Time to Relax at the Path of Positivity

When I come home from a stressful day out, the first thing I do is turn on some music. It's time to wind down, relax and end my day on a good note. Relaxation is the optional Twist this month at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. The guest sponsor is Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, whose papers are featured on my card today. After choosing a Scribbles Designs image, I used cardstock to frame "Carlos Carl" after coloring him with Copics.

Then I went through my library of digital papers, most of which have come from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. I chose the Sunburst patterned paper from A Taste of Summer paper kit, then a pink textured paper to frame the whole card. I chose 2 tiny frog stickers, a couple of black jewels and a bit of ribbon for embellishments, and printed a play on the words Buenos Noches, which in Spanish means Good Night. I wanted to give one of my friends a smile to relax her, as well the Peace & Calm CD set I bought her. She's gone from part-time to full-time work, and her days are hectic. What she needs is a smile from a friend (in my card) and a little relaxing mood music (in the CDs).

The challenge runs throughout the month. All projects that are positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way qualify for this month's prizes. The theme is just what it is - an option to inspire you. Here are the prize details:

from our guest sponsor, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, 

 for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.

ONE digital image or sentiment (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.

Don't forget to link up your cards, layouts, mixed media or other art to the Path of Positivity challenge blog for your chance to win! Good luck and happy crafting!

One for the Guys at the 12 Months of Christmas Challenge Blog

Can I get a Merry Christmas out there?! At the 12 Months of Christmas, we try to inspire crafters around the world to start each year off building their stash of holiday cards. We've reached the midpoint of 2018, so by the end of this month's challenge, you should all have a lovely stack of twelve cards. That's assuming you all link up two cards each month to get that free digital paper from Lisa at Decosse's Dynamite Doodles!! This month she made a set of textured papers called Texture ime, Leathers 1. Here's a preview:

This month, our sponsor is Sheepski Designs. Andrea has been generous, giving our teams three images each to play with (and I am creating in both teams, mwahaha). Today's DT make showcases a digital image called Snowman Selfie. It was just as fun to color up the snowmen as it was to create this card!

I also printed out two of Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' papers from the following sets. I used Turquoise from this set:

and Snowy Scene from this one:

Back to the challenge at the 12 Months of Christmas. You have until the end of June to create a holiday card. Again, if you create 2 this month, you'll receive a paper from the Texture Time Paper Kit above. You can go to the main blog and vote for your favorite paper.
In order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that would be considered MASCULINE. Be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of three images from the SheepSki Designs store.       

Like what you see from our sponsor? She also has a group on Facebook you can join, which offers Anything Goes challenges and freebies. I just joined - who doesn't like Anything Goes and Freebies?!

Challenges I am Entering:

Christmas Cards All Year Around - Non-traditional Colors

Creative Crafters - Anything Goes

Digi Stamps 4 Joy -For the Men in  your Life

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Creatalicious Challenges -  Anything Goes w/optional flowers

Sheepski Designs - Embellish It or Clean & Simple

The Path of Positivity Celebrates Shades of Blue

This month the Path of Positivity Blog welcomes the New Year with a new challenge; in fact, a new year of optional themes all centered around shades of different colors or sets of colors. For my DT card today, I created a digital card using papers and elements from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, one of two guest sponsors for the first challenge of 2018.

I used Fun Shape pp from Naturally Cool Papers 2 set and Blue Glitter paper from Glitterati Paper Kit, as well as Flower Brad from Naturally Cool Brads Set to create my digital card. The sentiment I chose is a great way to start out the new year, by "attacking each day with enthusiasm", don't you think? In fact, I think I'll print it out as a wall poster, too, to remind me to give it all I have each and every day.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that you are included in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. The challenge also asks you how this month's colour makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with them. What kinds of feelings does the colour BLUE evoke in you? You can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on the main blog post if you'd like. 

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging 
in some way. 
You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs, the second guest sponsor this month. 

You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of the Naturally Cool Kit from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

Here are the watermarks from the awesome kit from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles: 

Photo Inspiration at Scribbles Designs

 I am loving these cute word art images from Scribbles Designs. They make the most awesome note cards, and who doesn't need a few dozen note cards to say Hi, Thinking of You, Let's Do Lunch or even Thank You?
Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog offers a photo for inspiration this month, and I have pulled the colors from it for my set of cards. The Scribbles image I used is called Fab Friend, and the designer papers are from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Bokeh Paper Kit. I think they're a perfect match, don't you?

You have until November 14th to find inspiration from the photo below and link your card or project up at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digis from the Scribbles Store. See you there!

Challenges I am Entering"
Crafting by Design - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Owl about Me
Crafty Friends - Cute

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

Finding Faith, Hope & Love at the Path of Positivity Challenge blog

Welcome back, crafters! My girlfriend and her hubby are celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary this month. She loves vintage, so I thought this digital image from Luna Girl would be perfect for the digital papers and elements I chose from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, one of two sponsors this month at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. The optional theme is Faith, Hope and Love, and you certainly need all these to maintain a marriage!

My card uses the following:

 Luna Girl Vintage Romance 2 Image 1 

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' Hearts & Swirls pp,

As Time Goes By Cranberry Plaid pp,

Glitterati Gold Glitter Paper,

Mommie Dearest Textured Paper #5,

and Pixel Scrapper A Janner Designs' Cluster Freebie

The challenge theme asks to see wedding, anniversary or engagement cards. Of course, the challenge theme is optional, but in order to have a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a scrapbooking kit from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles, you must incorporate some faith, hope and/or love in your card. Please remember to type in the letters FT after your name when you link your card up so we know you followed the theme. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of three images from Pattie's Creations, another of our guest sponsors this month. 

I have FAITH in your creativity. I would LOVE to see what you make, and HOPE to see you link it up for your chance to win this month's prizes. And as always, have fun!

Wheels Keep Rolling Along at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Challenge Alert, crafters! The Big Wheels Keep Turning challenge at Scribbles Designs is at the halfway point. I'm hoping I can inspire you to join the challenge, as it ends on the 15th of the month.
I created a digital card using a digi image from Scribbles called Just Married. Using a personal photo I took on vacation, I colored and then popped my image into the scene (which is the view from our rented condo to the beach on Siesta Key, Florida).
I framed my image and sentiment with some glitter paper and framed the image by tossing around some digi flowers and greenery. Here are the deets:

Scribbles Designs' Just Married

Papers: DDD Grungy Christmas Purple, Glitterati Purple & Gold

Elements: DDD Leaf Spray and Flower 2 from Tag Grab Bag 1 Mini Kit

Background: Personal photo

Font: Sonoma Script

And now it's your turn! Anything with wheels from the first one made from stone to your teenager's skateboard, whether a card (dig or hand-crafter), canvas or any other mixed media project, just show us where your wheel inspiration takes you! Don't forget to link up with Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digis from the store! P.S. (There's a freebie on the blog that will disappear at the end of the challenge - grab it now!).

Celebrate the Beauty of Nature along the Path of Positivity

Welcome, crafters, to the midway point of the challenge at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. The theme is Always Anything Goes, with this month's optional twist of the Beauty of Nature. The guest sponsor is Sparkle n Sprinkle

and I got to play with this cute digital image called Rainy Days. I'm always looking for rainbows when it rains here in Chicago. My family doesn't get alarmed when I leap out of my seat and run outside to catch the colors in the sky after a rainfall.
To capture my excitement and contentment with rainy days and rainbows, I used a scenic paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles called Chasing Rainbows.

The image is perfect for reflection on God's promise of blessings coming from stormy events in our own lives. To continue with the rainbow theme, I printed my sentiment (LD Handwritten Greetings) and water-colored a mini rainbow on it. There is so much color going on that I embellished simply with a bow and a butterfly sticker.
I hope you find your rainbow during the Spring season! And if you create and add your project to the Path of Positivity challenge blog, you can win big:
SPONSOR & PRIZE INFORMATION:

A $15.00 gift certificate from Sparkle n Sprinkle, our sole guest sponsor this month, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch.

 A $15.00 gift certificate from Sparkle n Sprinkle, our sole guest sponsor 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.

in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some manner. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $15 gift certificate from Sparkle N Sprinkle. If you do follow the Beauty of Nature theme, please add the letters FT after your name so you'll be in the draw for the prize for the Most Inspiring as voted on by the DT members.

Happy crafting!

Getting Sentimental at Ike's World Challenges

Ike's World Challenge blog has reached the midway point of their newest challenge. It's ANYTHING GOES, of course, with an optional twist to

Make a Sentiment your focal point.

Since there is quite a bit of Irish in my ancestry, I decided to make a St. Paddy's Day card. I created my project using a sentiment from Ike's Art called Shamrock Stamp. After printing it out, I popped it onto a patterned paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Bokeh Paper Kit. I added "a wee bit o' Irish lace" (okay, it's actually from a paper lace die-cut, poetic license) before placing my sentiment onto some glittery paper. A bow finishes off my card.
Do you have a favorite sentiment? Create something with it and share it at Ike's World Challenge Blog for your chance to win a gift certificate to Ike's Store!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafty Friends - All That Glitters

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - G is for Green with Envy

Craftaholics R Us - Shades of Green

Creatilicious Challenges - Anything Goes w/Optional Use LOTS of Green

Kreativeinkauf - Monochrome

Holiday Humor at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up & Challenge Blog

Christmas time is a time of joy, of renewal, of family and friends, of food and faith. We all make plans and preparations for the perfect Christmas, but sometimes LIFE throws a pumpkin pie in our faces and we have to laugh. Some of the funniest times are during the holidays, which make for happy memories throughout the years. Like when Grandma laughed so hard at the dinner table her dentures fell into the mashed potatoes, or when your toddler spent more time and had more fun unwrapping the presents than the presents themselves (both were actual holiday events in my family).
This month at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up Blog the OPTIONAL theme is HOLIDAY HUMOR. Whether you choose to use a humorous sentiment, a funny image, or some other element to elicit a smile, a snicker, or a full blown snort, it is up to you. In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card has some element of humor. IMPORTANT: Be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

My card today uses a digi image from Scribbles Designs called Twinkle Brrr. After coloring with Copics, I decorated my card face with a digi paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles from the new Cartoony Christmas paper Kit. I remember one year my son was "helping" me with the Christmas tree and I ended wrapped in glowing bulbs of multi-colored twinkling lights along with the tree!! So that memory inspired me to wrap my card with a twisting strand of lights before calling my card finished.
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 $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs. 

Guest Sponsor:   Scribbles Designs

• Main Prize being offered:  $10.00 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs
• Additional Sponsor: Décosse's Dynamite Doodles

• Prize being offered: One free digital paper to everyone who links up a minimum of two cards to the challenge.  Cards can be anything goes for this prize. The mini set of six digital papers called A Cartoony Christmas, will also be offered up as a prize to one random winner.

Baby, It's Cold at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Welcome to a new challenge at Scribbles Designs! It's the middle of February, and if you live in the northern hemisphere, that means cold days and colder nights - Brrr! So Scribbles would like to see your creations, inspired by the winter weather.
I created this fun step card using several digi images from Scribbles Designs: Free Snow Sign, Bunny Bum, Cat and Snow Kisses. The edge of each "step" has been sprinkled by faux snow, something you can make by rubbing two Styrofoam balls together and gathering up the "flakes". Except for my background paper, Rolling Hills patterned paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' Snow Much Fun Paper Kit, the rest is from my stash.
What's your winter weather look like? Be inspired by looking out your window and link a project up to Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digis from the Scribbles store. See you there!!

Challenges I am Entering:

Creates & Makes - Winter Blues

Show Us Your Pussies - Kitty Love

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner - Use your Favorite Things (I love my homemade snow)

Do-AL(L) Kreatives - Winter

Ready for Some Christmas BINGO at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up

We're playing BINGO at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up this month!

Take a look at your BINGO card below and choose a line (up, down, across or diagonal). Then create with the elements in that line. Too much for you? This is an optional challenge, and it's always Anything Christmas Goes. BUT...
...if you want a chance at winning some awesome digital kits from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, you must create with the BINGO theme. That's right, crafty peeps, Lisa Decosse is sponsoring this month's challenge.
Here are the details of how and what you can win:

My card uses background paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' Bokeh Multicolor Patterned Paper Set1 Mini Set, framed by A Grungy Christmas Purple Textured Paper. My sentiment is also from Lisa, her Holiday Hoopla Word Art Collection, framed with Frame 1 from the same set.
The image is from DeeDee's Digis' Happy Owlidays.
Do you believe? I believe you have until the last day of November to create following the BINGO theme for your chance to win prizes!

Animal Antics at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge and a Halloween Freebie From Me to You

This week's challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings is all about Animals, and has not one but TWO sponsors from whom participants can win prizes, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

AND

Crafty Sentiments

My card above uses some goodies from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles: Kitty Curiosity Brown Patterned Paper, Grungy Christmas Red Textured Paper, Colors of the Rainbow Wine Textured Paper, Taste of Summer Floral 1, Mommie Dearest Button 1. I decided to let the sweet kitty on the paper take the stage, using a sentiment to bring it to life on my card. By the way, I am severely allergic to cats, so I can only enjoy them when they're on paper (yes, pity me). On a good note, I am less allergic to dogs, and a happy owner of a Silkie Terrier (no fur, just hair) named Wilson.

The card below uses an image from Crafty Sentiments called Couples.

I created an anniversary card for our neighbors. Like hubby and myself, they have a Fall anniversary.
You have a week to create a project using animals prominently. Don't forget to use a sentient or greeting. After all, that's the name of the challenge! LOL Whatever you create, have fun!

Here is another Halloween Paper I created. Resources include Pixel Scrappers: Janet Scott’s Plastic Spider Toy & Toolbox Calendar Template #182; Elif Sahin’s Bootiful Googly Eyes Up & Left; Brooke Gazarek’s Skeleton; Melo Vrijhof’s Jane Torn Paper Lace Stacked Frame (pixelscrapper.com)

Challenges I am Entering:

(Anything Goes)

Craft Your Passion

Critters & Creatures (Animal AG)

Lacy Sunshine's Color Your World

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

(Themed)

The Crazy Challenge - Cozy (I am always cozy snuggling with my husband)

4 Crafty Chicks Challenges Has All That Glitters

Today brings a new GDT make for 4 Crafty Chicks challenge blog. The theme is "All that Glitters" and I created a hybrid card. A hybrid card is the merging of digital and paper crafting. My paper crafting uses a digital image from Bugaboo called Dottie 2-Step, coloring her with Copics. I also printed out my sentiment. After adhering my image onto digital paper, I used Photoshop to complete my card. The details are below:

Copic-colored Image: Bugaboo’s Dottie 2-Step

Papers: Decosse’s Dynamite Doodles Grungy Christmas Textured Paper Kit, Red, & Glitterati Paper Kit, Gold; Bokeh Solid Color Set 1, Blue; Pixel Scrapper Marisa Lerin’s “Yesteryear” Paper 02

Sentiment: My Mind’s Eye Lil Cowpoke cardstock quote

Font: Rosewood Standard

Digital Elements: DeeDee’s Digis’”Happy Trails” stamp set- Wagon Wheel & Hat on Cactus; Pixel Scrapper Melo Vrijhof’s “Thankful Harvest Elements- Rope 2; Pixel Scrapper Pauline Thompson’s Star Brad 7 & Bright & Beautiful Glitter Scatter 1

Do you "do" digital? Or 100% paper-crafting? Or like me, creating hybrid canvases and cards? Whatever you create, link up to 4 Crafty Chicks to show off your art! Happy crafting!

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Sponsors the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Good morning, crafters! It's finally Spring in the Midwestern United States. I have to admit that I didn't believe we would ever get to the point at which we arrived regarding the weather. April saw not only rain showers but snow showers. There were days when the weather would flip-flop from sunny and breezy to blizzard-worthy snows, often changing within five minutes of each other!

But it has arrived in all its colorful glory, which fits perfectly with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge theme of "Spring Has Sprung" and my sentiment. One of our sponsors this week is Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, and I can thank Lisa Decosse for her help in my newest crafting venture, digital art. I have used Adobe Photoshop and had a lovely time creating this digital card using papers and elements from the following sets:

 

The wonderful thing about digital elements and papers is that you don'y have to create a project digitally! You can print out the elements and papers just as you would digital images. My card is 100% digital, but I have the most fun with hybrid cards that use both hand-colored and crafted parts with digital elements. If you haven't tried this art form, check out Lisa's freebies and have fun crafting!! 

Our other sponsor is Di's Digi Stamps, whose digi image Daffodil Hedgehogs, is featured on my card below.

I decided to create a Thank You card in a Spring theme. Everyone could use Thank You cards, and my neighbor will be receiving this one with a gift to brighten her day, just like she brightened my day last month. After coloring my image with Copics, I used my Epic Six and Nestabilities die to frame it. I embellished simply because I want to mail it to my neighbor and chunky cards are expensive! LOL

Happy crafting, peeps! Don't forget to link your Spring Has Sprung project or card at the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week!