Let the Festivities begin at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

 

The hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season is most decidedly here! Whether you celebrate Chanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Festivus or to say goodbye to the past year, the feeling of festivity is definitely in the air. And it's that feeling of FESTIVITY that the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog would like you to capture on your creations this month. With the joy and wonder of the holiday season surrounding us, it is the perfect time to apply that to your designs.

I got to create with a digital image from Bugaboo, one of two sponsors this month. The digi is called Snowman Couple. I believe that life is a series of celebrations, and you should take every opportunity to enjoy the festivities while you can. Whether you celebrate with just that one special someone, or a room full of strangers, make it a time to remember.

Of course, the challenge theme is always optional, but if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational, you must follow the theme of FESTIVITIES. Please be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. Also, you are asked to leave a comment on how your creation relates to the theme of festivity if it isn't clearly written somewhere else in your post. 

In order to be considered eligible for any 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 $20 gift certificate from NS Designs, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of a $12 gift certificate from Bugaboo Stamps, the second of our guest sponsors this month, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring. One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

Whatever you choose to create, don't forget to link up to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog for your chance to win these great prizes. Happy crafting!

Birth of New Beginnings at the Path of Positivity

Welcome to the midway point of March's challenge at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. The challenges have changed to Anything Goes, but an optional theme is also offered. The optional theme this month is the Birth of New Beginnings. 

Graduation is the birth of new beginnings for students on their way to careers for which they've studied for the last four to eight years. It's also the beginning of a different kind of parenting as their child matures, moves away, marries and has kids of his or her own. Or chooses one of many other paths. Graduation isn't the end of anything, especially learning. 

I created this scrapbook page for my best friend, whom I coincidentally met while in college myself. Our kids grew up together, our families went on road trips together, and I even have a video somewhere of the two of them dressing up and saying they were getting married. She doesn't scrapbook, so when he graduated with honors from one of the most prestigious universities in Chicagoland, I had to preserve that memory for him and for her!

So, the challenge has two sponsors, Limited Runs

and Kitten Scraps

I used several papers and elements from Kitten Scraps:

Graduation Day Clipart #4,5,7,8,9

 Winter's Playground Paper Add-On Patterned Paper 67

November Thank You Boy Paper 2

Sunny Fish Fun Raffia 13

Now on to the good stuff! 

SPONSOR & PRIZE INFORMATION: 

• A $20.00 gift certificate from Kitten Scraps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch. In order to have a chance to win this prize, be sure to explore this idea of the Birth of New Beginnings.*
• A $10.00 gift certificate from Limited Runs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants. You need only create a project that is positive or uplifting.

• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

*If you do follow the optional theme: be sure to add FT after your name and leave a comment to let us know how your project relates to the theme if it's not easily apparent. 

Appreciation is the Theme at the Pth of Positivity Challenge Blog

November is a month in which Autumn is in full swing in the northern hemisphere, with cold winds briskly blowing the fallen leaves as if sweeping clean the sidewalks of summer's bounty. It is also the month to be aware of everything in your life, appreciating what you have, where it came from and how you can share your own bounty.

November is the month in which we delve deeply in thanksgiving, and what is appreciation without acknowledging it with gratitude and good deeds. In fact, William Arthur Ward said, "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

With that in mind, the Path of Positivity asks you to show us your cards and projects that follow the challenge theme of Appreciation. A simple thank you card, a holiday gift for a neighbor, something that shows you are aware of something or someone whom you appreciate.

I created a digital card to thank the many veterans who have served their country. I am a veteran myself, as is my husband, and our medical needs are met through the local VA Hospital. I will be printing up my card and leaving them everywhere for patients during November as a reminder that their time, their courage and their commitment is appreciated, no matter when or where or how they served.

I used two kits from Kitten Scraps, one of two sponsors this month. The kits are "Patriotic Kids" and "This Year Boy November Papers." 

Kitten Scraps (KS) 

Bio:

My name is Nathalie and I design under the name of Kitten Scraps. Check out her blog and Facebook page which offer layout ideas and the occasionally freebie. While you're there, stop by her store to check out the latest kits, CU items and SVG Files.

Blog Link:  http://www.kittenscraps.com/blog/

Store Link: http://www.kittenscraps.com/store/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Kittenscraps-252473318242218/

Our second generous sponsor is A Day for Daisies:

A Day for Daisies (ADFD)

Bio:  
A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 3000 digital illustrations and a fast growing line of new clear polymer stamp sets, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

WEBSITE: www.adayfordaisies.com

BLOG: http://adayfordaisies.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Day-For Daisies/142905905744876?ref=ts 

ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/adayfordaisies 

How will you show your appreciation this month? The Path of Positivity would love to see and hear what you create!

Scrapping My Heart Out

 Life is short, so if I want to get all my digital (and paper) photos scrapped, I'd best be starting NOW. So I did! Over the last week, I experimented and practiced and learned in Photoshop elements and created a 6-page layout of trips to Great America over the years. We live about 45 minutes from Gurnee, IL, which is our amusement park of choice. In creating my first page, I made the photo framed above transparent and enlarged it to fit the entire page before adding it in the center.

Page 1: PS Pauline Thompson’s Bright & Beautiful Solid Paper 7, PS January 2016 Create-a-Kit, Dream4Ever Designs, Metal Stitches; PS Amanda Brown’s Better Together Solid Paper Purple; Kitten Scraps’ 3 Ring Show Elements Kit, Glitter Trail 2, Button 7; Satans Font   (2 photos)

I decided to carry over the transparent photo theme onto most of the other pages. Scrapbookers know how important it is to journal, so my second page's journaling takes up most of the room.

Page 2: PS Pauline Thompson’s Bright & Beautiful Solid Paper 7, Shell Hues Solid Paper 5 & Star Brad 7; Background photo credit: Originally posted to Flickr by Hendricks Photos at http://flickr.com/photos/86636033@N00/997320652

Leathery Soft Font   (5 photos)

Between kids and grandkids, friends and family, we have made a load of memories to cherish. In fact, hubby and I visited Great America in San Francisco, CA, on our honeymoon, but I don't have photos of that trip. 

Page 3: PS Pauline Thompson’s Bright & Beautiful Solid Paper 7; PS Violet Irisovna’s Bright Days Extra Papers, Green; PS Marisa Lerin Be Bold Paper 7, Gold Template; PS Melo Vrijhof’s Summer Splash Word Art, Good Day

Some of our favorite rides have been the American Eagle, the Viper, the X Factor, Batman the Ride and Superman. Although the grandkids loved them, I wouldn't go on a spinning ride to save my life!

Page 4: PS Pauline Thompson’s Bright & Beautiful Solid Paper 7, Rocket Girl Solid Paper 1 & Shell Hues Paint Swirl; PS Velo Vrijhof’s Thankful Harvest Elements Rope 1; PS Janet Scott’s Look a Book Red & Blue Balloons, Sophia Font

This page is not 100% digital. It's a hybrid, a merging of paper-crafting and digital.  I forgot to mention the Carousel, the first ride visitors see when entering the park. On one visit, my daughter, my sister and I each jumped on our favorite racing steed and galloped off into the sunset. Just not before grabbing a couple funnel cakes to split.

Page 6: (Hybrid) Paper-crafted except for: PS Sharon Dewi Stolp’s Good day Washi Tape Yellow Stripes, PS Janet Scott’s Look a Book Blue Pinwheel

Finally, one can't appreciate Great America until they've visited Fright Fest, the best and scariest of Halloween fun. My DIL was hired for the celebration and seeing her in make-up was the best entertainment! The photo above shows her with my son sans make-up. I like her better in pink, though. LOL

Page 5: PS Pauline Thompson’s Bright & Beautiful Solid Paper 7, PS Violet Irisovna’s Bright Days Solid Paper Black,  Melo Vrijhof’s Thankful Harvest Elements Rope 2, Pink Lotty Designs’ Human Skeletons 1&3, Rucola Designs’ Dead or Alive Crow 

PS in the credits is short for pixelscrappers.com

New Challenge at the Path of Positivity

Howdy, y'all! I was going to say Aloha, but I just came back from a dream beach vacation. It wasn't in Hawaii, it was in Texas! There is a great escape waiting for you at South Padre Island, TX, where my family and I just spent 9 days. We sat in the sun, rocked in the shade, swam in the pools, walked along the shore, laid back in the hammocks, and generally did nothing but that! It was the most relaxing vacation I ever took, and it was sorely needed.
The greatest part about it was that we saved up for it all, and whatever part of the flights down there and the cost of the hotel, we paid off completely when our bill came in. Now THAT is a great achievement for us, so I created a tropical escape card for this month's ACHIEVEMENT challenge over at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. 
There are two lovely guest sponsors this month:

Robyn's Fetish

and

Kitten Scraps

My hybrid card uses papers and elements from Kitten Scrap's Summer Fish Fun Kit by Nathalie MacKay ©2008. I created the sea complete with waves using Photoshop, added many elements from the kit, and used Sweet Pea font.
What have you achieved that inpsires you to create this month? Or who inspired you? Why? Tell us, photograph the resaon or create a card, canvas or other form of art that showcases the theme of achievement for your chance to win the following. 

SPONSOR & PRIZE INFORMATION:

• 3 Digital Stamps from Robyn's Fetish, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $20 gift certificate from Kitten Scraps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

There will also be:

• A small selection of digital designer papers from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky person who leaves a comment on posts published during the challenge time frame.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

Happy crafting! 

Welcome to the Circus that Is My Life

It’s that time of year again when we all sift through the year that has passed and count our many blessings. This month at the Path of Positivity brings the theme of GRATEFULNESS. You may wonder how my DT project showcases this theme.

Lately, my life has felt like a circus, but I know to appreciate all the acts under the Big Top—the clowns that have brought laughter into my days, the high-wire act reminding me to keep on my toes, and the trapeze artists daring me to reach out for the things I want.

I’m thankful for the animal acts that force me to stick my neck out at times, the bare back riders who prove that hard work and dedication will get results, and finally the man who keeps a hundred plates spinning on sticks, showing me that my life does indeed have the balance that I so need.

My life may be a three-ring circus at the moment, but everyone enjoys a good show. To me, it’s the greatest show on earth, and as ringmaster, I invite you to visit my blog to see all the acts in the year to come…

My project uses papers and elements from the digital kit “3 Ring Circus” from Kitten Scraps, one of our sponsors this month,

along with Scribbles Designs.

My set comes with: 24 Solid Papers, 24 Patterned Papers, 328 Elements and 6 Full Alphabets (Uppercase, Numbers & a couple Symbols)..
Crafters have the month of November to create a card or layout, alter some art, throw everything but the kitchen sink onto a mixed media canvas, write a pondering on what thankfulness means to you, the sky's the limit! Link it up at the Path of Positivity for your chance to wwin the following fabulous prizes:

• A prize package from Kitten Scraps for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs, one of our guest sponsors 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.

There will also be:

• A small selection of digital designer papers from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky person who leaves a comment on posts published during the challenge timeframe.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.