Ring in the New Year by Paying It Forward

I made a New Year's resolution to Pay It Forward by gifting several people with little somethings throughout 2015, people who signed up to do the same for several other people. Because what the world needs now is little daily kindness, coming out of the blue with no warning and given in the spirit of the joy of giving.

So today I made a gift for my daughter. I'm so proud of her, as she just mailed out a manuscript for a writing contest. Her dream is to become a published writer, eventually supporting herself by her writing. She also dabbles in mixed media, water colors, and art journals. So I created a project to remind her that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, or, as the front says, Creativity is her middle name.

 I used a digi image from Simply Betty Stamps called Artist London. The canvas in the image is blank so that you can write, print or stamp any sentiment you want. After coloring her with Copics, I used Stickles on her bandana. After going a tad crazy with pearl flourishes and flowers, I popped it all on an easel-style note holder.

Now my daughter can write down those fabulous ideas in the middle of the night when they come to her, and she can get on with writing the next American Novel!!

Challenges I am Entering:

PaperTake Weekly - Anything Goes w/optional twist (gift for my daughter)
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Wonderful Wednesdays - Anything Goes
Creative Moments Challenge Blog - Anything Goes/New Beginnings (new year resolution)
Scribble & Scrap - Always Anything Goes

Deep Freeze in Chicago Inspires Today's Project

Tomorrow, temps will not just dip but DIVE well below ZERO. Wind chills tomorrow evening will be between 30 and 40 below zero. Brrr!
The weather has inspired me to create a winter canvas on wood using an image from Simply Betty Stamps. She's called Brittney Bundled Up, which is what I need to do to get to work tomorrow! It's going to take my car longer to warm up so I can drive it, than the trip to my office will take. LOL
Anyway, I've had a few of these oval pieces of wood since I was in Girl Scouts, and finally decided to clean them out of my craft room. Lord knows how they kept getting packed up and moved from state to state throughout the years, but now they'll be gifted friends and family over the coming months.
I used Mod Podge to set my base after coloring my image with Copics. I love using the color teal especially on winter projects. It makes me happy, and crafting also makes me happy, so it's a win-win situation.
Embellishments include lightly-shaded teal pearls, and glittery snowflake buttons, part of my stash, left over from Christmas this year.
I committed to a New Year's Pay It Forward promise, to send the first five people who make the same commitment a little something special this year to each. My cousin Debbie lives in Texas and was the first person to commit to pay it forward, and she has let me know that a piece of art would please her greatly, so I'm going to box this up and send it to her this month. Nothing like starting the year off right!

**Challenges I am entering**

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Love to Create - Anything Goes
PaperMinutes - Snow but NOT a Christmas card

PaperTake Weekly - Anything Goes w/optional Twist- Gift (for my cousin)

Pinspirational Challenge Blog - Snowflake

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Favorite Embellishment (teal pearls)
Try It on Tuesday - Favorite Things (teal anything)

2015 Will Be a Unique Year on the Path of Positivity

It's very difficult sometimes to maintain your own unique self in the sea of conformity, community and peer groups. As you can see from my new mixed media canvas, although one of several mustachio'd creatures, each is unique in their own lovable way. You, too, can and should be unique in your special way. After all, everyone else is taken, so why be them? LOL
I created my canvas for the Path of Positivity blog's newest and very first challenge of the New Year: Uniqueness! I got to play with a delightful image from Scribbles Design, featuring her signature characters (those of us who are Sandy's fans have come to know and love to create with).  This digi image is called "Movember Boys" and is available along with so many others at her store.
I started my canvas by covering it with leftover patterned papers, using Mod Podge (I was out of Matte Medium). Next came my Copic-colored image. After that, it was just a matter of the right embellishments. The alphas are leftover from a package of Basic Grey Dark Chocolate Chip card stock stickers.
There is plenty of inspiration on the Path of Positivity Challenge blog, including a project from their guest DT member, Mimi. Please check her out and give her a little love before you go!
Now, on to the challenge details:

• A prize package worth $10 of digi images (digital papers not applicable) from Scribbles Designs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $10 gift certificate from Ike's Art, 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.

The Uniqueness Challenge runs from January 5 through February 1. As always crafters, have fun!

 http://buyscribblesdesigns.blogspot.ca/

 http://suzy-ikesworld.blogspot.ca/

http://decossesdynamitedoodles.blogspot.ca/

OTHER CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenges - Anything Goes using your Stash

Bling in the New Year with This Week's Squigglefly Challenge

It's time to ring in the New Year with glitter and bling at Squigglefly this week. The challenge is to use  Squigglefly image and shimmer it up with bling and/or glitter. I used shimmery patterned paper, jewels and glittery gel pens to my friendship card. I also used a brand-spankin' new January release from Squigglefly called Heart Friends by artist Angela Charles.
I don't know about you, but I have tried to clean out and organize by craft supplies. It is a never ending battle, so I will have to keep this goal on my 2015 New Year's resolutions. I'm also coming up on 100 Followers, and when I reach this goal, I am going to share my "treasures" with Followers old and new. Tell your friends, so they can get in on the fun and surprises, too!
Meanwhile, pull out your bling and come play with us at the Squigglefly Challenge blog this week!

2015 Outlawz Challenges Off to a Great Start

Happy New Year, crafters!
The Outlawz Greetings challenge this first Monday of 2015 is to create a card or project using CHEVRONS, BLING and CIRCLES. You don't necessarily have to use a colored image, but your project must have a sentiment.
My first card uses an image from Dr. Digi called "Dunderton Decorators, Ltd."

As you can see, I combined a couple of circles with chevron washi tape for the challenge.

Next up is another birthday card:

I made this card using a couple images from one of our monthly sponsors, Dr.Digi. They are called "Paint Brush" which is showcased on the front of my card, and "Paint Can," showcased on the inside of my card.

Dr. Digi has a load of quirky and funny images with which you can play, too! They even have a few freebies to color up HERE. Of course, any image is good to go for the Greetings Challenge. All you have to do is add some CHEVRONS, BLING and CIRCLES. I didn't have any chevron patterned paper or any Washi tape to make my CHEVRONS, so I used coordinating card stock strips to make them on the side of my card. My BLING (red jewels) is found on the chevrons, as well as the handle of my brush (Stickles). My patterned paper is chock full of CIRCLES, and my sentiment was stamped onto a die-cut circle.
Jump into the New Year with both hands full of markers and play in the Outlawz Greetings challenge this week. Plenty of inspiration and fun there!

Anything Goes at SBP Challenge Blog

Today is a new day, new month, new year AND a new challenge from Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog. The theme is my fave type: ANYTHING GOES. The sponsor is Sunflowerfield:

"Sunflowerfield is a small company located in Finland and we offer 'Cozy Home Products and Crafters' Essentials'. We have our own 'Sunflowerfield Designs' rubber and digi stamps designed by Vanja Stevanović and stamps from three fabulous companies: Wild Rose Studio, Whimsy Stamps and Crafty Sentiment Designs. In our webstore you will find quality ink pads, designer paper packs, different embellishments (brads, gems, pearls, charms...), wooden elements like hearts, stars, flowers... then satin flowers, paper roses, laces, ribbons, acrylic blocks and more."

For my card, I chose to create digitally. That's right, peeps, 100% digital! I have been playing in Photoshop Elements and have learned a trick or two (can you tell I'm very proud of myself? LOL) 

Besides coloring the Sunflowerfield image, I also managed to manipulate the frame, borders and snowflake brads by Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. The image itself, while Thanksgiving-themed, has been colored in a winter palette. I love using themed images in different ways, don't you?

The sentiment is mine, using Photoshop. Even the snowflakes are stamps from my software! (If you knew anything about me, you would know that learning as much as I have in Photoshop is a BIG thing) My goal for 2015 is to get even more adept at using Photoshop.

So, you have one whole month to create ANYTHING your little heart desires! Here are the guidelines for our challenges:
1. Your project must be new and fit the theme; any post containing your project must be published after the first day of the new challenge. No backlinking. 
2. Your post must name the SBP Challenge Bog and a link to the challenge post. 
3. You may enter as many other challenges as you wish.
4.  Closing time is midnite CDST on the last day of each month.
5.  You may enter up to three times for each new challenge.

Check out the SBP Challenge Blog for inspiration, then go play and create so you can enter for a chance to win a prize from our sponsor, Sunflowerfield!! Have fun!!
p.s. Lisa at Decosse's Dynamite Doodles has some freebies available for you, too!

A New Year Brings a New Challenge from the Outlawz

Today starts another challenge from the Outlawz Freebie/Progressive Challenges. It's their second month of this new challenge, and there are 100 players who registered last month. Those crafters who uploaded their projects throughout December will receive this image from All Dressed Up.
I used mine on a swing card I made using an Elizabeth Craft Designs #768 - Katie Label Pivot Card Die.

Here's an inside view. I printed my image twice, using just the face for the second frame. The sentiment reads: There is no greater treasure than a good friend."
As I look back over the previous year, I am so very grateful for the friends I have. They are my support system, my comedic relief, my therapists and my security blanket. I hope I am as valuable to them as they are to me.
Check out the inspiration cards and projects at the Outlawz Freebie/Progressive Challenges. If you would like to play along throughout the year, but missed your chance when it initially started, you can go to All Dressed Up and purchase this image. Create with it and upload it onto our challenge string and you will be automatically added to the list of players receiving next month's freebie!!

Other challenges I am entering:
SBP Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge Blog - Favorite Shape or Fold  (I have always loved swing cards but found them a little time consuming. One of my Christmas presents was a new die from Elizabeth Designs, making this type of swing card super easy, and from now on, super popular on my blog!)
Frilly & Funky CHallenge Blog - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination Challenge Blog - Always Anything Goes
Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Special Fold
Corrosive Challenge Blog - Shiny & New (I used my brand spanking new die from Elizabeth Designs)