myasperations 3-2-26

     I have been a regular participant in the Path of Positivity (POP) Challenge since I stumbled upon it 5 years ago. It became a favorite almost immediately, mainly because it inspires a positive mindset and encourages positive actions! To learn more, read the Introduction provided in 2013 by the creator of this inspiring challenge, Lisa D.  

     This year, the Path of Positivity is officially entering its 13th year of offering challenges that encourage positivity and creativity! In honor of this wonderful anniversary, our challenge host, Lisa D, introduces the theme for 2026: Crafting by the Numbers. (Click here if you'd like to read more in-depth about our overall theme for 2026)!

     March’s challenge TWIST is Lucky #3: Use 3 Gems on Your Project, and I decided to make a sweet card for a fairy-lovin’ great niece! It features a comfy scene with a cute little fairy named Junie from Sweet November Stamps. Junie is perched on a windowsill, enjoying a beautiful night sky. I added a close-up photo showing the 3 "diamonds" embellishing the front sentiment! I attached them with Stickles, adding a layer of this sparkly goop across the heart, giving it a textured surface!

   Note- the twist is completely optional, and you don't need to follow it to win. As long as your creation is positive or encouraging in some way, enter it into the POP challenge for a chance to win $6 worth of images from our sponsor, Scribbles Designs, and/or be honored as one of our special "picks"!

                     

  

Supplies: 

·   Precut window card base- from a Wisconsin company that is now out of business

·   Pre-colored night sky is a freebie from DisDigiStamps (on FB). Once you join HERE, type “Freebie time” in the    

         search bar and you can find lots of adorable images and some great scenery, too!)

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Fairwee Junie)

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

·   Front sentiment- Love you to the Moon from Nettyscards.blogspot.com (although this circle sentiment appears 

        to be retired, there are MANY others... for lots of occasions and all are FREE!)

·   Inside sentiment is from a Beccy’s Place digi set (Out Of This World) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She 

        now sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·  Galaxy paper (inside of the card)- Hobby Lobby

·   Stickles- Diamonds (used to glue gems in place)

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

·   Clear gems, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Make Your Own Background    

Polkadoodles Challenge- Challenge 3, Week 1-AG  

The Paper Shelter- #666 AG

Papercraft Challenges- Challenge #127 Theme- AG (Twist- Hearts and Hugs)

    I'd signed up for a weekly newsletter a while ago from Dover Publications and have appreciated that I now receive a weekly email with links to a half dozen coloring books, each offering 4-5 pages that are available as free downloads for a short time. This friendly scene was one of the pages available in a recent newsletter. (Sign up for the SAMPLER NEWSLETTER to start getting your own treasures!] After copying the image, I used my Word program to reduce it in size to fit an A2-sized card, then printed it on light green copy paper. I printed another copy on white cardstock, colored the flowers and greenery in the lower left corner, then fussy cut around them. I also printed Sweet November Stamps’ Lucky Cloverfield digi, colored, fussycut and adhered him atop the flowery section of the card front. Several embellishments were added to give the card touches of green and gold bling!  

 

 

Supplies: 

·   Background garden scene from Dover Publishing-Creative Haven Summer Scenes Coloring Book found HERE (Sign up for the Sampler Newsletter to start getting your own treasures!]

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Lucky Cloverfield)

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

·   Green shamrock-shaped gem- Hobby Lobby

·   Front Sentiment- from a Beccy’s Place Digi set that is no longer available. (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. But still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Inside Sentiment-a Journaling Card I’ve had in my scrapbooking stash for many years (I did find a free digi with the saying HERE)

·   Gold photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 Photo Mounting Corners)

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

·   Rainbow striped paper, small gold coin,  other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Friends of Sweet November (FB) March 

Pick 3 Challenge-Feb-March 2026   (My Picks-Fantasy, Embellishments, Flowers)

Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2609

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge- #273 AG 

    I made a Z-fold card to enter into several Christmas Themed challenges. It features a festive digital images and sentiments from Beccy’s Place, plus pretty plaid paper. 

Supplies: 

·   Instructions for a Z-fold card can be found HERE.

·   Digi and sentiments are from a Beccy’s Place digi set (Jingle Bells) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She now        sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens, and Sharpie Silver Metallic permanent marker

·   Plaid Christmas paper- Hobby Lobby

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

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

Entered into:  

ABC Christmas Challenge- C & D are for… ?  ‘D is for Ding-Dong (bells)’

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- Feb 2026

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- March 2026

(Via Pinterest) Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG

     The challenge at We Craft Cards this week is to make a card that features bugs! I opted to create a card that features bee digis from Beccy’s Place, a beautiful wildflower photo from a favorite FB site, and a sentiment that a friend's daughter is sure to love.

Supplies: 

·   Scenic Background- from the FB page of Briarwood Flowers (an amazing wedding/event floral business).

·   Bee Digis and “Hello Sunshine” sentiment are from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Bees and Blooms) Sadly, no longer 

       available.

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

·   Stickles- Diamonds (on bee wings)

·   Front Sentiment-- from a Jan’s Digi Stamps set (Company is no longer in business)

·   Glass jar of honey Digital Image-freebie from Vecteesy.jpg

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

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

Entered into:  

We Craft Cards- Bugs

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #2-2026 Feb/March 

Crafty Catz Challenge-#708 AG

(Via Pinterest) Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG

myasperations 2-25-26

    I made a pair of cards to enter into the Coffee Loving Paper Crafters/Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge a few weeks ago, but just realized that I need to get them posted tonight to beat the deadline!

    This first card features a free digi set (image and sentiment) named “Have a Cup of Cheer” from Not2Shabby. I created the card using many items from my stash, including a scrap of corrugated cardboard upcycled from a to-go coffee cup (I have a box of them I’ve collected over the last decade!), mini doilies I bought several years ago and just unearthed when organizing my craft room. I used one of my latest purchases, a yummy Christmas Cookie decorated tag from Unity Stamps, to decorate the coffee cup, and fussy-cut several of the tiny cookies to embellish the front and inside sentiments.

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi and front sentiment- free digi set from Not2Shabby (Have a Cup of Cheer)

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

·   A2 card with holly corners- from a packet of cards/envelopes found at local thrift store

·   Corrugated section of coffee cup- upcycled from the real thing

·   Small Doily from Scrapbook.com- Doodlebug Design-Paper Doilies-Mini-Bon Bon

·   Christmas Cookie patterned paper- from Unity Stamps (Timeless Christmas Treasures-Tags)

·   Inside Sentiment “Tis the Season...” from Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cheers) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She now sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Red Plaid paper- Hobby Lobby

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

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

Entered into:  

Coffee Loving Paper Crafters/Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge: #50 Feb 

Not2Shabby Mood Board Challenge-Feb (card includes several colors on the board/cookies are "from the kitchen")  

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #66 Feb 2026        

Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2608 (AG except 5^th Monday)

Rudolph Days Challenge- February

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- Feb 2026

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- Feb 2026

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #740-741 (AG/Family Friendly)

    This second coffee-themed card features a festively decorated cup of hot brew! The beautiful digi is from Stamplorations, and although this image is no longer available, artist/owner Shery Russ stocks a nice collection of coffee and other themed clear and digital stamps.  When I started working on this card, it had a woodsy feeling with the Buffalo Check and Weathered Wood papers. I liked how they looked, but wanted a more feminine feeling to fit with the lovely china cup. A paper doily from my stash that is at least a decade old added just the look I was after. I also used a gold gel pen to add some bling around the lip of the cup. The final bit of creativity was to make sure that the inside has a similar vibe. So Fun!  

Supplies: 

·   Patterned papers (Red plaid and Weathered wood)- Hobby Lobby

·   Coffee Digi- a Stamplorations freebie from Nov 30, 2018 (no longer available)

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

·   Paper doily- from my stash

·   Front Sentiment- “Bean Thinking About You” from an Imagine That Stamp Set (Company no longer in business)

·   Inside Sentiment “Tis the Season...” from Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Christmas Cheers) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She Sentiments- from a Beccy’s Place Digi set that is no longer available. (Business recently changed to clear stamps/wholesale only)

·   Small coffee cup digi- embellishing inside sentiment is from a Beccy’s Place digital seet that is retired

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

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

Entered into:  

(entered via Pinterest) Coffee Loving Paper Crafters/Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge: #50 Feb 

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #66 Feb 2026   (I flipped the sketch for my card) 

STAMPlorations- Feb 2026      

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge- #272 AG 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG

ABC Christmas Challenge- C & D are for… ?  ‘C is for Crimson’

The Paper Shelter- #666 AG

     I’ve had this digit stamp from Power Poppy for several years, and it is perfect for Valentine's cards, so I put it to work this month! This beautiful, large image with its inlaid greeting could easily be made into a CAS card... but I love layering, fussy-cutting, adding photo corners, embellishments, and more! So, after coloring this image, I trimmed it along the edges, then added a frame upcycled from an old attendance certificate. (After retiring a few years ago I filled five or six large boxes of training manuals, presentation notes, etc., and tucked them away in our garage. During our last blizzard, I made good use of the few days that we were snowed in, sorting through all the boxes. I ended up with just a few boxes of items, and the rest was recycled. In the process of sorting, I was amazed at how many certificates  I'd collected over 30+ years of attending and/or presenting at conferences and trainings across the nation. The photo below gives an idea of their number!) 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Power Poppy Digital Stamp Set (Graceful Still Life)

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

·   Inside Sentiment- Freebie from TlcCreations (Happy Spring)

·   Frame is made from upcycled certificates

·   Buttercup Liquid Pearls- dotted into the center of the blooms to add a glimmer of texture!

·   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- Signs of Love    

Pick 3 Challenge-Feb-March 2026     My 3 picks are Embellishments, Flower(s), Coloring

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #2-2026 Feb/March (Optional twist- Blooms or Butterflies) 

Inspiration Station- Challenge #82 Inspiration Photo (blooms on trees)

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Whateverthe Weather  (I can’t wait for Spring to arrive!!)  

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #826: Spring Flowers

Paper Funday- Feb 2026 #84 Anything Goes  (Optional Twist: Use Pastels)