Rise to the Challenge

The scrapbook board I am on had a challenge while ago and I'm not sure if I ever shared the layouts or not, so here's a little blast from the past. Why? Well, because were doing it again and its so much fun, really pushes me to do more, less, or just plain something different.

Rise to the Challenge Round 1 Challenge 1

Simon Says
You all remember how to play right?! Have fun!!

Simon Says to use CS as your LO Base
Simon Says to use 3 PPs
Simon Says to use Buttons
Simon Says to use anything to attach your items to the paper
Simon Says to Distress your photos
Use ink to distress it
Simon Says to use ‘White Space’
Simon Says to Use 2 Photos

Sounds like fun right? HA! ok, so these aren't fun... well.... kinda! Its hard to explain, I have a love hate relationship with these kind of challenges. So this one my problem is that I DONT DO WHITE SPACE. I just dont, I love other peoples white space layouts, me I think I have done like 3 and yes all for challenges! lol I just dont do them! This is what I came up with:

and my score: 37 out of 50
Judges Comments:
~Cute LO, I like how you cut circles from the 3rd pp. The while space got covered up by all the buttons though, so not really ‘space’ anymore. The picture of your family is too cute!
~Kat - I love how you placed your buttons and pp circles around your pics, like champagne bubbles! I think this is one of my favorite LO's that I've seen of yours. Great job!!
~Love the circles and buttons. I think you should have had more white space, though. There isn’t much on this LO. Great choice to use the Celebrate pp.
~Love your overall creativity on this LO. The buttons and circles really flow well and help balance the white space. Love the bright colors and your use of a title. Glad you tried the distressing technique; however, it really doesn’t stand out and set your photos apart. Overall, it’s a really creative and neat LO!
~Nice work!!

Chellenge 2
Add Challenge!
Take this add and copy it in your layout.

And:
You must include a clear object on your LO (ie. recycle some plastic packaging, ghost shape..etc)
You must use at least 1 punch on your page (be creative!)
You must treat the Ad as a LIFT (not just inspiration of colors etc.)

I REALLY don't like add challenges, but I tried my best to 'lift' every aspect.
Here is my layout

And my score: 40 out of 50
Judges Comments:
~Awesome job. I love the flowers!!!!!!!! Great use of the punch too creative!
~Cute flowers and great job following the ad as a lift. I think the pictures are way too small though. Cute title!
~I like how you layered the pics on top of the flowers! Very cute. I would have liked to see more contrast between the middle pp and the bottom pp. Love how you layered the flowers and placed them on either side of your title.
~The greens don't seem to match in this LO. I like how you used the pics as the flower centers. Cute title.
~Very sweet LO!

Challenge 3
Focus on the picture!
Create a LO that the Photo(s) are the center of attention! Make sure your Photo is the focus of the LO. Higher points if you can add close up detail to your Photo by focusing in on one area of the main photo with an additional close up photo.Other requirements:
Technique - Doodling, you must doodle on your page....be creative!
Your page must include a pocket
Must include an arrow on your LO

Ok, Doodling is not my favorite thing to do but besides that I dont have much to complain about this challenge! Shocking huh?
Here is my layout:

My score- 34 out of 50
Judges Comments:
~Very cute LO. Perfect use of the close up pic!
~I love your arrow! The distressing and coloring, and the ribbon and pins on it, are perfect.
~love the papers, love the 2 different Thickers you used. Like the stick pins. The pocket seems out of place, however. I think the circle picture should have been matted.
~You did a great job on the arrow!

Then after that I had no creative juices anymore and the craziness at home caught up to me, so I didnt continue. I plan on doing this current series of challenges to the end. But here I am with one due today and nothing even started! Hope I get some motivation to do it soon! Wish me luck!