Christmas Cheers

We're down to the wire, crafters. For those of you who are still working on holiday cards, just 23 days to go; and for those of you who have your card needs covered, brava, and why not use the extra time to start building next year's stash?
Today I created a card for my granddaughter, Bella. She's in middle school now, and made the cheerleading squad. She should get a kick out of this one. I used a Bugaboo digi image called "BB Cheerleader Girl." I like using images in unusual ways, like a cheerleader for a holiday card.
Once again, my stash has supplied everything I needed for my card. I even re-discovered my Fiskars roller. It really gives my patterned paper added dimension. My card turned out so well, I think I'll use it at my next card-making workshop later this month.

Challenges I am Entering:

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos Day 2 - Sketch Challenge

Christmas Crafts All Year round - Anything Goes

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper - AG w/patterned paper

Sheepski Designs - Celebrations

Don't forget to check out Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas Raise the Hoof celebration at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. The game question is the easiest of them all, as Santa's reindeer only have ONE job to do on ONE day of the year. Now hoof on over there to answer the question for your chance to win Day 2's digi release!!

Confidence is the Theme at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

A little canvas with a big message! Today I created a mixed media canvas to try to convey the theme of CONFIDENCE at the Path of Positivity Challenge blog.
Let me tell you, it takes a LOT of confidence to dance in front of others. Of course, most of my dancing happens in the store aisles where they insist on "entertaining" shoppers with a little mood music. Like it's going to subconsciously convince us to grab more groceries, clothes or craft supplies!
But I grew up with American Bandstand, where teens danced on TV and got to "rate" a new song. Their most positive comment (and most often uttered)? "It's got a good beat I can dance to." And I can hear that beat over the store speakers and first I start humming, then my pace matches the beat, and soon I'm swinging my hips as I reach for the laundry detergent. When this happens, whoever came in with me quickly disappears down another aisle.
Any time you say to the world, "Here I am. This is me," whether you're stepping into a roomful of strangers, dancing to "elevator music" or showcasing your art on your blog, you are exercising that Confidence muscle. When you realize that your only competition is yourself, and you quit making comparisons with others, you are on the path toward happiness and success.
Speaking of paths, you have a whole month to confidently create something that follows the theme of Confidence. A card, a tag, a photo with a description, an altered art piece, a journal page,even a canvas--the sky's the limit, as long as it inspires Confidence in yourself and others.
There are two sponsors this month with some great prize offerings. The first sponsor is Ike's Art, whose image I colored up with Copics and placed confidently on my canvas.

The second sponsor is Scribbles Designs, and I'll get to show you my DT make using one of Sandy's images later in the month.

Confidence can manifest itself many different ways. How will YOU interpret this month's theme? Check out the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog for inspiration, and I hope I see you over there with a link to your creation this month. 

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes (no cards/ATCs)

Animal Friends challenges - Summer (with an animal)

Crafts & Me - Anything Goes

Doodle Pantry - Anything Digital Goes

Sisters of Craft - ANything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge - Animals

Anything Goes with Limited Runs at Your Scrapbook Place

Welcome to a new challenge over at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. Our sponsor is Limited Runs, and I colored up this digital image called Birdhouses 5. After fussy-cutting my bird houses, I framed it with a paper doily. I did the same for my sentiment, using bits of leftover doily. Since the patterned paper I used is a tad busy, I embellished simply with a jeweled flourish, as well as a leftover felt-and-jeweled flower. Just a simple card with a simple wish--for Spring!

What will you create this month? Whatever you make, link it up at Your Scrapbook Place for your chance to win awesome prizes from Limited Runs.

Challenges I am Entering:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring

A New Year Brings a New Challenge at Quirky Crafts

Oh what fun it is to Celebrate a birthday, especially when your cake is almost as big as you are! My girlfriend had a baby boy last year and it is coming up on his birthday, so this digital image from Stitchy Bear, called BBKakes Birthday Boy 1, is perfect for the child's personality. He's not afraid of getting a little messy, especially if the mess is made of sugar!!
Welcome to Quirky Crafts new challenge, the first in 2016. With the New Year comes changes, and I am one of them, being blessed to have been invited to create as a DT member. Another change is that Quirky challenges will now be monthly, starting on the first Sunday of each month.
So to start the new challenge, the theme is Celebrations! Make your card something to celebrate or to give in celebration of something-and don't forget to use the words celebrate or celebration on your card. I colored my Stitchy Bear digi with Copics, while the embossed sentiment on the left is from Stampin Up!
In keeping with my promise to use up my stash, everything on my card was a leftover piece of paper, ribbon, letters, even the feather was from a container I had stashed away in my craft closet! Do you have a New Year's Resolution that is "crafty"? Mine from 2015 was to use up my stash, and I'm going to have to extend it into 2016. I have a ROOM full of "stash" from which to create.
Here's wishing you a Happy New Year, filled with stamping, painting, altering, water coloring and all that fun stuff! Don't forget to link your card or project with Quirky Crafts challenge blog for your chance to win free digis:
 1st prize: 3 images of choice from the entire Stitchy Bear store
 2nd prize: any 3 images used by the DT
 3rd Prize: any 2 images used by the DT

Challenges I am Entering:

Fantasy Stampers challenges - Happy Birthday (sentiment on left is hand stamped and embossed)

Let's Color Saturday Linky Party - Anything Goes/optional celebrations theme

Stitchy Bear FB page - Anything Goes

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

ABCchallenges - Y is for Your Choice (anything goes)

2 Creative CHicks - Anything Goes

I'm Seeing Dots and So Will You

What's more fun than using a Squigglefly image on a card?  Using TWO!!
I made a Christmas card with two new Squigglefly images.  The one toward the front is from Cheryl Alger, called Christmas Bauble Trouble; the second is called Christmas Tree with Candles & Holly by Pamela Lehto.

I colored both images with Copics. After using Stickles to give her bauble some bling, I used a corner punch on Cheryl's image and framed it onto green cardstock.  I fussy cut Pamela's image of the Christmas tree and adhered it directly to my polka-dotted patterned paper.  Since the new Squigglefly challenge this week is to use Polka dots on your project, I piled it on by adding some dotted ribbon as well.

Ready to get dotty?  Make a project with a Squigglefly image and use polka dots for your chance to WIN!