To Zen Doodle is to Let Your Creativity Flow

 My garden was my inspiration for today's project. Or rather, fighting off the bunnies for my tomatoes and strawberries was my inspiration I should say. I put screen sup around the strawberries, and threw bird-netting over the framework in my garden, but they still seem to get in and cheat me out of all the work I did to get my veggies and fruit to grow. Does anybody have a useful tip for keeping them out?

Meanwhile, I drew a warren of bunnies and let the Zen flow from my fingers onto the page. The quote is one of my favorites, "I love bunnies short and tall, but I love chocolate ones best of all". Do you see the "one that got away? (Hint: top left)

I didn't realize how fast and furiously strawberry plants spread. I devoted a third of my backyard garden to the fruit, but I had to put a "fence" in between the strawberries and tomato plants as the fruit has taken over half my garden! It's hard enough to keep the plants alive as we're experiencing a drought in northern Illinois. Add to that those pesky bunnies and I'm at my wit's end.

BTW, I decided to give my trailer the name "Wit's End". That way residents will know where to come when get to my place. They'll be "at wit's end". LOL

Art Journal Pages I'm Sharing Today

Recently, I chose to draw animals and fill them with doodles. Here's the first of three. I love this one. Just the noble canine and nothing else on the page. It looks so sharp. Personally, I prefer smaller dogs. Our first was a SiIkie Terrier rescue we named Wilson. We found out he had some big health issues, but by then he had been with us for three months. He was part of our family, and he gave us love for five years before giving up the good fight. Our second dog was also a rescue, mixed-breed terrier we named Honeycomb, Honey for short. She was six years old when we got her and she had some minor health issues. She's now 8 yo and has exactly that many teeth left. I guess terriers have an issue with their teeth rotting. We've always brushed our dogs teeth every night, but obviously many owners don't even think of doing that!

Here is my dolphin (well, not mine personally but my art journal page). After filling in her body, I doodled some waves and gave her the quote, "Don't just float, make waves". Do you doodle? What's in your art journal?? Happy crafting!!
 

Flip-a-Coin Challenge at 12 Months of Christmas

For those of you who have been self-isolating, I hope you've been using your time wisely, and by wisely I mean building your stash of holiday cards!! My card today is a DT make for The 12 Months of Christmas, a challenge blog that promotes creating holiday cards yearlong. 
The challenge is Anything Holiday card Goes with a fun twist, where you'll need a coin to flip for the creation of your card. All Dressed Up is the guest sponsor, and I have used a digi called "Tra-La-La-La". I used Decosse's Dynamite Doodles paper from a kit called Snow Bokeh Trees (I love all her Bokeh papers).

Of course, I flipped my penny to "discover" my challenge requirements, and then I used my coin to cut out the greeting, which is a part of the image. Here is the flip-a-Coin box where you flip for your own requirements:

FLIP	HEADS	TAILS
1	Make a card with 3 layers or less	Make a card with 4 or more layers
2	Make a rectangular or square card	Use a fancy fold technique
3	Add dots to your card	Add stripes to your card
4	Add lace or ribbon to your card	Add gems or pearls to your card
5	Add a frame to your card	Use faux or real stitching on your card

As you can see, I flipped Heads for #1 and made a card with 3 or less layers; #2 was Tails for using a fancy fold technique; #3 Heads had me add dots to my card (if you click on my card, you'll see that all my singing animals are wearing dotted winter accessories; #4 brought out my lace; and #5 Tails caused the card to offer faux stitches.

Prize Info For This Challenge

• Main Prize being offered: TWO images of winner's choice from All Dressed Up Stamps store to one random winner.

• 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 Eclectic Mix 1, will also be offered up as a prize to one individual who has followed the twist.

So, how have you been putting you're isolation time to use?  My house has been cleaned, de-cluttered, organized, and redecorated in a couple rooms. My front deck is now decorated, and my tomato garden is flourishing. AND I have a healthy stack of holiday cards from which to choose this December. Of course, I don't have children to home school and entertain, nor a job to do from home. I'd love to know what you've been doing with yourself,  and I would LOVE to see your holiday cards linked to The 12 Months of Christmas Blog. See you there!

Challenges I am Entering:

Shopping Our Stash - Christmas in July

The Holly & the Ivy Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

2 Crafty critter Crazies - Anything w/a Critter Goes

Digi Doodle Studios - Christmas in July

Sheepski Designs - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampers - Christmas in July

Best Friends

During the last few months, I've been keeping in touch with my friends, sending them handmade cards. Today's card features a digi image from the Queen herself, Sandra Caldwell. It's called Puppy and Kitty Friends, and I used colored pencils to give them their colors. I inherited a bag full of paper flowers, so I went wild with them on my card. Our dog, Wilson, loves to stop and sniff the flowers. His favorite is to walk headfirst through the dandelions that have gone to seed, where just a slight breeze sends the tiny light seeds floating through the air (except those that get stuck on Wilson's face).

Sandra's image showcases the widely different match-ups when it comes to friendships. Some people's personalities go together like coffee and donuts; others have people wondering, "how the heck did that happen?".While working at a local church, my co-worker and I were (and still are) total opposites. I never would have believed back then that we would become the best of friends, our relationship lasting through work conflicts, job loss and personal tragedies. Go figure!!

Fluff or Feathers

This month the Path of Positivity challenge blog offers an optional theme of Furry and/or Feathered friends. I was inspired to make this card for my granddaughter.  She lives in Florida, and when I went down to visit her and the rest of the family earlier this year, I discovered she had a hedgehog for a pet! My daughter is envious. She would love one, but we already have a senior dog who needs lots of love and attention, so she’s had to shelve that dream for now. And, to be fair, the llama is there because it is my spirit animal...

I used Copics to color an image from Oddball Art Company. It’s from their (free) newsletter subscription. Every month you get a Creepy Cute Chronicles free digital image in your email, along with access to inspiration and tutorials. This digi is from CCC#42.
So, my card is a hybrid, mixing the hand-colored image with the tools in Photoshop to pop him onto a photo I took last summer at my trailer. Then I printed it out and embellished it. I think my card really ties in with how we're all feeling at this time. Social distancing means less physical hugs, and my hedgehog has enough problems with hugs as it is! 
It also is a reminder that many people are scared or "prickly" due to the pressures brought on by these historic times. Just because someone is cranky, doesn't mean they are always cranky. Give them something to lift their spirits, or  at least wish their families good health.
Meanwhile, you can visit the Path of Positivity challenge blog for a bit of acknowledgment, encouragement, inspiration, or maybe just something pretty to look at. The theme of Feathery or Furry Friends is an optional one, but here are the rules:

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, your projects/posts must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Prizes this month include:

• A $10 gift certificate from Oddball Art, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (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.

Stay healthy, and happy crafting!

The Most Unusual Friendships are often the Strongest

One of my best friends is a woman with whom I worked. Our personalities were complete opposites. I felt we had nothing in common until each of our oldest children developed behavioral issues that sent them to temporary live-in care and us into a vortex of worry, doubt and fear.
I am proud to call this woman one of my very best friends. Through our shared experiences with mental health (ours and our kids) we bonded so strongly that almost 20 years later, we are still tight.

My card today reflects this friendship, and how I feel about our relationship. She feels that I have supported, cared for and loved her so much, and I feel the same. She's going through a rough patch right now, dealing with issues of loss recently. Besides the phone calls and the emojis added to my texts, I want to send her this card. We both have dogs, and both are allergic to cats, so my creation is very much in tune to us.

I featured a Sandra Caldwell image from her Babycakes DND Etsy Store. My cardstock haf a perfect circle in which to frame my Copic-colored image, but I made an error in cutting out my image. Men will use Duct tape; crafters will use Washi tape!! I love the geometric feel of this card.Just a little (okay, a lot) of jeweled bling to make it shine and I finished off my card with my sentiment.

How do you fix something that wasn't supposed to end up the way it did? Washi tape? Ink? Do you change your card to fit the error, or start all over again? Let me know!! and as always, happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Through the Craft Room Door -  Anything Goes
Show Us Your Pussycats - Furrything Goes
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes w/a Critter
Fabrika Fantasy - For the Boys/Men
Sheepski Designs - For Someone Special

Keep It Clean and Simple at Ike's World Challenge Blog

When I saw the set of Sock Puppets that Ike is offering at her STORE, I knew there had to be some good conversations between these dog Sockies. So for this month's Lean and Simple (CAS) theme at Ike's World challenge Blog, I found their perfect introduction to my blog.
I colored two of the four Sockies with my Copics, adhering them onto a bit of cardstock to frame them before popping them onto my card base. I did the same with my sentiment, and kept embellishments to 4 small black jewels. I knew my sentiment needed a CAS card for impact. Did I make you smile?
If not, I hope the Sockies did. And the best time to craft is when you're smiling. So I expect to see your projects at Ike's World Challenge Blog. Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering

Creative w/Stamps - Friends

Happy Craft - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

The Creative Crafters - Anything Goes

Find Love on the Path of Positivity

They say that love makes the world go round, and that's true for everyone, including this perfect pair of felines. They are definitely speaking words  of love. Love happens to be the optional TWIST at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog this month.

My card features an image from the Cat's Meow stamp set from Beccy's Place, one of the sponsors this month. The images are called  Jasper and Meow Meow Meow sentiment. I printed Jasper twice, flipping him for the 2nd image and making him shorter (and turning him into a girl by the magic of Copics). Both cats are the same image. I am allergic to cats, and I think I have a subconscious allergy as well. I can't color a realistic cat to save my life.  Hence, the pink and blue cats featured on my card. A simple bow and a few Skittles complete my card (after adhering my sentiment). The inside sentiment reads: That's Cat Speak for I Love You

If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project to show someone special in your life just how much you love them. But remember that the optional twist is just for fun. Any types of projects or cards qualify for prizes as long as they are positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature.

Prizes this month include:
A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.

ONE image (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.

February is the month of love, so let's see some love. Don't forget to link up your artwork to the Path of Positivity challenge blog for your chance to win some great prizes, too! See you on the Path!

Challenges I am Entering:
2 Crafty Critter Crazies- AG w/a critter
Card Mania -Love is in the Air
Crafty Animals - AG w/a critter
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - AG w/patterned  paper
Creatalicious - Love/Hearts
Create with Stamps - Love
Fabrika Fantasy - AG w/optional Love

Welcome to IKE'S WORLD CHALLENGES 2019

Looks like Ike's World Challenge Blog is going through the alphabet, starting the year off with an optional theme of ANIMALS. So I got to play with an Ike's Art image called "Magician's Hat + Bunny" I found a cool quote on Pinterest (and of course couldn't follow up to the author):

Always believe that something Magical is about to happen

This is a New Year's card for my girlfriend, Janie.She and I are having an old-fashioned sleepover this New Year's Eve (and hopefully not a hangover for New Year's Day). We're mapping out 2019, with goals, journals, helpful hints, etc. We used to do this every year but life got busy and we dropped it. .Now we're back, ready to get healthier, get organized, de-clutter and simplify.

About my card: After coloring my image, I digitally popped it onto Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Blue Glitter Textured paper. I have squares on my mind, so made everything but the embellishments matching in shape. And everything is from my stash as almost every project I've created this year has been. I really am trying to downsize my craft supplies. I'm like a craft hoarder (but an organized one).

So, as this year comes to a close, and a New Year starts,I hope everyone sees a prosperous and healthy year, with plenty of time to craft and relax, spend time with friends and family,  and find yourself in a better place. Happy crafting!

p.s.(DON'T FORGET TO LINK UP YOUR OWN PROJECT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN DIGIS  FROM IKE'S ART STORE)

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes w/a Critter

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

It's Day 10 at Scribbles Designs' Raise the Hoof 12 Days of Christmas

You may have heard of Olive the Reindeer. There has even been a boo written about her. Well, this is NOT about that Olive. This Olive is a real diva. She blew into Santa's reindeer village a long time ago. Her dream was to meet the one and only Rudolph, have him fall madly in love with her beauty and charm, and they would lead Santa's sleigh together (which would ultimately lead to a few Christmas movies with her name in lights).

Poor Olive! She strutted around, teasing all the other reindeer. She even had her nails polished a bright red to match Rudolph's nose! She was a true coquette, very popular with the bucks. She didn't have any doe friends, but she was so busy trying to get close to Rudolph that she didn't notice.

Of course, Rudolph was in love with Clarice, and nothing could pull them apart. Try as she might, she got nowhere with Rudolph, and only got Clarice angry with her. And when Clarice is upset, Rudolph is upset. And when Rudolph is upset, Santa is upset. Olive's attitude and actions produced a domino effect, with her being the domino, or reindeer, to topple the hardest.

Olive knew she had to change, or at least set her sights on another buck. She's still on Santa's turf. She hasn't made up her mind yet, but loves to flirt and have "fun with the boys." The does are okay with her, as long as she stays away from the bucks that are already committed to other does. That's fine with Olive. After all, there were plenty of bucks on the tundra, and there was plenty of time before she had to settle down...

Welcome to Scribbles Designs' Raise the Hoof 12 Days of Christmas holiday celebration! Today is Day 10 and Olive is today's new release! Each day from December 1 - 12, Scribbles is releasing a Christmas digital image. For more information on the celebration, click HERE to go to the main blog.

My card is a hybrid, a mix of digital and hand-colored images and embellishments. Here's what went into it:
Image: Olive from Scribbles Designs
Papers: Marta Van Eck Winter Scene Paper 9; Eena's Creations Winter Overlay 17; Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Black paper from Naturally Cool Paper Kit.
Elements: Digi Dewy Christmas Day Holly Sticker 2; Santa's Reindeer free clipart from Wilson Info
Wordart: Mandy's Lovable Designs Classic Christmas Red & Green Banner

Turning Green at the Path of Positivity

The optional challenge this month at the Path of Positivity is "Shades of Green" and there are two fabulous guest sponsors whose images the DT (one of them ME) get to play with:

Ike's Art

and 

Scribbles Designs

My card today uses a digi image from Ike's Art called Stitchy Cats. I decided to use a die that I bought at a CHA Convention, the only time I know that came to Chicago. I printed my image in green ink so I could color it minimally. I couldn't resist the greeting inside:

"you smile, I smile

You hiss, I hiss,

You cry, I cry,

You jump off bridge,

I gonna miss you!"

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. There is a Random Draw prize of a $10 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs.

You do need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win the prize for the project chosen as Most Inspiring, which is a $15 gift certificate from Ike's Art.

You've got the whole month to create and link up your project with the Path of Positivity. If you choose to create in shades of Green, you have the chance to win either or both prizes! So good luck and happy crafting! 

Challenges I am Entering:

Whoopsi Daisy - AG w/optional Monotone

2 Crafty Crazy Critters - Anything w/a Critter Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes

Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes

Oddball Art - Anything Goes

We're ALL TIED UP at the 12 Months of Christmas

I just realized my post did not publish on the 1st as it should have, so I offer apologies and roll out my DT make with little to no fanfare. This month the optional theme at the 12 Months of Christmas is All Tied Up. Your card must have some form of wrapping ribbon, raffia, twine or bows - something that would keep presents from unwrapping themselves! LOL

My card sports a bow with a digi image from Limited Runs called Girl with Bunny Slippers.

Another way to incorporate the theme in your card is to use it in your embellishments or paper, like I did with the scenic paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles paper from her "North Pole" Patterned Paper mini kit.

I hand-colored my image, then popped it onto my digital paper with sentiment. My bow and other embellishments are from my stash of Christmas supplies leftover from last year.
However you interpret the theme, if you do so, your card will be in the draw for a $10 gift certificate to the Limited Runs Store.

The theme is optional, so if you don't want to create with the theme in mind, you still win one free digital paper as long as you link up a minimum of two cards to the challenge.

So what are you waiting for?! Christmas is right around the corner!! Let's get those cards done, and DON"T forget to link them to the 12 Months of Christmas Blog.

Happy Crafting!

Challenges I  am Entering:

Cutie Pie - Winter Layers

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes w/a Critter

Animal Friends - Winter (must have animal)

Crafty Animals - Anything w/Animals Goes

Digi Doodle Studios - Christmas/Winter

Fabrika Fantasy - Christmas/Winter
Merry Little Christmas - Anything Goes
Papercraft Business - Christmas Animal
Sheepski Designs - Anything Christmas

Pick a Patterned Paper at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Today marks the midway point of the challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. The optional theme is to "pick a patterned paper, specifically dots, stripes, plaids, chevrons, or diamonds." Since Halloween is right around the corner, I opted to create this side step card using the following digi images from the Scribbles Designs store:

Using #8105 Tomb It May Concern,

#A 87 Peek-A-Boo, 

#F 96 Scary Cat, and

#F 97 Pumpkin1

I used patterned papers with circles as well as with stripes, although the striped paper is hiding behind the tombstone. 

Crafters have until October 14th to create and link up their projects at the main blog for a chance to win free digis from the Scribbles Designs Store. Can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Challenges I am Entering:
Brown Sugar - All Creatures Great & Small
Colouring in Scrapland - Halloween
Crazy for Challenges - Anything Fall
Cute & Crafty - Fall/Halloween
Make My Monday - Animals
Dragonfly Journeys - Happy Halloween

Scribbles Designs 4th Birthday Bonanza Challenge & Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the midway point of Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog and there are still two weeks left in the challenge. This month we're celebrating Scribbles Design's fourth birthday. We had a blog hop at the start of the challenge along with our regular challenge. To make this an extra special birthday, we've added some extra special prizes in addition to our regular ones.
Here is a refresher of what the theme is all about: 
It is time to break out the party hats and light up the candles on the birthday cake. Get ready to hang some streamers and blow up a few balloons too as Scribbles Designs has just turned four!!! In honor of this wonderful occasion, this challenge celebrates birthdays. Yours, mine, a family member's, a friend's, or even an acquaintance's. It doesn't matter whose birthday you are celebrating or how many candles are on the cake. Simply design a card or handmade gift commemorating someone's birthday.  
For this celebration, I created a 3D canvas (on foam board) using the following:
Images from Scribbles Designs:

Movember Boys

Pinwheel

Valentine Balloon

F61 Happy Birthday

F90 Shooting Star

Daisy 2

Layer Cake

I printed the whole thing four times, then started cutting out my layers. Here's a peek at them:

This month's prizes...

As we are celebrating our fourth birthday from January 15th to February 14th, the prizes for the challenge will be as follows...

• We will still have our regular prizes of:
•  Top Scribbler (chosen randomly) receives $10 worth of digital images, winner's choice 
•  Top 3 and Gold Star (chosen by the Design Team) receives $3 worth of digital images, winners' choice

• Additionally, a special birthday themed prize package will be given away to three lucky winners. The images in the pack will include the following:

• In order to be eligible to win this special prize package, you must:
1.  Comment on every blog hop stop, including the original challenge post no later than 11:59 p.m. on February 14th.
2.  Enter a card into the Birthday Bonanza challenge.

• Three people who follows the above rules will win this special bonus!

• Sandy, the owner and designer behind Scribbles Designs, is also offering up one more unique prize. Check it out...
  
  

  
• In order to be eligible to win this exquisite Tangle Jewelry piece worth $30.00 USD, you must:

1. Comment on every blog hop stop, including the original challenge post no later than 11:59 p.m. on February 14th.
2. Enter a card into the Birthday Bonanza challenge using a Scribbles Designs image. If you are new to Scribbles Designs you can use the freebie offered above or any of the other freebies available in the store (click on the name above to go to the store and look for 'Free' under Categories in the sidebar).

• One person who follows the above rules will win this amazing gift!

To find the original challenge post where you'll find all the blog hop links, along with the challenge link, please click HERE.

It's Furry-thing Goes Today!

There is a purr-fectly fun challenge blog called "Show Us Your Pussies," which allows cat lovers to create with their favorite feline craftiness. Any type of project is welcomed, so I created this fun sign to hang on my daughter's door. She is the real kitty lover in our house, as my allergies cannot take any kind of cat (poor thing).
I created the background paper with resources from Pixel Scrappers Janet Scott (Kitty Illustrations 02, Ball of Yarn) Sheila Reid (Furry Friends Silly Kitty), and Marisa Lerin (Pet Illustration 15, Small Paw Print).

The framed quote was created using Ike's Art digital image "Kitty Love." The borders are from Pixel Scrapper Sharon Grant (It's a Girl Thing Border 1) and Amanda Brown (Reflections Flower) There are awesome digital elements and papers to be had at pixelscrapper.com, and it's free to join their community of scrapbookers.
Now for a treat, I am offering my visitors the Playful Kitty digital paper that I created. This free paper is 12 inches by 12 inches (3600 pixels x 3600 pixels) in jpg format and published at 300 dpi. Credits include Pixel Scrapper Janet Scott’s Kitty Illustrations 02, Ball of Yarn; Pixel Scrapper Sheila Reid’s Furry Friends Silly Kitty; Pixel Scrapper Marisa Lerin’s Pet Illustration 15, Small Paw Print. TOU, please credit me if you use it. Since I don’t have a store, please use: Copyright 2016 Pat Martin, http://patacakespages.blogspot.com  As always, leaving a little love is always appreciated. Thank you! (Just right click on the image first to get the best resolution, then right click and save to your computer)

Tools of the Trade Challenge theme at Scribbles Designs challenge blog

When I saw that the theme for the challenge over at Scribbles was "Tools of the Trade," I instantly thought hammer and screwdriver, but not everyone works with those tools. A lot of people, however, work with other kinds of tools, which inspired me to create a scrapbook cover for my daughter's birthday. Even before she adopted Wilson, our 7 year old Silkie Terrier, the man on my project, Cesar Millan, was her hero. I decided to create a scrapbook for her in which to place her photos of Wilson.
I used 2 digis from Scribbles Designs: "Dog Biscuit" and the sentiment "Talk to the Paw." I snagged a photo of Cesar off his website (credit for photo goes to Robin Layton). Positive reinforcement by way of doggie treats can be construed as tools of his trade. Before printing it out, I added the sentiment. I covered my generic 6x6 scrapbook with patterned papers from DCWV "A Pet's Life." I adhered the photo to a piece of foam board to pull it away from the cover and give it dimension before adding it to my cover. Colored with Copics, my biscuits create a frame around Cesar. I can't wait to give this album to my daughter. Her birthday is on the 4th of July, so I won't have long to wait. Think she'll like it?
If you have time to create, I hope you put your own tools to work and link up your project with Scribbles Designs Challenge blog. You have until June 15th.

Challenges I am Entering:

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Our Crafty Corner - Anything Goes

Sunny Day Crafting - Photo Inspiration (I was inspired by the puppy)

Spring Has Sprung with Digi Stamps 4 Joy

Could it be Spring, finally?! I don't know about your neck of the woods, but Chicago has been on a roller coaster when it comes to temps and weather conditions. March come in like a lion,bearing snow and freezing temps, then flipped around and teased us with temps in the 60's. I would really like Mother Nature to make up her mind so I can plan out my wardrobe! LOL
Meanwhile, the Outlawz Monday Greetings offers a new challenge asking for cards with a Spring theme. The sponsor this week is Digi Stamps 4 Joy.

Doesn't the digi, Spring Has Sprung, showcase the new season's weather perfectly? I love the hedgehogs peeking out of the flowers with their smiles. They're not the only ones happy with the respite in cold weather! I rounded all my corners on my card and embellished with a spray of flowers and a few butterflies floating past my scene. My sentiment is on my printed ribbon.
Why don't you link up your Spring-themed card at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. There are some fabulous prizes offered!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, there were three bears-papa bear, mama bear and baby bear. They wanted a larger family, but mama bear couldn't have any more babies. They decided to adopt a little blond-haired, blue-eyed girl. They loved her and she was very happy with her new family, but there were many who didn't think it was proper to adopt outside of one's own species. Luckily, the Bear family, as well as their newest member, Goldilocks Bear, were thankful for the chance to be a happy family, which is all that mattered. The world needs more love and happiness, after all, don't you think?

I was inspired today to create another page in my acrylic album. This time I used a digital image from Ike's Art called Goldilocks. I used it for my DT project over at Ike's World Challenge blog, where the theme is Childhood.
I colored and fussy-cut my image, then framed it onto my page, ever mindful that the pages are clear. Whatever I place on this page will be seen from the back on the next page. Besides all my  lovely embellishments, my sentiment reads: "There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million." It's a quote by Walt Streightiff.
You have another week to join in the Childhood challenge at Ike's World challenge blog. Remember, you don't have to use an Ike's Art image, but you'll get double the chances if you do, and there are always freebies on the blog as well as on the Ike's Art Fan Page. See you there, and have fun crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Daring Cardmakers - Anything but a Card (acrylic album page)

Fussy & Fancy - Thankful (for Family)