Scrapbook Circle Kit Giveaway WINNER!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who left such sweet comments on my blog about the Scrapbook Circle "The Good Life" kit and the projects I made with it. I am happy to announce that random number generator chose #17

Congrats, Suzy!

Send an e-mail with your shipping address to heather [at] spottedleoparddesigns.com.  I'll get your info to Lisa at Scrapbook Circle so she can get the kit out to you! I am sure you will LOVE it!!! I can't wait to see what you make with it. Make sure to share your projects on the Scrapbook Circle Facebook page.

Thanks again for all your comments.  I always read each and every one!

Scrapbook Circle Kit GIVEAWAY

Did you see the projects I did recently with the September Scrapbook Circle kit, "The Good Life"? This kit is packed with so much yumminess!  Here's a few things I've made with it...

 

Now you can win one for yourself here on my blog! Lisa from Scrapbook Circle just celebrated her birthday and she is in the giving mood so she offered kits to the DT to give away.

Just leave a comment here on this post and become a follower of my blog, if you aren't already...it's THAT easy! You have until Sunday, 9/25 at 11:59 p.m. (EST) to enter. I'll randomly select and announce the winner on Monday.

Slice of Paradise...Bon Voyage

I have so much to share with you today!

First, I am soooooooo excited to say that I've been invited back to serve on the Sketchy Thursdays design team! I just love those gals and the sketches they create each week are AH-MAZING! I've said it before, but I'll say it again...I feel so lucky and honored! See the announcement and who else made the team HERE!

Second, below is my take on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch. The reveal happens to coincide with my reveal for the new Imaginisce collection, Bon Voyage.  These photos were taken on our first trip to Turneffe Island Lodge several years ago. The island is a 1 1/2 hour boat ride from Belize City to the southern tip of Turneffe Atoll. They spoiled us by picking us up on a helicopter and it was exhilirating and sooo breathtaking.  See that little island? It's so intimate and I think you can walk around it in 5 minutes.  We've been three times (by boat now) and have plans to return again (hopefully soon). If you are a die hard scuba diver, this is the place for you!!!

Supplies: Bazzill White Cardstock, Imaginisce Bon Voyage Collection - Postcard from Afar 003378, Incredible Journey 003380, Stateroom Baggage 003377, First Class 003375, Travel the World Chipboard Sticker 003388, Destination Die Cuts 003390

Make sure to play along with Sketchy Thursdays this week for your chance to win goodies from Your Memories Here!

Third, I also created more fun things for the Imaginisce reveal...some I am showing today (see below) and some I am reserving for an upcoming date that I will be "hogging the blog" over at Imaginisce - a 2 page layout and a mini travel album!

I created this card using the Bon Voyage line and cut the compass with the Cricut Going Places cartridge. I have no idea why the ribbon looks lighter in the photo...it's a perfect match :-o

My last reveal today is a pair of luggage tags. I used them on a recent trip and it made spotting my bags super easy!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Sweet Summertime Pool Pals

It's an exciting time over at Sketchy Thursdays this week.  We've teamed up with the ScrapFit challenge blog for a mini blog hop!  You have multiple chances to win prizes from Sketchy Thursdays (Burlap & Buttercups prize), $10 gift card to Design by Diana on etsy and ScrapFit (Paper Issues prize). Here's how:

• Create a project based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch using the following prompt on the page: F Is For Friendship
• Share your projects over on the Sketchy Thursdays and ScrapFit sites

Here's my interpretation of this challenge using Little Yellow Bicycle goodies I won from them (thanks, LYB!)

Supplies: Little Yellow Bicycle Sweet Summertime Collection - Sunshine/Summertime Stripe, Stripe/Watermelon Slice, Summer Garden/Lime Stripe, Fireflies with texture and glitter, Journaling Cards with thermography, Canvas Sticker Borders, Dimensional Pop-up Stickers, Clear Cuts - Shapes with glitter, Cardstock Favorite Pieces Stickers with glitter and buttons, Glue Arts Glue Pro Adhesive, Zig Marker in Black .5mm

Head over to Sketchy Thursdays for more details and to see the sketch. While you're there, check out what the rest of the design team did! You might even see double...this layout was especially fun this week because my friend, Audrey, who just happens to be on the Sketchy Thursdays design team too, and I chose to use the same pics of our daughters at the pool playing together this summer.

Let the Good Times Roll

The afternoon after going to meet the teacher, hubby went back to work but I took the day off and let Rheagan choose something fun to do. She chose bowling and we had a blast.  I created this layout, based on my own sketch for Create 365, a LSS I am now designing for.  If you are in the Louisiana area or driving through on I-10 just outside of Lafayette in Scott, you must stop in.  You'll fall in love with the store and Amy, the owner! In the meantime, check out her blog and "Like" her Facebook page.

Supplies: My Mind's Eye Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky Collection: Happy "Blooms" paper, Hello "Bubbles" paper, "Lines" paper, Cute "Buttons" paper, Perfect "Butterflies" die-cut paper; "Cute" journaling card; "Happy" Accessories sheet; "Happy" twine; Out of the Blue "Playful Alphabet; American Crafts ribbon "Sharcoal; American Crafts Thickers Fabric Letters "Aqua"

Thanks for stopping by today!

Meet the Teachers

I am so in love with the Scrapbook Circle "The Good Life" kit this month!  It's full of Amy Tangerine, Fancy Pants, Crate Paper...yummy!

Today, I'm sharing a layout of my daughter's Meet the Teacher day for 2nd grade. By now, you probably know that my style usually includes lots of layers but I went a little "clean and simple" (actually not so simple) with this one because I knew I would need a lot of room to journal about her two teachers plus how we were all feeling that day. I soon realized it would be best to hide the journaling. Take a look...

I actually journalled in three spots here on the page. The first is the little sticker tab that says No. 1. That sticker was chosen because that is my daughter's main homeroom teacher and it's affixed to cardstock that has the teacher name and bio on it. The 2nd hidden journalling is under the "Hello my story is" sticker which is is also affixed to cardstock and has teacher #2 on it. They just slide right out from behind the photos.

The last bit of hidden journaling is on the library index card peeking out on the upper left hand side and that includes our personal thoughts on 2nd grade.

I'm really pleased that I was able to fit paragraphs about each teacher so that we can look back YEARS later and know a little bit more about the teachers we had and how excited Rheagan was to start 2nd grade.

Here's the sketch I made.  I will be posting them to the Sketches page, which can also be found by clicking on the "Sketches" tab at the top of my blog.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Reese @ 4 Weeks

It's really hard to believe that my little majita chicadita will be turning 3 is a little over a month.  Here's my sweet little Reese when she was just 4 weeks old.  Her hemangioma was well on it's way to showing and growing and this was just the beginning.  I won't focus on that except to say that we are so blessed to have such wonderful doctors here in Houston who have cared for us in so many ways and now it's barely visible.  I bet you probably haven't even noticed it in previous layouts I've done of her.

Anyway, I used the Birds of a Feather September 2011 kit combined with this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch and came up with this sweet layout for my sweet little girly girl.

I chose to journal on the back and use one of the phrases from the Echo Park Victoria Gardens collection as the title because it was perfect for this...NATURAL BEAUTY is what you are born with. It's so easy to judge people because of the way they look or act and trust me when this grew to the size of a quarter and was raised 1/4" by the time she was 6 months (or sooner), we got looks from not just kids (I understand curiosity) but adults? REALLY???  I'll refrain from saying anything more than that but next time, just think about your words, actions and body language when you see people with imperfections or unruly kids. You probably don't know half of their story and more than likely I bet they could use a little empathy!

As for us, this child is perfect in every way, she has taught me sooo much and she helps put everything in perspective!

Back to scrapping...make sure to check out what the other amazing Sketchy Thursdays designers did with this sketch and play along for your chance to win a great prize from My Memories Suite!

Two Reveals. One Day. Jet Plane. 2nd Day of 2nd Grade.

I have two reveals for you on the same day and I decided to combine them into one.  I am sooo excited for both of these.

REVEAL #1 - Have you seen the new Scrapbook Circle "The Good Life" kit for September? It is TDF cute with all sorts of Amy Tangerine and Crate Paper goodies in it.  I can already tell I am going to use every last little bit of it.  Here's the 1st layout I did with it - I was also challenged to lift one of Scrapbook Circle's subscribers layout, which also happened to be based on a Sketchy Thursdays sketch that we revealed a couple of weeks ago. Too funny.  I just love it when I am IN LOVE with a layout and I really do want to marry this one; think my hubby will mind?

Supplies from Scrapbook Circle "The Good Life" September 2011 kit: American Crafts Amy Tangering "Work in Progress", "The Good Life", "Wanderlust", remarks, bits die-cut shapes (kit add on); Crate Paper Random Collection - phrase stickers; Fancy Pants Off to School ABC's; Maya Road canvas button. Not in kit: twine; Studio Calico Bonny Blue Mister Hueys Mist.

Here's the lift my layout was based on. Isn't it gorgeous? Thanks for the inspiration, Andrea!

Want a chance to be lifted and featured on the Scrapbook Circle blog? Link us to your layouts on the Scrapbook Circle Facebook page and we might just spot you!

And here's a sneak at the Scrapbook Circle "The Good Life" September 2011 kit.  The Amy Tangerine "bits" I included in my layout above are a kit add-on and trust me, you will want them!

REVEAL #2 - The September challenge over on the Imaginisce blog is a sketch challenge.  I decided to do a layout using their new Geek is Chic collection that's all about my daughter's 2nd Day of 2nd Grade!  I posted HERE a week or two ago for the Geek is Chic reveal party that I was going to do a sign every year on the day of the year she is going into so this is the 2nd day of 2nd grade, which is also the day she jumped off the bus BEAMING and holding something special in her hand - a treasure box holding the tooth she lost while at school! 

Here's the sketch.  Make sure to play along with us and post your entry (using at least 75% Imaginisce product) to the blog by September 25th for a chance to win a great prize package!

A Birthday, a Blog Hop and some Fun Altered Goodies

Yay, I am so happy to have you here today, whether you are new to my blog or one of my wonderful followers. Before I tell you anything else about my post today, I have to give a birthday shout out to my sweet friend, Tessa, who will be celebrating the BIG 3-0 in just a couple of days. In honor of that, she has asked me (and several other fabulous crafty friends) to participate in a blog hop, sponsored by her Etsy shop, Precocious Paper. If you've never visited her store, make sure you check it out (and use my discount code at the end of this post).

Throughout this blog hop, starting today through the 31st, Tessa is giving away over $100 in product! So, let's get this party started...If you've been hopping along and just came from Anna White-Sharman's blog, you're in the right place. If you just started the hop here, make sure to start at the beginning by visiting Tessa's blog first.

I've had the opportunity to design with some of Tessa's products all month long, as her August guest designer and again as part of the hop! I just love all of Tessa's collections, but I have to say the August sampler, Summer Twilight, is one of my most favorite. Here's a couple of things I made with it...

A 6.5x5" "Sticky Note Set" box found on clearance at Target.

This is going to make a great little birthday treat for someone special.

I used the main Summer Twilight collection and then added some "felt roses", "sweet spots" and "butterfly doilies". I just love that she offers mix-n-match sets!

The inside of the box.

I plan to stamp the recipient's name on the paper set on the right side (but not yet in case she sees this post).

A headband

Ribbon for headband and flowers from the main Summer Twilight collection plus a navy felt rose.

                               Summer Twilight sampler                              Sweet Spots

                                      Butterfly Doilies                                       Felt Roses

In case you missed them from a previous post, here's a couple of other items I made as part of my guest design spot earlier this month.

Coupon Clutch (from Target $1 section)

With extreme couponing being all the rage

these days I figured I should attempt to

do some couponing. I won't go to extremes

but I'm going to be fashionable as I save                             Candle wrap for my mantle

a few dollars!                                                                      really makes a difference

Would you like some Precocious Paper goodies to work with?

• If you complete the entire hop, leaving a comment on every designer’s post by the 31st, you will be entered to win the grand prize – the September, October, November and December Samplers ($54.00 value and dozens upon dozens of hand-crafted scrapbooking embellishments). WOW!
• Follow Tessa’s blog to be entered to win a $20.00 credit to the shop
• Follow Precocious Paper on Facebook, you could win another $20.00 credit.
• Tessa is also giving away surprise credits to blog hop participants, so be sure to leave a comment on this post and I would love it if you would follow my blog if I inspired you in any way!

Before you hop to the next blog, check this out...Tessa has added many new things to her shop as part of the celebration, so be sure to stop by and take a peek. Use this code during check out - HLBBHFREE - you will receive free shipping (minimum $5 order) and a free thank you gift. This code is unique to me and the designer whose code is used the most get a little sumpin' sumpin' so I would just love it if you would use it for any purchases you make. The code is good until September 5th!!

Thank you for stopping by. Now hop on over to Rebecca's blog!

10 Things She Loves @ 2

Here's a fun little layout I do to highlight the things my daughter LOVES at the age of 2.  I used this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch and changed the circles to squares.

Supplies: American Crafts Hello Sunshine collection: Papers - Radiant, Dandy, Glow, Frolic, Spree and Remarks Stickers, Delights Paper Embellishments, Black .05 pen, Imaginisce i-rock and glam rocks, misc. buttons

To make the "10" I cut out a "10" from an old pattern paper stash I have that I will never use and laid it over ly blue background paper like a mask and misted in the negative space.  Then I hand drew the word "things" in pencil over the "10" and hand stitched it.  I did the same thing for the "@" sign on the bottom right of the page.

 I did a lot of layering, popping, and placing of all the elements around the page.  You can't tell from in these photos but some of the squares hactually have circles cut out on the sides where accordian elements are placed. This is one of my recent FAVES because of all the different dimensions.

Thanks for looking today. Make sure to visit the Sketchy Thursdays blog to play along with this week's sketch for your chance to win from My Creative Classroom.