A Bit More Adoration

We have reached the half way point of our challenge at Path of Positivity with the optional theme of Adoration.

Those of you who know me quite well will be aware that I have a bit of an obsession with penguins which goes beyond love and I think slides into adoration! At one stage I had almost 100 penguins in various guises around the house. Sadly when we moved from our largish vicarage into a small house I had to be brave and rehome a lot of them. 

Even so I now have penguins in every room in the house except the conservatory which also acts as my husbands study and has to be penguin free. Although Christmas is a different matter when the tree goes up! There are even a couple of penguins sitting by my pond in the garden.

Just for interest I went round the house and counted up how many there are and here are the results of my survey. 

My study - 4
Bedroom - 11
Spare bedroom - 1
Bathroom - 2
Lounge/diner - 7
Kitchen - 4
Total: 29

Then there are the 2 in the garden and all the penguin socks and jumpers! At Christmas the number shoots up again for a while.

So even after an extensive re-homing programme and friends and family under instruction from my husband not to give me anymore penguins (ha like that will work!) there are still a goodly number around the place.

Materials used:

Beccy's Place - Penguin (Free Printable #58) 

X-Press It card

blue card cut to ATC size

white printer card

Copic pens:

penguin - W3, W5, W7,W9     E40, E41, E43     RV000

beak and feet - Y11, Y15, Y17, YR14, E15 

scarf - B12, B24, B28, B29     V04, V06, V09     Y11, Y15, Y17     C0, C1, C3, C5

The banner down the side has been made up on the computer, printed out on white card and trimmed to size. The little penguin is coloured in then cut out leaving a small white edge and attached to the blue ATC card.

The challenge runs until March 1st so there is plenty of time to come and join in the fun. Remember the twist is optional focusing on Adoration. 

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of  projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes unless they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. 

Prizes this month include:
A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

I do hope that you will join in the fun at Path of Positivity. You can find further inspiration and the link to enter at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Always Fun Challenges #150 - Animals 
PIP Challenge #2007 - Anything Goes 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #126 - Anything Goes 
A Bit More Time To Craft #110 - Anything Goes 
Love To Craft February - Anything Goes 
Your Scrapbook Place February - Anything Goes 
Beccy's Place February Challenge - Anything Using Beccy's Images 

Path of Positivity February Challenge with Adoration

It's time for a new challenge at Path of Positivity and this month the optional theme is Adoration. There is so much you can use this theme for the most obvious is Christmas, a good incentive to start on this year's cards! This month Valentine's Day is coming up and it will not be long until Mothering Sunday.  We are expecting our first grandchild in May and there is nothing as beautiful as the look of adoration in a new born gazing up at it's mother, reflected in the eyes of the mother looking down at her child.

I think this card will be going to my husband on the 14th, the standing joke being that I do not really have any 'old flames' but he does!!

Materials used:

Beccy's Place -  A Light In The Darkness (using candle and Let your love shine sentiment)

X-Press It card

7" x 5" card blank

Versa Color inkpads - 101 Camellia, 11 Canary

Copic pens: 

candle - R22, R29, R59, C5

candlestick - Y21, Y23, Y26, YR24, Y28   

shadow - C0, C1, C3   Blender

The card base has been coloured with the Versa Color inks using sponges. I wanted it to look like candle light with the red and yellow picking up the colours in the image.

The sentiment has been used inside the card.

The challenge runs until March 1st so there is plenty of time to come and join in the fun. Remember the twist is optional focusing on Adoration. 

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of  projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes unless they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. 

Prizes this month include:
A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

I hope you will join us on the path this month. Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
PIP Challenge #2005 - Anything Goes 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #125 - Anything Goes 
Stamping Sensations February - Feminine 
A Bit More Time To Craft #109 - Anything Goes 
Beccy's Challenges February - Anything Goes Using A Beccy's Place Image 

Midway Through Courage

We are at the half way point of our challenge at Path of Positivity and thinking about Courage. Last time I shared with you a bit about my own battle with chronic shyness and the effects it can have on life. I hope those of you who lack the confidence and or courage to share your art have thought about entering our challenge and taking the first steps to building up your own courage.

This time I have another great quote I found online. Everyone, if they are being truly honest, has some area where they lack courage and the knocks of life can sap even the most courageous spirit. And I am sure even those we consider courageous have moments of self doubt.

I have a niece and nephew who are both ambulance drivers. Years ago you would probably not think that you have to be particularly courageous to drive ambulances but these days you need it in bucket loads. The increasing violence they have to deal with directed at them as they try to do their job is unbelievable. Attacks on ambulance staff, paramedics, police and firemen as they try to help people are increasing all the time, they all deserve medals for what they do.

So this card is for every one no matter how courageous they feel. 

Materials used:

Beccy's Place - Old Boots (freebie on blog) 

Distress Oxcide background paper from stash

faux stitch rectangle die

7" x 5" card blank

X-Press It card

Copic pens:

BG90, BG93, BG96, BG99   

E21. E23, E25, E29

W3, W5, W7, W9

C3, C5, C7, C9 100

I love the green and brown combination for these boots so much I am looking out for a pair for myself! The background paper was a great find in my stash, unfortunately I can't remember the colours I used. I did not like the paper straight on the front of the card so edged the card blank with a brown pen to define the paper more. 

This is not the first time I have used this image, it made it's first appearance back in 2018. Now I did not go and look at it again because I wanted to make a different card but there must be something about that colour combination because, although I did not note the Copics used, they sure look like the same colours!

https://viewsfrommycraftroom.blogspot.com/2018/02/old-boots_23.html  

I hope you will join us for the challenge, you still have a couple of weeks left to enter. Remember the theme of Courage is optional. All the details of the challenge and the link can be found on the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  We have two sponsors this month, Beccy's Place and Scribbles Designs both offering prizes.

Looking forward to seeing your shared works of art. Thank you for popping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

Creative Moments #179 - Anything Goes 

PIP Challenge 1942 - Anything Goes 

Beccy's Place October - Must Use Beccy's Image 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #116 - Anything Goes 

A Bit More Time To Craft #102 - Anything Goes 

Path of Positivity New Challenge - Have Courage

Courage is not one of the qualities I associate with myself! I was chronically shy for much of my life and I mean chronically shy. Speaking to people was so out of my comfort zone it was the other side of the universe. Notice the use of the past tense. I am happy to say that I am no longer chronically shy, after years of working at it, I am now just shy with new people or in new situations.

Looking back now I don't think people realise how debilitating shyness can be. Imagine not being able to even ask a bus driver to stop at your stop so travelling on the next stop to get off and then walking back up the road - yep been there many times when at school. It's not that you don't want to speak it is just mentally impossible.

So can you imagine the agonising that went into pressing the send button on my first blog post or sharing the first colouring online. It has not been an easy journey but honestly I am glad I persevered. In some ways it is an in between stage, this sharing on line is not as threatening as speaking face to face with someone you do not know. Thankfully the comments have been positive and the confidence boosted and with that comes the courage. So now I will speak to strangers, I make the effort, and each successful encounter builds up the courage.

So next time you meet someone who is on the quiet side, before you put them down as stand-offish just remember that they may just be churning inside trying to overcome their own shyness.

I just love the quote that came with the image I have used for my card as it says it all and certainly fits my own circumstances.

Materials used:

Beccy's Place - Safari Digital Stamp Set (lion and quote) 

Sheen Douglas A4 embossing folder - Jungle leaves

Adirondack ink pad - meadow

X-Press It card

7" x 5" card blank

white card

Copic pens:

mane - W9, E37, E08, YR27, YR24, YR12, YR21, YR23

body fur - E31, E33, E35, E39, W9

eye - YR16, YR07, YR68

mouth - E00, R20, R21 

I used the embossing folder with white card and then brushed meadow ink over it to highlight the leaves.

So have you got the courage to have a go at our challenge this month? The theme of Courage is optional so you can do anything. If entering challenges is old hat to you then well done and you have no excuse not to have a go! If you lack confidence but really would like to try it then I would urge you to summon up every ounce of courage you can find and give it a go. The whole ethos of this particular challenge is that it is Positive so you will be among friends who are just waiting to encourage you. If you do decide to enter and it is the first time you have tried then please put a comment on the challenge blog and I will do my best to come and pay you a visit with some encouragement from someone who knows how hard that road can be.

All the details of the challenge and the link can be found on the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  We have two sponsors this month, Beccy's Place and Scribbles Designs both offering prizes

Thank you for sticking with me on a very personal post. Hope to see you in the challenge. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

A Bit More Time To Craft #101 - Anything Goes 

613 Avenue Create #226 - Anything Goes 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #115 - Anything Goes 

PIP Challenge #1940 - Anything Goes 

Creative Moments #178 - Anything Goes 

Show Us Your Pussycats #47 - Anything With A Cat Goes (In my book lions are just big cats!)

Beccy's Challenges October - Anything With Beccy's Images

Love on the Path of Positivity

The first Monday of a new month and time for a new challenge at the Path of Positivity. As we are now into February there could really only be one theme - Love. A lot of challenges are using the same theme so you could make one project which would cover quite a few of them!

The word love is a strange one when you think about it. It covers such a huge number of different scenarios from the love of family, friends, animals to the love of a painting or piece of music. And within that are so many depths and levels of the same emotion. It is a big range for one tiny word. The Ancient Greeks had 6 words describing different aspects of love. Psychologists have 7 types of love, taking the 6 from the Greeks and adding one more.

Love is such an easy word to say, do we really think about what we mean when we use it or is it now just something we say out of habit? Is it overused in today's easy come, easy go society? Or will love always win out in the end even if it  may not be as neat as we would like. I guess only time will tell but one thing is certain, the world needs more love that looks to the needs of others first.

Materials used:

Beccy's Place - Happily Ever After 

Britannia dies - petals and leaves

oval dies

shimmer paper

5" x 7" card blank

X-Press It Card
Copic Pens:

skin - E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

groom's hair - E11, E13, E15, E18

bride's hair -  YR21, E33, E35, E37

roses and ribbon - V01, V12, V15, V17

bride's dress shading - C0 blender

groom's suit - W3, W5, W7, W9

ground - E70, E71, E74

sky - B41 blender

The oval frame has been embossed using the oval dies. The leaves and flowers are cut from glimmer paper and then coloured with Copics.

My niece is getting married towards the end of this year and according to my eldest daughter the bridesmaids are in 'a dull lilac'! So I am hoping that this card will be a match.

I hope you will join us this month, you can find the link up at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. Here is a quick look at the rules and the prizes on offer:

• This challenge, our optional twist is a focus on LOVE. If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project to show someone special in your life just how much you love them. However, remember that the optional twist is just for fun.
  
  In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that regular types of projects such as birthday cards, or other general type projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes UNLESS they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Prizes this month include:

• A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Beccy's Place #February 
Your Scrapbook Place #February 
A Bit More Time To Craft #85 - Anything Goes  
Crafts Galore Encore #60 - Anything Goes 
A Gem Of A Challenge Week 2 - Anything Goes 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #99 - Anything Goes 
Artistic Inspirations #212 - Anything Goes / Optional Twist Love It Up 
Creative Inspirations #January - Anything Goes 
My Time To Craft #389 - All You Need Is Love 
Creative Fingers #156 - Anything Goes 
Creative Cardmakers #226 - Add Some Texture (embossed frame and flowers)

Christmas!

I know, it's a bit early but with all the snow warnings in force across the UK for the next few days I feel appropriate! Also in order to enter this month's Twelve Months of Christmas challenge I had to do it!



Materials used:Beccy's Place - The Nativity Digital Stamps
Craft Creations - CRC185P Red/Green Carols Cream
X-Press It card
A5 Card Blank
Copic pens

The image and greeting are arranged and printed on X-Press It card then coloured with Copics.

A piece of Red/Green Carols Cream card is trimmed to size, edged with a black pen and mounted on the card front leaving a narrow border.

The coloured image is trimmed and also edged with a black pen then attached to the card front.

I have left the right hand side clear for now as I am not sure if I want to add a greeting or not at this stage! I have made this one with my husband in mind but it remains to be seen whether I remember it in 10 months time!

Thanks for swinging by. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Inspiration Destination #145 - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations #361 - Anything Goes
Addicted To Stamps And More #281 - Anything Goes
A Snowflakes Promise #48 - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Anything Goes
Hiding In My Craftroom #341 - Any Holiday
12 Months Of Christmas #38 - Anything Goes/Card For A Loved One
Sweet Stampin' Christmas February - Anything Christmas Goes
My Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration Link Up #31
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - February Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #62 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #76 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #55 - Anything Goes

Old Boots

Beccy's Place Challenge this month has a sketch theme to follow. As with all her challenges Beccy provides a free image each month and this month was a pair of boots a great image for the men. As the boots come without laces I found a quote from Harry Styles to go with them, I hope he will not mind!



Materials used:Beccy's Place Boots (freebie available from challenge blog)
X-Cut square die set
X-Cut scalloped rectangle die 
Cropodile
brown textured card and green card
X-Press It card 
K & Company Life's Journey London Map 12x12 paper
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Copic pens

The boots and the quote are printed out together on X-Press It card and coloured with Copics then cut with a square die. A slightly larger mat is cut with the next size die.

The designer paper is cut with a scalloped edged rectangle die (I don't have a square one). The card is assembled as in the picture with the two sizes of green circles punched out using a Cropodile.

The trickiest part of this card was cutting a scalloped square with only a scalloped rectangle. It was a case of careful positioning of the die so as not to cut in the wrong place.

I have coloured in a lot of boots over the past couple of years, not least because my youngest daughter's wedding had a walking theme so the invites, place name card and order of service all had boots on. The place name cards had a very small pair of boots on them! Also since she, her husband and my husband are all keen walkers boots have appeared on several birthday cards. It's a good job I like colouring boots!

Thanks for walking in. Take care.

Pippa
Entering the  following challenges:
Beccy's Place #February - Card Sketch
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges #368 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #144 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #62 - Anything Goes
A Perfect Time To Craft #02 - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore #February - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks #391 - Anything Goes
Crafting With An Attitude #36 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #143 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #222 - Anything Goes
My Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration Link Up #31
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra #February - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #194 - Anything Goes 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #76 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #54 - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create #206 - Anything Goes

Wild Roses For January

I have set myself the challenge to create a calendar for next year which means producing 12 pictures of flowers. The free image for the Progressive Challenge at Outlawz Challenges is a lovely Wild Rose from Beccy's Place so that became January's page.


Materials used:Beccy's Place - Wild Rose
calendar downloaded from Calendarpedia
X-Press It card
Copic pens

The image is arranged on an A5 page and printed onto X-Press It card. Once coloured the calendar is sized to fit and printed off.

Every edge has a black pen edge using a Copic.

Well that is one page done, only anther 11 to go! I am going to add some information about the Wild Rose flower on the back of the page before making up the finished project.

Thank you for swinging by. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
The Outlawz Challenges - February Progressive Freebie
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Spring Challenge
Digi Chooseday #08 - Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door 20th Feb - Anything Goes
My Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration Monthly Link Up #31
Inspiration Destination #144 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #62 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - February Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #194 - Anything Goes/Use Flowers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #76 -Anything Goes
A Gem Of A Challenge #213 - Spring Flowers (Use Any Flowers)
Not Just Cards February - Anything Goes