When I first started envisioning Sweethaven, I think I saw it only in the summer. To me, it was a summer place of bare feet and sandy beaches. Cottages with pots of colorful flowers on the wide-enough-to-lounge-on porches.
But what if you loved a place--and the people in it--so much that you found reasons to return as summer faded into fall?
I guess I wanted to believe that such a place exists, especially since Fall is my favorite of all the seasons.
I asked my friend Greta Hammond to join in the Sweethaven fun and she created a layout inspired by the cover of my book, which was inspired by autumn:
Something about the crisp wind, getting to wear sweatshirts, not having to see how pasty pale I am because I hardly ever leave the house. There is nothing like fall. And Greta agrees, which is why she pulled the colors of the book cover and created this gorgeous layout:
Greta and I got to work together quite a bit because she was a Memory Makers Master when I was a Contributing Editor there. When I stepped back, I think it was my conversations with her that I missed the most. We had so much fun gabbing about who knows what...
Have I mentioned that I love how scrapbooking pulls people together?
Because of Scrapbooking, I've also had the joy of meeting (and admiring the work of) Gabrielle Pollacco. (Go see her blog HERE, it's full of inspiration!) Gabi has a wonderfully artistic style that makes me ooh and ahh a little, and I love what she's created for this challenge...
At the beginning of A Sweethaven Homecoming, you'll find this quote:
"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." --Maya Angelou
That's what we all long for, isn't it? That's what Gabi's talking about in this layout...that place you can just be yourself. That's what I wanted Sweethaven to be. And in many ways, it is. Because while things aren't perfect, there's the comfort of knowing they can be worked out. Forgiveness can be given--and received.
I think a part of all of us needs that...and maybe you'll find it a little in the pages of these books. At least, I hope so.
In just a couple more days, I'll review all these gorgeous inspiration projects and launch the official Sweethaven Scrapbooking Challenge. I'm excited to see how you embrace this challenge and create your own Sweethaven-inspired layout...
Offical details coming Thursday!
For now, why don't you run pick up one of THESE?
