Monday, June 18, 2018

Challenge #59 Top Picks: Voting Open June 18 to June 24, 2018

WELCOME TO THE CHALLENGE #59 POP TOP!

Hey there folks! As promised, I'm back with the top picks for the last challenge. If you are looking for the midway, please scroll down one post.

I admit that I was scratching my head regarding the number of entries in the last challenge. Since the optional theme was for you to choose your own favourite colours, I had really anticipated that we'd have more people join in since technically it was almost like an 'anything goes' kinda of optional theme. However, we only had ten people participate. I guess this falls under the category of "things that make you say hmmmm...".

I also wanted to mention a change that we are implementing regarding the Voter's Choice category. In the past the rules have been such:
  1. If we have 14 entries or more in a given challenge, the Design Team chooses a Top Seven. Those seven entries are then put forth to be voted on for the Voter's Choice.
  2. If we have fewer than 14 entries in a given challenge, the Design Team chooses a Top Three. However, all entries are put forth to be voted on for the Voter's Choice.
  3. If we have five entries or less in a given challenge, the Design Team chooses one Top Pick. However, all entries are put forth to be voted on for the Voter's Choice.
As of Challenge #59 we are changing rule #2:
  • If we have fewer than 14 entries in a given challenge, the Design Team will still choose a Top Three. However, it will now only be those top three picks that will be put forth to be voted on for the Voter's Choice.

Rules #1 and #3 will remain the same.

So, in the case of this particular challenge, we only had ten entries; and, while we may not have enough entries to have a Top Seven, we certainly have enough to have a Top Three.

Thus, without further ado, please let me introduce you to the Top Picks for Challenge #59...


Congrats Ladies... 

As a participant who has been chosen as a Top Pick in this challenge, 
you are entitled to a special Challenge #59 Top Pick Badge.
Please feel free to grab a copy for your blog...


HAVE YOUR SAY!

Now the really hard work starts. It is time for you, our readers, to vote for your favourite entry. Which participant most inspires you? Remember, you are not necessarily voting on a creation that was made. You might simply find what the person had to say in their post to be inspiring and optimistic. Please be sure to go and check out the entries first and not just make your choices off of the thumbnails. Then, let us know who your favourite choice is by placing your vote below using the Linky Tools feature. Once you have made your decision, why not go back and let them know how they inspired you.

 Good luck everyone!


Path of Positivity--Challenge #59 Top Picks
Please click "like" to vote for your favourite entry for Challenge #59 out of the entries listed below. One vote per IP address please. Please note that you can get a better idea of what the project/post looks like by visiting each participant first. To do so, simply click the names below the thumbnails to be taken to the person's blog.

Members of the EU Please Note:
  • By entering your Personal Information (i.e. name, blogpost address, email address) into the challenge link up, you are giving your consent to having your name and blogpost link visible to everyone who visits this site and that if you are chosen as a Top Pick in a challenge, your entry serves as consent to have the following information appear in our Top Picks post:
    • your name and/or possibly your blog name
    • the blogpost address of the project that you linked up
    • a copy of the image that you originally linked up
  • By entering your Personal Information (i.e. name, blogpost address, email address) into the challenge link up, you also consent to having the above information added to a private link up created by the owner of this blog, in order to put forth your information for the possibility of being chosen as the Voter's Choice for said challenge.
Your continued use of this blog and any services it may provide will constitute your acknowledgement and acceptance of this notice. A full Privacy Policy is being created and when completed will be added to a separate page on this blog.

Vote Below:

Challenge #60--Optional Theme: NEUTRALS...Midway

Hello folks. It is the third Monday of the month and that means that it is time to present the midway for Challenge #60. First though, I just wanted to apologize for not getting the top picks post out last week. Unfortunately, time just wasn't on my side putting me off schedule yet again. I plan on doing it as soon as I've posted today's midway so hopefully it will be out later tonight or tomorrow at the latest--fingers crossed anyway!

Right now thought it is time to proceed with our midway. 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.

This is the sixth month into our year long study of colour. If you are new to the blog or this series, and you would like to review a more in-depth explanation on how we are affected by colour, its impact on us, the symbolism behind it, and the psychological effect it has on our everyday lives, you can find it by clicking HERE and scrolling down to the Title, "Theme Ideas for 2018".

For now though, here is a refresher of what our current theme is all about:


Challenge #60

Optional Theme: NEUTRALS

Where does your mind go when you think of Neutrals?

Neutrals…neutrals…hmmm. Where does your imagination go with this colour idea? Maybe your thoughts wander back in time to the old sepia coloured tin-types and cabinet cards. Exquisite photography and cinema have always been rich with neutrals. These colours seem to transport us to a place of long ago ~ a sort of “time travel” if you will.

Shades of brown and neutrals can evoke strong feelings of earth and naturalness and is great for home decor. Possibly your neutral musings are more whimsical in nature entertaining the thoughts of black and white newspaper comic strips! Of course, there is always the very classic with crisp lines of black and white. Neutrals are anything but boring and we can’t wait to see how this inspires your creativity!

As you can see from the description above, this challenge, our focus is on NEUTRAL colours. We want to see a project that is at least 51% of the overall colour scheme. You can also use some different colours if you'd like but please be sure that if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, over half of the colours in your project must be made up of NEUTRAL shades such as black, white, beiges, browns, sepia and greys! The neutral shades can be in the colours you choose to fill your images with, and/or they can be in your choices of papers and embellishments. Just make sure that the majority of your project focuses on the varying shades of neutrals. We can't wait to see how you explore the theme in your designs!

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'd also love to find out how this month's colour grouping makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings do NEUTRAL colours evoke in you? You can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on this post if you'd like.

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 A Day for Daisies, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of the same three digis used by team members, provided by Mari Digis, the second of our guest sponsors this month, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

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 pay each of these generous companies a visit. Below, you will find the watermarks for the images that the team worked with for the midway. Just click on any preview to find that item's location in its respective store.


From Mari Digis


B99-Collection Jane Austen Inspiration
http://maridigisstore2.blogspot.ca/2016/10/b99-collection-jane-austen-inspiration.html


B65-Little Match Girl
http://maridigisstore2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/b65-little-match-girl.html







Lady Hat Feathers
Lady Hat Feathers

I Do
I Do

Mr. Right
Mr. Right

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 neutral colours, check out the wonderful projects my Design Team had the opportunity to create. Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where you can check out further details on their inspirational creations.


http://muddypawsandinkyfingers.blogspot.ca/






http://scrappyhorses.blogspot.ca



patacakespages.blogspot.com/




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 different shades of NEUTRALS splendidly 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 NEUTRALS, for the chance to win the Most Inspirational prize, make sure that you add FT after your name so you can be included in the running for the prize. Remember, we'd also love to find out just how the different shades of NEUTRALS affects you, so be sure to lets us know if you can, somewhere in your post or come over and leave a comment. 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...

I'll be back later tonight if everything goes according to plan with the top picks for the last challenge. You will then have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 24th, to vote on your favourite entry for Challenge #59. Voting is quick, easy and painless so I hope you will consider popping back over to cast your vote. Then, if things stay on track, the winners for Challenge #59 will hopefully be posted sometime during the last week of June. I'll try and get it published Monday, June 25th, but as many of you know, these days, my planning just doesn't seem to work the way I want it to.


MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE ON COLOUR...
If you need some motivation to get you started, I've provided a quote for you, which you can find below. Please note that this is the same quote that was offered at the start of the challenge; though, it just dawned on me that I didn't include an American spelling version at that time. Sorry about that, but it is here now and I've also added it to the start post as well. While I spell 'colour' with a 'u', my American friends, followers and readers are apt to spell it without one; so, I am providing an option to cover both spellings of the word.

British version:



American version:



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:
© 2018, 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
Click on the font names to take you to a purchase location. Both of these fonts were purchased as part of two different limited time bundles. If you are interested in purchasing either or both, click on the font name to take you to a purchase location. Both these fonts were purchased with extended licensing. 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.


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...





Our ongoing sponsors include...



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

We look forward to seeing you participate!


Sunday, June 10, 2018

Winners & Design Team Delights for Challenge #58--Opt. Theme: PASTELS

Hello folks! I'm finally able to present the winners for Challenge #58.  First we'll share the names of the Voter's Choice, the Most Inspirational and the Random Winner and then we'll move on to showcasing our DT Delights. Who are all the lucky peeps? Well, let's find out.

Without further ado, here are the choices...

Drum roll, please....BBBbbbrrrrrrrrr pish

 The people have spoken and their choice for Challenge #58
 is tied between two people.

One of the choices is...

Janette, you are entitled to receiving a cool and awe inspiring personalized badge for your blog as the Voter's Choice for Challenge #58. Please feel free to copy your badge below...



The people's other choice is...


Lucy, you are also entitled to receiving a cool and awe inspiring personalized badge for your blog as the Voter's Choice for Challenge #58. Please feel free to copy your badge below...


 In the category of Most Inspiring, our winner is...

Priya, you have won $15.00 worth of digital images from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our sole guest sponsor during Challenge #58.


https://sparklensprinkle.net/

Priya, you are also entitled to a lovely, one of a kind personalized badge for your blog as the Most Inspiring choice for Challenge #58 which you can find below...


The Random Winner for this challenge (chosen by Random.org), based on all eligible participants is:

Sharon, you have won $15.00 worth of digital images from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our sole guest sponsor during Challenge #58.


https://sparklensprinkle.net/
 

Sharon, you are also entitled to a neat and unique personalized badge for your blog as the Random Winner for Challenge #58 which you can find below...


Big Congrats to...

  janette, Lucy, PRIYA & sharon

If you have won a prize during this challenge, please send your message to popwinners {at} gmail {dot} com (be sure to replace 'at' and 'dot' with the appropriate symbols), or click HERE to bring our email up in your program, with the subject heading, "WINNER PoP Challenge #58" to make arrangements to receive your prize. Please note that I am rather behind these days so it may take me a while to get back to you but I promise I will. Thank you for your patience.

Now it is time to announce our DT Delights from this challenge. As always, in each challenge you, the readers, get to voice your opinion by voting for your favourite and so it is only fitting that my Design Team get to do so as well.

Thanks to the 15 people who took the time to join along our Path during the month of April for Challenge #58Check out the entries that really caught our attention...


Veronika (cheiro urgia)--chosen by Pippa...


Pippa said this:
"My DT Delight is Veronika. Love the composition of the project and the purpose behind it. I remember her Christmas version being a favourite too!"

To see the details of Veronika's creation and read more of what she had to say click HERE.

Janette--chosen by Katrina...


Katrina had this to say:
""My DT Delight is Janette. Coming from a family of educators, I just love the idea of encouraging young women in the math/science fields! This card with its whimsical image and sentiment are just perfect!"

To see the details of Janette's creation and read more of what she had to say click HERE.
 

Veronika (cheiro urgia)--chosen by Helen...


Helen said this:
"My DT Delight is Veronika's second entry. It is a a really pretty CAS deign."

To see the details of Veronika's creation and read more of what she had to say click HERE.

Sharon--chosen by Julie & Suze...


Julie had this to say:
"My DT Delight is
Sharon. Tthis card is beautiful! The front has a stunning acetate bow front, plus a decorated inside, too. It's a delightful card anyone would treasure."

Suze said this:
"My DT Delight is also Sharon. This project really caught my eye with the lovely layering and the beautiful pastel colours."

To see the details of Sharon's creation and read more of what she had to say click HERE.

Creative Congratulations to you all!

Thank you to those who played on our Pathway during the month of April. As always we greatly appreciate you sharing your incredible talents with us.

For our DT Delights chosen for this challenge...

Veronika, Janette and Sharon

  You are entitled to one image of your choice from our on-going sponsor...


Please click HERE to check out the image previews. They are arranged into general categories; although, due to the nature of some of these images, they have been repeated in certain applicable categories. If you are interested in claiming a digi, please send me the name of the one image you want and let me know which section it came from. Send your request to popwinners {at} gmail {dot} com (be sure to replace 'at' and 'dot' with the appropriate symbols), or click HERE to bring our email up in your program, with the subject, "PoP#58-DT Delight Digi Request". I'm always running rather behind these days, so your patience is appreciated.

Additionally, you are entitled to the special Challenge #58 DT Delight Badge which you can find below...


There is still lots of time to join in our current challenge where the theme is NEUTRALS. You can find out all the details and the challenge link up by clicking HERE. We'd love for you to join us. Oh, and if you are interested in this month's free sentiment, it has been added to the start post (and will also appear again during the midway).

Be sure to join us again this coming week when we'll be back with the top picks for Challenge #59.

Until that time, may your Path be an easy one to travel and if it isn't, may you find the strength to deal with the obstacles in your way!