What a Beautiful Life

Hi everyone.  We thought it’d be super fun to do a blog hop this month to showcase some of the Gossamer Blue Design Team’s projects using the October kits.  While we submit everything to the online gallery and the blog, sometimes it’s nice to dedicate a day just to inspiration.

I am in love with all the gold in this month’s kit so I found it only fitting to use gold as a major element of my layout.

I had some large scraps of this gold and white striped paper leftover from another project so I took my scissors to it and just stared cutting.  I ended up with these two large bits and offset them like so on the page.

I fussy cut some arrows from another sheet of pattern paper and then stitched right down the middle of them. 

More stitching on the lower half and then I added a few layers of paper, die cuts, gold doily and brads/flair to finish it off. I used elements from the Gossamer Blue Main kit and add-ons. 

GIVEAWAY

Now, how about a giveaway?  I’d love to give one lucky Instagram follower a $10 gift card to My Scraps & More, where you can purchase the latest Gossamer Blue collections.  Just follow me on Instagram @heatherleopard and leave a comment on the post that features this layout. I'll announce the winner on Sunday, October 19, 2014 so follow and comment by Saturday night.

Now, head on over to the lovely Jill Keller’s blog. And if you get lost along the way, you can find the full list on the Gossamer Blue Blog.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Love You More Mini Album

We take family photos every year and while I do scrapbook many of those photos, I always like to create a mini album that we can quickly flip through each year. 

I created this mini by cutting 1 12x12 piece of cardstock into 3 4”x10” strips. I folded each in half and stitched them together in the middle so they would measure 4”x5” per page.

For the cover, I covered it all with layers of pattern papers, a die cut gold doily and 3x4 card and twine.

On each inside page, I trimmed the papers about ¼” on each side, carefully matching papers to the photos. Then I went back and chose 3x4 cards that had the perfect sentiment or vibe of the photo. 

Each page is unique in it’s own way – doilies, stitching, embellishments, etc.

I used various stitching patterns on each page. I made sure to stitch the bit together before I added them to the base pages so the stitching wouldn't mess up the other side.

I cut the doilies on my CAMEO so they'd be the perfect size yet, I still had to cut them up a bit to fit perfectly behind the photos.

My life and my family is complete "all because two people fell in love".

Here's my cute little mini all tightly bundled up and ready to be opened (or put away). I keep all the mini albums from each year in one basket so we can look back and see how we changed and grown.

Thanks for stopping by today.  And thanks to My Mind's Eye for having me as their guest designer this month! I'd love to do it again (and again and again if you get the hint). LOL

You Girls Make Me So Very Happy | MME Guest Designer

Hello, I hope you enjoyed the layout I shared with you yesterday as part of my My Mind's Eye guest gig. You can see it below or you can see all my projects together on the MME blog here - DAY 1 and Day 2.

So here's a look at the 2nd project I created using the new Market Street collection.

I had this adorable photo of the hubby and I holding up this frame around our girls. It's a couple of years old and I hadn't scrapped it yet so when I saw the red brick color pattern paper with the green boarded up window, I knew it was time to get this one in the books.

I angled the white cardstock and distressed the edges. Then sewed it to the dark floral background.

The chipboard banner was calling me to use it. I originally planned to use it as a bottom border to complete the end of my title, layering the first part of the title on top but inspiration struck and this is what I came up with. I added tiny alphas between the crevices.

For the photo, I added some paper layers, gold foil doily and embellishments, leaving a pocket for journaling, which I made by adding the "Today" tab to a 3x4 card. I used teeny tiny foam dots to add the word "joy" sp that it's even with the photo layers  but popped up over the white cardstock.

So there you have it...stop by tomorrow for a look at the mini album I created. And head over to the MME blog and leave me some love - DAY 1 and Day 2.

Love You, Adore You | MME Guest Designer

Hey friends...raise your hand if you love My Mind's Eye as much as I do. I have been waiting for this day to come for-evah! Seriously. What a dream to guest design for them!!!

I pretty much love all their releases but I was over the moon happy when Stephanie said she was sending me Jen Allyson's Market Street collections.  The colors and patterns and gold foil accents - can I get a whoop whoop? And did you see the new Paper Goods collection? Swoon.

All my projects are on the My Mind's Eye blog. You can see DAY 1 and Day 2 by clicking those links. Since there aren't any detailed photos on the MME blog, I'm going to show my projects with the details here on my blog the rest of this week. So let's start with the first project I did...

Love You, Adore You

When I received the Market Street collection, I knew immediately what photos I wanted to scrap! I couldn't have planned the colors in the collection with my daughters outfit more perfectly if I had tried. I love using super-sized shapes on my layouts so I created a large circle out of leaves, inspired by the gorgeous prints in the Market Street collection. I used a subtle pattern for the background but toned down the center of the circle using gesso. 

I machine stitched  the leaves, adding a 3D bow at the bottom and adding my title, die cuts and embellishments at the top. 

I chose to use the word phrases for my journaling. Sometimes a picture (or two) says it all and then the word stickers were just the perfect combo to describe my super silly, incredibly sweet & sassy, oh so funny girl!

Thanks for stopping by today. Remember, you can see all my projects on the My Mind's Eye blog - DAY 1 and Day 2. Head on over and leave me some love!

Lovely {Beautiful} Girl

I just love when we're outside enjoying the day and I am able to spontaneously capture an image on my iPhone/Instagram, that captures the moment. This photo is a perfect example.  We were just hanging out in the cul-de-sac in princess pj's and little miss was collecting acorns that had fallen from the tree. She's a bit of a nature collector so her hands were full. That's when I snapped this photo.

I had already used some of the pink floral paper and most of the chevron paper so I put my scraps together to make a 12x12 page. I added some pretty lace trim from my Gossamer Blue March kit and add-ons and I had a great page foundation.

My title can be read many different ways: Lovely Everyday Moments, Beautiful Girl, Lovely Girl, Lovely Beautiful Girl. Pick your fave and go with it.  Perhaps the title should be Little Miss Sunshine or Handful of Gold. The point is that this little girl is all of the above.

I don't use a lot of flowers on my layouts but this paper by My Mind's Eye in the GB March kit was irresistible. I knew I had to use it and I knew that my scissors would be getting a workout.

I used the gold ink included in the kit to turn the wood veneer arrows gold. Once dried, I placed them in the chevron pattern and also right above my photo so they just kind of go with the (chevron) flow. I also journaled in the lines of the chevron.

I finished the layout by adding little details on the page that almost blend in with the background. I placed white sequins here and there on the page and then added pink enamel dots in small and medium sizes in them. I also added a couple of grey sequins in a few places on the page.

This layout was created using the Gossamer Blue March 2014 kit and add-ons. These sell out quickly because Lori puts together just the most amazing kits. I just can't wait to show you what else I created with the kits.  If you'd like to see more samples from this kit, visit the Gossamer Blue Design Team March gallery.

She's So Sophisticated

This girl, she's just so dang cute! She loves to be all fancy all the time.  I spotted her playing with a Barbie and her new purse that my mom brought back for her from an overseas trip and what do you know? She was wearing my mom's glasses too. She looked so cute and I couldn't resist snapping a few photos of her on my phone. 

 

To create this layout, I trimmed various coordinating papers into different size strips and adhered that to the left side of the page.  I then placed my photos on the opposite side of the page and did something I seldomly do. I did not add a lot of layers under them. I felt that I had enough going on with the strips on the left and instead, I chose to add some paint splatters, a few embellishments and sticker phrases that I thought perfectly related to her.

Look at her peeking up at me. As I mentioned in my journaling, it looks like she's saying "May I help you?"

The title fit perfectly in the little corner there between my photos.

 

 I split the journaling up on my layout bu actually cutting the journaling card in half and using one section in the upper left and the other in the bottom right. The journaling is tied together but not dependent on each other.

 

 

 

 



100% Genuine Girly Girl | Heather Leopard Scrapbooking Sketch

If you're looking for the Scrapbook Circle kit I'm giving away, click HERE.
Welcome to the Paper Issues Let's Have a Crafting A{flair} Blog Hop, sponsored by Panda Eight Flair! If this is your first stop, be sure to head over to Paper Issues to start at the beginning!

My youngest is the absolute girly girl. She loves to don her tiara, twirly skirts and sparkly shoes! She actually downright refuses to go out the door without this type of ensemble. The new My Mind's Eye My Girl collection and flair from Panda Eight was the perfection combination to document this about my girl.

My Mind's Eye My Girl Pinwheel Paper, My Mind's Eye My Girl Genuine Paper, My Mind's Eye My Girl Multi Plaid Paper, My Mind's Eye My Girl Sticker Accessory Sheet, My Mind's Eye My Girl Chipboard Elements, My Mind's Eye My Girl Decorative Brads, My Mind's Eye Boy Crazy Plaid Paper, My Mind's Eye My Girl Decorative Buttons, My Mind's Eye My Girl Enamel Dots, Panda Eight Flair, Paper Studio vellum, Ranger Ink Distress Stain Bard Door, Glue Art Glue Glider Pro, Skinny Jeans Solid Font, Cutie Pop font, Instragram photo, HP Photosmart 8750 printer

Here's the scrapbook sketch, designed by me....

To create this layout, I painted distress stain over the background paper. I then distressed and then layered various pattern papers and vellum to create a mat for my photo. I topped it off with a title that is a combination of a die cut, stickers and a brad so that it reads 100% genuine girly girl. The journaling is printed on paper strips to complete the story.

So did you see the fun flair on this layout? Yep, Panda Eight flair ROCKS! Guess what? 5 lucky blog hoppers will win a set of Panda Eight Flair. The details are on the Paper Issues blog. 

Did you know? You can get 20% off your scrapbooking supplies every day! Just visit the Paper Issues Store and enter coupon code: HEATHER for 20% off your entire purchase. Use it over and over again!

Thanks for hopping with us today

Make sure to  Like PandaEight on Facebook {tell them we sent you}

 Like Paper Issues on Facebook 

Next up on the hop is Mandy K.

After you complete the hop, come back to my blog and enter to win the Scrapbook Circle Charmed Life kit that I'm giving away HERE as part of my 600 follower celebration!

Looks Like Fall...Pumpkin Picking

I've got a sketch challenge up on the Lily Bee blog today! We are playing with the Index Journaling Cards all week. These essential elements are so versatile...they can be used as a standalone part of your overall layout or card design, a photo mat, a great place to do your journaling and the list goes on. I created a sketch, which can be found on the Lily Bee blog, specifically with these cards in mind. I hope you'll play along and post your fabulous creations to our Flickr Group!

Here's my take on the sketch. I used the Autumn Spice collection and altered the sketch slightly, adding more base layers under the strips.

 

Supplies: Autumn Spice (Spice Vanilla 12x12 paper, Spice Nutmeg 12x12 paper, All Spice 12x12 paper, Brown Suger 12x12 paper, 6x6 paper pad, Index Journaling Cards, Mixed Stickers)

Creative How-to: I used three index journaling cards, slicing and dicing them to fit the layout just so. I cut the top tab off the "November" index card and then tucked the tab portion to the top right of the photo section. I used the card that says picking pumpkins as title for the layout.

Here's a little peek at the layers. I distressed the larger layers and kept the strips intact with more clean lines, added some stitching and then I scattered a few embellishments over the layout.

Journaling: I used this index card for my journaling and wrote my story so that it would end with the sentiment that is already pre-printed on the card.

Pin these images to Pinterest 

Head over to the Lily Bee blog to see the sketch and how Nicole used it for her layout. Thanks for stopping by today!

Big Daddy | Creative Scrappers Blog Hop

Hi there! If you're looking for the Creative Scrappers blog hop, you are in the right place and if you are one of my friendly loyal visitors who is stumbling across this from my blog, today might be your lucky day!

I'm taking part in the Creative Scrappers blog hop. We will be showing off some of our favorite Creative Scrappers Sketches and Layouts and not only can you participate in our hop but you have a chance to win a Creative Scrappers ebook of Sketches "Creating with Sketches" by Kristine Davidson. 

I created this layout of my daughter and her grandfather aka my dad. We call him Big Daddy. That's what I called my dad's dad and since my dad is a Jr., it was most fitting that he be a Big Daddy too! Anyway, we found this fun crazy hair hat and gave it to him as part of his Father's Day gift. He and Rheagan had a great time playing with hats and I was lucky enough to capture a few of them with Instagram!

 

Supplies: Scrapbook Circle June 2012 Field Notes Kit: Crate Paper Story Teller Archives, Studio Calico Abroad Continental, Studio Calico Abroad Boarding Pass, My Mind's Eye Caroline Curious Planks, Simple Stories Documented Chevron, Echo Park This & That Numbers, Echo Park This & That 12 x 12 Alpha Stickers, Bella Blvd Teal Washi Tape, Jillibean Vacation Soup Label, 7 Gypsies Travel/Date Stickers, misc star punch, misc circle punch (3 sizes), Janome sewing machine, Imaginisce i-rock & glam rocks, Mr Hueys Mist in Bonny Blue & Calico, Bazzil Tape Runner, Zig black pen in .5mm.

Creative How To: I used Creative Scrappers sketch 187 by Kristine Davidson. I created 3 little stories on the page with layers of paper and embellishments. I strategically placed certain words, like "misdirected", "historic landmark" etc around the photos. I then misted over the papers, punched stars and 3 different size circles. I splattered them out on the page and when happy with where they landed for the most part, I on;y had to move a few of them around.

Journaling reads: A classic case of the sillies with Big Daddy on Father's Day 2011.

Giveaway #1

Leave a comment here on this post for your chance to win the ebook of Sketches that I am giving away on my blog. This is a separate then the giveaway from Creative Scrappers and all the other gals you'll "meet" on the hop. Next, hop around to the design team blogs for a chance to win more goodies and increase your chances to win an ebook offered by each of them. Once you are done with the hop, please leave a comment and a link to your blog on our main Creative Scrappers Blog Hop Post. This ghope ends on September 8 and winners will be announced on Sept 10.

Giveaway #2: 500 Followers!
Follow my blog to be entered into my 500 followers giveaway! When I reach 500 followers I will randomly select a few winners from my follower list to get special RAKs from me! This will include random assortments of paper, stamps, alphas, embellishments or whatever I am in the mood to throw in the package. Some will be new and some will be "vintage". LOL To enter and become my newest follower just click "Join" in the upper right hand of my blog under my photo. This giveaway ends when I reach 500 followers so check back often. Winners will be announced on my blog. You don't have to become a follower to be eligible for the Creative Scrappers ebook giveaway!

1. Marilyn Rivera

2. Keren Tamir

3. Heather Leopard <--That's ME!

4. Juliana Michaels

5. Kelly Shults

6. Nicole Nowosad

7. Elena Olinevich

8. Chiqui Gutierrez

9. Johanna Rol-Middelbos

10. Stacey Apps

11. Olga Heldwein

12. Rita Ribeiro

13. Deanna Misner

14. Jenny Evans

15. Shannon Morgan

16. Marie-Josée Hamel

17. Elisabeth Bakken

18. Helen Tilbury

19. Ana Castro

20. Janice Daquila-Pardo

21. Debbi Tehrani

22. Michelle Buijsman
23. Kristine Davidson

I hope you enjoy the hop! You have until September 8 to leave your comments with winners being announced on the Creative Scrapper blog on September 10th. 

Now HOP on over to Juliana's blog!! Good luck and thanks for stopping by today!

Hello my name is Spot

I snapped this photo of my daughter and her dog Spot, while Spot was still a relatively new member of the family.  She's a rescue and we just adore her.  Anywho, there's no big story to share about this photo except that these two girls really adore each other.

Supplies: Scrapbook Circle True Stories August 2012 Kit: American Crafts Shoreline Belmont Shore (35736), Sea Isle (35732), Shoreline Bits - Sand Dollar (85585), Pebbles Sunny Side From Me to You (751282), Fancy Pants Country Boutique Barn Door (1596), Simple Stories Summer Fresh, My Mind's Eye On the Sunny Side decorative brads,  Elle's Studio Summer Lovin' Cutouts, aqua twine.

Creative how-to: I used this week's sketch from Creative Scrappers, sketch #221 as a starting point. First, I flicked some mist splatter on my background paper. I fussy cut the Shoreline fireworks looking paper and then layered the two background papers over it, adding the Hello label (I cut the red checkered washi tape so that I could adhere it over the photo), banners, photo and other embellishments. See the yellow and orange label with the brads? I cut that in half and tucked it under the background paper and then set the other half aside. I cut the banner labels from the Pebbles paper and then layered them on top of each other to make a cascading banner. Note that I had to cut the bottom and middle layer in the middle so that they would show on each side. I added it to the top right corner of the layout using the other half of the yellow and orange label, another banner and brad. Lastly was the journaling card.

Journaling reads: You love your dog, Spot and she adores you! I caught her sneaking in doggie kisses, something she does every chance she gets!"

Thanks for stopping by today. I think there might be ONE kit left over at Scrapbook Circle so I suggest you head over there right away and then stop by the Creative Scrappers blog to see the original sketch and what the rest of the design team did!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

I have a little secret to tell ya.  It's about this layout I created using my Scrapbook Circle Remember This kit, which was packed with My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart.

My Mind’s Eye Follow Your Heart Honey Blue, My Mind’s Eye Follow Your Heart Be Amazing 6x6 Paper Pad, My Mind’s Eye Follow Your Heart Be Amazing Fly & Soar 12 x 12 paper, My Mind’s Eye Follow Your Heart Be Amazing 12x12 Chipboard, My Mind’s Eye Follow Your Heart Be Amazing Twine, Janome Sewing Machine, American Crafts Precision writer pen, Tattered Angels Peacock Blue Mist

So on to the secret...My secret is not that I created this layout using the leftover scraps of paper and chipboard. It's not that I had to bribe my daughter with some pretty costly perks and a fave dessert to get her, my sensory child, to lay on the hard concrete and pose. She actually did so on her own will but got antsy once I started needing to reposition myself, snap a pic, fix her dress, snap a pic, move her up a smidge, move her left a smidge, snap a pic, move her hands back down, and tell her to act like she's having FUN for Pete's sake!  Nope that is not the secret but I should totally post the "meltdown" pics.  She's actually smiling in these...

The secret involves all of the above but I did something I never do. I created a layout without having the pictures for it.  I knew I wanted to do some chalk art photos after seeing a couple on Pinterest where people drew king/queen crowns and then posed their children with them.  Apparently I didn't pin them to my board and just pinned the idea of chalk art photos to my brain or I'd link you to some of them. I actually created the layout weeks before I had the time to get out there and get artsy with the kids.  

Do YOU ever create a layout before you've taken the photos? It's just impossible to me to be able to predict what photos I'll end up with.  I admire people who can do a layout for their upcoming child's birthday party a month before the party and have it turn out perfectly...I'm talking about you, Major Ken!!! How do they do it? These were pretty easy because I took them far enough away that I could make them portrait or landscape, plus I knew what I needed so I didn't sweat it. 

You can't even tell that this is made from scraps but trust me, those photos just barely cover the cuts and edges. I love my little smorgeshborg layout! Here's the last remaining bit of chipboard I had left.

Oh, I should mention that I added title within my art "masterpiece" and journaled on the back!

I have more photos on my youngest daughter for a fairy tale layout that I have yet to start.  I will of course, post it here when I have it.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Adorable and Oh So Charming & Blog Hop Winner

It was simply impossible to not include the My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Happy" Adorable paper on your scrappy wishlist!  I just had to have it!!!  I mixed it with another MME Follow Your Heart line, "Be Amazing" and it paired up really well.  The golds in the Be Amazing collection were perfect for the carousel colors and the "Be Happy" paper with the Instagram picture windows worked awesomely. I loved it so much I used it for my A Bit of This & That class in April at Scrapp'n Savvy.

Supplies: My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Happy" Adorable 12x12 Paper, "Be Amazing" 6x6 designer paper pad, "Be Amazing" Blue Doily 12x12 paper, "Be Amazing" decorative brads, "Be Amazing" chipboard, American Crafts Wow glitter paper in gold, Imaginisce i-top 2.0 and small brad daddy, Bazzill Tape Runner, Zig Black Pen.

I wish I could snap more pics of this layout because you can't see all the dimension but it's on display at my LSS.  Instead, I'll have to tell you about it - I cut out some of the Instagram windows and popped the photos back behind them. Other windows have coordinating paper or photos popped up over it. Lastly, some of the windows just have paper adhered to them. So, all in all, there are 3 levels of dimension from back to front.

Before I go today, I want to thank everyone for helping us celebrate Diana's blogiversary by hopping along with the talented gals I was lucky to be a part of.   Thanks to Random.Org, the lucky winner of the Amy Tangerine prize RAK on my hop is KRISTIN (a fellow Texan). Congrats!!! To claim your prize, shoot me an email no later than Tuesday, May 8, 2012 via the About | Contact Me tab at the top of the page.

A Bit of This & That - Scrappin' Savvy Blog Hop

Hello, hello! I don't think I've blogged in about a week but I certainly have been busy creating projects that I just haven't been able to share just yet.  That's why I'm excited to show you these layouts and also let you know about a little blog hop we are doing with my LSS, Scrapp'n Savvy, which I teach at. These layouts are a little sampler of some of the things you'll be creating if you attend one of my classes. 

First let me tell you about the blog hop and then stay tuned to hear about my classes. If you're not local, I hope these projects inspire you. 

Welcome to the Scrapp'n Savvy Blog Hop! During this hop, you will learn about each teachers classes at the store and be eligible to win FREE class sessions. To enter, you must leave a comment on EACH teachers' blog and then return to the Scrapp'n Savvy blog and leave a comment that you have completed the hop. We will also be sharing with you information about our classes and techniques and tips that we used to create our "HOME" banners!

My class is called A Little Bit of This & That. I call it that because it's like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. That being said, it usually consists of a couple of layouts plus maybe a mini album or perhaps a card.

For April's class, we will be playing with My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Amazing" collection and a bit of October Afternoon Farmhouse. We'll be doing one 1-page layout, one 2-page layout and a DIY (do-it-yourself) smash-like mini album. Here are the 1-page and 2-page layouts. The mini is still a secret but I think you'll love it.

Supplies are from my Scrapbook Circle Remember This kit, which is sold out but these items can be purchased at Scrappin' Savvy as well.  Supplies: My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart Be Amazing collection: Societe, 6 x6 Designer Paper Pad, 12x12 chipboard, brads, Zig Marker in black.

The 1-page layout focuses on layering, fussy cutting to create handmade elements, stitching, dimension and more.

Here's a sneak at the 2-page layout. The actual layout will be at the Sampler event on Saturday. Techniques will include, distressing, misting, stitching (I used the new Sew Stamper tool) and will include a bit of layering. Are you starting to see a pattern? Yep, I'd say pretty much all of my layouts include a bit of each of those elements.

Not pictured from my April class is the DIY mini album.

For May, we'll be designing with Echo Park's Thise & That Charming collection. Similar to April's class, we'll be creating the 1-page and 2-page layout below plus a notepad booklet (great gift idea). The booklet is not pictured. Note: if you were here before I only posted a sneak because I had to hold it back for the Paper Issues blog hop but now I can post the full reveal.

Full page was revealed on April 1 so I updated this post to see the entire layout because there was soo much more to it that I couldn't show you!

So what do you see? Maybe a bit of mist, distressing, stitching and layered elements? You'll get to play with the Imaginisce i-top tool and the new Sew Stamper to make your faux stitches. The notepad booklet will be made from the same collection and if you like the style of the layout above, you won't be disappointed.

GIVEAWAY

This is for locals only (sorry). I'm giving away a spot in my April class. All you have to do is follow my blog and leave me a comment. I will do a random drawing on April 5. Either way, I hope to see you in my classes!
 
If you are attending the Sampler on Friday and Saturday you'll be making a fantastic "HOME" decor item. I will share my ideas for decorating it as soon as I get to create with mine.
 
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Be sure to visit and comment on each of the blogs listed below for your chance to some scrappy goodies from Scrappin's Savvy, in addition to the free class I am giving away!


Scrappn’ Savvy Blog- http://www.razzilldazzilltime.blogspot.com/
Millie Jones- http://generationswithmillie.blogspot.com/
Audrey Yeager- http://www.audreysreflection.blogspot.com/
Heather Leopard- YOU ARE HERE!
Terri Burnette- http://thepaperassylum.blogspot.com/
Leslie Parlette- http://designsdessertdisasters.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by today!