Using Books to Inspire Your Own Creativity

 

Today was a good day. My Muse returned to me in the form of a diorama, or what I like to call a "short-cut shadow box". I didn't have any action figures from the Harry Potter series, so I printed and colored images from Bugaboo Stamps. I found the perfectly-sized box and background paper, and then painted the inside "walls" a matching blue.

The castle was free clipart that I fussy-cut, along with my characters. To give the illusion of distance between my friends and Hogwarts, I used good old Mod Podge (homemade) and small stones. They clumped and stayed together after I placed them against the back of the box.

After posing the kids at different distances from the back to add more dimension, I added florist green moss to look like they're standing against a stone wall in a field. My finishing touch was the full moon with the sentiment, "Believe in Magic" that I printed in Old English Text.

This month, the Path of Positivity Challenge blog challenges us to create something positive, with an optional twist of "Literature". I of course chose the Harry Potter series as it offers readers a look at loyalty, friendship, courage, justice, perseverance and sacrifice for the good of others.

The challenge at POP begins today so get your Muses started and show us what you created. Anything goes as long as it's positive. You can click HERE to enter the challenge. Meanwhile, happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

    We Love2Create- Anything mixed media goes

   Arty Divas - Anything Goes

   Classic Design - Anything Goes

   Morgan's Art World - Anything Goes

   Worldwide Crafters & Colorists - Anything Goes

   Your Scrapbook Place - Anything Goes

Shades of Purple Color the Path of Positivity

The Path of Positivity has offered a series of color challenges this year. This month the focus is on SHADES OF PURPLE. This optional theme asks that most of the overall color scheme is some form of  purple. If you do follow this theme, you will have a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, a $12 gift certificate from A Day for Daisies, one of the guest sponsors this month.

My card today uses a digi image from another guest sponsor, Limited Runs. The image is called Cat in a Pumpkin. 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 Limited Runs. 

You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of a $12 gift certificate from A Day for Daisies for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

My cat is very happy. He has a sweet tooth and it seems that sweet tooth will be satisfied with all that candy he's collecting! I have fun handing out candy at Halloween. I make it into a game for the trick-or-treaters. I will buy a pumpkin and stab it with an ice pick (very Jason-like) until I have a bazillion holes in the pumpkin.

I also buy a box of full-sized candy bars and a big bag of Dum Dums, or any small lollipops. I color the tips of as many lollipops as there are candy bars. And the pops go into the pumpkin, adding the colored tipped ones. When the kids come trick-or-treating, they get to pull a lollipop. If there's NO colored tip, that is their treat. If they pull one with a colored tip, you should see their eyes light up when they receive a full-sized candy bar.

Crafters have the whole month to create (using the theme or not) and linking up their projects at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog for their chance to win some awesome gift certificates from the sponsors. Anything goes as long as it is positive, encouraging or affirmative.

So let your Muse settle in and have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:
Colouring in Scrapland - Halloween
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Make My Challenge - Animals
Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Fall
Dragonfly Journeys - Happy Halloween
The Paper Players - Tic Tac Toe inspiration (2nd vertical column=patterned paper, pumpkin, orange)

The Path of Positivity Challenge is On!

I LOVE using color - bold, vivid, assorted - they make me feel happy. However, for my DT make, I followed the new challenge theme at the Path of Positivity and stayed with NEUTRALS. I was surprised at how easily my card came to life! The challenge has opened my eyes to a larger selection of colors. Of course, isn't that what a challenge is supposed to do? - open your eyes to new techniques,designs and patterns?

I colored up this digi image, called Black Cat 1, from A Day for Daisies. (If I had a hundred dollars, I would practically buy out the store, I so love these images) Wearing her crown, my kitty's sentiment made complete sense.

At the Path of Positivity, the focus is on NEUTRAL colors. Your project should be at least 51% of the overall color scheme. It doesn't need to be completely monochromatic so a spattering of other colors is fine. Just be sure that if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, over half of the colours in your project must be made up of NEUTRAL shades such as black, white, beiges and greys! The neutral shades can be in the colours you choose to fill your images with, and/or they can be in your choices of papers and embellishments. Just make sure that the majority of your project focuses on the varying shades of neutrals. We can't wait to see how you explore the theme in your designs!

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. By the way, how does this month's color grouping make you feel; please share that when you link up your creation. 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 this 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 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 A Day for Daisies, one of the guest sponsors this month. 

You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of the same three digis used by team members, provided by Mari Digis, the second of the guest sponsors this month, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

There you have it. Are you ready to jump out of your comfort zone? Try a card with a neutral color scheme for your chance to win at the Path of Positivity Challenge blog. I'll see you there.

Happy crafting! 

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything Goes w/a critter

Ching-Chou Kuik - Cats or Dogs

Creative with Stamps - Cute ANIMALS

Fabrika Fantasy - Animals

Monochrome Magic - Monochrome or 

Monochrome with a TWIST of No Patterned Papers

Favoring the Feminine Is The Theme at Scribbles Designs

Tropical greetings to you all, crafters! I am building up my stash of Thank You cards and found the perfect image at the Scribbles Store. She's called Carrie Summer Diva and can be found HERE.

This month, the challenge theme over at Scribbles Designs is "Femme Fatale" so if you want a chance to win your choice of free digis at the Scribbles Store, create and link up a card featuring or geared toward women. I went with Carrie Summer Diva because I've been wishing I could hop on a plane and go south (way south). I need to feel sand between my toes and hear waves lapping at the shore. And now that I've finished my card, the call of the tropics is louder and much more clear. (sigh)

In the meantime, enjoy the Spring weather for those of you in the Northern hemisphere. For those of you down under, enjoy the Autumn in all its glory!

Challenges I am Entering:
 Crafts Galore Encore - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenges - Anything Goes w/patterned paper
DigiStamps4Joy - Bright Colors
Love to Craft - Anything Goes
Naughty or Nice-  Choose a past challenge (Nice #15 Friend)

Sparkle n Sprinkle Sponsors the Path of Positivity

This month on the Path of Positivity the theme calls for PASTELS as far as color scheme goes. Now, I'm sure you are wondering what could be positive about the death of a furry family member. I think the sentiment tells it all. 
Pets are heaven-sent, a gift for us to cherish and to be cherished. Our family has only offered a home to our Wilson for almost three years now, but even to think of losing him sends tears to my eyes. And yet, since the death of my husband last year, my daughter and I have a new appreciation of the cycle of life and death.
We have learned to live in the moment, savoring each happy memory and continuing to make new ones, regardless of the stress and strife of every day life. There will always be loss along the path, but we must continue on until we each come to the end of our own. How much happier that path is to have known, loved, been loved and made memories with companions throughout it all.
My neighbor has had a rough year. She lost her oldest pup, Posie, at the start of the New Year. Just last month, her dear Rocky lost his battle with diabetes. I wanted to show her that we are praying for her in her time of loss, and she can count on us whenever she needs anything.
SPARKLE N SPRINKLE is this month's guest sponsor, and I used Pet Sympathy digi Set to create my card. The set comes with a few sentiments, as well as black-line and pre-colored cat and dog images.  I colored my own image with Copics, using one of the offered sentiments.
Of course, PASTELS is an OPTIONAL theme. But...
If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so you are included in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. We'd also love to find out how this month's color palette makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings do PASTEL colors bring out 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 challenge post of the main blog 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 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 $15 gift certificate from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our guest sponsor this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additionally-sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate also from Sparkle N Sprinkle, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

  Whether you choose to create with the theme of PASTELS or not, don't forget to link your art to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog before the end of April for your chance to win a gift certificate to the Sparkle n Sprinkle Store! Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting with Friends - ANything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

What's NEW with You and Ike's Art

Welcome to a New year, and a New challenge at Ike's World Challenge Blog. The first theme of the year is "What's NEW with YOU?"  This optional theme can be interpreted by creating with the New Year in mind, or using New supplies, trying a New technique, or, like me, thinking about a New ME.

And why not? 2017 was a tough year for me, and I say good riddance to it. I lost my husband and my best friend, Sue. My financial future is a little shaky, and I'm looking at a lonely future without hubby. But...

As the New Year begins, I can not only count my blessings, but make a plan for the days and weeks ahead. Creativity is one of the biggest pleasures I have in life, so it's a major part of my planning. That's why I colored (with Copics) an Ike's Art image, called Plotting, and popped her onto a journal page. I like to mix writing with collaging and add some mixed media. So there's a little of everything on my page.

My plans? I want to relax, to focus on what I really want to accomplish this year. I want to be brave and try new things, have adventures and travel. I want to be more forgiving and more thankful, and to give back with my time and my talent. I especially want to become healthier and to heal, working through my grief, taking the bad days with the good.

And I want YOU to join in this new challenge for your chance to win a gift certificate to Ike's Art Store. AND, if you use an Ike's Art image, you get 2 entries for your 1 creation - cards, ATCs, mixed media, altered art - just create!!  And Link it up at Ike's World Challenge Blog.

Good luck and Happy Crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Art*Journal*Journey - New Year, New Adventures

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: 

Scribbles Designs Challenge Gets Inspired by a Photo

This month's challenge theme at Scribbles Designs is Photo Inspired 

(photo courtesy Jill Wellington, Pixabay.) 

I was inspired by the non-traditional colors in the photo, using Copics, colored pencils and a white gel pen to give life to my image, a Scribbles digi called Maple Leaf Doodle. After coloring a rainbow across the leaf, I used the colored pencils to blend the colors more subtly. It looked flat to me, so I started highlighting different sections of my leaf, and ended up highlighting all of them (I never knew when to stop even as a kid).
Since color is my inspiration, I thought this sentiment would be perfect for my card. I splashed a couple black jewels for embellishment after adding a washi tape border and canvas bow. A nice simple card for the loveliest season of the year!
What inspires YOU when you look at the photo from Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog? Whatever catches your creativity, go for it, then link it up for your chance to win some free digis from the Scribbles Store.
Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Colour Crazy Craft challenge - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

4 Crafty Chicks - Fall

Mod Squad - Fall Fest

See the Shades of Spring at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Can it be that Spring has finally arrived? Yes! although it has been known to snow in April and even May in Chicago (I never put up my mittens and boots until Memorial Day). Taking advantage of some very nice weather lately, I created a card for my DT make at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. Their challenge asks crafters to create in Shades of Spring. Here's a little photo inspiration for you:

As you can see, my colors show up more vividly than the photo, but my lilacs and greens are there, along with the butter yellow. Anyway, I photographed and then printed out one of my water colors for the card's background. I fussy-cut the Scribbles image, called Hatch in Egg, then used dimensional dots to adhere to my background. I finished off my card with a few jeweled butterflies as well as a 3D one.
Scribbles Designs has a huge variety of whimsical images plus quite a few freebies for you to play with. So color up a Scribbles image (or any image) and come join in the challenge for your chance to win free digis from the store!

Challenges I am Entering:

Moving along with the Times - Birds/Feathers

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo inspiration

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/optional Easter

Stampavie and More - Watercolor background

Chocolate Baroque - Color Inspiration