* Path of Positivity: Relax, Try Something New

Hello!

Today is the start of a new Path of Positivity challenge.

The challenge lasts for the month of June.

This month the theme is Anything Goes with the optional twist of 

Try Something New.

Prizes this month include:

• THREE digital images from Pattie's Creations, 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.

Our optional theme this month is 

Try Something New. 

This could be trying a new craft technique, or designing a journal or scrapbook page. Or, like me, it could be a new life experience. Reach out beyond your comfort zone - feel proud and rejuvenated.

There are so many ways you can interpret the optional theme this month. We are waiting to see your take on the theme.

Please remember ...

... in order to be eligible for the prizes your project must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way. 

My 'try something new' crafting technique is using the tall alphanumeric dies added to foam for dimension. I am also trying a new self care regime from this month as I need to relax a little more and get to sleep a little earlier, so I am using aromatherapy and with yoga and meditation music to help. The lavender posy is perfect for depicting this new regime, as lavender oil promotes calmness and wellness and is believed to alleviate stress.  My word 'relax' is short enough for me to try the new die technique.

Here is the card I made with Lavender Posy from Pattie's Creations:

I coloured the lavender with Copic markers and fussy cut it leaving a thin white border. I made a background by smooshing, dipping and dabbing white card in Distress Oxides. When the oxides were dry, I added some deep purple vine stamping around the edges and a little random script stamping in navy blue. White splatters were added.

The letters were die cut from my oxide coloured card and also again from black foam. They were adhered together and coated with Glossy Accents. I am really pleased with how they turned out!

Many thanks to Pattie's Creations, this month's guest sponsor,

and to Scribbles Designs as the ongoing sponsor of the challenge


We would love to see your creations! 
Just make sure that your entry is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way!
The link up is here: Challenge #92 Path of Positivity.

 

That's all for today! 

I'll be back with a another Path of Positivity project in a couple of weeks time.

Thanks for stopping by today!

xoxo

                                                                                                                                            

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #159 AG 19/06

* A Perfect Time to Craft 27/06

* Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 27/06

* A Place to Start #6 Create Your Own Challenge 30/06 Rising Star

Card/Encouragement/3D Embellishments

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

* Vera Lane Studio: Bug Me

 

Hello

We have had some beautiful warm sunny weather here over the last week which has definitely lifted my spirits a little. I've been busy in the garden tidying borders and planting up pots. The sunshine makes such a difference, doesn't it.

Today, at Vera Lane Studio, we have a new digi set release called Bug Me. It features five cute bugs and a sentiment and is perfect for summer projects. I decided to use four of them and make a set of ATCoins.

 

Aren't they cute little bugs! 

All the images were coloured with Copic markers and fussy cut. The backgrounds were made by using a stencil (#112 Heapza Hexagons) as a stamp, once it was loaded with Distress Oxide inks and spritzed with water. Stamping with tone on tone inks  add some detail (#383 Scripted Hexagons) and black stamping (with #374 Reverse Hexagons) adds a border. I also added some tiny pieces of torn washi tape (Wishy Washi designed by Janet). My die cuts a circle and a rim, so I used them together as they measured 2..5 inches diameter, and I mounted each ATCoin onto black card.

The honey bee is my favourite - he's wearing a sweater! He has some glittery wings.

The grasshopper is also a favourite:

And then there's the caterpillar - he's very sweet.

And my final Coin features the dragonfly:

Bug Me

That's all for now.

I hope you'll come along and play on Vera Lane. It's such a friendly, fun place to be!

  

Here's all the info you need:

Vera Lane Studio Blog

***Vera Lane Studio Facebook Group***

Vera Lane Studio You Tube Channel

Vera Lane Studio Etsy Shop

AALL & Create carry Janet's clear stamp sets, stencils and Washi Tape. 

A list of stockists can be found here.

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* Always Fun Challenges #217 Layers 12/06

* Dream Valley Challenges Die Cuts 12/06

* Crafting Happiness Challenges #99 Summer 13/06 Top Pick

* Pammies Inky Pinkies #2123 AG 13/06 Honorarble Mention

* Gem of a Challenge #12 AG 17/06

* Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #159 AG 19/06

* A Perfect Time to Craft 27/06 DT Favourite

* Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 27/06 Best Technique Winner

* Patties Creations #183 Things That Fly 30/06

AALL & Create: The Three Amigos ATCs

 

Hello

This week for my GDT project for AALL & Create, I made a trio of ATCs and mounted them onto card.

I really love these quirky characters designed by Tracy Evans. I stamped them onto watercolour card and coloured with a mixture of watercolours and Inktense pencils.

The sunshiny backgrounds contain lots of triangles, both in stamp and stencil form. i used Bipasha's 'Fasteners' washi tape to ground my characters.

Here is each ATC in close up:

 

The friendly bear from Tracy's 'Quirky Friends' is holding his glossy heart and offering it in the name of friendship.

The doggie is happy. He's not sure how his umbrella handle became so wonky, but he likes it that way :) 

And lastly, the little mouse with a tiny birdie on his head,  is giving away a beautiful flower.

How it came together;

1. I started by cutting the card into 3 x 2.5 inch pieces and I randomly heat embossed the Lined Triangles in white. Once dry, the cards were then smooshed, dipped and dabbed in Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxides. I liked the variations in colour that I got from this one ink pad, so I decided to stop there.

 

2.  I applied some Heavy Structure gel through the Lotza Triangles stencil, making sure to use only the smaller triangles. As the gel dried it picked up the colours from the background and became translucent. I added some tone on tone stamping in Crackling Campfire and in black around the edges using the Reverse Triangles. At this stage the backgrounds looked quite horrible!

3. I stamped the focal images onto watercolour card and coloured them. I fussy cut them and went around the edge with a black marker to finish them off.

Stamps Used:

#376 Reverse Triangles

#459 Lined Triangles

#466 Quirky Friends

#483 Happy Dog

Stencil: #105 Lotza Trianglz

Washi: #13 Fasteners

To see the stamps, stencils, dies and washi tapes used, please visit

AALL & Create Boutique. 

A list of stockists can be found here.

You'll find lots of inspiration on the 

AALL & Create Facebook Page, the AALL & Create Fanatics Facebook Page and on Instagram

This is me and Casey - a personalised digital stamp from Janet Klein. 

Order yours here.

That's all for now.

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* Crafty Catz #554 AG 10/06

* Creative Fingers #209 AG 10/06

Three Room Studio #39 Tic Tac Toe  11/06

Top Row -  Any medium colouring/multiple sentiments/Heat Embossing

* Angies Digital Stamps #53 AG 26.06

* A Perfect Time to Craft 27/06

* Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 27/06

* Crafters Castle #42 AG 30/06

* Corrosive Challenge June AG 30/06

* Through the Purple Haze #181 AG 01/07

* 613 Avenue Create #6 AG 02/07 TOP ROCKER

* CRAFT Challenge GDT: Right Shed Fred

 

Hello

I am delighted to be joining C.R.A.F.T. Challenge Blog for a month of Guest DT posts. Thank you to Jo and the C.R.A.F.T. Team for inviting me.

The challenge theme this week is MASCULINE and the sponsors are Ike's Art and Dr Digi.

I used a Dr, Digi image called Right Shed Fred.

I coloured the image with Copic markers and fussy cut it. Doctor Digi has the best 'funny' digis - head over to the store to have a look around

The background was made by stamping with a stencil. I smooshed Distress Oxides direct from the pad onto the stencil (#95 Sunrise from AALL  Create), spritzed with water and stamped it onto white card. This is one of my favourite techniques for making backgrounds - very quick and easy and usually I get good results. I added some script stamping using a very old Inkylicious stamp and inked around the edges of the background.

The image is popped on foam tape and I added some die cut leaves , cut from some left over painted card that was lying in my scrap box.

The sentiment was stamped with a free stamp set I got with a paper crafting magazine.

You can enter the C.R.A.F.T. challenge twice - we hope to see you there.

That's all for now. I'm back next Wednesday with another challenge inspiration card for the C.R.A.F.T. blog.

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* Lil Red Wagon #604 Masculine 09/06

* Penny's Challenges #497 AG 09/06

* DL Art Challenge #278 Father's Day 10/06

* Scrapping4fun Challenges #193 Masculine 10/06 

* Crafters Cafe #267 13/06

* Watercooler Wednesday #317 All Things Masculine 16/09 DT Favourite

* The Male Room #151 Dads and Grandads 29/06

* Crafty Creations #422 AG 05/07

* Crafts Galore Encore: Scribbled Floral ATCs

Hello

June brings another challenge at Crafts Galore Encore. 

The theme is always Anything Goes and the challenge lasts all month.

Our sponsor this month is Fred She Said and they are  offering a $10 store voucher to our winner.

I chose to work with Scribbled Floral digis and made a trio of ATCs:

I coloured the images using Copic markers and fussy cut them.

The background is brayered paint, overstamped with tone on tone stamping using Scripted Diamonds and Reverse Diamonds. I added some black stamping around the edges and some white paint splatters.

The flowers were grounded on torn washi tape and I added fragments to the top of each ATC. The words were adhered and a border doodled around each one. 

Here are my ATCs in close up:

Many thanks to Fred She Said for sponsoring the challenge.

Please pop over to Crafts Galore Encore to see the DTs wonderful designs. 

We'd love to see your creations.

Remember the challenge is always 'Anything Goes' and so you can create any type of project - it doesn't have to be a card and you can enter up to 3 times.

Thanks for stopping by today!

xoxo

                                                                

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

* The Sisterhood of Crafters Flowers as the Focus 06/06 Top 3

* Addicted to Stamps #406 Make Your Mark 06/06

* Penny's Challenges #497 AG 08/06

* Crafters Cafe #267 AG 13/06 TOP 3

* A Bit More Time to Craft #141 AG 14/06 TOP 7

* QKR Stampede #421 AG 14/06 Top 5

* Creative Inspirations Season of Spring 30/06

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

* Gecko Galz: Wild West Sweetheart

 Hello, hello!

June is here and we have sunshine in the NW of England!

 I hope where you are the Covid restrictions are easing up a little and that you are all safe and well.

This month at Gecko Galz we have a Wild West Sweetheart challenge theme. I chose a wonderful image and frame from the Ride Em Cowgirl Digital Kit, along with a Calamity Jane quote for my sentiment. I decided to make some faux fence panelling for my background.

I opened the bottom and side of the frame using a craft knife and inserted the fussy cut girl who is popped on foam to give her some dimension. I made a panel of wood from white card: first I scored lines at 0.5 inch intervals, then I went to town with all my grungy brown oxides, Frayed Burlap, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo and included a little Antique Linen,Smoked Hickory and Speckled Egg, swiping them from top to bottom, direct to card. I am happy with the result!. I made two smaller panel to act as mats for the image and quote.

I added some delicate lace trim which contrasts well with the rustic wood, and some red gingham hearts for the wild west sweetheart.

Ride Em Cowgirl

A fabulous kit of png icons (images for layering together), papers and stamps

***

That's all for now!
I hope you'll join our Wild West Sweetheart challenge where the winner will get a $25 shopping spree at the Gecko Galz shop.

The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product 
(this can be one of the freebies or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy store!) 
Also if you sign up for the Gecko Galz newsletter, you'll be able to claim a free collage sheet each month and get first claim on the monthly $1 deals!

Please pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see the fabulous designs by the very talented DT.

We also have a friendly Facebook Group where there are 4 monthly challenges, each with a collage sheet prize. 
Do come and join us!

I'll be back on the 20th June with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:

Gecko Galz blog

Current Gecko Galz Challenge : "Wild West Sweetheart"

Gecko Galz Etsy Shop

Gecko Galz Facebook group

***

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in the following challenges:

* A Bit More Time to Craft Extra AG 30/06

* Love to Scrap #146 No Rules 4 30/06

* Love to Craft AG 30/06

* Taylormadecards4u Use Your Words 30/06

I'd really love some feedback :)      

I read and appreciate all your comments. 

***