Looks Like Love at the Path of Positivity

It was Love at first sight when Wilson was brought into the waiting room at the Buddy Foundation. We knew immediately that he was OUR dog. And he knew he had found his forever family. That was over three years ago now, and we can't think of family life without him. 💗

My card today is my DT make for the Path of Positivity challenge blog, whose optional Twist this month is LOVE. I used a Scribbles Designs image called #414 Puppy in Bowl. Isn't he cute? I printed him twice so I could pop the second puppy on top of the first for added dimension. I used papers  from the DCWV Pet Stack, something I've had for years! That bone I put with my sentiment is also from Scribbles Designs. It's a Freebie and you can get it HERE.

At the Path of Positivity challenge blog, the theme is always  Anything Goes with an optional Twist. This month the Twist is LOVE. If you create a project to show someone special in your life how much you love them. However, the optional twist is just for fun.

ALL projects must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. There are two  guest sponsors for February;  Beccy's Place

and Scribbles Designs

A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place will be given to for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.

ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs goes to the participant whose post or project is deemed most inspiring based on all qualifying entrants.

One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

So it's time to turn on the Love Machine and link up your projects to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog for your chance to win some great prizes. Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

613 Avenue Create - AG w/optional Critter

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - AG w/a Critter

Crafty Animals - AG w/a Critter

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - AG w/patterned paper

Fabrika Fantasy - AG w/optional LOVE

Layer Up at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

It's time for a new challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. And they want us to grab our papers and layer it up! That's right, no less than three layers on your cards, crafters. My layers include a stitched piece of cardstock, framing of  my images with black cardstock, and my images and sentiments (doesn't include the actual white cardstock base, which is peeking through the heart-shaped die-cuts.
The Scribbles Designs image I chose to use is #618 Flower 1 at the Scribbles Store. I printed it 3 times in three different colors to make a triptych look to my card. The challenge runs from February 15th until March 14th and one winner will receive a gift certificate to the Scribbles Designs Store. So don't forget to link up your cards to Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog for your chance to win!!
Have fun, crafters!

Polkadoodles Sponsors Your Scrapbook Place

When my daughter was in grade school, she started taking violin lessons. She was good at it. I wish she had continued with orchestra, but by the time she graduated 8th grade there was no longer a violin in the house and no one to play it.
So when I saw this image from Polkadoodles called Violin Girl, I was inspired to create this card while taking a trip down memory lane. Polkadoodles is the guest sponsor at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge blog.
For your chance to win the prize from Polkadoodles this month, create a project (theme is always ANYTHING GOES). Don't forget to link it up to the challenge blog. Have fun and happy crafting!

Serving Up Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day I'll be serving up some treats presented on my altered wooden serving tray. I got a tray kit and sanded all the pieces, staining it white and then putting it together. I printed up several images from the Graphics Fairy, adding a few flowers, butterflies and flourishes along the way. Most of these were applied with ModPodge (I call it PatPodge because I make my own).
There are just two embellishments that have dimension, but I placed them at the very top of my tray. I planned on using my tray, not hanging it, so I needed it flat for the most part. After all was dry, I used homemade glimmer mist before sealing it with a gloss varnish (2 coats).
It looked a little, well, plain, so I added gold paint and Stickles to the tops of the handles and felt satisfied. I coated them with varnish also. I love my tray with its vintage look. I loved it so much I taught a workshop at a local antique store, The Merry Memory Company, and 8 people showed up to create their own unique versions of trays for Valentine's Day.

So to all my crafting peeps, enjoy this Valentine's week. Spread some love. The world can sure use it!

Challenges I am Entering:

Dare2B Artsy - Love

WE Love 2 Create - Anything Mixed Media Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Mixed Media Goes

Bleeding Art - Anything Mixed Media Goes

Let's Craft & Create - From the Heart

Rhedd's Creative Outlet - Anything Altered Art Goes

I'm Showing My Pussy Cat

Of course,due to allergies,  my pussy cat is not real. He's blue and adorns the card above. I was inspired to create him from my childhood memories back when I was in high school. I would stop at my best friend's house on my way, and we would walk to school together.
Some days she wasn't quite ready so I would come in and stand close to the front door. Where this very tall wardrobe stood in the corner. Right within striking distance. Where their cat was waiting for me. Ready to pounce on my back. Swat at my hair. Every morning.Until we graduated (on fair weather days I would wait outside).
I made my card as Clean and Simple as I was able to. I have a problem with CAS cards. I'm like a little kid with a full bag of M&Ms.I don't know when to stop! LOL But my Ike's Art image, called Cat on Shelf, is printed directly on my card base (something I never do), as well as my sentiment.
The only bit of "extra" on my card is that I framed the "shelf" (or wardrobe) my cat is leaning over and the border of dots I penned.

Challenges I am Entering:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/optional Critter

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - AG wa critter

Crafty Animals - AG w/a critter

Oddball Art Stamps -AG w/optional Sentimentally Deranged (the cat is seriously  deranged,right?)
Show Us Your Pussy Cats - Furrything Goes

Feelin' Blue at Ike's World Challenge Blog

Why do we say we're feeling BLUE when Blue is such a pretty, calming color? My bedroom is blue. It is the color of the sky on a cloudless day, giving off a feeling of openness and freedom. It is a primary color and, mixed with other colors, produces an almost endless rainbow of shades and tints.
So when I saw that the optional theme at Ike's World Challenge blog was BLUE, I was feelin' it, and I was definitely NOT sad. So I opted to create a page in my art journal. I used my growing stash of colored pencils and colored up an image called Long Tall Latex Sally -   BLUE, of course. I used washi tape to divide my page into sections so I could get a good variety of words and artwork going on. I doodled and collaged and colored my heart a happy BLUE.
And I feel GREAT!
So go on, get into the Blues and create something to link up to Ike's Art Challenge Blog for your chance to win a gift certificate to Ike's Store. You can even pick up a couple FREEBIES there. Although you don't have to use Ike's images, I LOVE to use them. On my Bucket  List is the wish to own ALL her images - mwahahahaha! I'm never going to reach that goal, however. Ike just keeps on drawing and drawing. It's difficult to catch up to her! LOL
Have fun, crafters!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafts Dreamy - Anything Goes

Kleurin met  Potloden -Anything Goes w/colored pencils

Find Love on the Path of Positivity

They say that love makes the world go round, and that's true for everyone, including this perfect pair of felines. They are definitely speaking words  of love. Love happens to be the optional TWIST at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog this month.

My card features an image from the Cat's Meow stamp set from Beccy's Place, one of the sponsors this month. The images are called  Jasper and Meow Meow Meow sentiment. I printed Jasper twice, flipping him for the 2nd image and making him shorter (and turning him into a girl by the magic of Copics). Both cats are the same image. I am allergic to cats, and I think I have a subconscious allergy as well. I can't color a realistic cat to save my life.  Hence, the pink and blue cats featured on my card. A simple bow and a few Skittles complete my card (after adhering my sentiment). The inside sentiment reads: That's Cat Speak for I Love You

If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project to show someone special in your life just how much you love them. But remember that the optional twist is just for fun. Any types of projects or cards qualify for prizes as long as they are positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature.

Prizes this month include:
A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.

ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.

One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

February is the month of love, so let's see some love. Don't forget to link up your artwork to the Path of Positivity challenge blog for your chance to win some great prizes, too! See you on the Path!

Challenges I am Entering:
2 Crafty Critter Crazies- AG w/a critter
Card Mania -Love is in the Air
Crafty Animals - AG w/a critter
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - AG w/patterned  paper
Creatalicious - Love/Hearts
Create with Stamps - Love
Fabrika Fantasy - AG w/optional Love

It's All about the Penguins at the 12 Months of Christmas

Midway through the challenge at the 12 Months of Christmas and I'm ready to head south for the rest of the winter. Last month saw Chicago temps dip way below zero, with wind chill temps around -55 F. Cold enough for these penguins to feel comfortable but not me! LOL

Speaking of penguins, the optional twist for February's challenge has been Penguins, and Bugaboo Stamps is the guest sponsor. I got to play with a digi image from Bugaboo called Three Penguins. They are the cutest, goofiest penguins I've ever seen - I love them! They all look snug and warm in their winter hats and scarves, ready for some holiday fun. 
While the Penguin twist is optional, if you want the chance to win this month's featured paper pack, ONE OR MORE PENGUINS should feature prominently on your card. 

You don't need to follow the twist to link up at least 2 cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win a $12 gift certificate to the Bugaboo Stamps store. 

As you can see above, I made 2 cards using almost the same design, papers and image, but my first card has been hand-colored with my image and papers printed out, and the second is completely digital. I like to show the difference between the two, as the colors of the digital papers kind of fade with different printers (like mine). Now I can snail mail my paper-crafted card, and email my digital card - the best of both worlds! 

My card features the following:
Bugaboo Digital image: Three Penguins

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' Papers: Green Foil from 12 Days of Christmas 2018, Semi-Circles and Stripes patterned papers from Penguin Pals Paper Kit, Blueberry pp from Bokeh Solid Color Se 1 Paper Kit and Burgundy from A Grungy Christmas Paper Kit.

Challenges I am Entering:

Catch the Bug -  Anything Goes

Colour Crazy - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - AG w/optional Lots of Layers

Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes
Cute n Crafty Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Celebrating at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

 For the last two weeks Scribbles  Designs has been celebrating its birthday. I wanted to make another Birthday card for my DT make, this time using Brrr-thday Chef and Birthday Cake. You can find these adorable digis at the Scribbles Store by just clicking on their names.

I was inspired to  create this card by the small square behind my sentiment. The mix of colors drew me into a forgotten drawer of leftover papers,  in which I found the striped one I used as a background for my card face.
The digital image inspired my sentiment, which grew into a two-part sentiment and changed the design of my whole card into an easel card.

If you can't read the sentiment, it reads,

"I made some cake for your Birthday...Your candles didn't fit on just one cake!"

And the sentiment inspired me to print out several Birthday Cake images, all of which I colored with my trusty Copics and fussy-cut each and every one of them for my card. I don't think you can see it but the background paper on the card inside is embossed candles. Does anyone have a fire extinguisher?! LOL

 I haven't made an easel card in quite a while, and I don't know why not. I love puns and two-liners, and easel cards lend themselves perfectly for these kind of sentiments. I think you may be seeing more easel cards from me this year!

Meanwhile, go join the birthday party at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. Create a birthday card, party favor, decoration or any birthday-themed project and link it up for your chance to win some awesome prizes from the Scribbles Store.

Challenges I am Entering:

Colour Crazy - Anything Hand-colored Goes

Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Kitty Bee - Birthday

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes w/optional Twist of Hearts