and reorganized some files. Tossing out items I have not used and realized I have no idea why I bought it in the first place. I ended up iwth a bag for trash, why was I hanging on? And one for donation, with some cool stuff, that hopefully someone will use rather than collect dust at my house.
It took me 5 hours, but I did it slowly. Sat on the floor and really pulled everything out. I had the tv on and watched old movies and some old Law & Order: CI.
Next weekend I intend to tackle my closet where the paper, idea books and albums are stored. It's neatly in vertical files, and by color, but do I go there for my paper? NO, I either buy new or to to the stash that I have with me in my travel bag. I am sure I have doubles of things.
So I will take on your product challenge - use something from the vertical files and life challenge to get through it all and do it in baby steps.
Thanks Ali!
Oh and I was so inspired that I simultaneously cleaned out my closet - two piles- one for donation and the other for winter storage. We are having a heat wave here in Oakland and I could not bare to see another turtleneck or sweater.
Sharon

I gave myself this challenge a couple of weeks ago. It resulted in a series of blog entries I called "speed scrapbooking".
here's a link to one of those entries
http://ethnicscrapbooking.typepad.com/ethnic_scrapbooking/2007/04/speed_scrapbook_1.html

I shed.... 30 unopened packets of stuff to go to raffles for our Helping Hand Autism Crop Day...
Others around me have been shedding too and we will have some amazing packages to raffle!

I really enjoyed this challenge. It helped me to see that I was denying myself a bit of joy by saving some of my favorite stuff for the "perfect page" rather than enjoying using it whenever and having more fun!
http://kdlc.blogspot.com/2007/05/using-your-stash-aezine-challenge.html

I created this card http://girlswearbluetoo.blogspot.com/2007/05/angel-dcm-wings-dare.html
for a challenge on Daring Card makers and used a few older bits, Chipboard and PP.
I went through my stash and took out all those things I never use some received in swaps and as RAKs I few small things I had created and sent them to a friend to use for a bottle stall at an "Australias biggest morning tea' function to raise money for the cancer council of Australia.

Hi Ali!
I took you up on your challenege & grabbed out a small heart punch that I have had for ever & not used for ages & some red textured paper that was one of my first scrap purchases,, I used these in combination of some new stuff I got (actually your kit from Cocodaisy) & altered the little box that came with the kit. Am really pleased with the results.
thanks for the inspiration!!

I am making an altered rolodex for my mother for Mother's Day/her birthday and this is the perfect opportunity to use my scraps. Will post a link when it is done.
As for shedding layers..still working on that one..

Your ideas, Ali, and all these cool posts & projects are resonating with me so much right now. My favorite theme in all of this is to just use it! What good does all this stuff do if we’re not using it? Kind of like that organizing mantra that’s usually applied to other areas of a living space: if you don’t need it, love it, or use it, get rid of it. I’d guess that many of us think we’re keeping lots of our stuff (scrapbooking and otherwise) because of the “love it” factor. But if we love it that much, why aren’t we using it??!! Your comments (and my efforts to apply some sane, happy principles to lots of other aspects of life) about letting go of the inner critic and embracing the process & the play have made it so much easier for me to dive into my special/expensive/one-of-a-kind stash. Without guilt, without pressure, with a sense of excitement, and with the added ability to actually get stuff done. Staying organized definitely takes effort for me. I used to think of it as getting organized, but like most things that matter, it’s a process. But it is work that makes everything else go more smoothly – in the daily routine, sure, but also in having more time for things I care about in daily life, and the occasionally peaceful mind-that-isn’t-going-60-miles-a-minute. :)
Thanks for the continuing inspiration!

This a bit amazing , I have been doing just these two exact things over the past two weeks. I have given away some things I just havent used, and I have also pulled out a few of my faves from the past to work with. How spooky. =)

i am so looking forward to getting rid of stuff I do not use. seriously!

Made a few cool things this past week. But I took the organizing advice to heart and really concentrated on it. I have a problem throwing away bits of cool papers. Actually I have a problem tossing anything! But I sorted my scraps and anything that was too small for my square punch I tossed, the rest was filed under color. Then I got a cool paper stacker from Target to sort my pp's by color. Then I sorted all those papers and cardstocks that I will never want to use and put them in a container with other supplies I don't use like old stamps or stickers. Now when my babies get big enough and/or I have kids over who want to craft, i have a kit all set for them and they aren't using my "good" stuff.
It felt good to sort out all that stuff and organize. This is not my natural state of mind because I have "comfort clutter" , it follows me everywhere. Now that I can see my craft table maybe I can get creative again!
http://web.mac.com/stephen.hoadley/iWeb/Being%20More/Emily%27s%20Blog/Emily%27s%20Blog.html

I'm sure I have some sort of boarder line personality disorder :)I buy lovely supplies then have a hard time using them. I tell myself I am waiting for 'the right layout' to use them on but enough is enough I just wanna scrap without inhibitions. Alonnng time ago an 'analyst' (psych councilling for PND) told me I was a perfectionist (I laughed...me a perfectionist!!!) If I'm a perfectionist why do I have so many unfinished things hanging around? The response made a lot of sense. If I can't do something to the best of my ability (in MY mind) then I procrastinate so I don't 'fail' I understand it BUT how do I break the chains that constrain me? Do others suffer the same problem? How many scrappers fear using the lovely things they collect because they worry they won't do the 'stuff' justice? Time to break free.....
Jewelz

I did this one Saturday for NSD and was happy to use up some of my stash. That Bo Bunny paper is way over a year old, maybe more...
http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1147924

I love your challenge. It really drove me to create a layout after quite a while of not feeling creative for scrapping!
Here is the link to my layout:
http://jeaninelinder.blogspot.com/