The Nature of Christmas

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you,

because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places”

~Roald Dahl

The 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up blog would like you to remember the Nature of Christmas with their newest challenge. Show off woodland scenes, snowfall, winter animals—whatever flora or fauna brings out the natural beauty of the holiday and inspires you to create.

I created my Christmas card using a digital image called Slim from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our sponsor this month. That very pretty background paper is from Lisa of Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month,make sure that your card has some sort of outdoor nature element in the design.  Examples include: scene of trees, forest, river, birds, woodland animals, etc. Whatever element you choose must be flora or fauna (i.e. botanical or animal related). 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 $15 gift certificate to the Sparkle N Sprinkle store.

Sparkle N Sprinkle is a small company with a big heart owned and operated by Margaret Myers. SNS specializes in hand-mixed embossing powders and glitters. Our quality, deeply etched rubber stamps are closely cropped on Cling Mount Cushion ready for your acrylic block. Produced in our local Shoppe in Ruskin, Florida, the stamps are already indexed on a laminated color storage sheet for your convenience. SNS sells a variety of other paper crafting tools and products, including a new line of digital stamps and many other exclusive products.

• Prize being offered:  a $15 gift certificate to the Sparkle N Sprinkle 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 Nature of Christmas, will also be offered up as a prize to one random winner. 

Featuring Woodland Creatures at Scribbles Deesigns

What's cuter than woodland animals?
Woodland animals digis from Scribbles Designs!
This month the challenge theme over at Scribbles Designs blog is to use woodland animals on their projects. I used this cute little Duck, coloring him with Copics before popping him into a small woodland pond. A few Fall embellishments to frame my (Clash of the Titans) movie quote and I'm ready to show off my DT make for this challenge.
There are several FREEBIES at Scribbles Designs Blog Store,  or you can use any image on your card. Just don't forget to link it up for your chance to win Scribbles Designs digis! And as always, crafters, have FUN!

Challenges I am Entering:

As You Like It - Favorite Song/Movie (Clash of the Titans)

Sasayaki Glitter - Animals

Through the Purple Haze - Some Attitude (my duck has a LOT of confidence)

The Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenges Us to Brighten Someone's Day

There's not a week that goes by that I can't think of someone who needs a pick-me-up, something that will brighten their day. So I was very happy to see the newest challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge this week. To brighten someone's day is to share with them your happiness, to lend them your smile, to give them hope.
My DT make this week is a Thank You card for one of the many caring and supportive staff at the VA Hines Hospital. My husband and I are veterans, and with me getting laid off, and my husband being handicapped now, we are spending one to two days a week at one appointment or another. We have yet to experience a "bad day" or discourteous staff member.
My card features a digital image from Sheepski Designs, this week's sponsor over at the Outlawz Greetings challenge. They are offering a prize of a $10 gift card toward a purchase at their Etsy Shop.

The image I used is called Annabell.  I colored her with Copics and colored up a little scene for her before framing and then placing her on my card. I embellished simply with Skittles and a K&Co sticker. My sentiment is on the acrylic heart I tied onto my card with some organza ribbon.

What will you create to brighten someone's day? A birthday card, a Thank You note, a funny note  card  that will  make him or her laugh out  loud? Whatever you create, remember to link up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings  challenge for your chance to win that Sheepski Designs gift card!

Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Lots of Layers

Ooh La La Creations - Anything Goes

Left of Center challenges - Butterfly

Geometry at Ike's World ChallengeBlog

Did I scare you with that title?!It's just my way of telling you that the theme over at Ike's World Challenge blog is to make a square card and add a circle! Here's my DT make:

I colored up two digi images from Ike's Store, Flower Square and Butterfly. The square card was easy; to add a circle I used a circle cutter and cut out my butterfly, although its wings were left to fly. I am continuing to wage war with my stash. I can finally see a slight difference in my pile of papers.
I am unfortunately in need of sympathy cards, so I thought the images and my design would make a nice one.  when needed.I really like this combo of images and will make several more of the same so that I can have a healthy stash of cards. You can make whatever inspires you to create, just make sure it is square and includes a circle. Go check out the blog for inspiration, and to link up your project for your chance to win free digis from the store!!
And as always, crafters, have fun!

Challenges I am Entering:

Sunny Day Crafting -Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Lucky to Create at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

Welcome, crafters, to a new challenge at the Path of Positivity challenge blog. This month you are asked to create with the theme of LUCK. Think teens going off to college, a friend getting a new and better job, a cousin opening up their own business. Your project can be any medium, so you can create a card for someone, a scrapbook page to celebrate the triumphs of life, a canvas to remind your friend just how lucky you are to have them as a friend.
My girlfriend has a birthday coming up and I decided to give her card a wee bit o' Irish wisdom, as she is part Irish (and part Italian, an explosive combination). Last year I found a Jim Shore Irish Santa Claus ornament for Christmas. She was thrilled, and I hope she'll like her card.

Image: Limited Runs Fence with Butterfly digital image, colored with Copics.

Digital Elements from pixelscrapper.com - Sheila Reid’s Green Circle Stamp; Janet Scott’s Many Thanks Green Button; Brooke Gazarek’s Enchanted Green Paper. Font: Celtic Hand.

I used Copics to color up a digi image called Fence and Butterfly from one of this month's sponsors, Limited Runs.

Another sponsor, Imagine That! Digital Stamps, let me play with the image Christmas Horseshoe. 

Here's the card I made with Christmas Horseshoe.

Go check out the inspiration from the DT. We have a Guest Designer, whose card will also be showcased on the challenge post. Then create with the theme of luck. Got some wonderful sponsors and prizes for you at the Path of Positivity challenge blog! See you there!

Fall Colors at the Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

Today brings a new challenge to crafters, courtesy of the Outlawz Monday Greetings. The theme this week is FALL COLORS. Fall brings gorgeous earthy colors, cooler weather and the start of school for many children. My card features a digi image from Bugaboo called Girls Happy Trio. Every year on the first day back to school, I would slip an encouragement card like the above into my daughter's backpack to remind her she is among friends, both old friends and friends not yet met.
This week we have two generous sponsors:

Di's Digi Stamps

and

Bugaboo Stamps

Are you ready for Autumn? Let's see what you create this week with FALL COLORS. Don't forget to link up to double your chance on winning great prizes!

Challenges I am Entering:

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

The Crazy challenge - Getting Ready for School

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Classic Design Team Open Challenge Blog - Anything DT Goes

Midway through the Mason Jar Challenge at Scribbles Designs

We are now halfway into the newest challenge at Scribbles Designs. Mason jars are really popular right now, so we want to see them on your projects. I'm already thinking Halloween so I filled my Mason Jar (a digi image from Scribbles Designs) with the flying mascot of this fun holiday, bats. And of course, I used another Scribbles Designs' image called Batty.
You have until the 14th to link up your own mason jar-inspired project for your chance to win free digis. Happy crafting, y'all!