PagesPat's Ponderings

Monday, September 18, 2017

Surround Yourself with ART on the Path of Positivity


SURROUND YOURSELF...with ART
This is the optional theme offered at the Path of Positivity challenge blog this month. ART has the power to pull you into its colors, its patterns and its moods. It can certainly make you cry or smile. It moves you emotionally.
One of the best things about having computers is the access to works of artistic masters and modern day artists at your fingertips! From acrylics to water colors, ceramics to wood, glass work to quilting, the world of art comes to your home.
I am an eclectic art lover. I like so many different styles of art that it's hard to pin me down when asked what my favorite is. My house is filled with a jumble of styles, colors and themes, almost like I imagine the basement of a small art museum would have collected over the years (without the dust and cobwebs).
Since I can't (won't) make up my mind and choose just one style, I chose to create a set of note cards in different styles. Of course, I had to put a Pat Martin-21st century spin on them, so be sure to read each sentiment on the cards.

I created my cards using images from Luna Girl. They are part of the collage sheet called Day Dream and can be found at their store HERE.

This month's challenge is to be inspired in a positive way by the art in which you surround yourself. Look around your house. What's hanging on your walls? What style does each room have? Often what we choose to hang on our walls or place on our shelves not only makes us feel happy and positive, it tells us something about our artistic tastes.
Use your own artistic preferences to create something for your chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation. We can’t wait to see what you create and learn about yourself on this journey!
Keep in mind, you are thinking about how different kinds of art affect us as individuals.  It’s not really about doing something “visually" art-related. For example, any positive image that reminds us of any piece of art work or use the style of a famous artist on any image.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. Also. please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of art and what you learned about yourself along the way, if it isn't clearly written somewhere else in your post. 

You don't need to follow this optional theme; if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $12 gift certificate from Bugaboo Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month, make sure to create something positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. 
You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's Most Inspirational sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.
Whatever you choose to create, have fun!




Friday, September 15, 2017

Time to Emboss at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

It's that time of month for a new challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. For the ext 30 days, you are challenged to let your embossing powers rule the craft table. Wet embossed, dry embossed, hand embossed, machine embossed - whatever your Muse tells you to create, Scribbles Designs wants to see it! 

I used a leftover piece of embossed cardstock to frame my paper-pieced image from the Scribbles Store. I love this image- it's called 952 Tea Cup Stack. I printed my image out on a few digital patterned papers, then fussy-cut each cup with a different paper. I think the stack turned out well, don't you?

After centering it onto my embossed "frame" I added the sequins, metal sentiment and silk ribbon flower to embellish. I have a new neighbor who I wave to when I walk our dog, Wilson. She loves to drink tea, so this card will be going to her this weekend. Although she might want to switch to iced tea. The temps in Chicago will be in the upper 80s!! Unseasonably high for this time of year, but at least my tomatoes have more time to ripen.

I hope to see your card or project at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog! Good luck and happy crafting!

Digital image: Scribbles’ 952 Tea Cup Stack 

Pixel Scrapper Digital papers (printed, hand cut and paper pieced) from: ”Good Vibes” Blog Train (Merritt Bayes, Sunny Rush Ranch Designs, R Martin, Bits o’ Scrap, Little Monkey Shine Designs.

Challenges I am Entering:
Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

New Challenge at Ike's World Challenge Blog

Welcome to the challenge midway point at Ike's World Challenge Blog! The theme is Anything Goes, with an optional theme of Mythical, Mystical or folklore. Ike came out with a set of images covering some of the Greek gods, and I fell in love with this one. She is Athena 2 and you can find her HERE. There are 2 versions - one with a background, and one without. I chose the one without because I wanted to use another image called Greece 3 for my background. It's part of a set of 4 images called Greek Views 2 World Tour Series.
I created a hybrid card,mixing my Copic-colored image of Athena with my digitally created background. I used Photoshop Elements to make the lines of my Greek View background more transparent, popping it onto cloudy patterned paper and embellishing it digitally (well, except for the jewels I sprinkled on the card).
Digitals from PixelScrapper.com
Janet Scott’s Back to Nature Clouds Patterned paper
 PS Pauline Thompson’s Eroded Hues Glitter
 PS A Janner Gold Border 001
You have one more week to enter this challenge at Ike's World Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digis from Ike's Art. My personal goal is to own every image she has. It's difficult, because she's always drawing new ones every month! But she is also generous with her images, so make sure you stop by for a new freebie. You never know when they will pop up!
See you there!
Challenges I am Entering:
Crafty Catz - AG or Ladies Day
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Fabrika Fantasy - Add pearls or Gems
House of Cards - Add Text and/or Colors

Monday, September 4, 2017

New Series of Challenges at the Path of Positivity

Today I offer a card inspired by one of the greatest sculptors in the world, Michelangelo. You may think it strange to pair the famous statue of David with the infamous character from Bugaboo Stamps, an image of Stella. But this fall at the Path of Positivity we are asked to "Surround Yourself with Positivity" in the form of the ARTS! Each month for the next three months we're asked to explore the positive influence of three different artistic concepts: Art, Literature and Music!

September will kick off this new series of challenges with Art! One of the best parts of having computers is having access to the works of the artistic masters at our fingertips! Anyone can Google famous artists from 'sandro Botticelli and Claude Monet to Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo, and see their works! Open the newspaper and check out political cartoons and comic strips. Ride the subway and discover artistic graffiti. The world is full of sand painting, wood carving, sculptures, pottery, glass work, metalwork, quilts, etc,

Michelangelo's statues are very realistic and very detailed. It is a measure of his talent to discover each fine detail on each part of his statues. My image's character, Stella, is a feisty broad who tells it like it is. She enjoys going to the Art Museum (we have a great one in Chicago). I thought she would be the perfect match between David and my sentiment. I know a few women who have felt something similar when strolling through the museum. Not judging!! I think ALL art should move a person, but each person should be moved uniquely. My card details are further down this post.


While this challenge is Anything Goes, if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, use ART as your inspiration and share your project with "how ART inspired you to create it" by linking it up at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. 
Keep in mind, you are thinking about how different kinds of art affects us as individuals.  It’s not really about doing something “visually" art-related. For example, any positive image that reminds us of any piece of art, or creating in the style of a famous artist on your project.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so you will be included in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. Also please leave a comment describing how your creation relates to the concept of art and what you learned about yourself along the way, if it isn't clearly written somewhere in your post.

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $12 gift certificate from Bugaboo Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month.
 You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

Card Details:
Core-dinations Teal Cardstock
Core-dinations  (Lavender) Cardstock
DCWV Abstract Paper Stack, teal mix
Neenah Teal cardstock
Various leftover embellishmets
Digital details:
Bugaboo Image- Stella Still Hot
Michelangelo's David photo from Google free clipart
Pixel Scrapper Jan Clark's ITP Paper 23
Pixel Scrapper Sharon Dewi Stolp's Paint Spray Stars
Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Button 04
Yellow-Gold Metallic Gel Pen

Challenges I am Entering:
Bugaboo - Anything Goes
Fabrika Fantasy - Add Pearls or Gems
Love to Craft - Anything Goes
World-Wide Open Design Team - Anything Goes (must be a DT make)

Friday, September 1, 2017

Photo Inspiration for Christmas Cards This Month

Hello there crafters! Welcome to another challenge at The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. It is the first day of September and that means there are only four months left to add to the Holiday Card Pile, so let's continue with that goal in mind!
This month it's a holiday-photo inspiration challenge. The great thing about pictures is that one person can be moved by one aspect while another may see something totally different. So, whether you are inspired by the colors, the shapes or the objects themselves, it doesn't matter. 
For my card, I chose to pull the colors teal and red from the photo, along with the package's striped wrapping. They inspired me to create a non-traditionally colored but very modern greeting with Peace as the central theme. The image is from Sparkle n Sprinkle and it's called "70's Peace Sign." SNS is the guest sponsor this month at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up Blog. I also used papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles"
and

 In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your Christmas card is inspired somehow by the above picture. The inspiration can be showcased in your image or your papers but they must be used prominently.  If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. You will also need to let us know what inspiration you took from the picture. You can simply write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge if it would be easier.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate to the Sparkle N Sprinkle store.

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:
A Snowflakes Promise- Anything Goes

Midway at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Just a reminder that the "Power of Words" challenge at Scribbles Designs is at its halfway point. This challenge is easy. Use a sentiment as your focal point on your card or project. I used a Scribbles Digi image called Gem, found at the Scribbles Store, to create ATC-sized thank you cards.
With my husband's disability, we are constantly going to doctor appointments and meeting with therapists and social workers. So many people are taking care of our needs in a caring and kind manner. I want to be able to show how much we appreciate their help and support with a little card to show how much we care about them.
I'll keep these cards and their envelopes in my purse, so that by the time our appointment is over, I can hand out an already personalized card. It's one thing to be grateful; it's another thing to actually show it.
How will you "wield your power" with a sentiment or some wordart?  Whatever you create, have fun (and don't forget to link up with Scribbles Designs for your chance to win free digis from the Scribbles Store).

Just for fun, here's a little trivia to show you how powerful words are. Some of these phrases, used every day around the world, have their beginnings a long, long time ago:
(photo from theberry.com)
Challenges I am Entering:
 Aud Sentiments - Thinking of You/Sympathy Sentiment
Mod Squad Challenges - For a Friend
City Crafter - Monotone