Grow on the Path of Positivity

This month, the Path of Positivity winds its way toward thoughts of growth. I loved being a stay-at-home mom after my son was born. I would read to him, play games, take him to swimming classes and play dates. While I noticed his achievements from a helpless baby to an independent, thinking (and very active) boy, I hadn't noticed how fast he was growing. It's like one day he was in diapers, and the next day he was going to preschool. He went from board books to college textbooks in the blink of an eye. And while there were times when I wished time would stand still throughout his childhood, he continued  to grow. Now he's a young man with a family of his own. I watch my grandchildren grow from toddlers to teenagers. I am supremely happy.
I relate this experience because growth is good. If I had had my wish to keep him at a certain stage of life, I would not have the grandchildren I have now, nor all the wonderful experiences with my son on his way to where he is now.
Come join us on the Path of Positivity with its new monthly theme of GROWTH. Sparkle N Sprinkle is the sole sponsor for the main prizes of this challenge.  They are offering up two prizes for this challenge, which will be:

• $15.00 worth of digital images for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• $15.00 worth of  digital images for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

There will also  be:

• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital Stamps for each person chosen as a DT Delight.
• One digital designer paper (made to order in a few different ways) from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky voter who leaves a comment.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

 My card showcases a Sprinkle & Sparkle digi image called "Rusty with Flowers." I colored him with Copics, popped him onto patterned paper and added a coaster sentiment I cut to fit the card.  I embellished with clear Skittles, a button and some coordinating ribbon.
This card reminds me of the time my son went out after it had rained and came in pretty much the way Rusty looks above, having scratched through the mud to pull up a few dandelions and clover for his mom. It's the thought that counts, right? Right?! LOL

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Marker POP challenges - Anything Goes

Dear Mother Nature, Send Help! Signed, Chicago

Welcome to my Birthday Blowout celebration! From April 1 through April 15, you will see a post each day where followers can win prizes and blog candy. Today I ask you to check out the Outlawz where I am on the DT for their Monday Greetings challenges. There are different challenges there for every day of the week, plus a monthly Progressive Freebie challenge where every month in which you participate you will receive the next month's image FREE!! Please leave a comment on my blog telling me which challenge interests you the most, for your chance to win the daily prize!

Animals is the theme at the Outlawz Greetings challenges this week. One of the guest sponsors this month is Dr. Digi, so when I saw this funny digi image (called Rescue Squad), I knew I had to poke some fun at Mother Nature and her ill-timed return to winter temps that Chicago has...no, not enjoyed...rather, suffered through this Spring. So, I still haven't found what I'm looking for...Spring weather!
 I colored my crack team with Copics, popped them on patterned paper from my bottomless stash of leftover papers, and drummed up the perfect sentiment to go with them: "Springtime Greetings from Chicago (Send Help)."
Besides a few snowflakes and a bow, I colored up a pretty (cold) robin to add salt to the wound (sigh). I shouldn't complain. It is Chicago, after all. I was born and raised here, and chose to return to the Windy City. In my next life, I shall choose more wisely, maybe midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Of course, with my luck, the California coast will sink into the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes a known evil is better than an unknown evil.
Enough philosophy, crafters. You can join in the fun at the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Be sure to use an animal on your project as well as a sentiment for your chance to win.
And don't foerget to leave a comment below for your chance to win some of my Birthday Blowout Blog Candy!

 Other Challenges I am Entering:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - J is for Just Kidding

Creative Corner challenges - Animal Fun

Simply Create Too - Anything Goes (3rd entry)
Crafting When We Can - Weather-related
Scrap It with  Song - Rock Song-inspired (I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For-Spring)

Whoop, Whoop! I Reached my First Blog Goal

Okay my crafty peeps. I used random.org to pull today's prize winner and here are the results. If you check the list of comments, that would be Linda!! Congrats!! I will package up the goodies and send out at the end of the celebration. 

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:1

Powered by RANDOM.ORG 

Thank you, my lovely peeps! I just discovered I have reached 100 Followers. That may not seem like a lot to some of you (I know, I'm following you too), but for me it's a big thing.
So to celebrate, I have a special goodie bag  to give away. I'm going to wait until midnight tomorrow (CDST/Chicago time) and then use random.org to pull one lucky person who comments on this post.
Remember, you must be a Follower and place my Birthday Blowout badge on your sidebar (I will be checking) to qualify.
I have some very special crafting delights for you, so good luck and THANK YOU for this milestone today!!
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Thankful Hearts at Easter

Today is Easter. For some it is a day for family, for a special dinner, for Easter eggs and candy and Easter baskets. For others, it is a day of renewing their faith with the hope and joy that is promised them. However you celebrate Easter, I hope you enjoy the day.
I am enjoying a visit from my son and his family. Now that they live in another state, I see how fast they are growing and maturing. I also see my newest grandson making room to grow in my DIL's body as he gets ready to meet his family in August. Yep, I'm going to be a grandma again, and I am thrilled!
I am so thankful today for my growing family, for my husband and daughter who share my home with me, for my sisters and mom who live within walking distance. I am thankful for having had a lifetime of love from my gram, who gently fell into God's arms this Holy week, ad hope I can make an impact on the lives of my grandkids as much as she had made one on me.
I am also thankful for the time, space and talent to craft. When I create, I focus on technique, on color, on design. It is my Zen time. Everyone needs Zen time, time to find some peace from a busy and stressful life, time to look within for the muse, time to use the inspiration given freely by others.
I am especially thankful for all the talented artists who offer up a little piece of their souls in their projects, from which I learn and expand my own talents. And that's why this Thank You card is for you, my readers today. I know who you are from your blog posts, pins and challenge cards.
My card features a digi image from Meljens called Zombie Stella. She was peeking out from under a pile of leftover papers, and hypnotized me into using her. I used three pieces of patterned paper from my stash (on top of the image) for my card base. I colored her with Copics, adding a tiny bit of shimmer with some glitter gel pens, and popped her onto a paper doily I sprayed with my homemade shimmer mist (alcohol & dried up kids' markers and Pearl X).
I wanted more of a border for the narrower strips of patterned papers, so I added a string of pearls and some feathery fiber. My acrylic heart reads Thank You. I found a bag of them with gossamer ribbon at the dollar store in the wedding section- 12 for a dollar- can't beat the price! I finished my card off with a few scattered jewels.
And I made it JUST FOR YOU!!

So, today I have some rubber from Simply Betty Stamps. In order to be in the draw today, tell me where you get your inspiration. Is it Pinterest? Blogs you are following? Challenges you enter? Or something, somewhere or someone else? Comment below please (inquiring minds, or at least mine, want to know!).

Challenges I am Enering:

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Use a Doily

Card & Scrap - Spring or Easter

Creative Artiste - Colors

Crafty Calendar challenges - Add a Sentiment (Thank You)
Hiding in my Craft Room - Think Spring!
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

You Can't Skip Them

Skipping your birthday is like pulling a rabbit out of a hat--so you might as well celebrate, like I'm doing, with a celebration that includes blog candy, prizes and games. But first, today's card.
I created this 6x6 birthday card for a very good friend to cheer her up today. Her name is Mel and although I've never met her in person, I consider her one of my besties. I used some background paper from the Dollhouse for the first time, and it definitely won't be the last. It's from the Marta Vaneck's Cabinet of Curiosities collection called Scene papers 02.
This darkly delicious paper deserves a darkly devious image, so I turned to Ike's Art for this digi image called Magician's Hat. Don't you love how those gloved hands just float in the air?
After typing in my sentiment, I printed my photo-shopped scene and popped it onto several layers of Prima patterned paper. I distressed and sanded the edges of my white core cardstock, then added the flowers and pearl flourishes.
I always have such fun going to Ike's Art and making up a wish list of images I need, I mean, want, to play with. For today's prize, leave a comment telling me which one is at the top of your wish list!!
And for those who are just joining the fun, go back to the first post and be sure to comment as asked for freebies and your chance in the prize draw!!
Now this is the way to CELEBRATE!!
Challenges I m entering:
Crafty Calendar challenges - Add a Sentiment
Inkspirational - Neon Colors (pink, orange & purple)
ABC Challenges - G is for Go Digital (background paper & image)
Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes
Simply Papercrafts - Anything Goes #1
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
Naughty or Nice - In Bloom
Our Creative Corner - Color Your World (Spring brings crocuses and snowbells)
Sister Act challenges - 100th challenge Anything Goes
Create and Inspire challenges - Anything Goes Dark

The winner of today's prize, chosen by random.org, is  #3 - Susan S!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:3Powered by RANDOM.OR
Susan, send me your email and you will receive the Ike's Art image you commented as  being at the top of your wish list!! Congrats!!
Crafters, while there were more than 7 comments, there were only 7 who answered today's question. Of them, Susan S was #3.
Keep checking the other posts all the way up to April 15 for more chances to win.

Birthday Greetings from Holley

Hi everyone, this is guest designer Holley from Holley's Blog today. I feel so honored to post a card on Patacake's Pages today during her celebration. Pat's birthday will be in just a couple weeks so this fun card is what I wanted to share today on her blog.

I hope you will leave a comment to be eligible for her blog candy prize and leave her a birthday wish (you can do it today, but her real bday is on the 15th).  If you love this adorable image, it comes from artist Sandra Caldwell. This image is currently retired, but she has brand new images at Sweet Pea Stamps (click here).

From Pat:
Thank you, Holley, whose fabulous designs really inspired me to get better at coloring with my Copics, and think "outside the box" when it comes to card design. 

For today's prize, I am going to ask you to go over to Sweet Pea Stamps and check out Sandra's images and tell me which one you like best. I love coloring up a Sandra Caldwell, and I even have a signed, framed, colored print of one of her beloved characters hanging in my home.

Everyone who comments with their fave image will be in the draw for today's prize! You will have until the last day of the party to do so!

Thank you for stopping by today, and another big thank you to Holley!! 

Rockin' This Birthday Celebration

Today I want to give a shout-out to Lisa of Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. Not only did she say she would sponsor my celebration with awesome prizes, not only did she make me a special blog badge for my party, but she also is offering a lovely digital patterned paper for everyone of my followers, whether you have been faithfully following my blog for awhile, or you hurry to add yourself today, or you come back by April 15th, the last day of the celebration, to add yourself as a follower!! That's a lot of paper and a lot of winners!!
Here's a sneak peek of her digi paper just for all you wonderful blogging followers who have inspired me to crawl out of my comfort zone countless times! Thank you all!

And, while I am still a newbie with totally digital projects, here is a quickie of what I made with this delicious birthday balloon paper:

The patterned paper is of course the Birthday balloon paper; cardstock is from DDD Textured Cardstock from the Colors of the Rainbow Paper Pack (Wine); sentiment is from DDD Banner 1 Birthday; Balloons are from QKD's Birthday Set; and image is called "Wishing You a Beary Birthday" from Bugaboo Stamps.
Besides playing with digital papers, embellishments and images completely on the computer, you can also print out everything and color with pencils, markers and ink; layer with other papers; pour n the embellishments, both digital and touchy-feely; and really make it your own. In other words, you don't have to be a tech artist to use them. All you need is a color printer and the world is your crafting oyster! LOL
So, follow my blog and this lovely Birthday Balloons paper is yours! and have fun with it, however you use it!!
Come back tomorrow for more inspiration and fun!!
Happy Crafting!!