Wednesday Sponsor Giveaway: Freehand Scraps, Big Picture Scrapbooking, + Paper & Co. Show

Great giveaways! The biggest leap for me right now is wanting to move, but feeling a little afraid of the country's financial crisis, feeling insecure in making big leaps like a move right now, but wanting to take advantage of the low home prices.

I've never added a comment to a blog before. I'm one of those people that reads blogs like crazy, but I feel strange commenting. I'm someone you don't know so why would you want to talk to me. (maybe that sounds weird). But today I felt very compelled to write. This really hit home for me. Right now my husband and I are taking a huge leap. Neither one of us are risk takers by any means, but we've hit a point in our life that we have to make a change. We've gotten stuck in a rut trying to at a comfortable place financially especially trying to pay off student loans. We graduated, got married and have spent a few years trying to get where we've always dreamed of being. We are realizing that it may never happen if we don't make a leap and begin a career in our field so that we can someday get out from under our student loans. We can't sit and watch our lives go by. We live in Wisconsin and are going to leave our jobs and home at the end of the month and go to L.A. and try to make a better life for ourselves. A lot of people are trying to talk us out of it because of the economy right now, but we both feel that this is the right time for us. We have to do what feels right to us - even though it's terrifying. We just know that we have each other no matter what happens. We are in this together. I can't believe I've written so much, but I really just wanted to let you know that today's blog meant a lot to me. It was something that I needed to hear and I feel a renewed sense of inspiration and adventure. Thank you so much. I hope that other people out there get the same encouragement from this that I did.

Recently, I applied for creative team spots on a few of my favorite digital desigers teams ... and got on some! I think that is courageous ... hey, Ali, do YOU need any CT members? LOL now THAT would just be the most awesome thing to happen to me EVER .... ahh...let me dream of it! ;)

Don't even have to think because I look at her everyday. My leap was (at age 59! & just into my independent years:) saying yes to caring for a 16-year-old niece w/ major home problems. I didn't have to think twice. Yes, there are days when I wonder what I was doing, but many more when I am thankful I could say yes.

a big leap was quitting my job to stay home with my son who had colic so bad that I was afraid to put him in a daycare. Now a few years later, I get to work part time from my home which allows me to be with my kids.
What great prizes...would love to win the Stacey Julian class.

Seems like my life had been one leap after another for the last 4 years. lol 1) moved 1000 miles from all friends and fam, with my hubby and college age daughter. 2) went to work as a receptionist for the county public defender (WHOLE ne world for me) helped above memtioned daughter move 1.5 hours away to start her own home and her first professorship and helped hubby asumed the care of his 91 year old parents, and then helped care for his father as he was dying this fall. My middle name has always been "status quo", not anymore! LOL Great topic Ali.

Just leaving a comment is a leap for me!! But the offerings were too great not to!! Thanks!!

I have 3 mayor leaps; My biggest leap is the chalenge I have taking care of our 3 year old daugter. She has a braindisorder and is completly dissabled. And another leap was making the dissision placing her in a special home, because her not sleeping and 24 hours care was affecting my other 2 children and my husband. She is very nearby (a 5 minutes drive from our home) and a very happy girl.
And the last one is having another child after I had my daughter. And thank god that my son (1 year old) is healty as a little boy should be!
Greetings, Cristina

My big leap was to turn my 18 year olds life to him!!!! I can still give opions(and I will) but he has some big choices to make, and he has to do what he wants. Why don't they stay little forever? I don't know what is harder, infants, toddlers, teens, or adults? Anyway thats my leap and I think I'm still falling but will land soon.

I'm after the Feb. kit too... but it might be a bigger leap yet, to go to Italy!! So I'll throw in for that too! WHo knows???
My big leap was to quit my job and follow my passion of working with dogs. In doing so, I started my own business! LEAP!!! It's going really well and it's fascinating and scary at the same time.

I chose to take the leap into Project 365, even though I was not forunate enough to purchase a kit, I've been posting my photos and journaling on a dedicated 365 blog. I am LOVING this project! In addition to capturing a year's worth of daily life memories for me & my family, it has kept me on top of keeping my photos organized and I'm taking lots of shots that I otherwise wouldn't have taken. It's been great, and a lot easier than I thought!!

Going through a very difficult time in my life-my husband left me, sure didn't see that coming. Trying to have the courage to let go and live a life on my own and figure out what i'm going to do now. What my purpose is now. Would love a get away from reality for awhile :)

Ali,thank you for the constant inspiration!Although i would consider myself someone who takes the "small every-day leaps", this past year 2008 was by far my biggest leap of faith ever!! in july i was let go from my mgmt. position at a "major coffee company" because of store closings nation wide.i was immediately scared for my family's survival with only one income and 2 kids and still needing all of the money it takes to simply keep things "afloat" these days!instead of running out and getting any job i could find i decided to follow another passion of mine and go back to school for design.now, i am on my way to having my degree in graphic design and am so excited to be able to work in a field that i absolutely love and find extremely interesting and creative.of course,i have to say that i am so very thankful for my husband believing in me and so lucky that he was willing to make it work so that i could do this and follow my passions and do something i find fulfilling in my life!

My leap has been to start my photography business. I've done some engagement and family portrait shoots, but I just booked my first wedding - and I am PETRIFIED! I have some serious self-confidence issues, so I'm hoping that this leap will help me develop some belief in myself. :o)

Good morning Ali. I am eagerly awaiting the news of your new baby girl...I can't wait!!!
My latest act of courage was yesterday. Now it may not seem big but I was so nervous. I had my first parent/teacher conference with the Principal and VP and was so nervous. I really needed to make sure that Demi is being given a fair chance to complete work that is handed out during a class time she is out with special reading. It came to my attention that was not happening. I am not sure why I was nervous except that I dislike making waves because I truly appreciate all that our teachers do for our children everyday. But I have learned as well that if you don't go to bat for your children that things may not happen as they should or could.
Thanks Ali for some great giveaways today.
Diana

As strange as this sounds, making the decision to move in with my mom during the economic crisis to save money. It's taken a lot of change on both of our parts. We so didn't want it to change our attitudes toward each other. It was a "leap" for sure!

My biggest leaps have been watching my father die from cancer four years ago tomorrow, losing my 49 year old sister to a car accident in Aug. 2008, and having my mother fall three weeks ago and nearly lose her life (we are still in the hospital).

Being only 31, I have had at least the last 15 years filled with lots of back pain, enough that it has limited me in the recreational part of life, and sometimes the little things, like last week not being able to pick up my 3 year old. Well, I am taking control...I am getting into the best shape of my life so that I can postpone back surgery and be able to play with my kids more.

My most recent leap was one of the biggest of my life. 4 months ago we moved from East coast Canada to west coast USA. My DH got a great job offer, and although it didn't really feel like the right time to move we sold the house, packed up, and moved in about 6 weeks time. I was (and still am) exhausted from the visas and paperwork, organization, packing and unpacking, and dealing with a 2 year old. It was definitely a leap of faith and we weren't sure how it would turn out...we're hanging in though, and it's turned out great! :)

hm...my leap of courage right now definately has to do with budgeting and finance...we are at the point in our lives where we're trying to figure out whether we can afford to look into buying a house (we're renting now), a new car, and even a brother or sister for our daughter. BIG DECISIONS!!!