Challenge #47--Optional Theme: BIRTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS...March 6th to April 2nd

Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Path of Positivity. My sincere apologies, especially to the team, for the lateness of this post. I absolutely had to take the time to first update the Challenge Details page at the top of the blog. Two months has already gone by since we implemented the new changes so it was high time for me to get it done!

Now that that is out of the way, it is time for the next challenge to start. This time around, for Challenge #47, the optional theme* is "BIRTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS". Here is what you need to know...

The Basics

While you can find out ALL the information you need to know in order to participate in the challenge by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page (or by clicking HERE), here is a refresher of the basics.

• ALL entries must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. 
• *Each month there will also be an OPTIONAL theme to follow. Participants must follow the optional  theme in order to win the prize for Most Inspirational. If you choose to follow the theme, please follow the instructions below to ensure that you are considered for this prize. 
• All entries that abide by the general rules of the challenge, will be eligible to receive the Random Prize.
• For both prizes, you can make any sort of project you'd like (i.e., scrapbooking page, card, tag, mixed media, digital, etc.). In fact, you don't have to create a project at all. You may just have something to say that is motivational or encouraging in some way, or a written passage that expounds on the nature of the theme. Project, written passage or both! It is completely up to you.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #47.

Challenge #47

Optional Theme: BIRTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Spring is a time of growth and renewal. In North America, the world is awakening around us once again. Soon we will be emerging from the deep frost of winter and enjoying the new life that spring holds. As the world renews around us, it is a good time to be thinking of the concept of birth--whether the birth of animals or plant life in nature, the birth of babies in the human world, or even the birth of new ideas and goals.

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 let 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 in a comment on this post 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. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $10 gift certificate from Limited Runs, one of our sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $20 gift certificate to the Kitten Scraps store, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

Talking of our guest sponsors...

This month we have two returning sponsors! It is time to refresh ourselves with the details of these wonderful companies.

First up is Limited Runs...

Limited Runs has a LARGE calorie free sweet shoppe filled with over 120 different cupcakes, something for almost every occasion. It's not all cupcakes there are tons of  Christmas, Halloween, Backgrounds, Fairies, Critters and More to see. The store has gone through a re-vamp with new digital stamps added in all the time so pop in an take a look around things. Everyone knows you can't enjoy a cupcake without a coffee so there is a place to even pick up a cuppa. There's always a little something for everyone to enjoy and grab the monthly freebie so you can sample before you buy and add to your collection.

Check out the fun images the team worked with for their projects for the beginning of this challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to category page they can be found on in the Limited Runs store...

Butterfly #4 (Category: Bugs-Butterflies, Section: 1 -10)

Caterpillar Set (Category: Bugs-Butterflies, Section: 11 -20)

Birdhouse 3 (Category: Birds, at top of section)

Mini Bird Takeout Coffee Set (Category: Coffee and More, Section: 21-30)

Next, that brings us to Kitten Scraps...

My name is Nathalie and I design under the name of KittenScraps.  I began scrapping as a way to fill in my spare time while learning Photoshop and was quickly hooked on creating kits to scrap my photo’s.  I enjoy offering S4H/S4O kits that are family friendly and easy and fun to use.  My online store offer’s a variety of digital scrapbooking kits, Commercial Use Templates, Elements and Clip Art and coming soon SVG Files for your cutting machine. 

In my spare time I enjoy knitting, and embroidery,  gardening and travelling.  I’m the mother of 4 grown kids and 3 also, grown step kids as well as Aunt Nathalie to 3 adorable-yet mischievous, little boys whom I love to scrap.  Scrapbooking for me is not just a business-I feel each memory that is scrapped is it’s own treasure and strive to offer quality digital products that will help you create the perfect layout for your photo’s. 

Come check out my blog and Facebook page  where I offer layout idea’s and the occasionally a freebie and while your there stop by my store to check out the latest kits, CU items and SVG Files.

Blog Link:  http://www.kittenscraps.com/blog/

Store Link: http://www.kittenscraps.com/store/

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/Kittenscraps-252473318242218/

Check out the great kits the team worked with for their projects for the beginning of this challenge. Clicking on the watermarks below will take you to their location in the store.

Colour Basics Kit 2

Spring Blooms Bundle

Anchors Away Baby Girl Digi Stamp

 

New Beginnings Paper

We are fortunate and blessed to have the chance to work with all these awesome images for the start of this challenge. Thanks so much to our fabulous sponsors. Be sure to come back at the midway when you'll get to see more beautiful projects created with images from these wonderful companies.

Now check out what my amazing design team came up with to inspire you. Katrina even had time to make two projects! Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where you can check out the details for their inspirational creations...

My amazing design team never disappoints! They each have their own unique styles and ideas. As always I am blown away by the quality of their projects! Each of these projects has showcased the concept of the birth of new beginnings in various forms and manners and I hope we have inspired you. Be sure to go and visit each of them so you can see how their projects connect to the theme.

So what are you waiting for? Create a project and/or post that is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature and join our link up. If you've opted to follow the theme of the birth of new beginnings for the chance to win the Most Inspirational prize, provide an explanation of how your project and/or post relates to the theme somewhere in your post or come over and leave a comment with the explanation. Easy, peasy!

If you have some time, please visit other people participating throughout the month. I've included the summary of the challenge details below. If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

I hope to see you back next Monday when voting will start on the Top Picks for Challenge #46. 

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE ON BIRTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
If you need some motivation to get you started, I've provided a quote for you, which you can find below.

Please be sure to click on it to bring it up into the lightbox in its proper size before saving it.

Credit Notes For This Creation:

© 2017, Lisa L. Décosse. PUO. However, you are allowed to use the sentiment on handmade projects that you intend to sell on a small scale basis provided credit is given. You also need to include a credit note and a link to this blog or my personal blog, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, should you use any of my images in your creations and post them on your blog. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with my full terms of use found in the 'Download Instructions & T.O.U.' tab at the top of this page. Of important note:  Please do not share my images with family, friends, etc. Additionally, do not post any images to file sharing services like Box®, 4-Shared®, etc. Instead, please direct people to my blog(s) so they can grab the image for themselves. If you would like to post a watermarked version of the image, please contact me to obtain one.

Additional Credit and Font Information:
 

Fonts used

• Aliva font created by Artisma
• Bebas font created by Flat-it

Click on the font name to take you to a download location. The first font listed was purchased as part of a limited time bundle with an extended commercial use license. While the bundle is no longer available, the font itself can be purchased from the designer. The second font listed is a free font that was listed for commercial use at the time of this creation. It is my understanding, that I am within my rights to use these fonts in my creations and offer them to others for free or for sale. Always check to make sure the terms haven't changed before using the font on something you sell.

You will notice that the sentiment may appear huge depending on what software program you download it into. You can always reduce the size without distorting the overall look.


CHALLENGE DETAILS SUMMARY

Whether you are new and need to familiarize yourself with all the details, or a returning participant and just need to refresh yourself, you can always find out everything you need to know in order to enter this challenge in the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page. I've provided a quick summary below. Please note that dates and times listed below are for this particular challenge only:

• Each Path of Positivity challenge will remain open for approx. a full month. Entries for this challenge will be accepted from March 6th to April 2nd, 2017.
• Add your inspirational project or post using the link up below. You will be able to submit your entry until 11:59 p.m. on April 2nd.
• If you have chosen to follow the optional theme, you will need to let us know what it is about your project or post that you feel is inspirational  / positive / motivational and how it fits into the theme. Please include this information somewhere within your post. You can simply add a sentence or two at the bottom of your post right next to the link for this challenge if you want. Or, if this isn't possible, come over and leave us a comment on the start post. You must also add 'FT' after you name so we know which creations to add to the draw for the sponsor's prize for Most Inspirational.
• Don't forget to come back throughout the month and visit others that have participated. 
• You can link up a total of three (3) creations.
• Voting for this challenge will begin once the top picks have been determined. There will be a separate post detailing those picks. You will then have the opportunity to vote on the creation or post that you have found to be the most inspirational of the chosen picks.
• For Challenge #47, prizes will be the following:
• 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.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

If you ever have any questions be sure to EMAIL ME or just leave me a comment.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Link Up Below:
If you have any problems linking up, please be sure to let me know by leaving a comment on this post.

Challenge #47--Optional Theme...BIRTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
This is the place to link up something that you have created during the month that you consider positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You will be able to submit entries to this collection up until April 2nd at 11:59 pm. Be sure to add FT after your name if you followed the optional theme.  Please see above for all the rules and details. If you would like to be a Guest Designer in a future challenge, please add the letters GDT after your name.