Saturday, November 10, 2007

Meet the 2007 Stand Up & Scrap Winners!

We are so excited to share a bit more about our six incredible Stand Up & Scrap Winners. These ladies were able to shine in a field of more than 400 contestants and we are so proud of their accomplishment.

Advanced

First Place
Contestant #: 16591A
Gerarda van Merkerk aka Nevache
Location: Netherlands

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

When I bought the kit, I wanted to donate and keep the opportunity open to enter the contest, but wasn't sure if I would and could due to personal commitments and a surgery awaiting. At the last moment I decided to just give it a try and see how many weeks I could enter. I dislike the competing part of this kind of contests, but I love the way the challenges and deadlines 'force' me to create something I wouldn't have done otherwise.

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

To be honest: I forgot about the contest after finishing the week 6 layout; I had to recover from surgery, real life sucked up every minute. Tuesday morning I woke up with a sweet congrats email from Catherine (Chud23)....and couldn't believe it :-) And it felt strange: there were so many beautiful layouts, scrapped with heart and soul and craftmanship; and also: I loved the challenge, but didn't really care for winning or not, like many others did, and then I'm the one running away with the prizes...it just felt strange. But after that.... it was big big joy!!!!!!!!! DH bought me a huge bunch of flowers, and we had our own little party :-)

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

Difficult to decide: I love my week 1 layout for colors and style, week 4 because it's me-right-now, and week 6 for the journaling ... My ultimate layout would be one which combines it all, but that's one that has to be created yet :-)



Second Place
Contestant #: 16341A
Vibeke Breivik aka madame mim
Location: Norway

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

I just had to give it a go for that ENOURMOUS prize! LOL! Although I NEVER expected to be one of the winners, I knew that in doing these six layouts I would challenge myself to to my very best, explore new styles and techniques and learn a whole lot. Which I did.

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

Well, it was very exciting because I knew that only me and one other contestant had had 4 layouts in the top ten until the last round, but it was still quite open because of the "invisible points". So of course I expected that I wouldn't make it :) When I heard I was number 2, I was jumping up and down with a huuge smile on my face doing a happy happy happy dance with my 8 month old who also got very excited :) It is the first time I've been in a competition like this, so it was totally incredible to actually win something!

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

My favourite layout was the one i did in week 3. Because I am both very happy with the visual expression, I got the shadows just right and the light/darkness contrasts toghether with the overall composition - and the lyrics that inspired this layout carries so many good memories. The little sprout there in one of the photos is also quite special to me, because it is the first plant I have managed to not kill in a very long time, so to me it really represents a new hope and a new life :)



Third Place
Contestant #: 17099A
Syrin Syrah aka Syrin
Location: Norway

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

I heard about SUAS over at Digishoptalk. I got interested because of the good cause; this is something that is important to me!

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

I was very, very surprised. I had no idea, and wondered if you had an calculation error! The Stand up and scrap gallery was full of amazing layouts, and it felt strange, almost akward, to be one of the winners. I know several layouts in the contest that are better than any of mine. After the first surprise, I got busy trying to find out what I had won. I never checked the prizes! LOL :)

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

I think it has to be "My needs" for week 2. It's not the one that got the most points, but I like it :D I love Pearn's papers here (there are some neutrals in the pack that I LOVE; so simple and basic! ) I'm very happy with the shadowing on the elements, and the golden espresso "feel" of the layout. I also think I managed to make a layout that is both masculine and feminine at the same time. And finally, I'm happy with the journaling. Journaling is important to me, and it was a big challenge for me to express myself in a foreign language. I normally only journal in Norwegian.



Intermediate

First Place
Contestant #: 16067I
Kristen Gagnon aka girlflies
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

Lurking around LDD and SSD as I do, the competition jumped right out at me. To begin with, it is a cause near and dear to my heart. We (my family and I) have been altering our consumption patterns and lifestyle for several years now to tread more softly on this planet; so I was thrilled with it's focus. And on a personal/scrapping level, the couple of challenges I had participated in previously at SSD had really forced me outside the scrap-zone I was in. I knew this competition would do the same. And, wow..., did it ever.

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

Well winning really is a cascade of emotions isn't it? It started with the 'I didn't hear this right so I'd better listen 7 or 8 more times' portion, followed by strangled, whooping scream that woke every breathing creature in my house. Proceeded shortly by the hysterical call to my mom, my mother-in-law, and the crazy lady 3 doors down. Then, there were the tears (blubbering really), some guilt (how can I win when there are SO many deserving competitors), a dose of chocolate (ok... two), and finally, an ecstatic, giddy acceptance.

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

Well, that's just like asking me to tell you which of my kids I like best!! (depends on the day now doesn't it?!!) ;) I suppose..., if I HAVE to... my first one. I really experimented with it and had a lot of fun. And then all the incredible feedback from everyone just breathed life into me and carried me through the entire six weeks. What a ride!



Second Place
Contestant #: 16077I
Connie Prince aka conniep or digidiva
Location: Douglasville, GA

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

I entered Stand Up & Scrap because I thought it sounded fun and challenging, plus it was for a good cause. I had never entered any type of digi-scrapping contest before and I wanted to see if I could make it through 6 weeks of challenges without giving up.

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

When I heard my name in the broadcast it didn't register at first, I had to rewind a few times before I realized they really had said it. It was a very exciting surprise and I'm completely humbled to have even placed with all of the incredible talent that was involved in this competition.

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

My favorite layout of the six is my week 6 layout. I knew what I wanted to convey with the layout and I spent about 4 days trying to figure out how to get my message across! I was driving when the concept hit me, so I had to pull over and jot down my thoughts right then and there. That one layout will serve as a reminder to me as to what this journey has meant to me personally.



Third Place
Contestant #: 16128I
Rebecca Wilken aka denali
Location: Granbury, TX

Why did you enter the Stand Up & Scrap Competition?

Who can resist a good challenge? Surely not I! *LOL* I love challenges because they provide both inspiration and direction at the same time. Truly, some of my very favorite pages have been prompted by challenges, and this one in particular. Leave me to my own devices and I'll just hoard product, but give me an assignment and I'll sprout wings! ;) The idea of supporting a charity like the Alliance for Climate Protection sealed the deal for me, and on top of that the kit was delicious. I couldn't be expected to turn all that down now could I?

How did you feel when you found out you were one of our winners?

I could say I felt shocked, euphoric, or maybe even giddy when I heard my number, but I think the most accurate word is 'giggly' *LOL* Throw disbelieving and unworthy into the mix and you'll have a pretty good idea of the state I'm in!

Which of the six layouts you created for the contest is your favorite and why?

My favorite out of the six pages is definitely "Regaining My Health" from the first week. Purely graphic, totally new to me, and a subject near & dear to my heart. It was also an entirely uncharacteristically fast scrap for me, I'm usually such a slow scrapper. I created that page from midnight to 3:00 AM, after my houseguests had gone to sleep. Methinks I should scrap in the wee hours more often... except that I tend to be a bit too revealing about the personal stuff when it gets to be that late! *LOL*



With that, all of us on the Stand Up and Scrap team are signing out! Thanks again for a wonderful experience over the past two months. It's been inspirational, motivational and just plain fun! Maybe we'll see you again in 2008 for a brand new challenge and charity. Until then make every day count!

Posted by Stand Up and Scrap Team at 1:47 PM 5 comments


Thursday, November 8, 2007

As Promised...

...here are the point totals for every contestant who scored points throughout the contest listed in a week by week format. Our teams of judges had their work cut out for them and the layouts they loved and scrappers who received points were well represented beyond the top 10's each week. Congratulations to each of you on all you were able to accomplish throughout the contest.

We'll see you this weekend as we bid farewell to SUAS 2007 by getting to know our winners a little better.

Posted by Stand Up and Scrap Team at 12:30 AM 6 comments


Monday, November 5, 2007

Congratulations!!

So the big day is here and the final results show of the Stand Up & Scrap contest are now available at DiScTalkRadio!!

Listen Now

The finale show is a lot of fun to listen to with Michelle and Robin joining DeAnn and Shanah in the Dishin the Digi Coast 2 Coast studio and we are really proud of the outcome of this event. The top 20 layouts from Week Six will be posted at DSTR but if you want to know the grand prize winners of the contest you'll have to tune in and listen to the show!

We'll be posting a short featurette on our winners here on the blog later this week along with the points totals for all contestants as well so be sure to stop back in to check it out! If you want the scoop sooner than that, be sure to give the finale show a listen!

Now that the contest is officially at it's end, we invite and encourage you guys to post your contest layouts in your usual galleries so you can share your identities and gorgeous pages with the community! The stand up contestant galleries will be available at both the Sweet Shoppe and Little Dreamer for at least the next two weeks. However, after that, all anonymous usernames and galleries will be deleted to clean up our servers so be sure to get in there and take a closer look at them in their entirety before they are gone!

Finally, before we wrap this up, we just want to say thanks again for the inspiration and all the love and energy you've put into this contest. Whether you completed 1 week's layout or all six, every one of you made a difference and we've accomplished so much! Also a HUGE congrats to our grand prize winners, we are so proud of you and applaud your success.

Posted by Stand Up and Scrap Team at 9:55 PM 1 comments