Sparkle n Sprinkle Sponsors the Path of Positivity

This month on the Path of Positivity the theme calls for PASTELS as far as color scheme goes. Now, I'm sure you are wondering what could be positive about the death of a furry family member. I think the sentiment tells it all. 
Pets are heaven-sent, a gift for us to cherish and to be cherished. Our family has only offered a home to our Wilson for almost three years now, but even to think of losing him sends tears to my eyes. And yet, since the death of my husband last year, my daughter and I have a new appreciation of the cycle of life and death.
We have learned to live in the moment, savoring each happy memory and continuing to make new ones, regardless of the stress and strife of every day life. There will always be loss along the path, but we must continue on until we each come to the end of our own. How much happier that path is to have known, loved, been loved and made memories with companions throughout it all.
My neighbor has had a rough year. She lost her oldest pup, Posie, at the start of the New Year. Just last month, her dear Rocky lost his battle with diabetes. I wanted to show her that we are praying for her in her time of loss, and she can count on us whenever she needs anything.
SPARKLE N SPRINKLE is this month's guest sponsor, and I used Pet Sympathy digi Set to create my card. The set comes with a few sentiments, as well as black-line and pre-colored cat and dog images.  I colored my own image with Copics, using one of the offered sentiments.
Of course, PASTELS is an OPTIONAL theme. But...
If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so you are included in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. We'd also love to find out how this month's color palette makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings do PASTEL colors bring out in you? You can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on the challenge post of the main blog if you'd like. 

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $15 gift certificate from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our guest sponsor this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additionally-sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate also from Sparkle N Sprinkle, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

  Whether you choose to create with the theme of PASTELS or not, don't forget to link your art to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog before the end of April for your chance to win a gift certificate to the Sparkle n Sprinkle Store! Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafting with Friends - ANything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Bunnies Are Hopping at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Hoppy Easter, crafters! I have a fun Easter card for my granddaughter today. I used a couple digital images from Scribbles Designs for my card, which fits perfectly with their challenge this month - "Bunny Hop."
The images are #F 113 Bunny (free) and #F111 Easter Egg 3, both offered at the Scribbles Store for FREE, and #648 Heart Tulips. The background paper is from Krysty Scrap Designs, Boring Evening Paper 02, which I printed twice, and cut a bit smaller for the top layer. I embellished simply with a scattering of stars from Pixel Scrapper Pauline Thompson's Glitter Scatter 2.
Each Scribbles Designs Challenge starts on the 15th of every month and goes until the 14th of the next month, so you have another two weeks to create a card featuring a bunny with your image, your paper or your embellishments, and link it to the Challenge Blog for your chance to win free digis from the Scribbles Store.
Meanwhile, enjoy the day!

Challenges I am Entering:

 Brown Sugar - Spring or Easter

Sasayaki Glitter Sponsoring Your Scrapbook Place - No Fooling!

Happy Easter, crafters! And for those of you with a touch of the devil in them, Happy April Fools' Day! Today starts a new challenge at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog. One of my favorite Designers is sponsoring this month's challenge - Sasayaki Glitter!
I got to play with this cute image called Ellie the Dancing Elephant. As I am trying to build up my stash of thank you cards, I thought this would make the grade. After coloring Ellie with Copics, I popped her onto a wooden scalloped frame painted with olive green acrylic paint. A scallop die-cut circle frames that, and both go onto patterned papers. I found  my sentiment in my stash (along with everything else this card was created with), and finished the card off with a couple jewels and a sweet butterfly so ellie wouldn't get lonely.
You have all month to create and link up your project at Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog, where one lucky winner will receive a prize from this month's sponsor, Sasayaki Glitter.

Good luck and enjoy the day!

Challenges I am Entering:

Brown Sugar - Spring or Easter (Spring)

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

SumMoreFun - Mood Board (I was inspired by the delicious pastels in the photos)

From the Whole Flock

This month I am focusing on birthday cards, and when I saw the sentiment offered at the Scribbles Design Store, I knew I had to use it on my next card. It's called #0168 WP HBFlock ($1.50) and you can find it HERE. I found the cute little bird image, called #F 74 Spring Bird, as a FREEBIE on the Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog! 

After coloring my little birdie, I took a photo of her and then used Photoshop to digitally multiply her into a whole flock of little birdies bathing in the sunshine along the beach. The beach is actually at Clearwater, Florida. My son and his family live in Florida now and my DIL takes the loveliest photos, so I made it into background scenery for my card.
I cut this out and placed it onto some rainbow patterned paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles (Sea patterned paper from “Chasing Rainbows” Paper Kit), I  framed each of these with Decosse's Textured Paper #2 from “Mommie Dearest” Paper Kit and Gold paper from “A Grungy Christmas” paper kit.
I embellished simply with some shimmery ric rac and a few tear-shaped jewels. I thought the waves could use a little shine as well, so I used Diamond Stickles to "catch" the sun's light.Of course, I couldn't help but ink the edges of most of my papers, too. I love ink...

Challenges I am Entering:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything w/a critter goes

Always Happy Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes w/optional pp

Animal Friends - Spring (must have animal)

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes

  

Every-bunny Hop on Over to Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

Time again for a new challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. The theme this month is "BUNNY HOP." There are several cute and whimsical images at the Scribbles Store that tickle my tail, but the one  I chose to create with is probably my favorite. It's called Bunny Joy
After printing and coloring my bunny, I kept a large portion of the white cardstock with which to frame him. I almost always fussy-cut my images; honestly, this is as far as my CAS style goes. I placed him on patterned paper, added a border of  glittery ric rac, and topped it with a bow.
My eyes hurt to see all that white space, so I tossed a few jeweled flowers on to break it up.
So as far ass the challenge at Scribbles Designs goes, every-bunny should have a BUNNY featured on their cards. Let's HOP to it, because I can't wait to see your projects!
HOPPY crafting - I'll see you there!

Laughter is the Best Medicine

After many months being unable to leave the house for a long period of time, I have rejoined my card swapping group. The theme for the month was "Get Well" cards, so I created 20 of them with one of my favorite images from Bugaboo, Chicken Soup.

I adore the chicken sitting in its own pot of soup, ready to minister to the sick. I think she's one feather short of a working brain. If you can't read my sentiment, it's:

"Heard you weren't feeling well.

It's never a good idea to self-medicate.

Just saying."

I feel that laughter is the best medicine, and besides, I love to create a funny/punny card. Evidently, so do a lot of people. Everyone at the club meeting adored them! It feels good to say, "I'm ba-ack!"
So, every thing on my card was pulled from my stash. Those tiny red flowers actually came from my girlfriend's mom, who moved into an assisted living residence and gifted me with her craft supplies  last year. I had bought the jeweled flowers in bulk who knows when, and am still working on that stash.And I guess I have a fear of running out of paper, because if I never buy another piece of paper for the next two years, it would not affect my crafting at all (pitiful, isn't it?). I need to join Paperholics Anonymous!

Challenges I am Entering:

Catch the Bug - Anything Goes

Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a Critter

Crafting Circle - Anything Bugaboo Goes

That's all for today.  Happy crafting!

Your Scrapbook Place Marches on with Paper Nest Dolls

Welcome to a new month and a new challenge at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. It's always Anything Goes, and this month the guest sponsor is Paper Nest Dolls. I got to create with a pretty image called Amara with Lily. 
After digitally coloring her, I popped her onto a photograph I took in my backyard. A monarch butterfly decided to "hang out" for a little snack in our flower garden, so I grabbed my camera and got a few nice photos.
The bow is from Pixel Scrappers,and the font I use is called Papyrus.
What will you create this month? Whatever you do, have fun! And don't forget to link it  up at Your Scrapbook Place!!