How to Scrap Lift

One of my favorite things to do to jump start my scrapbooking is challenge myself to a scraplift. In many of the other fields I have been a part of, lifting someone else's idea is frowned upon. In poetry, you would not steal someone else's words and claim them as your own, but in scrapbooking, looking to someone else's layout as a template for yours, right down to using some of the same papers, words, or embellishments, is an encouraged art!
I can say nothing gets my creative juices flowing like looking through scrapblogs, or magazines and finding a layout I know I can accomplish with the supplies I have. Bliss.
I found myself thumbing through some autumn 2008 pictures that have not yet been scrapped. I immediately reached for a fall 2009 Creating Keepsakes magazine I had one file. I fell in love with this layout:

I love the colors, the circle, the patterns, the placements. And more...
I recalled some die cut leaves I had that would work well to accomplish this look, and the picture of Ben jumped right of the stack I had been looking at. Next, when I realized I still had some old metal photo turns I hadn't played with in awhile, things were really coming together. Finally, some paper in my Autumn file, as well as my scrap basket came together. The die cut phrases were in a box of embellishments on the desk in front of me; I pulled out 5-6 that would work, and decided to settle on them when I had the rest figured out. Gathering supplies took me less than 5 minutes.

I made the circle by tracing a jumbo coffee mug I have holding scrap stuff right there on my desk. I outlined it with a sharpie. The journaling accent came from a punch, and I made the lines as I wrote.
This is my favorite layout I have made in a long time!

Happy Scrapping!