Path of Positivity Challenge: Challenge #51--Optional Theme: SURROUND YOURSELF...with ART...Midway

Hello folks. It is the third Monday of the month and that means that it is time to present the midway for Challenge #51.

As we are a unique kind of challenge blog, please be sure to check out the START POST FOUND HERE, for all the rules and details you need to know in order to enter. For now, here is a refresher of what our theme is all about:

Challenge #51

Optional Theme: SURROUND YOURSELF...with ART

We have something different to share with you over the next three months and we hope you will all enjoy it. Katrina, one of my amazing team members has come up with a really intriguing concept. This fall our themes will be to Surround Yourself with Positivity in the form of the ARTS! Each month for the next three months we'll explore the positive influence of three different artistic concepts: Art, Literature and Music!

To kick it off we will start with Art! One of the best parts of having computers is having access to the works of the artistic masters in our own home! We can google famous artists from Botticelli, Monet, or Rembrandt to Remington, Rockwell, or Noel and see their works! We can check out political cartoons, comic strips, and graffiti! We can also study sculptures, glasswork, and architecture.

Look around your home and consider what is hanging on your walls. Usually we choose to hang pictures or artwork that makes us feel happy and positive. Everything from our dishes to our furniture tells something about our artistic likes.

Now it’s time to walk around your house and really study what’s there. Check out some art on the web or in a museum. Turn in your paper to the comic strip. Find out what sort of art inspires you in a positive way! Then, if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, share your inspiration and project with us; we can’t wait to see what you create and learn about yourself on this journey!

Keep in mind, we are thinking about how different kinds of art affects us as individuals. It’s not really about doing something “visually" art related. For example, any positive image that reminds us of any piece of art works or we could use the style of a famous painter on any image. I've included a brief synopsis from each of the team members tying their projects into the theme so that you can see how they have interpreted this unique concept.

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. Remember, we also ask that you please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of art and what you learned about yourself along the way, if it isn't clearly written somewhere else in your post. While you may easily see how your creation ties into the theme, 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 or paragraph 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 $12 gift certificate from Bugaboo Stamps, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate from Lunagirl, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

Talking of our guest sponsors...

To learn more about this month's guest sponsors, be sure to check out the START post; and of course, also visit the individual sponsors themselves. Below you will find the watermarks for the wonderful images that the team worked with for the midway. Just click on any watermark to find that image's location in its respective store.

From Lunagirl…

Animals: On the Farm Digital Collage Sheet

Animals: At the Zoo Digital Collage Sheet

Daydream Digital Collage Sheet

From Bugaboo Stamps…

Cowboy

Beautiful Blocks Life

Thank you so much to these awesome companies for allowing us the opportunity to work with such incredible images during the midway!

To help inspire you further down the path of SURROUND YOURSELF with ART, check out the wonderful projects my Design Team had the opportunity to create. Don't forget that I have included a brief synopsis from each of the team members tying their projects into the theme so that you can see how they have interpreted this unique concept. Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where you can check out further details on their inspirational creations...

Tie in to theme:

"I have made a card/picture inspired by a print of a needle felted wall hanging that I saw several years in a row at a local craft show. The piece is very 3D and very large. It was not for sale but even if it was I doubt that I could have afforded it. My eldest daughter surprised me at Christmas with the gift of a framed print of it. The picture is called 'Peace In The Valley' and the artist is Joan Prowse. If anyone is interested here is a link to her web site: http://www.joanprowse.co.uk/"

Tie in to theme:

"I really enjoy horse art whether it be Victorian horse art or wild mustangs running. I love cowboys loping over hills to women riding sidesaddle in flowery meadows. Horse shoes, leather saddles, signs, it's all in my house....yes, amongst the Victorian children and angels~ it's a bit eclectic!"

Tie in to theme:

"I created a set of note cards, inspired by the jumbled collection of vintage collection pieces and modern design in my home. I tried to incorporate that mix by adding a bit of modern embellishment to the vintage photos from one of our sponsors, Lunagirl".

Tie in to theme:

"I sprayed three canvases some time back with the same colour Dylusions Ink. Managed to complete 2 of them and couldn't decide what to do with the third one. I'm happy to add this one to the other two as it looks much better up on the wall as a set of three!"

Thanks again to my incredible design team! As always, each of them have their own unique styles and ideas which amaze me to no end. Each of these projects has showcased the concept of surrounding oneself with art, in various forms and manners and I hope we have inspired you throughout this challenge. Be sure to go and visit these talented ladies so you can see how their projects tie in to the theme.

Why not join us, if you haven't entered already? 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 surrounding oneself with art, 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. Also, don't forget to leave FT after your name so we know to include you in the running for the prize. Easy, peasy! You can enter our latest challenge by clicking HERE.

Also, I know that the participants would love for you to go and pay them a visit. Remember we're creating a Path of Positivity to follow one project at a time and we'd love to see you somewhere on that route even if it is just by leaving a comment on an entry from someone who has touched you somehow with their project and/or post!

Don't Forget...

You have until 11:59 p.m. tonight to vote on your favourite entry for Challenge #50. Voting is quick, easy and painless so I hope you will consider casting your vote if you haven't already. Winners for challenge #50 will be posted next Monday if everything goes according to plan. You can find the Top Picks post HERE.

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 find out the impetus behind why I started this challenge 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). Additionally, you can find a quick summary of the details related to this challenge, towards the bottom of the start post.

Click HERE to head to the current challenge post & link up!

GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY...

Please show your support to our wonderful guest sponsors by going over and checking out their work and saying hi if you have the chance. As mentioned above, this month our guest sponsors are...