Path of Positivity Happiness

A new month and a new challenge at Path of Positivity. This month the optional theme is Happiness. I found an image of a lighthouse by one of our sponsors, Limited Runs. I have a thing about lighthouses and love them for a number of reasons. Firstly they are coastal and I am drawn to the sea, whether it is a flat calm day or a wild wave crashing one. I find the latter rather exciting and frightening at the same time, the pure energy of the sea as it whips the shore or lashes the harbour walls and cliff faces. Living not far from the coast my childhood and adult memories are full of seaside visits and the full range of beauty the sea can produce. At it's wildest it is reassuring to see a lighthouse showing the way to a safe harbour.

I tend to be a bit of a hermit so the idea of the solitude living in a lighthouse appeals to me, as does the thought of being able to help towards keeping those at sea safer. Now I know that the lighthouse keepers of the past had a very hard life and some lighthouses are more remote and dangerous than others but even so that lifestyle is one I think I would have enjoyed. In some respects it is sad to think that most, if not all, of our lighthouses are now automated.

Finally some of my favourite Bible verses speak of light as a guide. Jesus described himself as the light of the world and in a very dark world we need all the light we can get. Even a single candle flame can bring a comforting light in the darkness.

I decided to use my lighthouse image in a bit more Bible journalling to illustrate a passage in Matthew's gospel where Jesus talks about his followers being the light of the world. Whether you have a faith or not we can all be a light for someone, maybe by offering advise or guidance or maybe just some TLC and understanding. If you know someone who is 'in the dark' why not see if you can bring some light to them.

Materials used:

Limited Runs - Lighthouse 1 

printer paper

Polychromo pencils 

black micron pen

This time I tried a different approach to adding my picture. Rather than print it out on tissue paper and then gluing it to the page I printed it out on copy paper then traced it onto the page with a black pen. It was a bit tricky to see the image through the print in places but I think I got most of the image correctly added.

Having coloured it in with the pencils I then used an electric rubber and gently rubbed out some of the colour on the relevant verse so that it would show through better.

This is the third bit of Bible journalling I have attempted and I am beginning to think that maybe I should invest in a proper journalling Bible instead of using my very old one. Something to consider for later in the year maybe.

The challenge at Path of Positivity starts today and  finishes on 5th May. We have two sponsors, our guest sponsor Limited Runs and our ongoing sponsor Scribbles Designs both offering a prize. For full details and the link up visit the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. While you are there take a look at the inspiration from the rest of the team.

I hope you can join in the fun this month. Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Last throws of Christmas

Well that's it for another year, Christmas is all packed up and waiting to be hauled back up into the roof loft. It leaves the house feeling a bit drab when all the sparkle and lights have gone, but at least the weather is still chilly enough to light up the log burner in the evenings.

As a final farewell to the season I wanted to share a card made for the Limited Runs Progressive Challenge.

Materials used:

Limited Runs Digital Stamps - Elf: Candy Cane
Bearly Mine Digital Papers - Winter Swirls (sadly out of business)
X- Press It card

printer paper

green card

brown card

silver mirri card

rectangle die set

pine branch and pine cone dies

5" x 7" card blank

Copic pens:

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

hat and candy cane - R29, R39, R59, R89

jacket and socks - G02, G17, G29, G99,  YG11, Y13, Y15, BV20

boots - C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, 100

bell - Y00, Y11, Y15, YR23

The elf has been coloured with Copics then fussy cut and mounted on a paper printed from the Winter Swirls set using gel glue to give a little dimension. The frame is made using two dies cut together.  The pine branches and cones are cut from green and brown card.

The elf image has the star dangling from a thread held in the elf's left hand. As the thread was a bit fiddly to cut out I decided to put the star in the sky. I could have just drawn in the thread but thought I'd go with a different look.

Thanks for dropping by. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Limited Runs Progressive #22 

Dragonfly Dreams January - Anything Goes 

Not Just Cards January - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time To Craft #83 - Anything Goes 

PIP Challenge #1901 - Anything Goes 

Crafting From The Heart #234 - Anything Goes 

Artistic Inspirations #211 - Anything Goes 

Get Creative Challenges #76 - Anything Goes 

Crafty Creations #382 - Anything Goes

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #412 - Anything Goes 

Limited Runs Challenge

This is my card for the Limited Runs Progressive Challenge #15 on their Facebook Page. I am really enjoying finding all the different quotes that have been appearing on my cards recently!



Materials used: 
Limited Runs - Bird Brain
A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Leaves Digi Papers by Lozzi (only available as a challenge prize
white DL card blank
Copic pens:
bird - E31, E33, E35, E37, E39
R22, R24, R27, R29
beak - W9, W7, W5, W3
eyes - Y00, Y11, Y13

The leaves paper and the orange/brown paper are printed from the Leaves  digi papers pack. The card blank has been edged with a Copic pen.
Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Limited Runs Progressive Freebie Facebook Challenge #15
Crafting From The Heart #205 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1818 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #81 - Anything Goes
Hiding In My Craft Room #351 - Freestyle
Creative Fingers #146 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #232 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #57 - Anything Goes
Crafting With An Attitude #39 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #149 - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #378 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments #142 - Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs - May Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #67 - Anything Goes 
Creative Inspirations - May Clean and Simple or Fussy and Fancy
My Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration Monthly Link Up #33
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - May Anything Goes

More Shades of Yellow

Before I tell you about today's card I wondered if you could do me a favour. I have let the payment for 'no ads' expire to see if, in fact, it is worth having. Please could you let me know if the ads are annoying and what they are for. When I look at my blog I don't see them so I have no idea what is happening. Thank you so much.

It's the half way point of the challenge at Path of Positivity with the optional theme of Shades of Yellow. We have two wonderful sponsors with some great prizes for this month's challenge.



Materials used:Limited Runs - Spring Flowers
CraftStash: Card Making Magic by Christina Griffiths Complete Card & Box Die Set 5×7″
X-Press It card
yellow Cor'dinations card
green card
circle die
white card
Copic pens:
Flowers and Buds: Y13, Y15, YG11, BV20
Flower Centers: YR12, YR15, YR16, YR07, E15
Leaves: YG21, YG03, YG17, YG67

There is something so cheerful about daisies, even the common white ones covering the lawn! One of my favourite films is 'You've Got Mail' and towards the end there is a scene where Joe (Tom Hanks) visits a sick Kathleen (Meg Ryan) and gives her a bunch of daisies, which she then describes as the 'friendliest flower'. (There's a clip here if you want to see it.) I, for one, would not argue over that and while when I think 'daisy' I usually picture the white ones they are available in other colours, especially yellow.
I hope this bunch of friendly yellow daisies makes you smile!

Our challenge is Anything Goes with the optional theme of Shades of Yellow. 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 for Most Inspirational. We’d also love to find out how this month’s colour makes you feel, if you’d like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings does the colour YELLOW evoke 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 this post if you’d like.

The prizes on offer for this challenge are:

• A $10 gift certificate from Limited Runs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch.


• A $10 gift certificate from Imagine That Digistamp, the second of our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

We also have a call out for guest design team members. If you think this is something you might like to  have a go at please put GDT after you name in the link up or leave a comment on this post or leave a comment on the Path of Positivity Blog post then Lisa or a member of the DT will get back to you with more information. There is no experience necessary and you get to work with some fantastic images. If you have been thinking of having a go now is your chance.

For more inspiration from my team mates take a look at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. I hope you will be inspired to join in with us.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Crafting With Friends #63 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #78 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #225 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #55 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1811 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #196 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - March Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #64 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #146 - Anything Goes/Spring or Pastel Colours
Unicorn Challenge #30 - Make It Girly
Creative Inspirations March - Any Occasion

Progressing With Limited Runs

I nearly missed getting my entry into the progressive challenge on the Limited Runs Facebook Page, I wrote down the wrong date for the end of the challenge! That is the second time in a week, I think I might be loosing the plot!


Material used: 
Limited Runs: Progressive Image (cat)
CraftStash: Card Making Magic by Christina Griffiths Complete Card & Box Die Set 5x7"
yellow Cor'dinations Card
patterned designer paper from stash
black card
X-Press It card
black micron pen

Copic Pens: Fur: C0, C1, C2, C3, C5, C7, C9
Nose: R00, R20, R22

The cat is coloured and fussy cut. The cushion is made up from designer paper and the faux stitching added with a black pen.

The corner embellishments and greeting are cut from black card using dies from the set.

The A5 card blank is covered with the yellow card.
Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:My Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration Monthly Link Up #32
Show Us Your Pussies Cats Only Challenge #28 - Furrything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #198 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #77 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1810 - Anything Goes
Allsorts Challenge #458 - Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes(I love little pussy, her coat is so warm,
And if I don't hurt her she'll do me no harm;
I won't pull her tail, nor drive her away,
But pussy and I together will play.)
Crafting With Friends #62 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #224 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #55 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #63 - Anything Goes
Wednesday's Creative Inspirations Challenge - March Anything Goes
Addicted To Stamps and More #282 - Make Your Mark
Inspiration Destination #154 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra - March
Artistic Inspirations #195 - Anything Goes

Surround Yourself With Music

We are now half way through the current Path of Positivity Challenge with the optional theme of music. Last time I told you about my dancing daughters, this time I am focusing on a time of year I love and the music associated with it.

I love winter, it is my favourite season, especially if it is crisp and sunny but even more so if it snows. Of course the favourite part of winter is Christmas, the trees, decorations, lights and fun of family gatherings. I enjoy all of that but even more I absolutely love the church services and singing Advent and Christmas carols. I prefer celebrating the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. If you take Christ out of Christmas, as the world seems so intent on doing, it just leaves 'mas' which is a meaningless non word. My hope is that those people who only come to church or even think about God at Christmas might join in with the lovely carols and really take to heart the lyrics and be led to continue to celebrate God's wonderful gift of Jesus all year round.



Materials used:  
Limited Runs - Christmas Door Set 
Limited Runs - Christmas Carolers 
Craft Creations - A4 Creative Card Red/Green Christmas Carols Cream 
X-Press It card
Copic pens
A5 white card blank

The two Limited Runs images were printed seperately and the Christmas Carolers coloured then fussy cut. I have  used silicone glue to attach them to the Christmas Door image which has given it a bit of dimension.

I hope you will come and join us at Path of Positivity, remember we are now anything goes with the optional theme of music but it would be lovely to hear about your musical inspirations, likes or even dislikes. We have two wonderful sponsors for this challenge, both offering great prizes. Limited Runs are offering a $10 gift certificate for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring, this has to follow the theme. While Imagine That Digistamp is also offering a $10 gift certificate this time for the random draw winner from all the entries. All details of how to enter and how to qualify for the different prizes can be found at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.

Thank you for popping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Addicted To Stamps #157 - Use More Than One Stamp
A Snowflakes Promise #46 - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Baby It's Cold Outside
Crafty Girlz Challenges November - Anything Goes/Christmas
Penny's Challenges #355 - Anything Goes
Crafting-With-Friends #55 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #141 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1747 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #184 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #190 - Anything GoesMy Creative Scoop Colour Inspiration #28 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #138 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft Extra #November - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #56 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #70 - Anything Goes

Limited Runs First Progressive Challenge

Today is the final day for entries into the Limited Runs inaugural progressive challenge on their Facebook Page.



Materials used:Limited Runs - Little Boy
Pixel Scrapper - Stars 2 Overlay
Pixel Scrapper - Summer School Boys Paper 4
X-Press It card
A5 card blank
printer card
Copic pens

Little Boy is printed out on X-Press It card at the required size and coloured in with Copic pens.

The two backing papers are printed on printer card, cut to size, edged with a black pen and stuch to the front of the card.

The sentiment is printed out, trimmed, edged in black and stuck under the background papers.

Little Boy is cut out and attached to the card front using foam pads so that he is slightly raised off the mat.

I have just about enough time to enter him in order to qualify to receive the next image free. If you want to join in with the challenge then the next image is available to purchase from the online store.

Thanks for popping by. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Limited Runs Progressive Freebie Challenge #1
Addicted to Stamps and More #232 - Make Your Mark
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #319
Crafty Creations #336 - Anything GoesCrafting From The Heart #150 - Anything Goes

PoP March Challenge

Time for a new challenge at Path of Positivity. Our challenges are now always 'Anything Goes' with an optional twist. This month the twist is 'Birth of New Beginnings'.

The Season of Spring always brings new birth after the cold winter months, or in the case of the UK this year the wet and windy winter months! I love seeing the first signs of Spring, the catkins and pussy willow, the snowdrops, crocus' and daffodils and my favourite the frog spawn in the pond.

We moved house last September so this is the first Spring in our new home. While we have planted a few bulbs ourselves it has been fun seeing what else is appearing in the garden. We pulled out quite a few overgrown shrubs and a host of pale blue crocus's have appeared in the space that was once underneath the dense wood of the shrub. It may even be the first time in a number of years that they have been visible.

The new pond has a small clump of frogspawn in it donated by a friend. I am hoping that eventually the local frogs will discover it, although it still needs a bit of work doing to make it more accessible for adult frogs. Hopefully plans for that will be completed before the baby frogs are ready to leave the pond.

In the same way that frogspawn holds the promise of  the birth of new beginnings so does each caterpillar, whether they be of moth or butterfly. Each caterpillar holds the potential to become a beautiful moth or butterfly. I have chosen to make my card to reflect that idea.



Materials used:Limited Runs - Butterfly #4
Limited Runs - Caterpillar Set
X-Press It card
purple and yellow card
white A5 card blank
Copic pens

The images and the verse are arranged on the page before printing onto X-Press It card. The verse is one I wrote myself.

The images are coloured with Copics then the page is trimmed and matted and layered onto purple and yellow card. The whole topper is then attached to the front of the card blank.

There is so much you can do with the theme Birth of New Beginnings so why not have a go yourself. We have two great sponsors this month, Limited Runs and Kitten Scraps and they are offering prizes. All the information you need on how to enter and how to qualify for the different prizes on offer are below.

In order to have a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, be sure to explore this idea of the Birth of New Beginnings. Do you know of anyone about to bring a baby into their world? This would be the perfect time to create a congratulations card. Maybe you know someone who is thinking about adopting a new pet. Perhaps you or someone you know is trying to get a business or even just a concept off the ground. These are all good examples, of 'birth' and all great occasions to celebrate. Whatever direction you take the birth of new beginnings in, we'd love to part of that journey.

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 for Most Inspirational. We also ask that you please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of birth if it isn't readily clear within the design itself or clearly written somewhere else in your post. While you may easily see how the concept of birth relates to your creation, it may not be as apparent to me or the DT members. That is why we ask that you clarify it somewhere, whether here or in your blogpost. You can simply write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, if it would be easier. We just need to know how your project ties into the theme. Letting us know, clears up any ambiguity that may exist.

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature.

Prizes on offer this month:

• A $20.00 gift certificate from Kitten Scraps, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch.


• A $10.00 gift certificate from Limited Runs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.

I hope you can join us along the way this  month. Thank you for dropping in. Take care.





I would like to enter the following challenges:
Crafting With An Attitude #25 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations #24 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC#178 - Anything Goes
Crafting With Friends #38 - Anything Goes
Cards Galore Encore March - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #53 - Anything GoesStamping Sensations March - Close to Nature
Artistic Inspirations #174 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #149 - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread #36 - Anything Goes