It’s time once again for our Project reNEWit Challenge!!  Before I share what your challenge for the month will be, I wanted to let you know of some minor adjustments we are making to our hybrid challenge lineup.  In order to allow you more time to complete the more time consuming projects we have moved our “BIG” challenges to the first week of the month!!  We will now rotate Project reNEWit, Perfectly Packaged, and Dazzling Decor on the first Thursday each month.  You will find those challenges here on the blog as well as in the MOS Challenge Forum.  The second week of the month will focus on our fabulous hybrid gallery … our Hybrid Highlights post will now appear on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum on the second Thursday each month.  The third week will bring a continuing challenge – right now it is the “I’ll Pencil You In” Challenge where we are creating calendar pages each month to complete a calendar in time for holiday gift giving!!  After our calendars are complete look for a new continuing challenge to take its’ place … third Thursday on the blog and in the SM forum.  We are adding a Tutorial/Product Review post on the 4th week of the month.  This will be a step-by-step tutorial with photos to help guide you through a project from beginning to end.  One thing that a lot of people who are new or just starting out with hybrid want to know is WHAT supplies to use!  This post will be a great way to show how a project can be completed and what products were used to do it.  There is no challenge associated with this but it will be on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum the fourth Thursday of the month.  Lastly, when we are lucky enough to have a 5th Thursday we get to share with you our favorite hybrid goodies in the shop!!  With 5 new hybrid designers, physical products, and many other designers dabbling in hybrid there should be plenty to share!  So to review:

First Week:  “BIG” Challenge – rotating Project reNEWit, Perfectly Packaged, and Dazzling Decor (on the blog and in the Matter of Scrap Challenge forum)

Second Week:  Hybrid Highlights (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Third Week:  Continuing Challenge – I’ll Pencil You In (on the blog and in the Matter of Scrap Challenge forum)

Fourth Week:  Tutorial/Product Review (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Fifth Week:  Shop/Designer Spotlight (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Oh, and for an extra surprise, keep your eyes on the blog and forum for a special announcement of an additional hybrid challenge … not part of the Matter of Scraps Challenge System (so you won’t earn points) but guaranteed to be a lot of fun!  More details to come shortly

Now for this month’s challenge … One thing that I am certain to save when given a gift is the gift bag.  They are expensive and tend to hold up pretty well!!!  I don’t, however, enjoy worrying about whether or not I will give the same gift bag BACK to someone who originally gave it to me!  One simple solution is to “alter” the gift bags you have in your stash.  Cover the front and back with a fun digital design.  Make a topper to coordinate with it rather than using tissue paper.  Here are just a few samples that show these ideas.

First, one by Jaime (ocmath).  I love the cute design she used to cover up the front of the bag!  I’ve gotten gift bags just like this from stores that only have a logo on the front … so easy to cover up!

Here is one that I created.  I made the topper by using an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock folded in half.  I made my design and put it on the front.  Then I marked where the bag handles would fit through and cut out a small area so the topper could fit over the handles … easy!  Add a little bling and some ribbon and you have quickly transformed your gift bag

Your challenge for the month is to reuse and transform some type of packaging … gift bag, box, tin, etc. with the idea of using it to give a gift in it!!  You have until August 31st to complete your project.  Make sure to upload it to the Matter of Scrap Hybrid Challenges gallery as well as the MOS Challenge Forum under “Hybrid Challenges.“  Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!