Some Days Are Good, Some Not so...

I've been "on vacation" this week while the students who attend the school at which I work are on Spring Break. We didn't go anywhere, but I've had a lot of time to create in my craft room. Besides creating DT projects, I have had some fun with water colors, and created this canvas. It describes the twisted path my life has taken lately.
Without going into detail, a family member has been diagnosed with a serious health issue. It is the kind of thing that, if allowed, would consume every waking moment. I often read myself to sleep every night, turning off the light and taking off my glasses only when I can no longer keep my eyes open. It's my way of taking a break from obsessing over it.
No one can live with constant unending stress and anxiety. It's okay, even healthy, to give yourself some time off, to go out with the girls and party, to lock yourself in your craft room, to read yourself to sleep, when things get too overwhelming to function.
It's okay to have "days for living" and "days for getting through." That's what my muse told me when I started to dip my brush in the paint and water. Some days are for creating a safe place to let your mind go numb and your heart carefree, even if only for an hour or so...

When Holidays Collide

While shopping the clearance aisle for Easter supplies for next year, I was reminded of how stores put out their Christmas stock about the same time as Halloween. When I was growing up, we were appalled when the stores dared to sell Christmas items before Thanksgiving! So my imagination, always active, took the holiday mix and the movie Nightmare Before Christmas and created today's card. The image is from Sandra Caldwell, and the papers and elements are from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

Challenges I am Entering:

Fab & Funky challenges - Christmas
Try It On Tuesdays - Add a Quote

Let Your Dreams Take Flight

Hey, crafters! I am still practicing making my own backgrounds after a free online class over at Kit & Clowder. Today, I created my background for the new challenge at Craft Your Passion challenge blog. The sponsor this week is Sasayaki Glitter, and I got to play with an image called Flying Bunny. I thought the image would go well with my background. She looks like she's far above the rolling green hills.
After coloring my image with Copics, I fussy-cut her out and placed her on my background (created with Copics and colored pencils). I popped my framed scene onto my card face and embellished simply with a few pearls, a tiny bit of leftover lace and a bow. I embossed my sentiment and my DT card is complete.
It's always anything goes at Craft Your Passion, and this week Sasayaki Glitter is offering a prize to one lucky winner!! Will it be you? Only if you link up before the end of the week! Have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

City Crafter Challenge blog- On Cloud Nine

DigiStamps4Joy - Anything Goes w/twist: Animal

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
Challenge Up Your Life - Bunny
Let's Color Saturday Linky Party - Anything Goes w/something colored
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Cupcake Challenges - Photo inspiration

You Rock My World

I love Rock n Roll. I should because although I wasn't around at the birth of rock n roll, I was certainly part of the generation who watched the first music videos on MTV, whose parents worried that I was listening to too much "acid rock', who saw men like Alice Cooper and David Bowie wearing make-up on stage (let's not forget KISS), and who listened to Larry Lujack for all the music and news on radio.
My little rocker here, a digi image from Aliciabel, is called Rock 'n' Roll. Aliciabel is our guest sponsor this month at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge. I created a kaleidoscope card for my DT make. It was fun sorting through my paper stash to coordinate the papers (and use them up. I also think the design of the card is perfect for her.
This week's challenge is Anything Goes, my favorite type of challenge! Please link up your cards and projects with us at the Outlawz. You could be our random winner of prizes from Aliciabel. Meanwhile, click on the link for a little blast from the rock n Roll past:

I Love Rock n Roll

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

  

One More GDT Card for Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Every once in a while I'll forget someone's birthday and have to send a card out late. This image makes me want to send cards out late! LOL what a fun image from Scribbles Designs. Bloggers who know me say I have a quirky sense of humor-well, it takes one to know one, and I have several friends who would laugh out loud upon receipt of this off-key card.
This is my final DT make for Scribbles Designs Challenge blog, and I have had a blast with Sandy's fun and funny images and sentiments. The last three months I've stretched my comfort zone so much, trying new techniques like oil pastels and alcohol ink backgrounds, creating new card designs and reviving some old ones. I am so blessed to be given opportunities to showcase my artistic endeavors around the world.
If you get a chance, Scribbles Designs offers new challenges every month, with free images from the Scribbles Store to winners. Tell them Patacake sent you!!

Challenges I am Entering:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Corrosive challenges - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafty Time challenges - Birthdays

Hats Off to Ike's World Challenge Blog

 I mean, Hats On at Ike's world Challenge blog, as in the theme for this fortnight is Easter Bonnets/Hats.

I created a card in soft pastels for my DT make, using Ike's Art "Hat 1." Pulling out leftover papers, I built up my card face. After coloring my image with Copics, I used a little Stickles on the bow and framed it with a paper doily. I used the yellow felt flower border to pull the yellow onto the rest of the card. I embellished simply after popping on my sentiment and my card is ready to be mailed.

As Judy Garland sang, 

"In your Easter bonnet, 

with all the frills upon it, 

You'll be the finest lady (or gent) 

in the Easter Parade."

-song by Irving Berlin from the movie "Easter Parade"

We've reached the midway point of the challenge, so get cracking and link up your projects HERE.

Challenges I am Entering:
The Crafters' Cafe - Easter
Paper Creator's challenges - Spring Colors
Just Add Ink - Just Add "E" (Easter bonnet)

The Beauty of Unconditional Love

My daughter-in-law has asked me for another memory box in which to place keepsakes of my newest grandson. Since I had already created a memory box for her, I decided that the next one would be for Jonathan's daddy. I think there is nothing as beautiful as the unconditional love that a parent can give their children. No matter what toll the terrible two's, thrilling three's or heart-wrenching teens take on parents, their love is everlasting.
So my memory box was created with the Path of Positivity's challenge theme of Beauty this month. I colored up a digital image from Sami Stamps called Daddy's Kisses and placed it in a photo flip pocket, so that when the pocket is flipped, you can place another photo on the other side, like below.

I took an over-sized photo box and Mod Podged it with lovely royal blue tissue papers for the bottom, and black & white herringbone for the cover. Coordinating ribbon embellish my photo and my sentiment, while stars adorn the top of the box. I plan to add more to the sides of the memory box before giving it to my son and his wife.

Meanwhile, we have reached the midway point of this month's theme of Beauty at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. Show us what you think Beauty is in a card, layout, canvas, photography or essay. We have two sponsors this month:

Sami Stamps

and Luna Girl

SPONSOR & PRIZE INFORMATION:

• A $12 gift certificate from Sami Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, one of our guest sponsors this month, 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.

There will also be:

• 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.

New Challenge Sponsored by Bloobel Stamps and Melonheadz

Today brings another challenge from the Outlawz Monday Greetings. One of my newest favorite companies returns as our sponsor this week, Bloobel Stamps. I have a slightly warped sense of humor, and I find these Bloobel Stamps to be in tune with my humor (check out my second card and you'll see what I mean).
But first, my card above uses an image called My Cup of Tea, which i colored with Copics nd shimmered with metallic gel pens. After choosing the sentiment, I pulled out some subway graffita-themed patterned paper as my card's background to emphasize the gap between the real world and the world while enjoying a cuppa.  I created a 6x6 square card, as that is the Outlawz Greetings challenge theme this week.

Challenges I am Entering:

Creative Loops challenges - Floral Inspiration (I just discovered this blog & will come back often-lots of creativity & inspiration here. I was inspired by this challenge to cut up asst'd flowers from my stash so that they'd "play well" with card-making, cutting off leaves & trimming blossoms so that they would look & fit well on my card)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo inspiration (I decided to pull the vivid red, white & black coloring from the photo for my card)

I was so lucky I got to play with another image from Bloobel, this one called Mustache Ballerina.

If you wonder why I would give a man a birthday card with a guy in a tutu, check out my inside with its "punchline" below.

I know exactly to whom I am giving this card, and he is going to laugh out loud when he reads the inside. Again, I pulled papers from my stash to create my card, and even found a piece (less than half!) of a paper doily that I had saved to frame out my image. Instead of flowers, I sprinkled "manly" stars around my tiny dancer to embellish.

Challenges I am Entering:

Simply Create Too - Make it Funny

4 Crafty Chicks - Humorous

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

Our second sponsor this week, Melonheadz, offers fun image sheets like the one I used on my card below. It's called Apes and I had a blast creating with the images.

 I closed my eyes and pulled out some embossed brown paper as well as pieces of Kraft and patterned papers. My junk drawer yielded some leftover twine, trim and a couple buttons. I added my sentiment on a die-cut oval after inking the edges. What do you think? Is it a hit or a miss? LOL
Challenges I am Entering:
Aud Sentiments challenges - BINGO grid & a sentiment (I used the third vertical gridline-embossing, lace & die-cut)

Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Anything Goes/Add an Animal

Remember that it's hip to be Square when you craft this week (and to link up at the Outlawz for your chance to win this week). Awesome pries to be won from

AND

Masculine Theme at Quirky Crafts This Month

Here we are at the midway point of this month's Masculine challenge over at Quirky Crafts challenge blog. Our sponsors this month are Bugaboo and SLS Lines. I got to play with a Bugaboo digi image from the Har Pot collection called The Chosen One.
I love the Harry Potter series, both the books and the movies! I decided to embellish with odds and ends found in my crafting catch-all drawer. The effect reminds me of spells and potions classes from the movies.

Challenges I am Entering:

The Paper Shelter challenges - Birthday Boy

My next project is a bookmark I created for my husband. He laughs every time he sees it peeking out of his book. He says it reminds him of all the "old librarians" in his youth who always shushed him in the stacks.

I like to color my girls' hair with non-standard colors. Besides the quirkiness of doing so, I just don't have a good range of hair colors in my Copics. My sentiment is the perfect one for the way I feel about reading (and being stranded).

Below you can see my Book Lover peeking over the top of the closed book. I love those pencils stuck into her bun, don't you?!

Challenges I am Entering:

Our Creative Corner - Trip Down Memory Lane/use a past challenge (What Makes you smile challenge - to create something that will make us smile. It could be a scrapbook or journal page, a canvas, a tag, whatever your imagination dictates  What makes me smile is having the time to read! My sentiment is one I take to heart: If I'm ever stranded, I hope it's in a Book Store. That would be pure heaven for me)

Know a guy with a birthday coming up? Or any occasion for that matter? Create something with a masculine theme and link it up with Quirky Crafts challenge blog this month. Awesome pries from:

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

and SLS Lines

Decorate Your Holidays with Love

Christmas may come once a year, but a stash of handmade cards take a lot longer to create. That's why the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up was created. Each month, create and link up a minimum of two holiday cards and you will not only increase your pile of cards, but also receive a digital paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. If you create with the monthly theme, your name will also be in the hat for the sponsor's prize of a $12 gift certificate at the .
This month's theme is Holiday Decorations. If you do follow the theme, please type in the letters FT after your name in the Linkie so that it gets put into the draw!
Our sponsor this month is A Day for Daisies, 

and I got to play with an image called Sami for the midway reminder challenge post.

After printing out my image, I colored with Copics, then arranged it onto a digitally-designed card front using papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Holiday Decorations paper pack, Grungy Christmas paper pack and Glitterati papers. 

I also used Winter Overlay element 11 from the Winter Overlays Kit from Eena's Creations, and Word Art 5 from Holliewood Holly Jolly Add-on kit by Hollie Harradon. I popped some White Puffy paint onto the Christmas stocking's dots for added dimension.

Only three months into the new year, and my pile of Christmas cards is starting to add up. How about joining in the fun at the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up blog? It's always nice to be prepared, don't you think?

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas Goes

Your Scrapbook Place Running with Limited Runs Sponsorship

We've reached the midway point of this month's challenge at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. Our sponsor, Limited Runs, is offering a prize to one lucky winner, and if you use an image from our sponsor, you will get an extra entry!

I used one of my favorite images from Limited Runs.

It's called Over a Puddle and I created a Z-fold card for her. I was commissioned to make a few personalized birthday cards for someone at work, and this is the first of them. Since April Showers bring May flowers, and the person's birthday is in May, the sentiment I used inside my card reads, "May your Birthday bloom with wonderful surprises"
Come join us at Your Scrapbook Place, where the theme is Anything Goes.

Challenges I am Entering:

                    Digitally Sweet challenges - Spring Is in the Air
Simply Papercraft challenges - Anything Goes
                

New Challenge at Craft Your Passion Challenge Blog

This week's sponsor at Craft Your Passion is Fabrika Fantasy. Today I created a mixed media canvas on a piece of wood I scavenged at my local thrift store for 99 cents. I colored the digi image called "Wise Dragon." I love to read and suffer (gladly) with a condition called  Abibliophobia. It's the fear of running out of reading material!! LOL
I primed my wooden canvas and then added a background I created on glossy cardstock with alcohol inks. Amongst my scene is a bit of recycled Christmas card and leftover diecut evergreens; several buttons and a couple bits of jewelry; a balloon brad, butterfly brad and a gorgeous wood-cut corner-piece that I colored with coordinating Copics.
My Wise Dragon is sitting pretty on my canvas, don't you think? I decided to color him rainbow so he wouldn't disappear in my scene. I snagged my quote from Pinterest. I seem to find most of my quotes and sentiments from there and the Quote Garden lately. How about you? Where does your "sentimental" inspiration come from?
But enough about me! Now it's your turn. It's always Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion challenge blog, so link up your projects this week for some awesome prizes from Fabrika Fantasy. And as always, crafters, have FUN!

Challenges I am Entering:

Altered Eclectics - Anything Mixed MEdia Goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes
Let's Color Saturday Linkie Party - Anything Goes w/something colored

Monochromatic, Crafters

Monochromatic coloring is the theme this week at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge. The image I used is called Heart Banner and it's from My Stitch Back in Twine, who's sponsoring the Outlawz Greetings this week.
I decided to go with the color pink on my monochromatic DT card, using Copics: R85; RV00,34,95 to color it up. My card stock and patterned paper is from my never-ending stash, as well as the jeweled flowers I used to embellish. My sentiment is stamped using a Stampin Up stamp. I don't know about you, but I can always use Thank You cards.
Whatever you create, try a monochromatic approach and then link up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. You could win three digi images from our sponsor, My Stitch in Time!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting by Designs - Monochromatic
2 Crafty Girls challenges - Anything Goes/monochrome
Just Keep On Crafting - ANything Goes
Pink & Main challenges - Spring
Alphabet challenges - A is for Anything Pink

The Luck o' the Irish Can Be Found at Scribbles Designs challenge blog

Hello, crafters! 'tis the lucky month of March and I created a digital card as one of the Guest Design Team members at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. I feel so lucky to have been chosen to create for Sandy-her images are so fun!
Today I used Leprechaun's Hat with a freebie called Shamrock. I plucked my sentiment off of the Quote Garden.com website. Along with the Scribbles images, I used the following:

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Gold textured paper from the Glitterati paper pack

Holliewood Dramatic Backgrounds Paper 2, Copyright ©2015 by Mischief Circus

Glitter Overlay element 09 & Butterfly element 33 by Krysty Scrap Designs from Mischief Circus

You can win images from Scribbles Designs when you create with the month's theme and link up your post HERE. Have fun and good luck!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

Digital Delights by Louby Loo - ANything Goes

Doodle Pantry - Anything Goes w/a digital image

Mod Squad challenges - It IS Easy Being Green

(Pin)spirational challenges - photo inspiration

Healthy Lifestyle Starts Now, Part 4

I have concluded the weight loss trial I participated in. Before I tell you my results, please read my journal entry for Day 7 and my concluding remarks:

Day 7 journal entry:

Last day of the trial-no more pounds lost but 6 in a week is amazing! Add to that the fact that I am not "starving" nor am I buying special (expensive) groceries for this trial, AND that I started exercising and my body is happier with me. I even got several compliments from people at the reception desk where I work on Fridays, telling me I look great, and whatever it is

This week was a total win. Today is my last day on the trial, but not my last day toward better health and losing weight. I am well into my path of improvement..."

Concluding Remarks:

The week flew by so fast. I am so happy I participated in this trial. I am over-the-top happy with the results. 

Final Weigh-in:  Eight pounds in seven days!

I also had my daughter measure me again: 12.5 inches lost overall!

As much as I approve and certify and really like the weight loss plan, I can't stress enough the power of exercise when paired with any healthy eating plan. I know I would not have lost as much weight (and especially inches) if not for lowering my food intake with that delicious soup while increasing the amount of body movements and stretching.

I am using this trial as my kick-off point as I mentioned earlier. My family will continue to enjoy the recipes sent me while I continue to enjoy healthier portions and a smarter pairing of different types of food (sorry to be so general, but the trial conditions cannot be shared...yet).

This is not the end (well, it is of the trial) but a beginning. It is my first few steps down the path of healthier living, physical and emotional strength, and new goals. My mantra now is "I am beginning to measure my success in strength, not pounds. Sometimes in smiles." 

I will keep you informed of my progress in the future, or at least a final update around Christmas, which, as you might remember, is part of my weight loss goal - to lose a pound a week until Christmas. That will be my Christmas present to myself. Now to continue to "save up" for my present! LOL 

Lucky Me

Here's to me, and here's to you,

And here's to love and laughter-

I'll be true as long as you,

And not one moment after.

-Irish Toast

Top o' the mornin' to ye, crafters! We've reached the midpoint in Ike's World Challenge blog's Lucky Me challenge. I created an over-sized tag using the Ike's Art digi image called Saucy St Patrick's Day. The designer paper is from K & Co, and I used leftover cardstock stickers and ribbon/fibers to finish off my tag.
He will be surprised when he wakes on March 17th to see this tag hanging o'er his part o' the bed we've shared for most of 40 years now. I really am a lucky person to have held his love for so long.
You have one more week to link up your lucky creations for your chance to win free digis over at Ike's World Challenge blog.
Here's an Irish crafters' blessing from me to you:

May your images be clean

and your inks never dry.

May your Muse not dessert you

as the years pass on by.

Challenges I am Entering:

As You Like It challenges - Favourite Occasion & Why (One of my fave holidays is St Pat's Day. He is my patron saint, and I like to pass along the Irish heritage they have from both sides of the family)

Craft for the Craic - Luck of the Irish

Finding Beauty on the Path of Positivity

Today's project is an inspirational album with the theme of Beauty. Each page ends with the letters in the word BEAUTY. Each also holds a lovely vintage image from the Romance 2 Sheet from Luna Girl, as well as inspirational words to help us find the peace that comes from recognizing our own beauty. I used my Zutter Bind-It-All for the first time!

Above, closed.

The altered book as the pages are opened:

  

 

 

 

Here are the opposing pages for each:

 

 

 

 

As we walk the Path of Positivity this month, we look for beauty along the way. The theme of Beauty is open to any thoughts, cards, art or other projects that incorporate that theme. This month the challenge blog is sponsored by Luna Girl

                         and Sami Stamps

Many people (like me) do not feel beautiful. They feel ordinary. Sometimes it takes somebody to love you before you feel beautiful. That somebody sees you and sees inside you. He or she sees your inner beauty as well as your appearance, and they understand that looks fade, hair grays, wrinkles appear, but a beautiful soul remains intact. And the love they feel for you will be stronger for loving all of you. I just wish that we could love ourselves as strongly as others love us, so that we can truly see the beauty we own.

Do you feel beautiful? Do you want to make beautiful things? What kind of beauty do you discover in your life? Create something that relates to Beauty and link it up with the Path of Positivity challenge blog this month.

PRIZE INFORMATION:

• A $12 gift certificate from Sami Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, one of our guest sponsors this month, 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.

There will also be:

• 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. 

Challenges I am Entering:

Luna Girl - Spring Flowers & Birds (and using Romance 2 Sheet)
Alphabet challenge blog - A is for Anything PINK
Fussy & Fancy - Bingo Grid (see Blog)
(I used the items from the second horizontal line: something old/embellishments, something new Zutter Bind-it-all, lace, pearls)
Open-Minded Crafting - Use Something New (Zutter Bind-It-All)
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes Mixed Media only
We Love Vintage challenges - Anything Goes with Lace
Dream Factory - Pretty Woman