Path of Positivity Determination Challenge

Today's canvas showcases a fabulous digi from Ike's Art. It's called "Cognitive Thoughts" and I thought it would be perfect for this month's theme of Determination at the Path of Positivity challenge blog.
de·ter·mi·na·tion

(diˌtərməˈnāSHən) 

There are quite a few definitions of the word Determination. I like mine best - "an attitude that keeps you going until you achieve your goal." 

It all boils down to attitude -- how you approach your goal, how you blast through (and sometimes stumble through), obstacles in your path, and how you continue to put one foot in front of the other until you reach your journey's end.

I read something from Energy 103.5  posted on Facebook that gave credence to my thoughts: If you assign each letter a number, from A=1, B=2, etc. through Z=26), then spelled the words (and counted the numbers) KNOWLEDGE and HARD WORK, they would each add up to 96% and 98%.
Now do the same with the word ATTITUDE; you'll add up to 100%.
Determination is all about your attitude...toward your day, your goals, your life. If you give 100% attitude to whatever you want, you can reach those goals.
Have you tripped down the Path of Positivity this month? There are some awesome prizes from their guest sponsor, Pickled Potpourri, as well as their regular sponsors!! Even if you don't play in their challenge, you'll leave with a more positive spin on life.

How Charming!

Welcome to a new challenge at Squigglefly! This week crafters are asked to use charms on your project so we can ooh and ahh and say, "Oh, how Charming!"
I got to play with a new August release from artist Tam Hess called "Sweater Cat." Now, I am not a cat person (allergies), but this cat is just too cute for words!! So I decided to use the image on a canvas.
I printed my image in several different sizes, as I wanted a mama cat and a few of her kitties to follow her. I decided to create a CAS canvas. I used handmade paper to cover the canvas, then colored my images with my trusty Copics and adhered them onto the paper. Although the cats look blue, the color is really shades of gray--my color is off on the photo.
I love watching the TV show Big Bang Theory, and if you also watch it, you'll recognize the sentiment as the beginning lyrics to a song gone viral. I finished off my canvas with some scattered sequins and my KEY ingredient, the charm. Isn't it "charming" the way mama cat makes sure her kitties are following her by luring them with the promise of a fish dinner??
Whatever your medium, Squigglefly digi images are great to use, and August offers some new winners from artists like Tam, Sandra Caldwell, James Horvath and many other talented people. Check them all out at the Squigglefly Store. You can also catch a few FREEBIES while you're there. Play in this week's challenge and you'll be in the running for free digis, too!

Miracles Still Happen

Today I want you to say a prayer for a friend of mine who is going through a rough time.  I meant to send her a canvas I had made previously but I thought I had better seal it with ModPodge and lo and behold the words I had written on the canvas smeared!!  Note to self: Never use gel pen to journal on canvas, no matter how sharp and  clear it makes it look! LOL
So I decided to make another canvas for her, but she doesn't know I'm sending this one out to her. Shh!  It's a secret.  I like to buy my canvases on clearance or a really good sale.  This one was part of a four pack on which one had been torn in two places.  I mod-podged the back of the tears and then covered the front of the canvas with patterned paper from Webster's Pages (US1711D)...worked perfectly, and for pennies per canvas!
I used a little bit of everything on my project today:
12x12 stretched canvas; Tim Holtz' embossing die, distress inks and grunge board (I wouldn't be surprised if the bird on the branch were his, too); Fancy Pants flower and sentiment stickers; Alphas from Rebecca Sower Designs and Colorbok; stamped manga fairy image from Gina Moceri; gold metallic paint; Mod Podge; Sakura white gel pen; gold jewels and leftover ribbon.
My techniques include distressing in the form of tearing and inking.  The quote reads: "Even today, Miracles still happen." I want my friend to never give up hope for any of life's situations. We grow stronger every time we get up from being beaten down; we learn to see more clearly when days are darkest; and we learn to spread our wings and fly when winds of change whip against us. It's funny how I took those thoughts and came up with the canvas I'm showing, but inspiration sometimes throws us curves and we just have to roll with them. I rolled with mine and came up with something which I must soon bundle up and send off into the world. I hope it cheers her up!

Love Is in the Air

With Valentine's Day coming up this Friday, I thought I'd better crack the crafting whip and get some projects done to give to all my Valentine's.  The first thing I wanted to create was a canvas. I haven't done one in a couple of weeks, so I pulled out my homemade "modpodge," brushes and tissue paper and made a base for my canvas art.
Next I cut out a patterned paper heart, embellishing it and drawing a black glitter glue line (also homemade) around it.  Then I found the perfect alphas to spell out the word LOVE. Finally, I "had my way" with my canvas, adding sparkle, hearts and ink to finish it off.
For anyone thinking about joining the mixed media canvas craze, it's so easy and fun!  And below are recipes for my homemade modpodge and glitter glue:
modpodge:  2 parts white glue + 1 part water.  Stir and create!
glitter glue:   1 bottle white glue  minus  2 TBSP + 1 TBSP fine glitter.  Stir and start sparkling!

Here are the challenges I'm playing in this week:
OUTLAWZ SATURDAY PAPER ALA MODE CHALLENGE: Valentine's
PAPER TAKE WEEKLY Challenge:  Anything Goes
THE CORROSIVE CHALLENGE:  FEEL THE lOVE  
LOVE TO SCRAP Challenge:  WHO LOVES YA BABY?!
CREATIVE MOMENTS Challenge:  Anything Goes/Add Some Sparkle

Happy crafting, everyone!

 

The Path of Generosity

What do you want to accomplish in this new year?  I have several resolutions that I hope will shape me into a better person.  One of them is to try to perform a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) each day.  Another is to be a better example to my grandchildren.  Children learn from what we do, not just what we say.  So I will try to be on my best behavior, especially when they're around.  Which leads me into my new canvas.

I created it for the Path of Positivity's January challenge, whose theme is GENEROSITY.  One of our monthly sponsor's is IKE'S ART, whose image, "New Baby," I used here.  I put a base of matte medium and yellow and pink tissue papers.

I printed Ike's digi image and colored it with Copics: R00,11; YR00; E31,95 and Spectrum Noir PL1.  I fussy cut the image (isn't it darling?) and adhered it to my canvas with Mod Podge.  The sentiment is a mix of glitter alphas and Stickles.

I played with leftover lace, sequins, flowers, buttons, stickers and ink until I got the effect you see above. Need a little positivity in the New Year?  Wander down the Path of Positivity-whether you need some positive words, some creative inspiration, or a chance to win great prizes from the following sponsors:

 ·   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.

·     Five digital images from Digi Stamps 4 Joy, 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.

Behold Wonder

I have been following a wonderful journaling blog by Lisa Sonora.  She offers 30 Day journaling prompts, and I have been posting my thoughts on my facebook page.  Since the beginning, I have been journaling through words, but one of the newest prompts caused me to switch to canvas.

The prompt that inspired this canvas is "Overcome fear, behold wonder" by Richard Bach.  There is no wonder (in my mind) than that a child.  As we mature, it is harder and harder to experience wonder, that first sight or touch or smell of something amazing.
In order to guide yourself to the opportunity for wonder, you must overcome fear and experience new and amazing adventures.  Travel, experiment, look up at the skies, look down at the growing things, look toward what the children see.  Wonder is everywhere, if only you open your eyes and your heart to it.
I started my canvas with a base of different shades of tissue papers and matte medium.  After stamping some contrat onto my base, I adhered a Squigglefly colored digi image from artist Inger Harding from her Winter Wonderland collection.  The words Behold Wonder are cardstock stickers from Basic Grey which I outlined in white gel pen.  I embellished the canvas with lines of pearls, some trim and snowflakes.
I joined a mixed media group on Paper Digital Art called Get Your Art On.  It's relatively new and the first challenge slowly eases artists into the mixed media genre.  It requires a canvas, tissue paper, ModPodge or other sticky medium, a stamped (or digi) image and embellishments of your choice.  I plan to experience new techniques and adventure out into the creative unknown in this group.  I plan to expand my opportunities to feel wonder.  I plan to create with wonder and behold wonder!
Want to join me?