Hello, You!

Hi everyone.  I have a new Pattern Play that's being featured on the Gossamer Blue blog today and it's one of my recent favorites.

For this Pattern Play, I'm revisiting the concept of repetition.

I absolutely love the Pink Paislee / Paige Evans bows in this month's kit.  I was trying to think of how I could use them on a page and was desperately wishing I had 27 of them.  I wasn't sure how I'd use them yet so I starting looking through the pattern papers and noticed the gorgeous ombre one and of course since it was from the same collection, it had all the colors of the bows. After a little thought, I decided I align the bows on the layout and fill in the remaining area with hand stitched bows, coordinating my embroidery floss with the pattern paper.

I knew hand stitching in great detail would take longer than I wanted so chose to use full bow length stitching, which saved lots of time and I think it helps match the bows a little better.

Next I added my photo, backing it with frames and flowers and a small tag title.  Then I tucked a little journaling tag under the photo.

Normally I would add additional embellishments on the opposite side of the page somewhere and maybe even a large title but I think these bows deserve to stand on their own.  As my daughter said to me when she saw it, "I don't like it. I LOVE IT!" and I hope you do too.

"Fabulous & Lovely" Flower Scrapbook Layout by Heather Leopard

Backgrounds are some of my most favorite things to design with. You can use them over and over again with vastly different looks depending on what you use to back them. Sometimes I like to cut it out of white cardstock and layer white on white, other times, I cut it out of white cardstock and lay it over pattern paper but mostly I do what I did today - white background cut over white cardstock filled with various patterns that coordinate. The possibilities really are endless and the results look completely different each time.

I used the Spirograph Background 1 cut file for this layout. I liked that it resembled flowers. My process included cutting the background file out of white cardstock. Then I released the compound path / ungrouped everything and cut the inside petals and leaves out of pattern paper. This made it super easy to get the perfect cut. I glued them in place and then stitched circles over the center of the spirograph flowers.



I mixed & Matched Pink Paislee Paige Evans Take Me Away collection pattern papers and for the inside petals, I created an ombre effect, starting light at the top and darker at the bottom.  I just felt like it needed more solids in the middle to help ground the flowers.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Natural Beauty | Pink Paislee

Summer has started out with a bang.  We sent our kids to their first ever summer sleep away camp, which they LOVED, BTW!  While they were gone we decided to re-decorate their rooms so it's been crazy busy. Our littlest now has a french cottage / cafe and the oldest has a super fun loft bed with curtains and gone are the little girl pink walls.  I'll be posting before and after photos soon.

In the meantime, I'm back with my 5th project as the Pink Paislee guest designer for the Outfitters collection. And I still have 2 more to come.

I’m all about using every last bit of a collection so I chose to use the paper strips from the bottom of the pattern papers. I simply cut each strip into smaller strips and then mixed and matched them at a diagonal across the page.

I stitched each of the individual small strips in either a straight stitch or zig zag.

I framed the photos with layers of instaframes, acetate, paper, leaves and flowers that I watercolored.

Dreams Are Born | Pink Paislee

Hello friends.  I'm sharing my 4th project for my guest gig over on the Pink Paislee blog.  This one was created with one 12x12 pattern paper, 1 sheet of cardstock, ephemera and watercolors.

How to: Start by adding color to white cardstock.  I chose blue watercolor. Set aside to dry.  Write your quote in your die cutting software.  Size the quote to dominate the page,  leaving room for photos.  Cut the quote and place it on the layout.  Add photos, overlapping the photos with the letters is you like.  Stitch the letters in place. 

Camp Party Invitation and Wilderness Cake | Pink Paislee

Hello friends.  I'm blogging projects 2 and 3 of the 7 projects I created for my guest stint over on the Pink Paislee blog.

THE PLAN: These projects were created for a beginning of summer back yard celebration.  My girls are off at camp this week so I created these to help amp up their excited, as if they weren't excited enough.  Anyway, I created an invitation for them to join us in our back yard, where my plan was to hang huge burlap banners and cute little paper rosettes for the fence from the Outfitters collection, have dinner outside and surprise them with a cake and milk, served in milk bottles with cute little straws and banners created from this collection.

Back yard camping party invitation

REALITY: So I created the card, all the banner, rosettes, little flags for the straws, found the cutest plates and napkins, baked a 4 layer cake and created all the a cute little props for the top of the cake. I was all set to celebrate. Then it rained and rained and rained for 3 or 4 days straight and we flooded...again. Thank goodness we didn't have water damage but the opportunity for the cute outdoor party was lost.  In the end, we had the party inside but I didn't have all the wall space I had planned for.  The kids loved it anyway and drank from the milk bottles and ate their cake.

Banner: The one thing that inspired this cake idea was the "camp" banner. It was all one piece connected together but I wanted to string it on little sticks so I cut them up and stitched them like you would garland.  Then I tied them to the sticks.

Teepee / Tent: I wanted to create a fun scene to celebrate summer camp so my next idea was a teepee / tent.  I cut it using a Silhouette cut file and added sticks that I gathered from outside.  Then, I decorated it with feathers I cut from a paper that had oars all over it.  I simply cut the little oars into the shape of feathers and then added slits on the side to give it a feathery effect.

Fire: There's a camp fire sticker in this collection so all I did was adhere it to white cardstock and had a campfire immediately.  If only it was that easy when we went camping.

Trees: I cut these using a 3D Christmas Village cut file I had.

Fox: My husband goes hunting every year and there's a fox that has come by every year since it was a baby.  They named her Georgette and the girls love seeing photos of her every year so it just made sense to include a fox on the cake.

Although the rain may have put a damper (pun intended) on my party decor, we still enjoyed the cake.  Now my girls are off at camp, hopefully having the time of their lives!

Adventure Awaits | Pink Paislee

OMG, I am guesting for Pink Paislee today.  It's a dream come true for me.  I got to play with the new Outfitter collection and I gotta say, I was a little scared at first because 1. we don't do a lot of camping and 2. I didn't get very many papers or embellishments but I'm always up for a challenge.

Over the next week, I'll post details of the 7 projects you can see now on the Pink Paislee blog.  How fun is that to say?!?!? Let's get started....

Adventure Awaits

How to:

1. Duplicate triangles in the Silhouette software and replicate it to fill the page.  This is good so you can make sure you'll fill the page evenly.
2. Using multiple patterns (I used 7), cut the triangles from each pattern.  I cut my paper into 6x6 bits and cut 4 at a time on the CAMEO.
3. Cut a full page of white cardstock triangles.
4. Please them down on the page in random order, adhering with just a bit of glue.
5. Stitch continuous lines across the page along the border of the triangles. Then stitch across the other side.
6. Add tags and frames for the base of the photo.
7. Add photo and additional embellishments.
8. Add the title and strips for journaling.

So Many Reasons To Be Happy | Scrapbook & Cards Today Guest Designer

Hello, hello, today is an especially HAPPY day.  Not only am I showcasing 3 reasons I am happy on a layout but I just ecstatic to be guesting over on the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog with a project I made using this month's cut file, designed by Nicole Nowosad, plus the new Paige Evans Fancy Free collection via my Scrapbook Circle May kit.  So lots of reasons to be happy.

Here's the file I used. You can download this file for FREE from the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog.

I chose to cut the file and hand stitch around the words.  I have to admit, it took WAY too long and I was telling myself I was crazy the whole time but I love how it turned out in the end so I'd say it was all worth it.

How to:

• Supersize the cut file so that it leaves approximately 1" on each side of the paper.  
• Add stitching dots or lines around the words and cut the file. Altnertively, you can manually poke the holes.

Here's where the "fun" begins.....

• Hand stitch around the words using your favorite embroidery thread. 
• Layer the stitched paper over a pattern paper, careful not to use a super busy paper.  I chose a design that had a white background but when I placed the stitched paper over it, it was somewhat washed out.
• To fix this, I watercolored over it in a complimentary blue color. 

• Once dry, adhere the paper overlay on top.  You could also add this before stitching but since I used my Silhouette to poke the holes, I adding this after.

I added my precious children as my reasons to be happy, adding them to the page in birth order.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Please head over to the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog to download the file.  LEAVE ME SOME LOVE WHILE YOU'RE THERE!

Fancy Free by Paige Evans + Win it before you can buy it GIVEAWAY

This has been one of the hardest secrets to keep for the last several months but I'm a woman of my word and my lips were sealed. I'm so excited that  I can share the news that my dear friend Paige Evans has her own scrapbook line with Pink Paislee!

Check out some of the collection below and more of it on her blog and then hop over to my Instagram (@heatherleopard) for a chance to win some puffy stickers and layered stickers she offered me to giveaway.

You guys!!! Patterned papers are my most favorite thing to work with. You have to see the whole line over on Paige's blog.  If you are anything like me, you will go bonkers over it all!  And the colors!  I'm not sure why I get so excited about the colors but I LOVE, love, love it!  It feels like a good mix for boys and girls but you know I'll be going the more girly route probably, maybe. The alphas and ephemera and......oh my, I could go on for days!

Look at the texture on those fun buttons! 

And those glittered wood veneer are SWOON worthy.

I absolutely love multi-color, multi-patterned Thickers so THIS is ah-mazing!

I am so honored that Paige asked me to help spread the word.  Paige and I have worked together on several collaborations, including 3+ years on the American Crafts design team under her leadership, online class collaborations, guesting gigs, and more.

I can't wait to work with this amazing new collection. My mind is already filled with so many amazing ideas.

So who wants to win it before you can buy it?  Head over to my Instagram (@heatherleopard) for details on how you can win a set of these gorgeous layered stickers and puffy stickers.

 

Paige, congratulations again!  Thanks for including me in today's festivities and I especially thank you for your friendship and advice. xoxo

The Best Day | Gossamer Blue Inspiration Blog Hop

It's time again for the Gossamer Blue Design Team blog hop. I'm telling you, the Gossamer Blue kits are amaze-balls and this amazing team of scrapbookers, pocket pagers and card makers are so freaking talented. I just love gazing through the gallery for inspiration and I especially love this hop, which makes it super easy to see a sampling from each designer along the way!

Here's a layout I created with the March kit, using lots of goodies from My Mind's Eye and Pink Paislee.

I just added wonky cut layer upon wonky cut layer upon wonky cut layer, stitching between each layer. How awesome are the exclusive Gossamer Blue stamps? I used part of mine to stamp on the little tag.

And next is the adorably cute photo and embellishments. My journaling is written on the hidden noteworthy insert right under the photo.

So that's it for me today. Now it's time to see what the beautiful Miss Jessica Lohof created. Enjoy!

Missing You 24|7

Ring, ring! I am here with a new edition of Pattern Play for Gossamer Blue using the July Main kit and add-on kits. I can't even tell you the last time I heard a telephone ring. All I hear these days is a buzz or some sort of melody.  That said, I am sooooo thankful for technology that allows me to call home and not only talk to my family but to see them too. I don't travel without them very often but when I do, FaceTime is a lifeline between us. So when I spotted the telephone paper in the kit, I had to figure out a way to use it for this month's Pattern Play.

When we're Facetiming, I usually screen shot a couple of photos so I can look back and document it as part of my travels or as just another family moment. I am soo thankful I did because they are such an important part of my life and my travel stories. 

 I decided to use mix and match the various patterns to create a background. I knew it would be a bit busy so I was careful where I placed certain patterns and made sure to bring in a few that had more subtle patterns. I did know though that I wanted to use the journaling paper throughout the page, to write a little something about each person in the photo, including where we were calling from. Since those were rectangles, I placed then first. I then added the patterns around those cards. The other cards were cut at random angles and to my surprise, they were hard to match up the angles. I did have to trim a bit here and there but it was easy peasy for the most part. Then to avoid strange gaps when it came to adding the patterns around the journaling paper, I just left one edge straight and cut the other at an angle. Once everything was in it right place, I stitched down the paper along each edge.

The colors in the screenshot photo were a little wonky so I fixed that. I simply changed it to black and white, which is complimented perfectly with the black in the various patterns. I layered around my photo, as I usually do and then added white cardstock as the bottom layer to help make sure it didn't blend into the background pattern too much. Then I added a few embellishments and the "Missing You 24/7" title, made from the ephemera.

 So...who's with me? I want to see what backgrounds, cards and layouts you are making by mixing different patterns.

Kid Fabulous

There's something I just love about the title for this layout.  I switched the words to be opposite how you would normally say it and it really defines this new little super hero princess KID Fabuloussssssssssss!

Anyway, here today bringing you a different spin on my Pattern Play feature that I do over on the Gossamer Blue blog. I usually like to show you how I add a GAZILLION different patterns to a layout while still keeping a nice, cohesive look.

Well, today, I'm gonna show you how I chose to tone down a busy page overlay with a gazillion pre-printed patterns so that I could ensure my photos didn't get lost on the page.

Supplies: Gossamer Blue January Main Kit, Main Addon 2, Life Pages Kit, Life Pages Addon, Life Pages Themes Addon

I started this layout knowing that I wanted to use the Pink Paislee Hey Kid paper overlay for these fantastic photos of my little girl. No, these are not Halloween photos. She would dress this way every day if she could. The thing is, when I placed the photos on the paper, they just got lost. The thing I love about this paper is that every circle has some sort of graphic treatment. That was also the thing that caused my photo to get lost. I placed the overlay over several light colored, small pattern papers but that just made it busier. I finally decided to use white for the background.

Next, I decided to hand cut the colored graphic patterns out of some of the circles. Realizing how long that would take for the amount that I wanted to cut out, I quickly decided to cut 1 3/4" white cardstock circles on my CAMEO and then placed them over the patterns. This worked out great because I could move them around.

I ended up covering 10 pattern-filled circles with 10 white textured cardstock circles. Then I started working on the layers for my photo. I used various patterns, mixing together Gossamer Blue exclusive paper and wood veneer with a Crate overlay, October Afternoon and Pink Paislee papers and embellishments. It sounds like a hodge podge but I like how they all worked together.

Lastly, I started to fill in some of the white circles. I chose to leave 3 or 4 of them white but if you know me, I like to embellish. I used vellum embellishments, wood veneer, 3D chipboard stickers, die cuts and more. I even cut a few more sentiment circles and popped them up on the page. My favorite might be the little cluster of embellishments I used in the upper right corner. Or maybe it's the bow tie heart. No, it's the #4 signifying her age. Or maybe...

I really love how this page came together and how I toned down some of the more graphic patterns just to build it back up again with my own patterns. Thanks for stopping by today.

I'd love it if you'd stop over to the Gossamer Blue blog and let me know what you think of my project over there. Did you know that you can post your layouts to our Member Gallery and they don't even have to be Gossamer Blue kit projects.

Mad Hatter Tea Party

I want to show you a layout I did about a month ago but didn't post to my blog since it was for a challenge I was hosting. Anyway, I went to London in June for my job and the hubby was able to join me on the trip. We flew out a few days early to do some sightseeing, all at our personal expense of course!

We absolutely loved our visit to London but I was a little dissapointed with the fact that I could not find a tea room. We came across lots of pubs but seriously where are the tea rooms??? We finally found one in Bath and what do you know? It was an Alice in Wonderland theme. SCORE!

Supplies: Scrapbook Circle Let Freedom Ring kit: Pink Paislee Declaration - Block Party 00718, Declaration - Pinwheel 00715, Declaration - Element Stickers 00721, Declaration - Alphabet Stickers 00722, Declaration - Windsock 00720, Maya Road Chipboard Star, Maya Road Chipboard banners, Bella Blvd Red Washi Tape, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Imaginisce i-rock, Mr. Huey mists

Although I accidentally smudged the journaling, it reads: I'll admit that I was a bit surprised to discover that they didn't have tea rooms on every corner in London. It wasn't until we went to Bath that we found one...and it was a great one! It was called the Mad Hatter Tea Room and it was all decked out in Alice in Wonderland decor. I got a ham & brie pannini and chai tea!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Let Freedom Ring

Hi everyone! I am excited to share a layout I created that was inspired by a layout I found in the Gallery over at Memorable Seasons. You see, each month, they select a Member of the Month and the DT 'lifts' their layout. Of course, scraplifting can mean anything to anyone and doesn't have to look like the original at all. I usually use the original as inspiration and just go from there. 

Here's my layout...

Supplies: Pink Paislee Declaration collection, Bella Blvd. Washi tape, Maya Road chipboard, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

I altered the color of the cream alpha to make it rest so it would stand apart from the cream background paper and then I doodled around the blue alphas to make sure they wouldn't get overshadowed. I also sprinkled fussy cut flowers and stars like confetti.

I added one lone bracket to the layout to anchor the photos on the left and rounded it out (pun intended) with the flower-ish design and bracket frame. If you look at the layout above, you can see that I actually cut about 1/3 of the flower and used the scrap piece in the upper right corner of the layout.

And here's Emily's layout. You can see that I kept the basic layout, including the brackets but really made it my own.  Thanks for the inspiration, Emily.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Stop by the Memorable Seasons store when you get a chance. New releases are always 25% off!