myasperations 4-7-25

                                        

     Today is an exciting day for me as I join the Path of Positivity Challenge DT! I loved the inspiration for this challenge from the time I stumbled upon it several years ago. The reason?  Let me share an explanation with excepts from the POP Challenge Introduction in 2013, from its creator, Lisa D.  "In this day and age, we are continually bombarded with images that leave us empty: murder, war, terrorism, natural disaster, intolerance, hatred... the list could go on and on. Our world is a place of ever-increasing negativity it seems." " To that end, I have been inspired to create a place where I can come to see projects or posts that provide help, hope, courage, love, forgiveness, peace, motivation, encouragement, etc. A place to come especially on those days when the woes of the world just seem too much to bear. This is a place I would like to share with others who feel as I do. Therefore, welcome to the 'Path of Positivity Challenge' -- a different sort of challenge blog designed to inspire, nurture and provide support for the soul by creating a positive path to follow, one project or post at a time!" 

      Lisa establishes an annual goal, with monthly themes and an optional twist.  2025's goal is 

Embrace the Unexpected in our lives. April's Theme is Embracing the Unexpected… Through Decluttering and the optional project is "go through your junk drawer or a closet and take inspiration from something unexpected that you find within."  

      I found this tin of scratch boards at a thrift store many years ago, but have never put them to use. So I was excited to unearth them in one of my boxes of treasures. Some of the boards had grey outlines that could be scratched off to reveal pictures. I scratched off several of the boards and loved the bright rainbow colors that emerged, creating beautiful "etchings"! 

      The first card, a dandelion in the process of fluff-lauching, works beautifully with a "Make a Wish" sentiment. (Because I feared that the black covering of the base could be accidentally scratched off by the envelope or mailing process, I attached an A2 sized piece of acetate over the card front, attacking it with silver washi tape on each corner. You can see the reflection of my cell phone on the acetate as I take photos!) I left the inside of this card blank so it can be used for any reason! 

     I’m entering this card into several challenges including Allsorts AG/Spring Flowers (although dandelions are weeds, I remember spending many hours collecting the pretty yellow “flowers” in early Spring. Most would be given to Mom as a pretty bouquet, others would be woven into crowns to wear in the countless hours we spent in the warm outdoors. We also loved when the flowers turned to magical whisps that provided many, many wishes!)   

   

Supplies: 

·   Scratchboard- from my stash

·   Sentiment “Make a Wish” a freebie from papercraftsmag.com (no longer available)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Silver Washi tape, acetate and other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge- #251 AG 
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #692-693
Allsorts Challenge- Week 820- Spring Flowers  

      This second card is packed full of items that any space lover, of any age, would enjoy! Once again, I covered the card front with a piece of acetate, this time attached to the card with black photo corners. Silver star stickers attached to the acetate, and the inside sentiment, add a bit of bling! (As with the first card, 

      I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Time Out Challenge: Inspired by your favorite movie (In my last post I noted that I love space movies, including Star Wars. This card was inspired by two additional space movies- “Galaxy Quest” a comedy, and “The Martian” a drama but with a few bits of humor!), Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)     Space Mountain advertised as “Blast off on a rip-roaring rocket into the furthest reaches of outer space on this roller-coaster ride in the dark.” Sounds like a “yes please!” to me!), and Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge- (Shape-rectangle, Cue-Birthday     

Supplies: 

·   Scratchboard- from my stash

·   Sentiment- “Love you to the MOON and back” Sticker from Oriental Trading Company (no longer available)

·   Sentiment- "Happy Birthday"- Computer Generated

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Silver Washi tape, acetate and other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Time Out Challenge- Challenge #285 (Inspired by your favorite movie)   

Outlawz- Tuesday Color Challenge- Color Board 

Outlawz Challenge-April 2025 Linky  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Happy Birthday

  Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)     Space Mountain

Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge- April 2025    

 

      This is my DT card for All Dressed Up Stamps and featured an adorable digi from “New Release Inspiration” Day for artist Wendy Burns latest creations.  I this Spring themed image named, appropriately “Growing Season.” I used floral patterned paper as a background for the card front (and the inside sentiment), fussy-cutting partial flowers from the papers to add a few embellishments.  

Supplies: 

·   Digi- All Dressed Up Stamps (Growing Season)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front (and inside) Sentiment “Happy Spring…”-Freebie from TlcCreations (Happy Spring)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Patterned paper and all other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes March-April 2025 (optional-Blooms) 

Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge-AG April 2025 (optl twist- Plants and/or animals) 

Crafty Catz Challenge- #691 AG- Optional: NA

Polkadoodles Challenge- Challenge 5, Week 1- AG                      

Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge: April 2025 Optional-Springtime 

Paper Funday- #75 Anything Goes 

myasperations 4-1-25

   This is my DT card for All Dressed Up Stamps FB Challenge. It features an adorable digi image named “Potted Plants." I gave the card a Spring vibe by using two contrasting colors, blue and orange. They really pop… just like the trees will soon be doing here where I live. Ahhh… I love this time of the year!  Oops.. did you notice the little kitty helping to supervise her work. So sweet!

                                                            
Supplies: 

·   Digi- All Dressed Up Stamps (Potted Plants)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Patterned paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Front Sentiment- “Thinking of you” from Eureka Stamps  (Currently Not Available)

·   Inside  Sentiment- “Happy Birthday” from QKR Stampede Stamps  (Currently Not Available)

·    Oval Templates from my scrapbook stash

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Birthday Wishes (March) 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge- #690 AG- Optional: Spring Green

Allsorts Challenge- Week 820- Spring Flowers  

Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge- April 2025    

      This is my final card in the current challenge at The Paper Shelter named “Fur or Feathers.

The cute little bird digi is from one of my digi sets from The Paper Shelter, but I have nearly

100 of their sets, and cannot locate the one with this small birdee!

      I saw a on Jennifer McGuire tutorial (HERE) where she made a beautiful card using a

Paper Smooches Birdhouse die, and it inspired me to finally purchase a Big Shot so that I

could make cards like hers! While decluttering I found a box of partial cards, including this

one. I finished it up, added the little birdie entered it. Yay!

Supplies: 

·   Birdhouse Dies from Paper Smooches (Paper Smooched appears to no longer have a website. But I’ve seen a few sets on EBay.)

·   Little Birdee Digi- from digi set from The Paper Shelter (But I can’t locate it in my files. If you can identify the digi, please let me know.)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday: March (Spring) 

The Paper Shelter- #631 Anything Goes  (Opt Twist- Fur or Feathers)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #692-693

     The Time Out Challenge new theme is “Favorite Movie” and since I am an avid movie lover… I plan to enter several cards! This is my second entry, inspired by the movie “Star Wars.” My brand-new husband and I went to see it and were blown away by the special effects. The bar scene with all the odd aliens still impresses me. Nearly 50 years later we still love space related movies, but this one still remains one of my favorites!    

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Oddball Art/Lizzy Love Stamps (Princess Leia) Sadly it appears that this Company is no longer in business

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens

·   Front Sentiment “May the 4^th be with you”- Computer Generated

·   Inside Sentiment “Celebrate with a BANG!” from Eureka Stamps  (Currently Not Available)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Time Out Challenge- Challenge #285 (The Challenge: Inspired by your favorite movie) 

  Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)     Star Wars-Disney World Galaxy’s Edge

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #782: Anything But Birthday  

myasperations 3-30-25a

    I have occasionally donated handmade cards to a local residential drug treatment center for several years. After retiring, I’ve wanted to increase my donations, but also wanted to make sure that I was meeting the client's needs. After checking, I learned that they like cards for their children (of all ages) plus also thinking of you/miss you type cards with blank insides for parents, spouses and friends, in assorted themes. 

      This is the latest card for my donation box. It features a wonderful wildlife stamp that I’ve had since the late 1990's when I co-owned a stamp store in South Dakota. The company, named Northwoods Rubber Stamps (NWS), was one of our anchor companies. I did a little web research and found that NWS  is still in business. This stamp appears to be retired, but they have a wide range of themes/images available. That said, their scenery, wildlife, and rural/farm-related stamps were among our best sellers, so you might want to check them out!

 

 

Supplies: 

·   Owl Image- Wood Mount Stamp from Northwoods Rubber Stamps (retired)

·   Colored with Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils, with additional shading and highlights by Spectrum Noir Classique markers, and Sakura Gelly Roll white pen

·   Weathered wood background upcycled from an old calendar

·   Front Sentiment “You’re a Hoot”- a freebie from papercraftsmag.com (no longer available) 

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Double D’s Challenge- Birds  

The Paper Shelter- #631 Anything Goes  (Opt Twist- Fur or Feathers)

       I wanted to make a few more cards to enter into the current sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group (BYSHC) Challenge on FB. This is the first one. It features three of my favorite things, coffee, snowflakes and the jolly old elf!

      The Santa mug is from an Angie Bloms digi set that I added to my collection last Christmas.  Markers, my trusty white pen, a short burst of snowflakes and assorted items from my stash brought the card to life! An added note- I didn't want to color his hat re, because the whipped cream looks so yummy. And leaving it white looked to blah to me this AM. So, I opted for a light pink marker. Who doesn't like a flood of  peppermint cream on their coffee (or hot chocolate?!  

 

             

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Angie Blom Digital Designs (Christmas Joy Mugs)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment “Have Yourself…”  from Polka Dot Orchard digi set (Merry Little Coffee)

·   Inside Sentiment “Sending Love this Christmas” from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Gingerbread Season)

·   Snowflakes- Cheery Lynn Designs Die (C146 Snowflakes) Retired

·   Snowflakes- Lawn Fawn LF995-Mini Snowflakes Die Set

·   Green Polka Dot paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Coffee Beans photo- freebie from Dreamstime.com (HERE)

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #55 March 2025      

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #692-693

      This sweet card is my final entry into the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group (BYSHC) Challenge on FB. It features a fun Digi/Sentiment set from Whimsie Doodles which is sadly no longer in business. (However, the blog is still posted, and has some excellent tutorials that I have found helpful, especially on coloring hair and eyes with alcohol inks. You can find them HERE. (Tuesday Tutorials are listed in the right panel on this link.)

     I’m entering this card into several challenges including ABC Christmas Challenge- 'G is for Girls' (Elf on the shelf, Elf the movie and other Elves are usually boys, so I decided to use a girl elf for this card. Yay!) 

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi and inside sentiment from Whimsie Doodles (Elves Watching) No longer available/Shop closed

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Patterned Paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Front Sentiment- “Thinking of You at Christmas” from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cardinals)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #55 March 2025         

ABC Christmas Challenge- “E, F and G  are for…? ”  'G is for Girls'

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday: March (Christmas) 

Outlawz Challenge-March 2025 Linky