Use a Kit Challenge!!!

OK ladies!

It's time for the Use A Kit Challenge! This one is for you - to get some layouts done - to get an old kit retired - to feel like you're doing something with all those kits that sometimes pile up.

Grab a Sussies kit. Any month. If you don't have one, go to the website and order one! We've got lots of fun past kits left!!!

Then see how many different layouts you can do with that kit until it is all used up. It's not necessarily a quantity thing! I don't want you to feel like you have to use every single piece of paper / embellishment in the kit! I just want to see how many layouts YOU like to do with a kit before you feel like it's time is up. I also think it will be cool to see how many different looks YOU can get out of one kit. I think you'll be surprised at just how versatile the kits will be!

I'm going to open up a special folder in the gallery for you to post your layouts into! Be sure to leave feedback for others. And then... when you're done, come back here and leave a comment letting us know how many you did!

There will be a fun prize at the end and you have until October 31st to do this!!!


That's all for now...

Here they are as promised - the November Sneak Peeks!!! Hurry and sign up now - spots are becoming more and more limited!!!!

Flower Tutorial

For this tutorial I'm going to show you how to make the flowers in this layout.

This is a photo heavy post, but I wanted to include as many steps as possible. When I first saw this done I was a little overwhelmed, but these are really easy to make.

First you will need to cut a 1" x 12" strip of paper. Then cut it into (4) 3" x 1" strips.
2. Fold your strip in half length wise. Then fold in half from top to bottom.
3. Using your scissors, cut in an arc from the outside to the fold part.

4. When you finish cutting and unfold it, it should look like this
5. Repeat with all four pieces.
6. Now fold this oval in half top down, you will see the backside of the pattern paper.
7. Fold one side back up.
8. Turn over and fold up the other side.
9. Fold in half again.
10. Holding the center, use your fingers to run underneath the patterned paper and press it flat.
11. Once you do this to all four pieces, you are ready to start assembling your flower. I punched a small circle to use as my base, but you could also free hand cut a small circle. You will not be able to see the circle base once finished. You will want to add LOTS of adhesive to your circle on one side.
12. Take two of your petals and line them up across from each other and press them down onto the base. I use my thumb and index finger to "pinch" the middle of each petal set where the paper is folded. This allowed me to hold onto the petals well while pressing down.
13. Take the other two petals and press them down in the remaining two spaces.
14. Embellish the center with a brad, button, small circle, or other embellishment.
15. You are now ready to use them on a layout, card or other project.
I originally saw these done by Rhonda Palazarri as a "poinsettia" on the Fancy Pants blog. My best friend adapted it with a fourth set of petals to make a more universal flower. I wasn't really happy with the way my pictures for this turned out. It's cloudy here today and I had no natural light. Because I was using a mostly white piece of patterned paper, it is harder to see some of the folds. If you'd like to view the original tutorial you can see it on the Fancy Pants blog HERE.

Now go make some flowers!!

October Kit is UP!!!

The October kit is up and ready for sale!! There are still a handful of these kits left, so run on over to the website and get signed up!! Remember - we are a no commitment club - which means you can skip whenever you want to, but you're guaranteed a kit if you want one!!

Before I show off some of the fantastic layouts the Design Team did with the October kit, I wanted to ask you guys a couple of questions. We are revamping our loyalty program for the 2010 Year of the Sussie and I wanted to hear what you guys had to say about the 2009 Year of the Sussie.

What did you like?

What didn't you like?

Did you like getting something little every month in the beginning or was it more fun to get bigger stuff every other month like you did near the end?

Tell me everything!! (You can either post here or email me at lmcclendon@scrapbooksussies.com)

October Sussies!!!

Can you believe it's already October?? Can you believe I'm writing this post early as I'm in Vegas this weekend??? Maybe I'll get lucky (send my all your lucky vibes, k?)

Should we get to the reason we're here? The October Sussies is available for purchase NOW! What are you still here for? I had SO much fun working with this kit (but I guess I always do!). I can't wait to see what everyone else has done with it. I already put one layout up on my blog earlier this week (shhh! don't tell Lara!) and I thought I'd show you a few more layouts that the design team has done with the kit this month! You can see everyone's layouts in the Sussie Gallery.

Here's one by Valerie. I love how she repeated the scallops with the border and the stitching!

Here's one by Leah! She's going to do a flower tutorial when she blogs next - after seeing this layout I can't wait!

Here's half of one of my layouts! If you want to see the rest, you'll have to check out the gallery!

So, I hope you were inspired by these layouts! I can't wait to see what YOU do with the kit! Happy October to you!

A Different Perspective

As I was looking through my 2008 Halloween photos, I have to say that some of my favorites were the overhead costume shots. There is something about having a different perspective that catches your eye. So as you prepare for many Halloween photos- think of looking above, getting down low, or catching some little detail that you won't want to forget for years to come.


I also try to make a habit of every holiday, getting a photo with me and the kids together. So often I am the one taking the pictures, so this forces me to get in front of the camera every few months.

Year of the Sussie October FREE KIT!!!

Here it is, ladies!! For those of you who have made it this far in the 2009 loyalty program, you are getting your free SCHOOLTIME SUSSIES SPECIAL EDITION KIT this month! It will automatically be shipped with your October kit!! YAY!!! Just wanted to show you some pics!!

Also, for those of you who aren't in the program, a new one is starting up in January 2010 (and you'll have to be on board with the January kit if you want to be in the free goodies program - so now is the time to join!!!) And you, too, could be getting free kits like this!!!!

October Kit

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Have you seen the full reveal of the October kit yet?

I LOOOOVE fall-

I love the weather, the colors, the pumpkins,

decorations, Halloween.... everything about it!

I was so excited to get my kit in the mail and see this fun

Fall & Halloween themed set for October!

I pulled it all out last night and ooh'ed and ahhh'ed-

and I couldn't resist pulling out pictures from Fall of last year

to get started scrapping....

Just a few more days til the DT reveal and the October kits are shipped!!

*****

And I wanted to thank everyone who participated in

last month's card challenge!

I asked you to make a card out of your leftover Sussie kit

and link it back to the comment section...

well.... we have a winner!!

Look at this adorable card by MICHELLE

Michelle, send me your info and I will mail you your prize!!

Happy Weekend! :)

Zoa