O, Christmas Tree!

Today my DT project for the 12 Months of Christmas blog uses a cute digital image called Santa Takes a Nap from Fresh Brewed Designs, as well as 2 papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles:  Christmas Grunge Red, and Snow-Topped from the Treemendous collection. I printed out the image and colored it with Copics, then fussy-cut it out and popped it onto  patterned paper 05 from the Cabinet of Curiosity collection from Marta Waniek. My "loaded" Christmas tree is a 3D sticker.

I am just stacking up the Christmas cards and it's only the middle of September. How about you? Are you enjoying the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge blog? It's easy to join in if you haven't already, and there is still time to get your Christmas cards linked up. The challenge runs from September 1 - 30. 
This month, the optional theme is to use a decorated tree on your card. Remember, you don't have to create within the theme, unless you want a chance to win our guest sponsor's prizes. 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. But as long as you link up at least two cards, you will receive a free digital paper from Decosses Dynamite Doodles,   who also offers to  one lucky random winner, the mini set of six digital papers from the Treemendous collection.

      

Our guest sponsor is Fresh Brewed Designs, where they always have a fresh pot of creativity brewing. They are offering 3 digital stamps for one random winner chosen from those who participate in the optional theme.

Happy crafting!

Have Faith in Your Dreams while on the Path of Positivity

'tis the month for making Christmas gifts, and I created this mixed media canvas for a friend's daughter who has always dreamed of being a musician. Not a music teacher, but a member of an orchestra. She is in her senior year of college, and has been working hard, playing violin and flute, entering contests, winning scholarships, and just this year sending out her portfolio all over the country.
But times, they are difficult, and there isn't a lot of call for violinists or flautists just out of college. She is, of course, taking education courses so that she'll be able to teach, but she still has faith in her dreams.
I do, too. I have watched her grow from a spirited child struggling with the bow to a mature and caring young woman, pouring her heart and soul into her music. I have faith that wherever her path will lead her in life, music will be the biggest part of her journey.
Today's canvas showcases the theme of FAITH, an important part of my life, and the theme for this month's Path of Positivity challenge blog. I used a digital image from Fresh Brewed Designs called Daydreaming. I also used a sentiment from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, my go-to place for sentiments!

The sponsors and prizes for this challenge are:

• A prize package of a $7 gift certificate to the Pickled Potpourri Designs store (good for any digital product) for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• Three digital images from Fresh Brewed Designs for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital Stamps for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

There will also be:

• 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.

So, what's your creative take on the theme of Faith? Come show us at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. Everyone can use a boost during this holiday season. Whether you come to share some positivity or to find some, all are welcome!

50 Things That Make Me Happy

Today starts a new challenge over at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. The theme this month is that elusive butterfly called HAPPINESS. Our guest sponsor this month is Fresh Brewed Designs. I got to play with an image called Daffodil Plants.

My project today started out as a watercolor. By the time I was finished, it turned into a mixed media piece of art. I used stencils, pigment ink, FlowerSoft, Stickles, the FBD digi image colored with Copics, and my black and white gel pens (my daughter gifted me with a "clean craft table" for Mother's day-if I had been able to find more media to throw on my painting, I would have).

Happiness means different things to different people.  I may have mentioned a few times that I love to make lists. I compiled a list of the first 50 things that make me HAPPY today. Some are trivial, some are key to my whole life; some are temporary, some I hope to have forever. All make me happy in this moment and I am thankful for them. So I used another Fresh Brewed Designs image called "Groovy" and altered a composition book in which I can write this list as well as others.

Materials used for this spiffy notebook include Gesso, homemade ModPodge, designer napkins, Stickles, pigment ink,and cardstock stickers. I even decorated a pen with washi tape and a feather "stick" from the clearance rack in the floral section to make writing my lists even more fun.

50 Things That Make Me Happy:
Purple Nail Polish                    Iced Tea
Double-Stuffed OREOs           Girls’ Night Out

Time to Craft                           Copic Markers

Grandkids                             a Tech-Savvy Hubby

A Good Book                        a Good Hair Day 

Sushi                                    a Good Nite’s Sleep

My iPod                                   Scented Candles

My Laptop                            Buttered Popcorn

Fuzzy Socks                              Sunshine

BFFs                                    a Full Tank of Gas

My Mom lives Nearby          My Gram's Still Alive

Sisters                                      Musicals

My daughters                        Kittens & puppies

My son                                  a Clean House

Rainbows                              Getting All Bills Paid

Writing Poetry                         Watercolors

Chocolate                                  Hugs

Date Night                               Christmas

Working Out                           Riding My Bike

Clean Bill of Health                A Finished Canvas

Dancing                                 Making Lists

Swedish Massage                Playing Board Games

Lying on the Beach      watching Mama Mia w/Wendy

Pizza                                     Flying First Class

Scrapbooking                          Making Lists

I had to stop here, although I could have gone on and on. What about you? Can you come up with 50 things? Is it difficult to stop at 50? What makes you happy at this moment in time? We at the Path of Positivity want to know. Show us in an art project, card or photo. Tell us in a post. Share a poem with us.
We have some lovely prizes to give away. 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.
• Three digital images from Fresh Brewed Designs, 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.