Keep It Clean And Simple with Squigglefly

Squigglefly Challenge blog offers the perfect challenge for the new year--a CAS or Clean And Simple card. I want to live a clean and simple life.  I'm cleaning out cupboards and closets and drawers and (gasp) my craft room.  (No one should have a whole room for crafts and it NOT be enough room!)

So I used a January release from Squigglefly for this month's theme.  It's called "Basset Hound" by artist Enid Barnes.  Now, my allergies keep me from owning pets other than the occasional fish, so forgive my coloring.  I just don't know dogs that well (and my allergies to flowers extend to the drawing and coloring of them as well--a psychological issue, perhaps?).

I colored this cutie with my trusty Copics, then framed the image with coordinating cardstock.  I kept the card CAS by using circle punches to form a border. I stamped THANK YOU once, but it was skewed, so I stamped more at other angles to "hide" my boo boo.

Inside the big circle I stamped hearts on a smaller circle. I adhered a leftover piece of pink paper on the inside of the card for contrast and my CAS card is complete.  Do you need to simplify your (life) crafting? Try this week's Squigglefly challenge for your chance to win free digi's.  Make sure you use a Squigglefly image to play for prizes.

Now it's time to go back to cleaning out with my new year's mantra "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle."  I have two bags for Goodwill so far and a trash bag full of rubbish.  Why ever did I keep this stuff? LOL

Music Blooms in the Soul

Hello, crafters!  Pat here with a beautiful card using a QKD January new release called Florophone.  I found a piece of leftover patterned paper on which I placed my image. I liked the idea of the Florophone surrounded by butterflies, much like flowers growing in a garden.  My background paper is so rich with designs that I kept the embellishments down to a simple line of pearls and a single paper rose.

For more lovely images and loads of inspiration, check out the QKD Shoppe and the QKD Facebook page.

The Path of Generosity

What do you want to accomplish in this new year?  I have several resolutions that I hope will shape me into a better person.  One of them is to try to perform a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) each day.  Another is to be a better example to my grandchildren.  Children learn from what we do, not just what we say.  So I will try to be on my best behavior, especially when they're around.  Which leads me into my new canvas.

I created it for the Path of Positivity's January challenge, whose theme is GENEROSITY.  One of our monthly sponsor's is IKE'S ART, whose image, "New Baby," I used here.  I put a base of matte medium and yellow and pink tissue papers.

I printed Ike's digi image and colored it with Copics: R00,11; YR00; E31,95 and Spectrum Noir PL1.  I fussy cut the image (isn't it darling?) and adhered it to my canvas with Mod Podge.  The sentiment is a mix of glitter alphas and Stickles.

I played with leftover lace, sequins, flowers, buttons, stickers and ink until I got the effect you see above. Need a little positivity in the New Year?  Wander down the Path of Positivity-whether you need some positive words, some creative inspiration, or a chance to win great prizes from the following sponsors:

 ·   Ten digital images from Creative Bug Digitals for the person out of the top seven who receives the most votes during voting week.

·     Three digital images from Ike's World for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.

·     Five digital images from Digi Stamps 4 Joy, our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

·     One digital designer paper from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky voter who leaves a comment.

·     One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles as well.

Behold Wonder

I have been following a wonderful journaling blog by Lisa Sonora.  She offers 30 Day journaling prompts, and I have been posting my thoughts on my facebook page.  Since the beginning, I have been journaling through words, but one of the newest prompts caused me to switch to canvas.

The prompt that inspired this canvas is "Overcome fear, behold wonder" by Richard Bach.  There is no wonder (in my mind) than that a child.  As we mature, it is harder and harder to experience wonder, that first sight or touch or smell of something amazing.
In order to guide yourself to the opportunity for wonder, you must overcome fear and experience new and amazing adventures.  Travel, experiment, look up at the skies, look down at the growing things, look toward what the children see.  Wonder is everywhere, if only you open your eyes and your heart to it.
I started my canvas with a base of different shades of tissue papers and matte medium.  After stamping some contrat onto my base, I adhered a Squigglefly colored digi image from artist Inger Harding from her Winter Wonderland collection.  The words Behold Wonder are cardstock stickers from Basic Grey which I outlined in white gel pen.  I embellished the canvas with lines of pearls, some trim and snowflakes.
I joined a mixed media group on Paper Digital Art called Get Your Art On.  It's relatively new and the first challenge slowly eases artists into the mixed media genre.  It requires a canvas, tissue paper, ModPodge or other sticky medium, a stamped (or digi) image and embellishments of your choice.  I plan to experience new techniques and adventure out into the creative unknown in this group.  I plan to expand my opportunities to feel wonder.  I plan to create with wonder and behold wonder!
Want to join me?

"And So Shines a Good Deed...

...in a weary world."  This quote comes from the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie starring Gene Wilder.  The scene is in Wonka's office when he denies Charlie his lifetime supply of chocolates.  Although poor, Charlie has a good and generous soul, and places Wonka's secret invention, an everlasting gobstopper, on Wonka's desk instead of selling it to his competition.

This movie quote was the inspiration for my tea candle lamp that I altered with "Cupcakes Galore", a Digi Stamps 4 Joy image.  I got to play with this image as a DT member for the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog, as DS4J is their sponsor this month.

Here is what the full image looks like:

I love working with digital images.  You can do so much with them for whatever project you can dream up.  Today I printed my image twice and just used the three full cupcakes that are front and center.  Then I fussy cut them out and used them to alter a mini hurricane lamp.  I adhered a thin strip of leftover patterned paper to my base, and added some adhesive-backed lace from Recollections and a bit of bright pink ribbon for borders.  Next I threw on the bling, with teal jewels in between my cupcake images, and a line of adhesive-backed pearls from the Paper Studio at the top of my glass.

My daughter loves tea light candles, and she loves cupcakes, and she lights the world with her generosity.  So my mini lamp has made its home in her bedroom.

This month's challenge at the Path of Positivity challenge blog is GENEROSITY.  If you've a mind to share a project or post on this theme, please share with us!
The sponsors and prizes for this challenge are:

 ·   Ten digital images from Creative Bug Digitals for the person out of the top seven who receives the most votes during voting week.

·     Three digital images from Ike's World for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.

·     Five digital images from Digi Stamps 4 Joy, our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

·     One digital designer paper from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky voter who leaves a comment.

·     One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles as well.

Putting on the Ritz QKD Style

Everything is copacetic when you're using a fabulous image from Queen Kat Designs.  Here, I made a mixed media wall art that is now hanging up in my craft room.  I colored the QKD digi with Copics.  The image is called Emma and Douglas, designed by the talented Bev Douglas.

I started with an oval piece of wood and Mod Podged some patterned papers onto it.  Next layer included the colored image and sentiment.  I printed it on my computer.  Before I embellished with the flower and pearl flourish, I used Distress inks to age the edges of my scene.

It's a very simple project with a great presentation, and it took me less than half an hour from start to finish!  I have been dabbling in mixed media canvases and wall art for the last several months and really love it.  It's the "bee's knees."

Have you tried it yet?  It's a lot of fun, and plenty of YouTube Tutorials out there.

Nothing Like a Good Read

Santa (and my family) was very good to me this Christmas.  I got some cool crafting supplies, like the Spellbinders die with which I cut my Squigglefly digi image called "A Good Read Maddie" by artist Cheryl Grant Alger.

Isn't she cute?  After I colored her with Copics and used my Epic Six to diecut her, I decided that she would make an awesome bookmark.  I made a corner tuck bookmark.  Here's what the bookmark looks tucked in to save my page.

And another present I received was a book.  I love distopian stories like Hunger Games, and the book I received is another great series.  In fact, the movie from the first book is coming out later this year.  Here's the cover:

I was so excited to receive it.  It is the final chapter of the Divergent series, where society is centered around factions that display specific behaviors and when children reach a certain age, they are required to choose the faction that matches their "aptitude" test, or to remain in the faction in which they were born.  I've read Divergent, Insurgent and now I have Allegiant!
What did you receive for Christmas?  This week's Squigglefly challenge is to make a project using or showing something you received during the holidays (and of course a Squigglefly digi image).  Could be your week to win!!