PagesPat's Ponderings

Monday, October 12, 2015

Waiting for Fall

The season has definitely changed. Leaves are changing colors, temps are lower, and winds are a bit crisper. This week the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge blog asks for a card or project that "uses Autumn colors and Twine."
My DT project uses an image from Scribbles Designs called "Leafy Brrr." I used twine to tie my tag to the card, and made up the tongue-in-cheek humorous sentiment, printed with Microsoft Word. One of the things that MUST be on your project is a sentiment or greeting. Link up your project using twine and Autumn colors for your chance to win. And just to sweeten the deal, there will be a second drawing for a digital stamp set from one of our DT, Christine Hor, "So Thankful":

What are you waiting for?? LOL
Challenges I am Entering:
My Time to Craft - Autumnal Colors
De-Stempelwinkel challenges - Halloween/Autumn/Fall

I'm Nuts for Autumn

Welcome to a new week, and a new challenge from Craft Your Passion challenge blog. Guest sponsor this week is Doodle Pantry, and I created a Fall-themed card using a difital set called "Just Nutty." The set is loaded with pre-colored and outline images, digital papers and sentiments.
I was inspired to create this card after meeting one of our newest neighbors.
The family was entranced by this little guy's brashness. He came right up to my daughter and her friend on the front stoop, and made himself comfortable. So of course we had to feed him!
What was truly amazing was that he wanted to make his home in the backpack, and we had to take strong measures to look elsewhere for the winter.
So there you have it in a nutshell-my inspiration for my card. Where do you find inspiration? I find it in the most unlikely places!! LOL
Don't forget that Craft Your Passion offers Anything Goes challenges, so I hope to see your creations on their challenge blog this week. And as always, crafters, have fun!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Faery Ink Sponsors SBP challenge Blog this month

October brings out the warm colors and haunted wishes in the crafter in me. It also brings a new challenge to Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. The guest sponsor is Faery Ink, and the image I used for my holiday box is called Ghost of Lenore. Since Lenore is a famous poem by Edgar Allen Poe, one of my fave writers, I used Lenore with her creator to alter a wooden box into a sweet Halloween decoration.
I rubbed some Tim Holtz stain on my box inside and out, then covered the sides with leftover patterned papers. I used up a lot of pearl flourishes, flowers, bows and tiny skeleton parts from my stash. I created the legs from white marbles, painting on faces and gluing them on.

I had loads of fun creating this one.
Now it's your turn to have some fun. The theme is Anything Goes, so link up your project for your chance to win prizes from our sponsor, Faery Ink!
Challenges I am Entering:
Decorate to Celebrate - Anything Goes
Colour Q challenges - color inspiration
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes w/a touch of black
Haunted Design House - Halloween (no cuteness)
Forever Dark 2 challenges - Anything Dark
That Craft Place - Mixed MEdia Anything Goes
Altered Eclectics - ANything Mixed Media Goes
Creatalicious challenges - Halloween
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - October
Through the Purple Haze - Halloween
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
Quoth the Raven - Color Challenge (choose at least 3-I chose Black, orange & purple)


Tag You're It!

Hello, crafters! I was lucky enough to discover a Card Trading Club practically in my own back yard. The women who belong to the club, which I found out about at my lss, invited me to join, and I have been able to make most meetings. This week, instead of cards, the trade is Christmas Tags.
Everyone brings in 16 baggies of 6 tags to pass along, kind of like a Cookie Exchange Night.

I remembered this week's meeting a couple days ago, and I was under the gun to produce almost 100 tags for the exchange, but as you can see, I persevered! LOL
I used Christmas patterned papers from my stash and my Creative Memories border punch system to make the lovely Christmas Tree cutouts on my tags. Adding a folded pieces of ribbon and some pearls and snowflakes, I added a stamped sentiment "To: From:" after inking the sides of my tags.
I can't believe I finished all these tags in less than two days of available crafting time! Of course, they are very CAS, but I like the way they turned out, and hope my fellow club members like them.
I can't wait to see all the tags tomorrow night!!
Have you started your Christmas crafting yet? I have a good start on my cards, thanks to the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up Blog. I haven't started any handmade presents yet, though.
That's all for now. Happy crafting!
Challenges I am Entering:
MooMania - Show Patterns
A Snowflake's Promise - Anything Goes Winter/Snow
Love to Scrap challenges - Ribbon or Lace

Monday, October 5, 2015

Resiliency Brings its Own Rewards


Today starts a new challenge at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. The theme is Resiliency, and I have a personal story to tell:
 At the end of summer, my co-worker had to quit and find another job because the business manager pulled her benefits-eligibility. Then my boss opted to leave for a number of reasons. Except for a part-timer, I carried on despite lack of communication from the powers that be. While on scheduled vacation, my new boss arrived. Two months later, I still have no guarantee that my job will remain the same as far as being benefits-eligible. I wouldn't mind lesser hours, but let me keep my family's insurance please. It also seems that my part-time friend and I are in competition for remaining in the department. So we are both working our butts off to save our butts.
So, where does the theme of Resiliency come into play here?
Resiliency is defined as the ability to recover from or adjust to change. Change is a part of life, and success is measured by how resilient a person is throughout changes in life: growth, education, relationships, work, health, aging. A resilient person can learn from mistakes, adapt to changes in environment, work to maintain balance in their lives, and keep a positive attitude throughout it all.
Personally, this last change in my life has taken a toll on my own resiliency. I am learning from mistakes, adapting to the changes, and maintaining an outward appearance of calm and positivity. However, the stress of not knowing what tomorrow will bring is playing havoc with my emotional and spiritual balance.
But I am an optimist, and just need to work on returning to a healthy balance by letting go of fear and doubt. I started spinning to keep my energy levels up; I meditate and "shed" the stresses of each work day before I go to bed; I pray to remind myself that I am exactly where God wants me to be at this point in my life.
And of course, I spend tine crafting to relax. I used a digi image from Ike's Art called Muse 7. I chose to showcase the seasonal changes that Autumn brings. Crisper air, a bounty of color in the trees, a crunchy carpet of leaves underfoot--one would be hard put not to recognize all the beauty that Fall brings to our neck of the woods. And that's just what I need to remember. The Earth is resilient, and adapts itself to the changes of the seasons. And each season brings its own beauty into the world.
I, too, can be resilient, and bring forth my own beauty into my life.
This month's PRIZES are from two of my favorite sponsors:
Ike's Art 
and The Stamping Boutique (TSB)
http://thestampingboutique.com/

    A $10 gift certificate from Ike's Art, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
  • 2 images from The Stamping Boutique (3 if you use a TSB image), 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 person who leaves a comment on posts published during the challenge timeframe.
  • One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

  • Besides inspiration from the DT, we are very fortunate to have for our guest DT member Hanne from Handmade by Hanne. Hanne has been playing along at the challenge blog when she is able to. We've seen many of her wonderful projects throughout the year. Please be sure to check out her blog when you enter your project this month.
Challenges I am Entering:
Colouring in Scrapland - Toda vale (Anything Goes)
House of Cards - Add texture (felt leaves, burlap bow) &/or color challenge (autumn palette)

Robyn's Fetish - Add Leaves, Faux or Real
2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes

Happy Halloween from the Farm, Y'all!

Well, here in Chicago, we got a late start to Autumn, but it has arrived! And my cards have changed their colors as well as the leaves ion the trees. The Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge blog has a new challenge: make a Halloween card or invitation.
I created this digital card using images from our guest sponsor this week, DeeDee's Digis. The more I play in Photoshop, the more I love it. I am still learning what I can do, but am loving it all.
What about you? Do use use Photoshop to create cards and layouts? I like a blend of the two, what is called hybrid crafting.
Whatever you do, have fun. And link up your project with the Outlawz Monday Greetings this week!!

Images and sentiment from:
DeeDee’s Digis Happy Jacks set, Open Window set, Goody Jars set
Papers from:
Decosse’s Dynamite Doodles Christmas Grunge Brown; Nancy Baumiller Hello Autumn Collection
Elements from:
Nancy Baumiller Crowabout Studio: Hello Autumn Element 10 (star); RUCOLA DESIGNS  Dead or Alive Collection: Ornament 6 (flourish), Crow; Megan Mullins:  Because of You Collection (leaf sprig); Decosse’s Dynamite Doodles: Button 05
Challenges I am Entering:
Dragonfly journeys - It's the Great Pumpkin!
The Craft Garden - Autumn Colors

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Gerda Stein Designs Sponsors the Outlawz Progressive Freebie

Now that the school year has truly started, I needed a desk calendar that would change with the seasons. I found a cool acrylic calendar/pen holder at my local Goodwill store for 99 cents and threw away the 2012 monthly pages.
I started with the month of October, using a digital image called "Kid with Pumpkin Handcart" from Gerda Steiner Designs. GSD is this month's wonderful sponsor at the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenges group.
Everyone who played in last month's challenge will receive this image for free. Didn't play last month? Just go to the Shoppe and purchase it, create something with it and then link up with the Outlawz and the next month's image is free. Keep doing this and you will receive a free image every month. It's that simple!

After printing my image, I colored with Copics, and found and printed a 2015 monthly template for the rest of the year and into 2016.I chose a paper from my never-ending (or so it seems) stash. Since the space between the inner and outer acrylic faces is very thin, I had to go easy on embellishments, settling for some ribbon, a flower, a bow and a few scattered sequins.
Right now my calendar is holding a few Fall flowers and leaves, but once I bring it to my office, I'll add some pens and pencils. And maybe a few personal business cards in case people like my artwork!
Don't forget to check out all the lovely images at Gerda Steiner Designs. Hope you'll play along this month!!
Challenges I am Entering:
Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations - Always Anything Goes
Share joy challenges - Color Palette

The Craft Garden - Autumn Colors