Path of Positivity - Resiliency

I really enjoy the Path of Positivity Challenges, they always have a theme that gets you thinking. The problem is they do not get many entries, I suspect because the unusual themes put people off. But really it is not too difficult to think of something that fits and your project does  not have to be exclusively about the theme, it could be something that goes with your ideas on the theme as mine does this time around. I probably am not explaining it very well so why not pop along to the website (link at the bottom of this post) and take a look. It would be really great to have more entries in the challenge.

So on with my take on this month's theme - resiliency. Looking at my life and the lives of friends and family I could think of lots of examples of resiliency but decided to use our Rebecca Claire Rose. While we are living in a vicarage we rented out our little cottage so we could keep paying the mortgage and have somewhere to live when my husband retires. In the garden was a small but healthy Rebecca Claire Rose. The rose means a lot because we bought it when our daughter, Rebecca Claire, was young and although the variety was a prize winner in the past they dropped out of favour and it is really hard to get hold of one now. What we had not thought of was that over the years some of our tenants would not be so caring about one little rose so it got neglected. By the time we realized what was happening our poor Rebecca Claire was reduced to just one small twig. Between tenants we managed to lift the rose out  and move it to the vicarage, but with only one twig and hardly any roots I was doubtful that it would survive. We replanted it in our veg patch, the only part of the garden with any decent soil, made sure it was watered in the dry weather and kept bug and pest free as much as possible.

It has been a few months now and that rose has proved to have an amazing amount of resiliency. Not only does it have several stems on it but it even managed to produce a few blooms in the summer. I really should have taken a photo of  it in bloom but back then had no idea I would need one, so instead I have a photo  of it as it is now in it's winter coat. It might not look like much but from just one little twig it has made a remarkable recovery.



As I am writing this I can think of a time when our daughter Rebecca Claire also made a come back. In her late teens she went through a bad patch, gave up her job at an animal sanctuary because some of the staff were upsetting her with the way they treated the animals, and drifted for the summer, not knowing what to do next. She had always wanted to work with animals but was given bad advice by the careers officer at school and as a result had not finished her A levels and thought she had wrecked her chances. Then at the end of August she asked if we could help her buy some books, she had enrolled in an animal care course and had got a job at a local vets. From that first course she went on to do an animal nurse course then changed veterinary practices to a training one and is now a fully qualified and registered Veterinary Nurse. She too has displayed resiliency  and turned her life around. I ought to just point out that at the time she had already moved out to live with her boyfriend, now husband, who was and still is very supportive of her.

Now that I think of it our youngest daughter also has resiliency as a quality. Despite an eating disorder which developed while at university and suffering from panic attacks she managed to complete her dissertation, sit all her exams and finish with a good degree.  She is now on placement at a Baptist Church in Bristol as a youth worker and engaged with the wedding set for next August. I am so proud of both my girls.

My card to go with this has to have a rose on it and I have tried to make it look like a Rebecca Claire but could not quite get the exact shading.

Materials used:
PSX stamp - Rosa
black archival ink pad
polychromo pencils
sketching paper
tea dye distress ink
dark cream card
A5 white card blank
Britannia dies leaf strip
x-cut scalloped oval dies
paper roses from stash
green Copics
shimmer white paper

Method:
I stamped out the image onto sketching paper and coloured it in with polychromo pencils. I cut it out and embossed it with the scalloped oval die then used a blending tool to blend tea dye distress ink around the edges and up as far as the image. I covered the front of the card blank with dark cream paper and blended the edges with tea dye ink. I cut out 4 sets of leaves from the shimmer white paper and coloured them with Copics. I attached my image to the centre of the card and the flowers and leaves to the top right and bottom left corners.

With the dark cream card and the tea dye ink I was trying to get a vintage feel like the coloured book plates in old books.

If you have made it to the end of my rambling well done! Please do go over to the Path of Positivity and have a look at what the DT have done by way of inspiration. It may be a little late for this month but why not put it on your list for next month.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Path of Positivity - Resiliency
Brown Sugar #169
Art By Mi Ran #43
Crafting With Friends #9
Creative Fingers #96
Simply Papercraft #16
Beccy's Place - October
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #3
Sweet Stamps - October
Inspiration Destination #57
If You Give A Crafter A Cookie #30  ( I have picked out the colour from the picture and the idea of recovery with the story of the rose)

Deedee's DOM Reminder

Deedee is posting a reminder for this month's DOM on  her blog today so here is the sample I made. You will recognise the design because I have already posted a card I made, this is the smaller ATC version!

Materials used:
Deedee's Digi Set - Pumpkin Patch
Clarity Stamps - Birdhouse Garden
Stamping card
Archival Black ink pad
Copics

Method:
I printed out the scarecrow image onto white stamping card and coloured the image with Copics. I then trimmed it to the size I wanted then edged it with the black ink pad. I added the crows to his arm and the sky using the Clarity stamps and black ink.

There is still time to have ago at the challenge yourself. Don't forget if you enter this month you get the image for next month absolutely free, so everyone's a winner!

Thanks for dropping by. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into:
Scrap-Creations - Pumpkins
Papertake Weekly Challenge- All about the base
Through the Craftroom Door
Addicted To Stamps #167
Inspiration Destination #56
Not Just Cards #25

Here be Dragons!

Not so much dragons more Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Challenge. This is a new progressive challenge I came across while catching up with various groups and friends on Facebook. The Dragons Lair Fan Page is a closed group so you need to request to join. You then request the image on the understanding that you will make and post a project using it. If you do not enter you will be excluded from the next freebie image. The image for the current challenge is a great one for those tricky male cards.

Materials used:
Dragons Lair Image from Facebook Group
acrylic greetings stamps
black archival ink
red, black, and cream card stock
stamping card
15cm white square card base
various designer papers from stash
Copics

Method:
I printed out my images to the required size, one for a card and two for ATC's, then coloured them with the Copics. I cut the background from the centres of the images and backed them using designer papers then cut around the outer edge of the images to form my toppers.

For the card I used the card blank to make up an easel card and covered the front and inside with the red and cream card leaving thin border of red one each edge. I attached the topper to the front then stamped 'cheers' in the bottom right corner. I stamped 'happy birthday' onto a scrap of the cream card and matted it onto a slightly larger piece of red card then attached it inside the card with foam pads to make the stopper.

To make up the ATC's I cut the blanks from red card then added a smaller piece of black card on top before attaching my image. I used the 'cheers' stamp on cream card matted onto red card and attached it to the bottom of the ATC.

If Dragons Lair is new to you, why not visit their page and check out what they are up to. There is plenty of inspiration and it may even encourage you to have a go at the challenge yourself.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Group Challenge
Beccy's Place Challenge - October
Not Just Cards
2 Creative Chicks #3
Sweet Stamps October Challenge
Inspiration Destination #56
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #250
613 Avenue Create Challenge #146

Wrapped up warm and cosy for Winter

Here in the UK the temperature has definitely been dropping over the past few days. We are still enjoying sunny days and blue skies but the sun is loosing it's warmth and the days are ever shortening. It's time to unearth those woolly jumpers, hats, gloves, scarves and thermals that have been languishing in the back of drawers and dark corners of cupboards over the Summer. The little girl in the image for this month's progressive freebie challenge on the Art By Mi Ran Facebook page is well and truly wrapped up against the cold.

Materials used:
Art By Mi Ran digi - Reserved listing
blending card
A4 white card
x-cut snowflake die
A4 snowflakes embossing folder
white fun flock
Hunkydory Diamond Sparkles - Fairy Daydreams
Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels - Diamond Sprinkles
black card
Copic pens
white paint pen
glossy accents

[caption id="attachment_1786" align="alignright" width="300"] The 3 ATC's[/caption]

Method:
I printed out my image to the size I wanted along with 3 ATC sized images and coloured them all in with the Copics, using the paint pen to add the stars in the sky. I trimmed my imaged and matted it onto black card. I fun flocked her hat, muff, cape and dress trim and added Diamond Sparkles to her hat and muff. I covered the holly sprig with glossy accents to that it did not get lost in the fun flock.

Using the A4 white card I embossed it with the snowflakes embossing folder and folded it into an A5 card blank. I mounted my topper onto the front of the card. I die cut a snowflake from a snippet of white card, covered it with Diamond Sprinkles and attached it to my card.

I have not put a greeting on the front of the card so that it could be used for a winter birthday or Christmas once I have decided which to go for!

Thank you for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Art By Mi Ran Progressive Freebie Challenge - October
613 Avenue Create Challenge #146
Lacy Sunshine Colour Your World Challenge
Come and Get It Challenges - Keep Warm
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #20
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #3
Your Scrapbook Place - October
Beccy's Place - October
Not Just Cards Challenge - October

Outlawz Progressive Challenge for October

There are still a lot of harvest and pumpkin images about and this month's image for the Outlawz Progressive Challenge is no exception.

Materials used:
Gerda Steiner Digi Stamp - Big Load (available on registration from Outlawz Challenges)
blending card
brown and orange card
white A5 card blank
small gold peel-off letters
Copic pens
Spellbinders labels dies

Method:
I printed out my image and coloured it with the copics before cutting it with the dies. I also cut a larger mat from the brown card. I covered the front of the card blank with a slightly smaller piece of orange card and then added my matted image. Finally I added the letters to spell out the sentiment.



While I was at it I also made a couple of ATC's.

Thank you for popping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenge - October
Crafting With An Attitude #8
Crafty Girls Creations #6
If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge #29
Art By Mi Ran #43
Crafting With Friends #8
Crafty Catz #297
Creative Fingers #95
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #110
Simply Papercraft Challenges #15
That's Crafty Challenge Blog - Boys Will Be Boys
Digi Designs Challenge Blog - Too Cute To Spook (Halloween or Harvest Related images/colors)

Imagine That Progressive Challenge

It's not long now until Christmas although at the moment most craft challenges are focusing on Halloween or Thanksgiving. However Imagine That Stamps have come up with a cute Christmas image for this month, purrfect for cat lovers!

Materials used:
Imagine That Digi Stamp - Mistletoe Kitty
Polychromo pencils
scalloped circle die
white A4 card
Canson Mi-Teintes white paper
Do-Crafts Christmas 12x12 designer paper

Method:
Using the A4 white card I made a Z fold card blank then covered the top flap and the right hand side part with the designer paper. I managed to cut the paper so that the design from it went down the side and along the bottom. I printed out my image, and two smaller ones for ATC's, along with the sentiment onto the Canson paper then coloured my images in with the Polychromos. I used the scalloped circle die to cut out my image and then drew around the outside edge of the same die onto the left over designer paper and cut it out with a knife to make a mat. I ran a black pen around the edges of the image and the mat before sticking them together. I then trimmed and matted the sentiment. Finally I arranged my two elements onto the card front and stuck them down.

The great thing about Imagine That Digi sets is that you get the outline images and the coloured ones in the same set, which means if you are not a colourist you can still make great cards with the pre-coloured images. The current challenge runs until the end of the month so why not join in, there is still plenty of time. If you enter this month you will get the image for next month free and so on for as long as you keep going. If you manage to enter every month at the end of the year you will have 12 free sets to play with as well as any extra freebies that pop up now and then with the challenge posts. So what are you waiting for, everyone's a winner!

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I forgot to say, I gave my kitty a blue hat because it reminded me of my youngest daughters blue Christmas hat, although hers was somewhat more sparkly!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Imagine That Progressive Challenge - October
Beccy's Place October Challenge
Christmas Card Challenges #45
Lacy Sunshine Colour Your World
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #19
Crafting From the Heart #81
Craft Your Passion #283
A Snowflake Promise #7
Ants in my Pantry Digital Challenge #10
Sweet Stamps October Challenge
Through The Craftroom Door
Inspiration Destination #55
Word Art Wednesday #205

Deedee at the Crafty Girlz Challenge

This month Deedee is sponsoring the Crafty Girlz Challenge with the theme anything goes. This is my sample for the challenge.

Materials used:
Deedee's Digi Set - Pumpkin Patch
Imagine That - Subtle Harvest Kit
Clarity Stamps - Birdhouse Garden
designer paper from stash
DL white card blank
Stamping card
circle die
Archival Black ink pad
Copics

Method:
I printed out the scarecrow image and the saying onto white stamping card and coloured the image with Copics. I then trimmed it to the size I wanted then edged it with the black ink pad. I added the crows to his head and arm using the Clarity stamps and black ink. I covered the front of the card blank with the designer paper leaving a small border around all the edges. I cut out the saying with the circle die, arranged my toppers on the front of the card as I wanted them and then stuck them down.

So why not go and look at Deedee's blog and the Crafty Girlz Challenges for more inspiration and have a go yourself.

Thank you for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Crafting With Friends #8
Creative Fingers #95
Simply Create Too #96 - Halloween Colors
Simply Papercraft #15
My Time To Craft #306 - Autumnal Colours
Scrappers Delights #49 - Fall/Halloween
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #101 - Anything goes with a twist: something beginning with S - my twist is the scarecrow

A cornucopia of blessings

The image for this month's progressive challenge at From the Heart stamps is a lovely cornucopia. A few months ago I would not even have considered colouring this image but practice has given me a bit of courage, so here it is!

Materials used:
From the Heart Stamps digi set - Cornucopia
Imagine That digi set - Subtle Harvest Kit
printer paper and card
stamping card
Copic pens
A5 white card blank

Method:
I printed out all the bits I needed for the topper, an extra image and two background papers from the Harvest Kit. I coloured both images and then cut my base image and sentiment to the size I wanted. I covered the front of the card blank with the leaves paper then matted my topper onto the purple paper before sticking it to the card front. Finally I fussy cut the main section of fruit and veg and the small bunch of grapes and pumpkin from the second image, shaped and attached them to the second image using gel glue.



As I am trying to build up a little stash of ATC's I also made one with this image.

The marathon run of Harvest Services and suppers has now finished and all the apple pies have been eaten! I don't do Halloween so the next big celebration will be Christmas. Whoa! Not already! Where has the year gone? I guess I should be thinking about getting the 200+ cards that we need on the go. Something quick and easy I think!

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
From the Heart DOM Challenge - October
If You Give A Crafter A Cookie #29
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #108
Simply Papercraft Challenges #14
Crafting With Dragonflies #44
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #3 Anything Goes!
Crafts Galore Encore - Make a card
Sisters of Craft - October
Your Scrapbook Place - October
613 Avenue Create #144
Lacy Sunshine's Color Your World

World Card Making Day and Deedee's Tic Tac Toe Game

Today is World Card Making Day and to celebrate Deedee has got a fun competition going with the opportunity to win prizes, so why not go and have a look at Deedee's Digi's   where you can find how to play, the prizes on offer and inspiration from the DT.

For my sample I used one of the Stocking Pals which you can win by taking part.

Materials used:
Deedee's Digi Stocking Pals Set (one of the prizes)
printer card
Black Pen

Method:
This is a really easy card to do. I printed out the pre-coloured image at the size I wanted twice. I then cut out one image attached it to a white card blank and cut round it making sure to leave some of the side fold in place so that it would open (otherwise you end up with two shapes and no fold).From the second image I cut the part of the penguins flippers holding the present with the present as well and the beak. I then used a glue gel to attach them to the main image giving some dimension. Finally I ran a black pen around the outside edge to finish him off.

This has to be the quickest card I have made in a while and surprise surprise no colouring! Of course you can use the same method to make gift tags and because it is a digital image you can make it any size you like depending on the size of your present.

So I hope you pop along to Deedee's site and look at all the wonderful samples from other members of the team and be inspired to have a go yourself.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Thoughts of Winter

I know it's only just Autumn but the image for the Art By MiRan Facebook Challenge is very wintry!

Materials used:
Art By MiRan Digi - Flower Diva Adoncia (See Facebook page for details
stamping card
Copic pens
white fun flock
Hunkydory Snowflake acetate
silver paper
shimmer white paper
Crafters Companion Snowflake Flutter embossing folder
X-cut scalloped oval die
X-cut snowflake die
acrylic greetings stamp
Adirondak black archival ink pad
white paint pen
white A5 card blank

Method:
I printed out my image, and two smaller versions to make ACT's from, then coloured them all in with Copics. I added white fun flock to her stole to make it look fluffy and used a white paint pen to highlight the snowflakes on the image.

I used the stamp and black ink to stamp my greeting at the bottom of the card blank. I embossed a strip of silver paper with the snowflakes embossing folder and attached it across the front of the card and die cut a snowflake from Shimmer White paper. I then used the acetate to make a wrap adhering it to the back of the card and adding a small piece of stick tape to the front underneath where the topper is. Finally I added my topper and the snowflake on top of the acetate.

[caption id="attachment_1727" align="alignleft" width="300"] The ATC's[/caption]

As I am typing this post up the sunset is making the sky outside my window a beautiful orange colour and there is a little bat flying around, probably after the last of the flies. It is all very restful after a busy day.

Thank you for popping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Art by MiRan Facebook Progressive Challenge
Crafty Girls Creations #5
Beccy's Place October Challenge
Digitally Sweet Challenges #143
Crafting With Friends #7
Ike'sworld Challenges #47 ATC's with anything goes
Inspiration Destination #53
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #247
Crafting with an Attitude #8
Outlawz Monday Greetings
Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge