PagesPat's Ponderings

Monday, December 28, 2015

Christmas game at Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Blog

I just wanted to take a moment and invite you all to participate in the 12 Days of Christmas Quest going on at Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Blog. She did this game last year and there's lots of chances to win free digital patterned papers. 
Each day from Christmas Day through the 5th of January there is a simple task to do in order to earn a holiday-themed paper.  If you enjoy working with digital papers, this would be a great way to add some new holiday themed ones to your collection. 
Since this is a busy time of year for most people, anyone who participates will have plenty of time to complete the quest as she will accept answers up until January 12th, 2016.
If you are interested, you can find all the details for day one by clicking HERE to start from the beginning. Then for day two, click HERE, for day three click HERE and for day four click HERE.
Here is a preview of the papers from the first four days...
                 

There will be eight more papers offered over the course of the remaining days of Christmas.  The task for each day will be posted at 5pm Central Standard Time.
I hope you'll consider playing along. You will see me there each day!! I like FREE!!!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

SANTA's COMING to Ike's World Challenges!!

The theme this fortnight at Ike's World Challenge blog is "Santa's Coming" and I made a card for all those naughty women out there (and you know who you are). Sometimes Santa likes to visit the naughty girls to tell them just how badly they've behaved this year. Are you one of them?
I created this unusually-cut card with two of Ike's images, Hot Santa and Another Birthday, both found in Ike's STORE. I like pairing up two digis on one card to create a little story or a punchline. What's your favorite technique or design? Let's see it on the challenge at Ike's blog-you have one more week to link up for your chance to win free digis in her store.
Happy Craftmas, bloggers!!
Challenges I am Entering:


Monday, December 21, 2015

A Christmas Melody for You

Christmas is so close you can practically touch it!! Are you ready?? I know that at least my Christmas card stash is complete. Cards mailed out and family cards in their envies, all snug and ready to be torn open in the heat of the moment. Now I'm onto January cards and the whole winter scene for the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge just starting today. We want to see what a holiday movie inspires you to create. I was inspired by the new Mariah Carey movie "A Christmas Melody."
I used a digi image from Art by Miran, who happens to be this week's sponsor at the Outlawz Greetings challenge. The image is called "Pop Star Diva" and can be found at her Etsy Store. It doesn't photograph well, but the background is embossed with glittery shimmery powders in blue and silver, just like the snow that falls outside my house in winter.
What is your favorite holiday movie? Rudolph? Deck the Halls? O Christmas Tree? Whatever it is, let it spark that muse in you to create. Then link back with us at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for a chance to win prizes from Art by Miran!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Challenge #12: Santa Claus is Coming To Town

My goodness, how the year has flown! I have had a lot of fun creating Christmas cards for the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up challenge blog. Have you too?! I know for a fact that I am ready to send out my Christmas cards and even have cards for Christmas morning to share with my family. I don't know if I could have done it without their 2 cards a month challenge, and all the lovely papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.
This last month is sponsored by the talented Rick St. Dennis, whose "Night Before Christmas" digi image is the focus on my card today. I was inspired by the song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
I colored him with Copics, added a little shimmer with metallic gel pens, then fussy-cut him out for my card. Decosse's Dynamite Doodles created a paper kit of beautiful and fun Christmas patterned papers, and I decided to use three of them today.
The challenge theme at the 12 Months of Christmas is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." It is an optional theme, but if you play with it in mind, you are a in the running for a prize from Rick St Dennis (just make sure when you link up to add the letters FT after your name).
You have another week to link up at least two cards for the challenge to get your free paper. And as Santa would say, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."
Challenges I am Entering:
Card Mania - Christmas
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Monday, December 14, 2015

Rockin Around the Christmas Tree with Rick St Dennis and the Outlawz Greetings Challenge

The days are counting down! Just eleven more days until Santa shows everyone if you've been nice or naughty. While Santa, I'm sure, is so very busy getting ready for the big night, he still takes a break now and then to "Rock around the Christmas Tree" with Mrs. Claus. LOL

Today starts a new challenge over at the Outlawz Monday Greetings blog. The theme is to put some music on your project, and this week's sponsor is Rick St Dennis. 

I played with this cute Christmas image called Christmas Couple
After coloring with my trusty Copics, I fussy-cut the couple out and placed them, well, not under the mistletoe, but close enough. Everything on my card is leftover from last year except for the image. I think I have enough stash supplies left for another year of crafting without buying anything new!! Yikes, I need to join a twelve-step program. Maybe I'll head a new chapter of Crafter's Anonymous. If not, I'll just have to enable some local crafters by giving my stuff away!
Meanwhile, back at the Outlawz, we'd really like to see your "musical" projects this week. Carve out some time to craft and join us as we head into Christmas. 
Challenges I am Entering:
A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
Fussy & Fancy challenges - Happy Holidays


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

ICE & SNOW Is the Theme at Ike's World Challenge Blog


Ike's World Challenge blog has reached the midpoint in its newest challenge of Ice & Snow. Here's my DT make using Ike's Art Christmas Pixie. This card is 100% digital, something that I am playing around with. I like to blend the art of digital card-making with good old-fashioned paper crafting to come up with a hybrid card, too.
Here are the ingredients I used to cook up this card of mine:
From Mischief Circus, Eena’s Creation, Winter Scenery Overlays, Element 5
Marta Van Eck Winter Scene papers, pp02
Pink Lotty Designs, Human Skeletons, #3 & 5
Do you play around with digital creations? Or are the only digital elements to your cards the images you can color with all the lovely markers out there? Whatever your choice, be sure to link up your project at Ike's World Challenge Blog for a chance to win a gift certificate to Ike's Art store.

Monday, December 7, 2015

BELIEVE in the Path of Positivity's Last Challenger of 2015

Welcome to the last challenge of 2015 at the Path of Positivity challenge blog!! It has been a wonderful year, filled with happiness, uniqueness, laughter, growth, serendipity, perseverance, opportunity, sharing, dedication, resiliency and gratefulness. The challenge themes have inspired cards, scrapbook layouts, art journal pages, altered art and mixed media projects. I am so blessed to be a part of the Design team!
This month's theme is "Believe." I believe that next year will be filled with just as much inspiration and creativity as 2015 has been. I also believe that the holiday season brings more chances to believe in a better future. So I created a card today that showcases my belief in a better world, with the sentiment, "Star light, Star bright, A wish for Peace on Earth tonight." Let's make it happen in 2016, shall we? I believe in us!!
This month we have TWO fabulous sponsors for our challenge:  Fresh Brewed Designs:
and Pickled Potpourri:

For my card today, I used a digi image from pickled Potpourri called Christmas Collage.
I used several papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, one if the Path's regular sponsors (and why not, as Lisa of DDD is the owner of this fabulous blog). She has a paper kit called Glitterati that is so fun and sparkly and in several colors that I couldn't resist using it as my card base, framed with a paper from her 12 Months of Christmas paper pack. I also use papers from her Christmas Grunge pack, especially to frame all my images and sentiments. The pack comes in a variety of colors as well. The strip of patterned paper in dark teal of Santa's sled and reindeer is one from a new set called "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and is available here.

Before I go into the prize details, please check out Teresa, from Tickell Expressions.  Teresa has been a supporter of the Path of Positivity and plays along quite often, and is our Guest Design team member for December. Don;t forget to leave her a little love.

Here we go:
PRIZES:
•A $7 gift certificate from Pickled Potpourri Designs for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
•Three images from Fresh Brewed Designs for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.
•One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.
ALSO:
•A small selection of digital designer papers from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky person who leaves a comment on posts published during the challenge time frame.
•One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge. 

So, crafters, what do you Believe?  Show us in a card, an art project, a photo, a layout or tell us in a post. And as always, have fun!!





Can't Wait for Christmas in 3 PP & a Die-cut

Christmas is coming!! I can hardly wait, can you? This little girl can hardly wait. in fact, that what the image is called "Can't Hardly Wait," from Creative Bug Digital Snapshots. The Outlawz Greetings blog has a new challenge starting today, and Creative Bug is this week's sponsor.
The new challenge theme is to "Use 3 patterns & at least 1 die-cut" on your card or project. My card is so full of patterns that I used a couple solid color die-cut scalloped circles to keep my image and Christmas tree from getting lost on it!!
I have a problem. I can't seem to throw away paper. Not even the smallest strips!! I need to get ruthless and toss them, but I can make tags with them or place them on cards along with their other-colored friends...well, you know how it goes.
But today my paper hoarding came in handy, and I hope you have your own stash of papers to use for the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week.
Challenges I am Entering:
Where the Heart Is - Christmas Colors
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers & More - 'twas the Night before Christmas





New Challenge at Craft Your Passion

As we head into the Christmas season, I tend to notice more generosity in others. There are more smiles and courtesies shared among strangers, and food pantries are at their fullest around this time of year. While many of today's problems cannot be solved by a single act, it's a start.
So let's start with a little peace around the world, by the simple act of praying for it. Every prayer that is whispered, spoken or sung is a step toward peace. If you don't pray, then act. Every tiny act of kindness is a step toward peace.
Whether the peace starts in your own family, in your neighborhood or around the world, you can make a difference, one tiny step at a time. Let's start the New Year right!
My card reflects the mood I'm in. It's my DT card for Craft Your Passion challenge blog, whose sponsor this week, A Day for Daisies, offers this digital image in their Etsy shop. It's called A Child's Prayer.
What are you in the mood to create this week? Whatever it is, link up with us at Craft Your Passion for your chance to win!!
Challenges I am Entering:
A Day for Daisies - Modern Christmas 
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes w/ a twist of Christmas
Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes
Marker POP challenges - Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenge

I can't believe that the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge group has finished off its first year! Just 12 months ago, this group wrangled twelve wonderful sponsors to give away a digital image to every crafter who participated the previous month. The group must have given away images to hundreds of crafters around the world!!
Are you one of them? All you have to do is join the Outlawz Network and sign up to join the Progressive Freebie challenge group. And wait until you see who this coming year's sponsors are!
This month, we get to play with a cutie from All Dressed Up called "Happy Christmas Little Star."
I wanted a card I could easily mail so, while I loaded up my card with elements and embellishments, it still remains relatively flat. I started with a handmade flower made with torn pieces of newspaper, then inked and shimmer sprayed it. The Christmas tree is a die-cut, and the star is "glitterized". My border is made up of ribbon and lace.
My dainty little girl is colored with Copics and her wings have been doused in very fine glitter so she is ready to dance with happiness and then fly off should anyone interrupt her.
If you linked up a project with last month's free image, you will receive this one very soon. We love to see what you create. There are so many different styles and designs from just one image. It's very inspiring!
If you're a new player, just go to the All Dressed Up Etsy Shop and purchase her, then create ad link up with us at the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge. You'll receive next month's digi for free, and will continue to receive free digis as long as you create and link up with us.
And as always, crafters, have fun!
Challenges I am Entering:
Pile It On #97 - Red & Green
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes w/Twist of Christmas
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
Clear It Out challenges - Christmas and stash item (I have held onto some Christmas die-cuts forever, and decided it was time to set them free)
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes