Wednesday Sponsor Giveaway: Freehand Scraps, Big Picture Scrapbooking, + Paper & Co. Show
First, I want to pass along a thought for today that I came across on my friend Alex's blog about courage & leaps:
What I realized is that there is not just one big moment of courage in
our lives. There are many. These moments come to us in different ways.
At times we are forced into a leap (unexpected pregnancy, when parents
or partners pass away, when we loose our job). At times we are called
into a leap (when someone invites us for a trip of a lifetime, when our
partner wants to move to a new city, when we are offered a chance, when
we take the "money maker" role to support our family). Then there are
also the daily tiny leaps we take for the sake of adventure (when we
try new types of food, music, when we go out on a date, when we talk to
a stranger, when we transition from blogger friends to real life
friends). No matter how small, silly or hard, tiny, dramatic or
forgotten... All leaps are important because little by little, we live
through change, we figure out how to cope, we move forward, we learn
who we are, and we build our confidence for the bigger leaps, the ones
we seek for ourselves.
Maybe someone else out there needed to hear this today too...
And now, three cool midweek sponsor giveaways are on tap for today:
• One person will receive a February Kit from Freehand Scraps.
• Two people will receive passes to Stacy Julian's fantastic online Library of Memories class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Focused on getting your scrapbook albums in working order and organizing your photos (in a very "you-centered" way), I highly recommend the class and/or Stacy's book Photo Freedom. Class begins February 12th and runs for 16 weeks. This class is only offered once a year.
• One person will receive 4 classes for the Paper & Co. event in Italy on March 27, 28, and 29 (giveaway does not include travel, accommodations, or food for the event). You can check out a list of the classes here. Italy sure sounds good to me right about now :).
To be included in the drawing today please leave a comment below and share your most recent "leap" or act of courage. Comments will be closed at 8pm Pacific tonight with the winners posted shortly after.
I would also like to take a minute to welcome and thank my newest blog sponsors:
Digital Birdhouse : digital scrapbook products
Scarlet Lime : monthly kit club
The Paper Pixie : paper embellishments
The Digital Scrapbook Teacher : photoshop tutorials and classes for hybrid + digital scrapbooking
Lettergirls : delightful hand-created address stamps
For more information on sponsor opportunities send me an email: ali at aliedwardsdesign dot com
My most recent leap would be to finally admit that there's something wrong in my marriage. Not only to admit it, but to do something about it to change it. No matter how it works out, I'll definitely need courage to get through it. Thanks for the inspiring words today. You always give them to me when I need them the most.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Oh! Thanks for the giveaways! Staccy Julian's class would be amazing! My small leap is to take care of some health concerns.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Having to take my friend to the doctor for some serious medical issues, watching & helping the same friend going through a divorce...all new doors to walk through and learn from.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Very cool give away! Thanks for inspiring us-even when you are about to deliver : )
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My biggest leap has been quitting my full-time job and going back to school for my masters in education and teaching license; this has been an enormouse leap, and the lack of paycheck led me to another leap of taking on a part-time job in addition teaching and school. My life has been very busy, but what has to be done is getting donee. Only 5 more months!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
i have had a few leaps but recently i have been working on using a budget and cutting back. learning how to shop with coupons, and finding other places we can cut back. it is hard to get out of the instant gratification mindset!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ooh, fantastic goodies!
My most recent leap has been applying to graduate school. It will be another couple of months before I hear whether or not I've been accepted, but convincing myself that I could get into a program and that I should try was a really high hurdle for me.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
You are so generous. I'm not much of a leaper as someone else already said--at least lately. I think the biggest leaps were about 15 and 10 years ago when I took a new job and then bought a house.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
No big leap this year for me - yet!! But am working on something.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My biggest leap lately has been trying to find a way to rethink my "work" life. I am currently staying at home with my son and teaching yoga, but I have reached out to my past employer to propose starting a blog to help them market themselves. I am hoping to be able to combine all of my passions with purpose and to have it generate an income for me in some way. I feel that if I keep thinking positively about this, my leap will be very rewarding!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
my most recent leap was deciding to keep my full time job and finish my last year of college. I am taking 18 hours and working full time, which can take it's toll on my relationship with my husband. I take one day at a time and I know that when i graduate in Dec. things may or may not slow down but i am learning now just jump and hope that you land on solid ground, and if you don't someone will catch me.
PS please pick me for the class, i need it badly!! Thanks
Sign in or sign up to comment.
A few years ago I accepted a new job in a sales position. Sales was something I always swore was "not for me."
Happily, this leap (which equalled a job, after being unemployed for over a year!) has helped me see that I have a different set of skills I never knew I had!
AND scrapping was a leap, too - never thought I had a creative bone in my body, but guess what! I do!!!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I embarked on the process to become a Nationally Board Certified teacher. It was a big undertaking and it tested my resolve so many times and forced me to reflect about and write about what I did good as a teacher. There were many times I thought I would pull my hair out. But, I recently found out that I passed on my first try which is pretty hard to do and now I have a whole new respect for myself as a teacher and I am so glad I went through the process.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My most recent leap has been to go back to church, taking my daughter, even though my husband doesn't go. I've had to let go of my security blanket and step into a whole new community by myself.
Thanks for the great post!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My biggest leap lately has been trying to live a genuine life. Spending within my means, doing what I want to do , not what I think others want me to do, liking my job even though others point out the negatives about it (travel and boredom).
Its a work in progress...
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I was asked to take some shots at a baseball camp. I always have my camera and always take plenty of pictures of my kids. But this was the first time someone else wanted me to do it.
They turned out great. :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My recent leap is deciding to start my own little craft shop... and exposing at a local market...
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I've seen this woman everyday for years while dropping our kids off at school. I don't know if she ever even noticed me, but for some reason I noticed her. Last year she was diagnosed with cancer, and wasn't around school much after that. Recently she has been picking her daughter up again, and wears a scarf around her head. One day I finally got up enough courage to introduce myself, ask her her name, and tell her I've been praying for her. I was a bit out of my element, but she seemed sincerely thankful and told me she was on the road to recovery.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My most recent leap was going on stage at a work function to accept an achievement award. I used to beg my manager to NOT nominate me because I am terrified of the stage. This was the first year (in 14 years with my company) that I finally let that all go. I allowed myself to feel comfortable with the possibility of going on stage and for the first time ever, I actually won! Funny how the two things went hand in hand, me giving up the fear, and actually receiving the award. My knees were still shaking a bit but it wasn't as bad as what I had made up in my head for all those years. :) I bought myself an ipod Nano and a laptop with the award money. :D
Sign in or sign up to comment.
WOW...love the quote about leaping. Sometimes it's scary but you gotta go for it!
I am already registered for LOM class, but I would still love to do it for free - LOL!
Have a great day!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I took a big leap yesterday. I had been avoiding the doctor's office for over a year, knowing that I might be diagnosed with diabetes. I finally faced my fears and went in yesterday. And yes, I have diabetes but at least I know what I have to do to take care of myself.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
my most recent little leap...is going out of my way to say "hello" and stop being so afraid of what others think:)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My major leap is selling handmade cards at a local store, while it's not a huge profit, I find it very fun and rewarding. I also made a leap back into the gym and hope to continue, it has given me so much more energy!!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My biggest leap recently was purchasing the website, Digital Art Quirks. That February kit is just gorgeous.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My most recent leap was being unemployed for 8 months after being laid off. Many a day I was at a loss of how I was going to survive. I now have a good job but I'm making a third of what I was making. I may not be able to keep my house but by the Grace of God I will hang on one day at a time - I do have a job and I am surviving.
Sign in or sign up to comment.