A Season of Thanks and Giving

 Check out the Path of Positivity challenge blog for their newest challenge, The Power of Words: Family & Friends. They're at the midway point of the challenge...

 

Most of my neighbors know that I'm a crafter. They've also seen me pock up interesting things from the ends of driveways to upcycle or alter. Last month I created and gave mini charcuterie boards complete with cheese and a Halloween spreader/knife. 

This month I'm gifting a couple more neighbors with a portable family game center. because I was inspired by the Candyland tin to fill it with game materials. It holds a new holiday deck o cards, Yahtzee score sheets with dice and little golf pencils, and an unopened UNO dice game. I added an extra die for a game known by many names, like Foo, Farkle, etc,.

 The second game center started out as a cardboard card box shaped like a book. I decorated it to make the outside look like a real book using designer papers and a little gold paint. This box holds a deck of holiday playing cards, Yahtzee score sheets and pencils, the extra die for Foo+, and a velvet bag holding an 8-sided, dreidel-shaped "spinner" with "directions" on each side. I included a baggie of chips to use with this game.

Both game centers are also decorated with bows and a small notecard telling each family how blessed I am to have them for neighbors and friends. And of course, each family has young children to enjoy family game nights. I'll be dropping these off this coming week...

24 Days of Christmas - Day 6 - Alternative Tree

'tis the season to figure out where your Christmas tree is going! If you have a small living room like I do, space is tight. Last year's tree was just the top of a pre-lit tree I inherited from my mom. It lasted through last Christmas, then met its demise due to old age and improper storage.

I also have a habit of rearranging my living room furniture often...like twice in 2023! So when my neighbor's daughter came over with a jewelry ring holder, I figured this might be a good way to think outside the box. The first thing I did was to color the hand from PURPLE to white. I used spray paint.

I painted her nails gold and pulled out my box of holiday crafting supplies. I found some felt border in the shape of holly leaves that I ran up down her arm and added my own take on holly berries (adhesive-backed red gems).The bottom needed something, so I added a cuff of lace. I just might have gone overboard with the gold bows all around the cuff, but by the time I changed my mind about them, the hot glue was dry and those ribbons ain't coming off without a fight, I gave up.

I then hung  a few assorted tiny ornaments onto each hand. They kept slipping around on her fingers, so I used a tiny dab of glue to each finger. I just couldn't get a background up and better lighting, so I used Photoshop to "spray paint" the background to match the sign I had put my Christmas Hand Tree against. 

It looks kind of funky, but I just came back from 2 weeks in the Caribbean and got a shock of cold weather and instant holiday lights, decorations and a countdown until the big day. I am crafting these goodies day by day instead of having most of them ready and scheduled like I did for Halloween. 

FYI: Never go on a trip over Thanksgiving for 2 weeks. My body had acclimated to the heat and humidity and lack of anything Christmas-y. It's like jet lag but instead of my sleep being off, my calendar for the holidays is off and I am freezing!!

Time to root around for another make for tomorrow. I'm already missing two days out of my 24 days of Christmas celebration!! Happy crafting, y'all! 

Having Fun with SLS Lines at Craft Your Passion

Hello, crafty peeps! Today I created my DT card for Craft Your Passion using an image from SLS Lines, this week's sponsor. She's called Art Nouveau Girl with Flowers and can be found HERE.
I tried to give my card a vintage look with shades of pink and brown, embellishing with flowers, pearls and lacy borders. I don't do vintage often, so I am still stretching my comfort zone.
Are you in a rut? WHat's a technique or tool that you have wanted to try or improve upon? Give it a shot this week, and share with us at Craft Your Passion challenge blog. It's always Anything Goes there!!

Challenge #12: Santa Claus is Coming To Town

My goodness, how the year has flown! I have had a lot of fun creating Christmas cards for the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up challenge blog. Have you too?! I know for a fact that I am ready to send out my Christmas cards and even have cards for Christmas morning to share with my family. I don't know if I could have done it without their 2 cards a month challenge, and all the lovely papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

This last month is sponsored by the talented Rick St. Dennis, whose "Night Before Christmas" digi image is the focus on my card today. I was inspired by the song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

I colored him with Copics, added a little shimmer with metallic gel pens, then fussy-cut him out for my card. Decosse's Dynamite Doodles created a paper kit of beautiful and fun Christmas patterned papers, and I decided to use three of them today.

The challenge theme at the 12 Months of Christmas is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." It is an optional theme, but if you play with it in mind, you are a in the running for a prize from Rick St Dennis (just make sure when you link up to add the letters FT after your name).

You have another week to link up at least two cards for the challenge to get your free paper. And as Santa would say, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Challenges I am Entering:

Card Mania - Christmas

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Keep It Simple

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes Christmas

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

It's Snowing Cupcakes (I wish!)

Here is my midway DT project for this month's 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up challenge. I got to play with a sweet digi image from Imagine That! Digis by Kris. It's called Cupcake Snowman. The blog offers us an optional theme of Kids' Christmas cards. In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, they want to see a Christmas or other holiday card, meant for a child between the ages of 0 & 12. I can't wait to see how it turns out! If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that they include you in the draw for the prize.
Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards, 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 to Imagine That! Digis by Kris store.

Here's a little about this month's sponsor:

 Imagine That! Digis by Kris™ is a mother/daughter team bringing you our cutest hand-drawn images that you can flip, re-size, re-color, print & use in your crafting creations!  Almost all our digi sets include both color & outline formats & include sentiments for a great value.  In addition to carrying family-friendly digi stamps, we also offer digital papers and KD-Kits, all available as instant downloads!  You may want to check out our Free blog Wear category, as well as find freebies on our Facebook Page and join in our monthly progressive challenge where everyone who plays, Wins!  You can read more about us here on our 'About the Artists' page.

Okay, crafters, it's your turn! You have until October 31st to link up your card(s) at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up blog. If you link up at least 2 cards, you will receive a free digital Christmas-themed paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. If you create using the theme of Kids' Christmas, make sure you add the letters FT after your name for that prize draw.
And as always, crafters, have fun!!

12 Months of Christmas Cards Link-up Colour Challenge

I'm ticking off another Christmas card made for my 2015 stash. How am I keeping on track so well, you may ask?! I've been invited to join the Merry Maidens Design team at the 12 Months of Christmas Cards Link Up!
This month's sponsor is Sami Stamps and I got to play with a cute image called Christmas Gift Poodle, as well as some fabulous patterned papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles called Bauble Bonanza.
This month, the optional twist to your Christmas card entries is a Colour Challenge:

Instead of your typical holiday colours, they want to see cards using non-traditional colours like the ones in the photo above.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card showcases at least THREE of the colours from the palette below.  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.

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 $12.00 gift card from Sami Stamps.
I used these colours as my background, coordinating my ribbons and extra large bauble to embellish. How's your stash of holiday cards coming along? Need a boost? Then make a couple cards for the Link Up for your free paper! That's enough inspiration for me! LOL!!
And as always, crafters, have fun!!

Sponsor and Prize Info for this challenge:

• Guest Sponsor:  Sami Stamps
• Prize being offered:  $12.00 gift card from the store for one random winner chosen from those who participate in the optional theme.
• 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, they only have to follow the theme if they want a chance at the sponsor's prize.  The mini set of six digital papers called Bauble Bonanza, will also be offered up as a prize to one random winner.

Dancing with Serendipity on the Path of Positivity

When a person takes the dance floor of life, she is at the whim of the music, the tempo, even the partners that she may dance with. When the music stops, whatever the outcome, it is at the whim of serendipity.

This month's theme at the Path of Positivity challenge blog takes us down the path of Serendipity, that unexpected good fortune that we have all experienced at one time or another. One of this month's sponsors is Luna Girl, heavenly website of gorgeous, whimsical, and vintage image sheets. I got to play with Music Sheet.

I tore into the images--literally tearing individual images to form a collage on an 8x8 canvas. Sheet music (found at a rummage sale) and patterned papers formed a base of sorts. I adhered images, and a die-cut sentiment that reads: "Everything has a rhythm. Everything dances" by Maya Angelou. 

To embellish, I used ribbon bows, paper flowers and doilies, lace and pearls, then sprayed everything with homemade shimmer mist. I love the look of my project, and can't wait to hang it in my room. Or should I give Serendipity a helping hand and send it to someone as a surprise?

Come join me on the Path of Positivity as we explore serendipity together in the way of cards, mixed media, and writing. The challenge is open through the month of March, and I would love to bump into you there!

The sponsors and prizes for this challenge are:

A $12 gift certificate from Sami Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.

• A $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, 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:

• One digital designer paper (made to order in a couple 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.

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Luna Girl Challenge blog - Fruit &/or Flowers 

Craft My Life - All crafts 

 Frilly & Funky challenges - Bring on the Bling

2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes (no cards-mine is an 8x8 canvas)

Crafting Musketeers - Ribbons & Pearls
Altered Eclectics - Mixed media only