Leave Your Legacy: Inspire Me

Welcome to a new Leave Your Legacy challenge!  If you're new to my blog, I'm glad you came!  And you can learn more about my Leave Your Legacy challenge here.  I did post an announcement about some changes to the challenges a few days ago, which will hopefully encourage more people to participate!  

Okay - on with the fun... this week's LYL challenge:

Every once in a while, someone comes into your life unexpectedly and becomes a source of inspiration for you.  It may be their creativity, or passion for life.  Or it may be something as simple as strength and determination to survive.

So here's the challenge:

Complete a layout about someone who inspires you.  Journal about WHY you are inspired by them.  Be sure to include a recent photo.  

For this challenge, I chose my friend, Amanda.  I first met Amanda when she apply for the Just Cre8 design team and showed me her bra... bra book, that is!  Her creativity spurred me to choose her for the team, but as I got to know her, we came such good friends - I felt like I had known her for years!

In late 2009, around the same time as my sister, Amanda was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her strength through this difficult time, and the determination she showed was awesome.  When instead of choosing to wallow in self-pity, she and her team of friends raised over $10,000 for the Run for a Cure campaign.  Way to go, team!

She inspires me to be a better person; to give of myself selflessly; to be creative in all I do; to be kind and considerate.  She inspires me every day.

Here's my layout:

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Bo Bunny patterned paper, letter stickers and journal page; Websters floral trim; Martha Stewart Crafts, Marvy Uchida and EK Success punches; Just Cre8 stamps (Tailg8); Tsukineko VersaMark ink; Embossing Powder Candy Store embossing powder; Maya Road chipboard butterfly and trinket pins; 7Gypsies clear button; Basic Grey and Me & My Big Ideas rhinestones, Glue Dots; ribbon (unknown).  Photo by Barb Riley.

A lot of punching and stitching going on in this layout!  

The title "SHE" was stamped in Versamark on cardstock, heat embossed using Glitter Galore embossing powder, then fussy cut and attached to layout.

Journaling was handwritten and incorporates the title:

"SHE"... is full of creativity.  She has a heart of gold.  She has the determination of a 1000 men.  She loves with all her heart and soul.  She gives and gives, with no expectations.  She... "inspires me"

If you'd like to participate, please share your layout below, using Linky Tools. Please see the Leave Your Legacy page for guidelines, before linking here. This challenge will run all year to 11:59pm EST on December 31st, 2011, with winners being drawn January 1st, 2012.