Wednesday, February 27, 2013

My New Sketchbook

Looking for the Lily Bee Design Birthday Blog Hop? Check out my new sketchbook below and then click HERE to continue to the hop.

I'm excited to show you my new sketchbook that I LOVE soo much, I'm too afraid to use it. Seriously.

I got this chipboard notebook at a business conference I went to almost a year ago. I knew I'd never use it as-is but I saved it because I knew I'd eventually be able to re-purpose it. Liz asked me to create a project using the Little Yellow Bicycle vellum tape. I had lots of fun ideas on how I could use the vellum tape (kind of like washi tape but slightly thicker and just a bit stickier) on a layout but I really wanted to push myself to create something a bit extra-ordinary. Here's what I created.
Supplies: Just Because Collection Vellum Tape JB-160, Just Because Collection Vellum Tape JB-161, Escape Collection Vellum Tape ESC-160, Once Upon a Christmas Collection Vellum Tape OC-160, Splash Collection Vellum Tape SPL-160, Naturals Burlap Stickers Tags NA-BS10

How about I show you how I made it?  It started out looking like a plain ole chipboard journal.I then drew different sized circles on the chipboard and enlisted my hubby to drill the holes with his drill press. Isn't he great? I had to file down a few of the insides of the circles and I was ready to go.

Then, I just layered the vellum tape over the cover, carefully matching the colors together.

Next, I cut a white sheet of paper the same size of the inside front cover of the journal. I placed it in the inside, closed the cover and traced the circles. Then I added the vellum tape in varying directions from the pattern on the cover. I especially like the vellum tape with the sentiments. I used "Wonderful Life".


Once I had the cover done, I decorated the first page as well as the pen. Oh and I made little paper clip markers with the vellum tape too.

So whattaya think? I'm in love with it but like I said, I'm too afraid to use it.

Thanks for stopping by today! Head over to the Little Yellow Bicycle blog to see what Jen and Lisa did with the vellum tape. You can also get the vellum tape from the Little Yellow Bicycle website!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

9 Wishes Layout & Scrapbooking Sketch by Heather Leopard & Lily Bee Design's Birthday Blog Hop

Happy Tuesday everyone and Happy 4th Birthday to Lily Bee Design! I am soo excited to be celebrating this great accomplishment with Kristen and team. We'll be celebrating all week long with a new hop each day this week through Thursday and lots chances to win new Lily Bee Design prizes!

For today's hop, we tasked with creating a "celebration" layout, drawing inspiration Nicole's sketch posted to the Lily Bee blog.  I chose to scrap this Instagram photo of my daughter at her most recent birthday party!
Supplies from Lily Bee Design Sweet Shoppe Collection



I layered lots of distressed papers, vellum, stitching and label tags over each other to create the mat for the frame as well as the paper strips at the bottom.  The Chit Chat stickers were the perfect embellishment accents and tied the page together. I included a journaling tag that says "memories" from a previous Lily Bee collection, behind the photo for my journaling.


GIVEAWAY!!!
Today I'm giving away some of this & that from my Lily Bee Design stash. All I ask is that you follow my blog (but only if you like what you see here) and leave me a comment telling me what you've recently celebrated or are about to celebrate!

Okay, so I was your last stop on the hop!  It's time to head back to the Lily Bee Design blog so you can enter for a chance to win a Lily Bee prize package! If you're just starting from my blog, here's the full list of designer's participating in today's hop:



Make sure to visit the Lily Bee blog again tomorrow and Thursday for new hops with the rest of the design team and more chances to win!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Monday, February 25, 2013

American Crafts Valentine's Day Blog Hop Winner

Thanks to everyone who visited my blog and commented on the mailbox I made for the family. I enjoyed reading every.single.comment.  I picked a random winner to win some American Crafts XOXO bits & pieces and the lucky person is...

Christine!!!





Please send me an email (heather at spottedleoparddesigns dot com) no later than 3/11/13, with "Valentine's Day Winner" in the subject line, to claim your prize. Make sure to include your address so I know where to send it.  If I don't hear from Christine by then, I will do another giveaway soon!

Thanks!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Just Because Cards

Yes, these cards are my Just Because cards for my hubby (I did give him the box set for Valentine's Day) and I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful the Just Because collection that Little Yellow Bicycle sent me is in person. From the paper crafting kit to the stick pins, journaling tags and 6x6 pad, and the yummy papers, making these card was a breeze! 

I Love You Card
I just adore the journaling tags and I wanted showcase this one on the card so I wrapped it in a small doily with twine and stick pins and added a pretty paper rosette. The base of the card is quite simple to re-create - just adhere two pieces of pattern paper together and add vellum tape to the seam where they meet. Add your sentiment and embellishments and your card is complete.

Supplies:
JB-304 6x6 Paper Pad
JB-161 Vellum Tape - Love (15 pieces)
JB-305 Paper Crafting Kit
JB-134 Journaling Cards
JB-277 Stick Pins

Love Card
I wanted to keep this card simple. To create it, I simply cut out three hearts, faux stitched around them and then using foam dots, I added different pattern papers behind them. Lastly, I adhered vellum tapes to the square card, added a strip of pattern paper and then overlayed the "LOVE" stickers. 

Supplies:
JB-304 6x6 Paper Pad
JB-161 Vellum Tape - Love (15 pieces)
JB-136 Cardstock Stickers - Favorite Pieces/Love

I decided that this card needed something more so I used my CAMEO to cut this box. I filled the negative portion of the box with different pieces of pattern paper and then embellished the lid. The card is a perfect fit. You can't see it in the photo but I actually shredded some pattern paper, for the card and some candy to rest on. I'm really excited to give this to my someone special.


Supplies:
JB-108 Pretty Paisley/String of Beads 12x12 paper
JB-103 Linen & Lace - Aqua/Tiny Stripes Aqua 12x12 Paper
JB-304 6x6 Paper Pad
JB-279 Chipboard Shapes

Thanks for stopping by today. I will be announcing the winner of my giveaway from the American Crafts blog hop this week so stay tuned!

But before you go, make sure to Like the Little Yellow Bicycle Facebook page and share the graphic below for a chance to win some of the new Naturals collection goodies!!! Get the details from the Facebook page or the Little Yellow Bicycle blog.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Be Mine...American Crafts Blog Hop

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Welcome to my little piece of the scrappy world! I'm excited about today for soo many reasons...celebrating the love for my one & only and of course enjoying Valentine festivities with my girls but also because we get to have a BLOG HOP with all the talented ladies on the American Crafts design team!

There's lots of inspiration to be discovered and prizes to be won so I hope you are having fun so far!  For my project, I decided to pull out this cute little mailbox I found at Target. I layered strips of pattern paper over each other and then embellished it with journaling cards, chipboard stickers, die cuts, stickers and more.



I wrote notes to each family member on the journaling cards, so that they know how much I love, adore and respect them. Of course, I try to demonstrate it every day but sometimes it's nice to write it down! I stuffed the notes and candy in the mailbox so they have something fun to open today!



I hope you've enjoyed this fun little project and that I've inspired you in some way!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I'll be giving away a RAK of some American Crafts XOXO collection goodies. I like to reward all my followers with a chance to win so just "Join" my blog to become my newest follower and leave me a comment and you'll be automatically entered! You have until 2/18 at Midnight CST to enter to win.

It'll be a little bit of this and a little bit of that along with bits & pieces from other elements of the XOXO collection ...
 

Now, enjoy the rest of your hop and head over to Carina's blog to see what she created! Of course, if you're just starting the hop at my blog, make sure to go to the beginning by visiting the American Crafts blog!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Hello There Winter {Beauty}

It's a big hard to write this post when we're having such a warm January winter here in Texas but, we had some down-right freezing cold days earlier in the month, when I snapped this photo of my youngest daughter in her new princess jacket.

Pin this layout to Pinterest:

My sweetie looked so beautiful and snuggly in her fur trimmed jacket hoodie. I couldn't resist snapping a few pics. This one was my favorite of the bunch, with her brilliant blue eyes, golden hair and the slighest of smiles. Sometimes, I just can't stand it; she's so full of sweet!

I used polka dots on polka dots because it just felt right, the contrast between the two. I also cut a large snowflake on, using it both the snowflake and the negative as part of the design, along with layers of pattern paper, tags, stickers and more...

Supplies: Dreamy Drive Paper (35820) - 5th & Frolic, Stitched Ruffle Paper (35823) - 5th & Frolic, Sweet Street Paper (25845) - 5th & Frolic, Foxy Fairview Paper (35805) - 5th & Frolic, Treasured Terrace Paper (35822) - 5th & Frolic, Simplicity Circle Paper (35801) - 5th & Frolic, Printed Chipboard Shapes (85601) - 5th & Frolic Bits, Accent & Phrase Stickers (42266) - 5th & Frolic Remarks, Buttons & Accents (85598) - 5th & Frolic Embellishments, Decorative Flowers (77292) - 5th & Frolic Flower Shoppe, Brads (85597) - 5th & Frolic Elements, Die Cut Cardstock Shapes (85600) - 5th & Frolic Bits, 5th & Frolic Acrylic Stamps (59163) - Stamps, Accent & Phrase Stickers (42265) - 5th & Frolic Remarks, Ribbon Spools (89427) - 5th & Frolic Ribbon, Large Tags (85599) - 5th & Frolic Bits, Fox Gold (53414) - Thickers

Thanks for stopping by today!