Going out in style?

We are certainly living in the most difficult of times this century with the world in chaos because of one invisible but deadly germ. Life in lockdown seems unreal almost dream like. I thought I would be able to get a lot of crafting done and be on top of my DT commitments but it is not working out that way. In fact I have no mojo for making cards, colouring, sharing. It's like all the creative energy has been seeping away.

Now not all of this is due to Covid-19, can't have it getting all the glory! A lot is going on for us as a family too and being separated is not at all easy. I know I am not the only one but when things are happening to you it certainly seems like it at the time. Does that make me a selfish person, I don't think so it just makes me human.

Anyway I did not set out to depress everyone, so moving swiftly on. Our theme at Path of Positivity this month is Style, something I know nothing about and certainly can't be accused of having. I envy people who can go out shopping and come back with clothes that make them look fabulous even if they have only been to the charity shop. My daughters are both like that, there wardrobes make them even if they do not have a lot of choice in them.
During Covid when no one is going out there have been great stories of people dressing up in ballgowns and wedding dresses just to put out the bins. A couple who live just up the road from us have been going on their daily walk around the area dressed as Micky and Minnie Mouse, they even post up their route on the town FB page beforehand so the children can look out for them. There is a postman in the county who has been wearing a different costume everyday on his rounds. Even in the midst of disaster we are a resilient people and create ways to keep our own spirits up and those of others. Part of me hopes that it does not all go once we are let out.

For the midway post I have made another page for my 'Inspirational Quotes' book.

Materials used:
Lunagirl - Mignon #2 Digital Collage Sheet  
silver mirri card
music themed clear stamps
Brushos in red, yellow and black
black archival ink pad
white printer card

I decided to use the gypsy with a tambourine image for this one and made a themed background with a set of clear music stamps from my stash. The quote I found on the internet and it seemed a great one to use. I think I might take it as a definition of my own style!

I have rediscovered my Brushos after some time of not using them. I love how just spraying a fine mist onto the powdered pigment produces all sorts of different colours. The black has blues in it and when it merges with the red you get a purple colour. Where the red and yellow meet oranges start to form. With it being a powder the sprinkling mixes up the scattered gains so different colours appear within other colours so looking at it now I can see blue spots in the yellow and red and red spots in the yellow. You never know how the powder will react with the water it is quite magical to watch it happen.

So why not join in the fun. Remember all entries need to be uplifting in some way to qualify for prizes and the theme is optional. It would be great to see what you come up with.

Our sponsors this month are Lunagirl Images who are offering a $10 gift voucher for the random draw winner and Scribbles Designs offering one image of $5 or less for the team pick as the most inspiring qualifying entry. For the link to enter and all the details visit the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog here.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care and stay safe.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
PIP Challenge 2016 - Anything Goes 
Crafty Cardmakers #255 - Anything But A Card 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #130 - Anything Goes 
A Bit More Time To Craft #114 - Anything Goes 
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - April Anything Goes 

Another Character Trait To Share

Can you believe that it is already half way through January! So it is the mid way point of our challenge at Path of Positivity with the optional theme of Character Traits. 

Last time I shared my plans to be organised with you, this time I decided to focus on one of the reasons I need help with being organised! I have a butterfly brain, you know one of those that cannot stay focused for too long on one thing. It's a great asset for day dreaming and getting ideas but when it comes to the follow through and actually putting the ideas into practice then it is a nightmare! 

The biggest drawback is actually trying to remember amongst all the disconnected thoughts which the important ones are that needed action. Then you have to stay focused for long enough to get the job done. Not easy for the butterfly brain.

I wonder if there are any other butterfly brainers out there who have experienced the same frustrations?

For my project I found a great image by Scribbles Designs and used it to add another page to me 'Great Quotes' book.

Materials used:

Scribbles Designs - Butterfly Mason Jar 

X-Press It card

faux stitched edge rectangle die

Brushos - yellow, orange, red, purple, black

Copic pens:

butterfly wings - Y00, Y11, Y15, YR23     V0000, V000, V01

butterfly body - E31, E33, E35

grass - G12, G21, G94, G99   Blender

jar - B0000, B000, B00   Blender

I used the brushos to make the background, working directly onto my sketchbook page. I just sprinkled the powders then spritzed them with water and blotted until I go the effect I wanted then left it to dry before attaching the coloured image.  

Here are the details for the challenge:

This challenge, our optional twist is a focus on Character Traits. We are all made up of different kinds of qualities that come together to make up our overall character. If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project that helps to portray one or more of your own unique character traits. Examples include: kindness, humour, charity, generosity, integrity, devotion, etc. At the start of a new year, let's learn a little bit more about who you are as an individual.

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:

$12 gift certificate from Bugaboo Stamps, 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 be able to join us at Path of Positivity and share your creativity with us. Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
PIP Challenge #2003 - Anything Goes 
Crafty Cardmakers #248 - Anything Goes 
613 Avenue Create #229 - Anything Goes/Make It Shiny 
Dragonfly Dreams January - Anything Goes 
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #123 - Anything Goes 
Crafty Friends #127 - Anything Goes 
My Time To Craft #413 - New Stash! (used my new mixed media glass mat when creating the Brushos background - Christmas present from my husband!)
Allsorts Challenge #555 - More Than A Single Word Sentiment 
Creative Fingers #177 - Anything Goes 

Bugaboo Christmas in July Day 3

Today's theme is to make a tag.



Being a literal type of person I decided to do just that, make a giant almost A5 tag. However I had one of those brilliant ideas that work in your head but not necessarily in practice so the tag I ended up with was not the one I had planned:



Materials used:Bugaboo Stamps - Tag - Santa's Reindeer
printer card
watercolour card
Brushos - black, turquoise, red, yellow, purple, blue
self adhesive white gems
scrap of white wool
silver eye-let
Distress Inks - Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Black
brown and black Copic pens
silver pen

The tag is printed onto card and the sky coloured with distress inks. I added some silver dots for stars which do not show up that well so put in some gems for a bit more interest.

The centre of the tag is cut out then matted and attached with foam pads to a mat made up of two pieces of card coloured with Brushos.

A silver eye-let is set at the top of the tag and the white wool threaded through. 

I am not entirely happy with this one but am trying to get all the challenges done on time so have gone with it. You may be wondering what my original idea was ... well when I saw this tag I thought of all those wonderful images from the Hubble telescope and how it would look to have Santa driving through one.



My plan was to create a background paper resembling the picture using Brushos an then printing the tag over the top. However I discovered that my printer does not like watercolour card that much, especially watercolour card that has been 'Brushoed' and that the image is actually quite faint. A pity really because I thought my created paper could just about have passed as a picture from space!


The 'failed' print out. I have managed to get a bit of a swirl of colour in the middle!

Thanks for visiting. Hopefully I shall be back again with Day 4 tomorrow. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my tag into the following challenges:Bugaboo Christmas in July Day 3 - Tag you're It!

Art By Mi Ran Challenge

Art by Mi Ran has a progressive challenge on the Facebook page with some lovely images to use. This is my attempt for this month.

Materials used:
Art By Mi Ran image - Digi Girl 242
Spellbinders Triple Floral die set
small silver letter peel offs (from stash)
white square card blank
blending card
red card
Copic pens

Method:
I printed out the image and coloured it with Copics before useing the die set to cut it into a square. I cut the frame from the red card. I matted the image onto the red frame and then onto the front of the card. Finally I added the little stickers to make up the greeting on the bunting.

It's the final day of freedom for me and I expect with the start of term tomorrow there will be less crafting going on for a while. Then all too soon the Christmas panic will set in as I realise that yet again not a single card has been made and I have still not done any things for my stall at the Church Christmas bazaar! It happens every year and every year I say next year will be more organised and I will start earlier!

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into:
The Art By Mi Ran Facebook Challenge
Crafting by Designs September - Anything Goes
Beccy's Place September Challenge
Doodle Pantry Ants in my Pantry digital challenge 9
Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart #75
Clear it out Challenge - Anything Goes/stash Anything Goes
Through the Craft room Door challenge- Sept. 1- Sept. 7
Inspiration Destination Anything Goes #49

Rudolph Day

I missed last month's Rudolph Day, not sure how but there it is. This month I am being a bit sneaky because the image for the Outlawz Freebie Progressive Challenge is a Christmas Ppinkydolls one so two challenges covered with one card!

Materials used:
PPinky Dolls Digi Stamp - the image came free for taking part in the previous months challenge and I cannot find it in the Ppinkydolls Etsy site. I have added the link to the site so you can go and have a look if you are interested.
white stamping card
Copic pens
gold mirri card
Sizzlits nesting circles dies
Christmas Wishes acrylic stamp - origin unknown
white card to make the card blank

Method:
I printed out the image and coloured it with the pens then used the dies to cut it out along with a gold card mat. From another piece of white card I cut the card blank and turned it into an easel card. I stamped the greeting onto a piece of the left over white card and matted it onto a snippet of the gold card. I mounted it on foam pads inside the card to act as the stopper. Finally I cut a second white scallop edged circle and mounted it onto the front of the card blank before attaching my matted image.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into:
Rudolph Day Challenge
Outlawz Monthly Progressive Freebie Challenge
Penny's Challenge 229 - Anything goes

A little bit of magic

Kit and Clowder have a competition on their Facebook to create a project with a fantasy theme; extra entry if you use a unicorn. So I thought I would share my attempt with you.



Materials used:
The Paper Shelter Digi - Princess and her unicorn
white stamping card
watercolour card
Brusho Crystals
A5 white card blank
black card
pearlised card
Spectrum Noir and Copic pens
small alphabet stamps
Stamp-a-ma-jig
black archival ink pad

Method:
I actually found an A5 card blank in my snippets box from a failed project. It had a bit of smudged stamping on the front but as I was going to cover it, it did not matter. I attached a slightly smaller piece of the pearlised card to the front to act as a mat for my background paper. Using the Brushos and watercolour card I made a large piece of coloured card for the background, cut it to size and layered it onto the card front. I printed out the image to the size I wanted, coloured it in with the pens and then cut it out leaving a narrow white border around the edge. I found a piece of already coloured card and some black card in my snippets box and used these to make a mat for my image. I attached the imaged to the mat using 3d foam pads then attached the whole topper to the card. Finally I used the alphabet stamps and a Stamp-a-ma-jig (the most useful gadget I have ever bought) to place them and stamped out the greeting along the bottom of the card.

I really love the effects you can get with the Brusho Crystals and although I have only had a little play with them I certainly plan to make more use of them.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge - week 167

At Peace

This month's progressive freebie challenge at Deedee's Digi Stamps is a lovely set of images featuring tigers and sentiments based on friendship. I have decided to go with the more traditional look to my tigers!



Materials used:
Deedee's Digis - Forever Friends
Sheena Douglas - India sets
Spectrum Noir Pens
Brushos
Stamp-a-majig
Watercolour paper
Stamping card
Black card
Brown card
A5 white card blank
Clarity Stamps Moon Mask
Woodgrain embossing folder
Black archival ink pad

Method:
I printed out my image onto the stamping card and coloured it in with the Spectrum Noir pens before cutting it out. I used the brushos, watercolour paper and moon mask to create the background. I used the brown card in the embossing folder to make the log for the tigers to sit on. Using the Stamp-a-majig tool I positioned and stamped the sentiment onto the painted background. I layered this onto black card and then onto the card base leaving a border around each time. I used 3d glue gel to attach the log at the bottom of the card and then attached my tigers to make them look as if they were sitting on the log, gazing at the sunset.

I have a confession, I painted the background three times and finally quit! I could not get it exactly as I pictured it in my mind and each of the three attempts had different problems. However having settled on going with the third one it is growing on me!

Thank you for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into:
Deedee's Digis Stamp of the Month Challenge February