November Giveaway~!!

Hi there everyone~! And welcome to a new month...well, technically where I'm at in the States we have another day to go- but my blog gets seriously swamped with projects at the beginning of the month, and I wanted to make sure that my giveaway was seen before it got buried :D~! SO, here we are. I will remind you that my October Giveaway is open yet until Midnight tonight (US CST)~ so you still have a chance to enter if you'd like.

For my giveaway this month I wanted to put together something bright, bold, and rich in color. I hope you like it! HERE is my NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY:

So what do we have here? The entire Prima "Zephyr" paper collection (8 sheets), a pile of flowers from Manor House Creations & Prima Marketing, some bundles of paper roses, ribbon roses from Maya Road, a pack of Thickers (I used to obsessively buy large lots of Thickers and ended up with MULTIPLES of this blue one lol- but I think this is finally my last!), Scrap FX chipboard, Prima wooden tickets, doors, and clock, Want 2 Scrap bling, Amy Tangerine die cuts, MME adhesive chipboard, KaiserCraft wooden hearts, and lots of other die cuts, stickers, buttons, clips- again, just a little bit of everything in hopes that my winner can find something to use~!! ;)

How about a closer look?

Feel like scrapping yet?! ;) Ahhh....who doesn't love looking at product?! So how would YOU like to be the one to play with this lot? It's easy to get yourself in the running~ all you have to do is make sure you're a follower of my blog and then enter your info using the Inlinkz tool below. Easy as pie :). Of course, my giveaway is open Internationally, and you have until midnight (USA) CST on November 30th to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and revealed within the first week of December~!

***BONUS***!!!!! I love to do a little extra giveaway ;), but this time I'm going to do something a little different!! Since November is all about giving thanks and a time which we reflect on the blessings in our lives, I'd like you to take a moment and nominate a friend to win this month's bonus giveaway!! So I'm going to offer up a random pack of chipboard AND flowers to anyone who chooses to share my giveaway via their own Blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest- but this time, those who share can come back here, leave a link to where you shared, and then nominate someone who you'd like the bonus prize pack to go to!! It can be anyone- a friend, relative, an acquaintance- or even someone you really don't even know- but would like to see win! So PLEASE share the love this month- with others :D~! How fun would it be to be a winner because someone who cared about you thought you deserved it?!

I'm excited. :)

Thanks so much for your support and I wish you all the best of luck~!

Happy Halloween~!! (w/Webster's Pages) & a WINNER!...& a Heads-Up~!

**For my October giveaway, please go HERE**

Hey hey hey~!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Yes, I know not all of you celebrate this American holiday, but today IS the big event that many many little kids (including my own) definitely look forward to. I mean, what kid doesn't LOVE candy....and LOTS of it?!?!?! And in truth- because I don't let my kids indulge much on the sweets- I look forward to this day as well because I end up eating most of it HA~!! ;)...

And before I get too far- be sure to read all the way to the end of the post!! I've got the WINNER of my giveaway for the C'est Magnifique Blog Hop AAAND a little something else that you should watch out for, okay?? So don't leave TOO quickly okay? ;)

But anyways, I am looking forward to taking the kids out trick-or-treating tonight and to help me get in the mood even more (and maybe you too!), I put together a sweet little tag set using the very appropriate "Once Upon A Halloween" collection from Webster's Pages :).

"Halloween Tag Set"

"Once Upon A Halloween" Collection by Webster's Pages:

The inspiration for these tags came from this sheet of paper, "A Witch's Garden":

My first tag was this spooky yet elegant black and green little number:

Who could NOT love that sweet little "Cat Cameo"?! She is just too cute- but I had to bling her up a little and give her eyes a little sparkle ;)~! I've also added the sequin trim from the Royal Christmas trim pack adorned with some glitter and seed beads. And though I despise bats in real life, this pearly-eyed little guy doesn't scare me at all~!

Next I went with the purple tag. This one is carefully protected by another sparkly creature, the watchful owl :). I went for the bloomers with this one, stealing just a snip of a silver one to back my flower, and some tulle from the edge of a purple bloomer to add some color at the top~!

I finished off with this yellow/orange piece. I thought the cutesy haunted house paired with the sophisticated "Flower Cameo" was perfect. I added just a hint of the "Large Natural Circles" trim from this collection and again some bloomer accent, this time in orange, to the top to pull in just enough color to this otherwise fairly neutral palette.

Products Used:

Once Upon A Halloween "A Witch's Garden" Paper
Once Upon A Halloween "The Story Goes"  

Once Upon A Halloween "Lantern Light"  

Once Upon A Halloween "Haunted House" Paper
Once Upon A Halloween "Whooo's There" Paper

Once Upon A Halloween Cameo- Cat
Once Upon A Halloween Cameo- Flower

Once Upon A Halloween Tags & Prompts
Once Upon A Halloween Large Natural Circles
Royal Christmas Sequin Black & Blue
 Park Drive Natural Netting
Bloomer (Silver)
Bloomer (Purple)

Bloomer (Orange)

SO~! Since I know you're just all dying to know who won THIS:

Let's just get right to it, eh?! I actually got a little ahead of myself on Monday as I'd thought for whatever reason that the hop was done SUNDAY at midnight and I went ahead and did all my randomizing and chose a winner and then ANNOUNCED that winner...only to realize that I wasn't so "on the ball" and had to pull that post and wait until the actual end of the hop, lol!! HORRIBLE, I know! So I DID re-do my drawing with all eligible entries, scrambled the names using textmechanic.com (my savior!!) and ran them through random.org.......

......and the winner of my giveaway is...........

melshappyscrappyplace!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**CONGRATS!!!! Please contact me within 7 days to claim your prize!!! If unclaimed, I will re-draw a new winner :)**

....aaaaaaaaaaannnnndddddd.....later today I am going to be revealing my NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY~!!!! So check back in before you go to bed tonight and check it out okay?? 

See you then and again- Happy Halloween~!!

Words of Wisdom & Manor House Creations~!

**For my October giveaway, please go HERE**

Hi there friends and fellow scrappers :). It's bedtime in my part of the world but considering I have a bit of silence for the moment I figured it would be best to get this post on here now rather than wait for the morning when I've got kids hanging on me, lol~!

I'm going to share with you today my final project for this month for Manor House Creations, featuring even more of their beautiful new Spring collection. For this project, I took a bit of a different direction than what I normally do. Although journaling is very important to me, I tend to keep it hidden as the length of which I write generally doesn't "fit" on my layouts. As you will see, that wasn't the case here...

"Anyway"

The inspiration for this layout is due entirely to the amazing poem "Anyway" by Mother Teresa. I was so moved by her words the first time I read them and I just knew I wanted to create something that I could turn to in times of doubt; something that just might give me the extra push I need...just when I need it. Sometimes- or, rather- MOST times, life isn't easy. Every day is filled with choices and challenges and decisions. And there are times when it seems that what we do isn't enough...isn't important...and then there are times when things DO go well and we're afraid to share them for fear that someone NOT having their day might resent you for it. I've been there. I think we all have. But when it comes down to it, it isn't between me and you, or you and the world...and being a firm believer in a higher power- in God- it's helpful to remember that it's between you and Him.

Seems so much simpler that way :).

Here's the poem as I know it isn't easy to read that tiny print:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

MHC products used: Mayglo – pink, Iris – sherbet, Celeste – pink, Meadows – white, Springtime – lavender.

Thanks as always for stopping by here today. I hope that you too have something to which you can turn in time of needed strength. Have a beautiful day and take care of yourself :)~

C'est Magnifique Blog Hop~!!

**For my October giveaway, please go HERE**

Hi there everyone and welcome to the C'est Magnifique Kits First Anniversary Blog Hop~! If you arrived here from the 7 Dots Studio blog, then you're right on track! OR, if you just happened upon my blog, you can start from the beginning of the hop HERE at the C'est Magnifique Kits blog. Why? Because there are a TON of amazing prizes to be won and plenty of scrappy inspiration along the way and you definitely don't want to miss out on any of it~!!

Blog Hop Order:

Beverly Sams
Scrap FX
Camilla Ekman
7 Dots Studio
Erin Blegen <--- YOU ARE HERE~!!
Finnabair
Joyce Lawrence
Michelle Singh - Design Honey http://www.design-honey.blogspot.com/
Manor House Creations
Once Upon a Sketch
Pink Paislee
Valerie Serfozo
Back to C’est Magnifique Kits

For those of you who are visiting my blog for the first time, my name is Erin Blegen and I've been a proud member of the C'est Magnifique Design Team since last April. If you are new to C'est Magnifique, then you are definitely in for a treat! Just look at the fabulous November kit "Between Sunrise and Sunset":

Here's a closer look at the beautiful 7 Dots Studio "Domestic Goddess" Papers:

And of course the add-ons! First, the flower add-on:

The Embellishment Add-Ons (the second is a very special 7 Dots Studio Add-On!):

And here is a peek at two of my layouts using this amazing kit:

"Sweet"

I knew I wanted to draw on all the pink shades in this fabulous kit for a page about my sweet little girl. I misted the applique and used it as a flourish in my cluster and then added just a few mist droplets to my layout and that was all it needed! I love that these papers already have that mixed media look to them, so you don't necessarily have to do anything to them at all which makes it nice and easy for us!

From the Flower Add-On:
Prima: Soubrette: Pink/Orange
Prima: Serenade: Pink

From the Embellishment Add-On:
Cheep Trims: Applique
Prima: Romance Novel Alpha Stickers

From the 7 Dots Studio Add-On:
7 Dots Studio: Domestic Goddess: Stickers 12x12
7 Dots Studio: Domestic Goddess: Stickers 6x12
7 Dots Studio: Domestic Goddess: Tags

"Pirate"

I have the greatest book ever for toddlers that is just full of ideas for activities you can do with your child. From this book we found the "Paper Bag Pirate" idea. You create a vest out of a paper bag and then allow your child to color/decorate as he/she likes. Then use a fabric remnant for a bandana and make an eye patch and sword out of cardboard. My son Wyatt thought he was the coolest pirate around!
I love how the reddish/smoky paper really brings the energy to this layout. I used a basic design to keep the attention on my photo and even though I used red and pink flowers here, it doesn't feel feminine at all! 

 From the Flower Add-On:
Prima: Soubrette: Pink/Orange
Prima: Valentine Vine: Red
Prima: Serenade: Pink

From the Embellishment Add-On:
Want2Scrap: Fancy Tags
Prima: Romance Novel Alpha Stickers

Okay~! So on to the prizes! Thus far, you've seen some amazing giveaways (oh, and there are LOTS more to come!) and being a lover of giveaways myself, I'm offering up a little something too~!! Have a look:

We've got Prima flowers & domino embellishments, Manor House Creations flowers, Scrap FX chipboard, Webster's Pages "Royal Christmas" trims, Melissa Frances sprigs, Zva Creative bling, and a Prima Chalk Fluid Edger Pad... Just a sweet little bundle for one lucky participant :)~!

*~*All you have to do to be eligible for my giveaway is*~* :

 (1) If you are not a follower, please become one!, and (2) Leave me a comment here simply letting me know if you're an old (and loved!) follower or a brand new one! That's it~!

You have until midnight (US EST) on Monday, October 29th to complete the Blog Hop, with the winners to be announced Friday, November 2nd. As long as you have left a comment on each blog listed and are a follower, you will be eligible for the amazing prizes along the way~!!

So keep on going!! Your next stop is at the blog of our FABULOUS Guest Designer, Anna Dąbrowska–Pękocka, also known around the web as Finnabair~!!!! There's NO DOUBT you'll absolutely LOVE what she's created with this months kit~!!

Thanks for taking the time to stop in and enjoy the rest of the hop :)~,

C'est Magnifique Kits November Peek~!

**For my October giveaway, please go HERE**

Good morning, friends~! It's Thursday morning in my part of the world and I have lots going on in the early part of the day so I thought I'd stop here first and share with you my first project using the November kit from C'est Magnifique!

"Growing Up"

When I look at a picture like this one of my oldest, Wyatt, it's clear that he is growing up! He looks like such a young gentleman and it's hard to believe that just five years ago, he was my first baby.
When I went about creating this layout, I wanted the colors to be fresh and young like my photo, yet masculine too. I loved using the Manor House flowers here- the green/white/brown combo is just perfect for a boy page, even if flowers might be considered "feminine".

 

From the Flower Add-On:
Manor House Creations: Poetry: Sage
Manor House Creations: Wishes: Peace

From the 7 Dots Studio Add-On:
7 Dots Studio: Domestic Goddess: Alpha Stickers: Raspberry Muffin

**Don't forget! Starting at midnight on Friday the 26th, EST (tomorrow!) C'est Magnifique kicks off their Anniversary Blog Hop!! I've got a great prize put together for you, as do our four manufacturers (7 Dots Studio, Manor House Creations, Pink Paislee, & Scrap FX), C'est Magnifique, and the rest of the DT- so you don't want to miss out okay?!**

See you then~!!

Scrap FX: Getting in the Holiday Spirit~!

**For my October giveaway, please go HERE**

Good afternoon everybody~! It's cold and rainy here, perfect day for a nap and although I'm feeling a bit under the weather I of course cannot sleep :)- so I thought I'd pop in here and share with you the last of my projects this month for Scrap FX.

I received some gorgeous new Christmas pieces in my kit and with the big holiday just a couple of months away, I really enjoyed the opportunity to create some festive pieces~! I have a layout and a card to show you today, so let's go ahead and get started :)...

"Decorating the Tree"

It is a precious thing to watch my kids decorate the Christmas tree. It was always one of my most favorite things to do during the holiday season when I was a child and I still look forward to it as much now as I did then. I must admit, I’m a bit of a perfectionist- so I’m most definitely there to offer some guidance should one of my kids need some “help” with proper ornament placement, ha~!

Here's a closer look...

I don’t think that the “Decorating the Tree” title could be any more perfect for this layout. I’ve painted it first with gesso and then gently applied a light dusting of a sandy shade of ink. The bulbs were colored in with markers and glimmer glaze.
 

The “String of Lights” piece was super fun to decorate. I of course started out with a base of gesso before misting with red, green, and bronze ink. While the ink was still wet, I added some clear embossing powder, heated it up, and then misted just a little bit more. I love the variety of texture and color that I ended up with .
 

I allowed the “Holly Flourish” to remain raw as I liked that it blended well with the little bit of cardboard in my layout.

Next, let's take a peek at my holiday card:

"Always Believe"

I’ve used a few different Scrap FX pieces to put this card together. First, I used a tag from the “Tags, mixed kraft” pack. I painted it white, stamped over it with a script stamp, and then inked the edges. Next I took the wreath from the “Wreath & Holly Leaves” and dabbed it randomly with gesso. Finally, I snipped the “Holly Flourish” in half and placed the pieces on either side of my card. It was painted white, stamped with the same script stamp and then I added some glimmer glaze to the berries.

Scrap FX Products Used:

Decorating the Tree

Tags, Mixed Kraft

String of Lights

Holly Flourish

Wreath & Holly Leaves

Other Products Used:

Webster's Pages "Waiting for Santa" Paper Collection

Webster's Pages "Royal Christmas" Paper Collection

Webster's Pages "Royal Christmas" Lace Gold

I hope you have an awesome day~! Come back again soon...