Please Go Vote!

Today is the day... and the clock is ticking!  At 9pm ET, there is only 13 hours left to visit Once Upon A ...Sketch and vote for your favorite layout for the September 15th Challenge.  Hopefully your favorite will be MY layout 'Mermaids' - hehehe

I am in the lead right now so this is SO exciting!

You'll find my layout in the #32 slot.

Thank you so much in advance! :)

TPV Challenge #53 - Layout Sketch

First of all.. YAY! My blog candy finally will have a home!  Jessica is the brand new owner of my little pile of goodies.  Congratulations Jessica!

This week, The Paper Variety is having a very fun challenge and one of my favorites since i started blogging and participating in blog contests... a SKETCHY challenge!

Look at the awesome sketch that our special guest designer, Aphra Bolyer, made to inspire you to play along.

Check out The Paper Variety to see Aphra's layout based on her sketch and all my fellow DT members' great work!  To be eligible for a prize, you have to link your project before noon on Tuesday October 4th, but remember that if you link up before Sunday evening, you have a chance to be spotlighted by TPV.  Also, if you would like to be a guest designer, don't forget to share your project on TPV's Facebook page.

Ready to know what you could win if you get a little sketchy this week?

***

Now on to a little more details on my project...

I had so much fun playing with Aphra's sketch! As usual, i made a double-page layout and the right side of my layout was inspired by another sketch at Canadian Scrapbooker for the Let's Get Sketchy Challenge.  (I realize the paper on the left side seems a bit crooked, but i assure you it's not IRL.  My aim just got a bit lopsided when i took the picture.)

Also, i decided to play along with one of the many challenges of Artful Delight's Birthday Bash Blog Hop.  Who doesn't love a Tic Tac Toe Challenge?

I went down the center and was able to use up most of my scraps of Imaginisce's Apple Cider; i included more than 1 button; and, obviously, was inspired by the many wonderful colors of the Fall season :)  Here are close-ups:

Happy Autumn!

In Search of a Winner

Well, i'm having a hard time finding a winner for this giveaway that i posted about at the beginning of the month for The Paper Variety Blogoversary Blog Hop.  I already picked 2 different winners and neither of them have gotten back to me so these are still in my scraproom waiting to belong to someone.

So let me try something new...

The first person to leave me a comment on this post AND who had also left me a comment on the original post (found HERE) will take home the prize!

As simple as that!  And this time around, instead of asking the winner to contact me, i will contact you... so make sure to leave me your email address in your comment so that i can reach you!

Mermaids (OUAS Sept 15th Challenge)

One of my favorite challenge blogs is, without a doubt, Once Upon a ...Sketch! They always have fabulous prizes and amazing inspiration from their very talented DT.  Despite the fact that i am not able to dedicate as much time and energy to scrapbooking lately (because of a little interlude with my staircase!), I had a little time to play along with their September 15th challenge which asked to journal at least 2 lines directly on the photo used and to use this sketch as inspiration.

 

This is the layout i made using Creative Imaginations' beautiful Beach Cottage collection which i had been dying to use ever since i bought it!  It is a double-pager, and the left side is based on the sketch.

 

These pictures date back a few years, but are very special to my heart... one of my very best friends Line (whom i met during my University days and we stayed friends ever since) and myself on the beach in Nova Scotia where she lives.

The beautiful quote i used on the picture is a sticker that i just cut out in different strips to fit the space i had. 

 The chipboard used is from Dusty Attic, the bling from ZVA Creative and the tule flowers are from Maya Road.

I covered these intricate chipboard corner pieces with liquid glue, then sprinkled them with GlitterRitz to give them a sparkling ocean look.

Another sticky quote!

I thank you so much for looking and hopefully i can inspire you to create!

Make sure to check out Once Upon a ...Sketch! You'll fall in love just like i did! :)  For this challenge specifically (which ends on September 29th), you will all have a chance to vote for the winner and Top 5 projects on September 30th. Make sure to go vote for me!!!  I'll remind you with a blog post when the day comes!

TPV Challenge #52 - Home Sweet Home

 
This week's challenge at The Paper Variety is to include the word "home", an embellishment or a house theme on your paper project.  Or you can even create a home decor item!  

Click HERE to see the design team's inspiration and to link up your project before Sunday, September 25th for a chance to be spotlighted and before noon Tuesday, September 27th for a chance to win this amazing prize from..

 How awesome is this kit full of My Mind's Eye goodies?!  I wish i could win it myself - hehe


I cannot wait to browse through your submissions this weekend while i stay 'home' to relax and rest my poor bruised and swollen legs.  It's been two weeks since my fall down the stairs in my new 'home', and i would love to say that i am getting better, but the healing is very very slow and demands a lot of patience (which i'm afraid i don't have).  I wish i wasn't such a hypochondriac - that surely doesn't help the situation!  Please send me positive healing vibes - i need all that i can get.  These injuries are getting in the way of my scrappin'  :(

A new Winner for my Blog Candy!

Well as much as i wish i didn't have to do this, since i never heard from the first random pick, i have to randomly choose a new winner for my TPV Blog Hop Blog Candy.  Perhaps i should have made it clear to everyone to come back to check the winner announcement on my blog since i would not be emailing anyone myself.  Yes, i'll admit... i want you to come visit me - hehe


The new winner is...


*DRUM ROLL*

Crafty Math Chick said...

You know, I think these two sweet little gift bags are the SWEETEST projects I have ever seen created with these images! Honest! They are so bright and colorful and I LOVE all the sparkly touches you added! Perfect! I love Adele's Rolling in the Deep so I will have to check this one out too. Lately, I am addicted to Cher's 'Strong Enough' - it was supposedly released like 10 years ago, but I don't recall ever hearing it - just a feel-good, pump-you-up-and-motivate-you kind of song, good treadmill music! Enjoy! (and thanks for the chance to win too!)

September 7, 2011 10:50 AM

A big CONGRATS to you, Crafty Math Chic!  Thank you so much for the kind words!  "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele is definitely one of my current favorite songs too... and i did my fair share of listening to Cher in my time - hehe  

Please email me (nicutopia@hotmail.com) your shipping info before next Sunday (September 25th) and i will get your prize sent out to you as soon as possible! 

3 Amazing Giveaways

No, i'm not the one being that generous!  I wish i could though.   I did host my very first blog candy last week though, and was super excited to announce the winner this past Tuesday.  I'm still waiting to hear from her and get her shipping info.  If i haven't by Sunday, i will have to pick someone else.  My blog candy needs a good home!  hehe  

So... Gaby Cruz if you're out there... check out this announcement HERE and email me ASAP!

Now, on to more exciting giveaways!

ScrapStreet, one of the best online scrapbooking magazine out there (and the first to ever publish my layouts!) is celebrating its 6th anniversary!  Can you believe that during the past 6 years, they have published over 10,000 of their readers' creations?!  Now, that deserves a celebration!  And to do that, they are offering us a great big scrappy present worth over $100.  Click HERE to learn more about ScrapStreet and to see how you could win!

 


Then, off to the second giveaway i have to share with you today...

Who here is as addicted to Dusty Attic chipboard as i am?!  If you haven't a clue of what i am talking about, well, then you just HAVE to check out Vicky Alberto's ETSY shop right now.  She has loads of these Australian goodies for sale at very affordable prices, and she is also currently hosting 3 different giveaways of this amazing product.  Check them out HERE!!!

And last, but certainly not least... 

Prima has come up with yet another gorgeous Product Pick and Palette this month.  Now, how exquisitely breathtaking is this...

If you want to find out how you could win a variety of wonderful Prima products, click HERE to visit their blog and be inspired by their talented DT!  Prepare to be amazed!


So, there you go!  Three (and more) amazing chances to win!  I wish you the best of luck (and hope that you will do the same to me)!

TPV Challenge 51 - Stickers

Everyone loves stickers, i think we would all agree!  When most of us started scrapbooking years ago, stickers were probably one of the embellishments we used most often.  I still like to use stickers, especially when doing cards as they are so versatile and they are the easiest way to add a sentiment onto any project.

This week's challenge at The Paper Variety is to...

USE STICKERS!

Flat stickers, 3D stickers, cardstock, chipboard, sentiment ..

And for the occasion, this week's sponsor is none other than the best in the sticky business...

On top of having already provided every DT member with a fabulous pack of stickers (THANK YOU!), SRM Stickers will also be providing the winner of this challenge with stickers, stickers and more stickers!  Believe me, there are loads of them!

I made a simple but cute little Birthday card for this challenge using a sentiment sticker and adding a fancy border, both from my new SRM stash.

It doesn't get any easier than that!

Hopefully you will join in on the fun this week at The Paper Variety.  Click HERE to see my fellow DT's amazing projects and to find out how to participate!

Winner of my 1st Blog Candy!

YAY! For the first time ever on my blog, i am now ready to announce the winner of some blog candy! 

 

First of all, i want to thank every single one of you who took the time to leave a comment and those who became followers.  I just LOVED reading about your favorite songs.  I now have quite a list to check out!  I'm very much looking forward to giving them a listen :)

Do not forget to check The Paper Variety tonight to see all the winning entries for this past week's extravaganza of challenges and giveaways!  It was my first blogoversary as a member of a Design Team, and a GREAT one too!

So now, without further ado, the winner of my blog candy is (and, in case you're wondering, i had my fiance Yves pick a number at random!)....

 

ɕαϐʏ cяuz said...

Oh my God! Adore your bags start to finish, I loved the stamps you used I really liked the way the colors and gave them my favorite bright but they put the tags and how to combine as many colors, your very good! And my favorite song right now is ... must be hard put to me, mmmm ... Different is by a Mexican singer Ximena Sariñana and I think you should hear this in English is the first record out in this language: D

September 7, 2011 6:26 PM

Congratulations Gaby! Please send me an email at nicutopia@hotmail.com with your shipping information (before Saturday September 17th) and i will send you your goodies as soon as possible :)

TPV - Day 5 Blogoversary Celebration

What fun this week has been, celebrating The Paper Variety's 1st Blogoversary with 5 different challenges on 5 different days.  Today is the final day and here is the 5th challenge of this week's extravaganza of favorite things.

Once again, Team B has come up with awesome projects to feature their favorite embellishments.  With such a wide variety of possibilities, is it even possible to pick only one?  Mine would probably have to be flowers, followed very closely by chipboard.


Check out The Paper Variety to see more details on this final challenge and link up your project to win the "Sophia" kit from CTMH, filled with patterned papers, cardstock, buttons, twine and a clear stamp set!

Also, do not forget that i also have a little blog candy to give away to celebrate TPV's 1st birthday.  You don't have to participate in any of this week's challenges to win.  Click HERE to find out the whats, whos and hows! :-)

TPV - Day 4 Blogoversary Celebration

We all have a favorite color, don't we?  Well, mine changes every single day, but for today's challenge at The Paper Variety, i had to settle on just one!

After much debate, i finally settled on GREEN because i do find it very soothing and easy on the eyes.  I think Mother Nature would agree that it's the most natural color out there - hehe

This birthday card was made using some mostly some unknown matching green paper in my old stash and white cardstock.  The flowers are from Prima and the bling is from ZVA Creative.  The cute little tree stamp is from Imaginisce.

I cannot wait to see what you will pick as your favorite color.  Link up your project at The Paper Variety before noon EST on Tuesday September 13th to be in the running to win Cosmo Cricket's Upcycle Collection.

Click HERE for a chance to win my blog candy and be sure to visit me again tomorrow for the final day of TPV blogoversary week!

TPV - Day 3 Blogoversary Celebration

Let's see what The Paper Variety has in store for us today...

Team B has done a wonderful job creating projects for this challenge's reveal. Check out their creations HERE and make sure to link up your project before noon EST on Tuesday September 13th to be eligible to win this fab prize...

Echo Park: Apothecary Emporium

I didn't do a layout for this challenge specifically, but i can still share with you my favorite picture which is of Yves, lost in thought and sitting on a bench at our local beach park... Yves the thinker, the philosopher, the inventor, the keeper of my heart :)

I have to say that of all the layouts i've made throughout the years, this is probably my very favorite so i am happy to share it with you again today.  For more details on this layout, you can check my old post dating back to April right HERE.

TPV - Day 2 Blogoversary Celebration

On day 2 of The Paper Variety's blogoversary celebration, we ask you...

There are so many to choose from that it was a hard decision for me, but ultimately, i had to go with the first company that ever caught my eye and captured my heart years ago. Today still, Bo Bunny never ceases to impress me with their paper collections and loads of matching accessories and embellishments.  Their card kits are so wonderful and versatile, and that is what i have to share with you today... a pack of 8 coordinating cards from the Gabrielle card kit to which i simply needed to add my own personal touch with flowers and bling!  Beautiful cards for any occasion!

 

 

So, i can't wait to find out... what is YOUR favorite paper crafts company?  To play along with us at The Paper Variety and be eligible for the prize shown below, be sure to link up your project HERE before noon EST on Tuesday September 13th.

 Nikki Sivils' Blueberry Hill Collection

And if you haven't already done so, make sure to check out yesterday's blog hop post for a chance to win my blog candy!