Challenge #64--Optional Theme: SILVER, GOLD & OTHER METALLICS...December 3 - January 6

Hello everyone and welcome to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog! Some of you may have noticed that the winner announcement for last month isn't out yet. Unfortunately, once again it seems time just hasn't been on my side. I will be working on it as soon as I finish this post and hopefully it will be published within the next couple of days.

In the meantime though, it is the first Monday of the month and time for our last challenge of the year to begin. Another wonderful year of inspiration from my amazing design team is almost done. If you have been visiting this past year, you are aware that every challenge in 2018 has been dedicated to the theme of colour. Each month we have been focusing on a particular individual colour grouping (blue, red, yellow, etc.) or on a specific colour collection (pastels, metallics, etc.). Since colour is so important to our everyday lives, we thought this would be an interesting Path to explore. Well, it is now time to delve into our tenth and final month examining colour.

In January, I presented a brief essay on how we are affected by colour, its impact on us, the symbolism of it, and the psychological effect it has on our everyday lives. If you are new to this series and would like to review this essay, or you would simply just like to refresh yourself on its details, you can find it by clicking HERE and scrolling down to the Title, "Theme Ideas for 2018".

Right now, it is time to get on with the details of our newest challenge. This time around, for Challenge #64, the optional theme* is "SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS". 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, 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 on the nature of the theme. 

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details for Challenge #64.

Challenge #64

Optional Theme:
 SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS

This month we wrap up our series on colour with the colour grouping of metallics. These sheens are generally associated with wealth, prosperity and success. Gold and silver are both precious metals, associated with riches and expensive jewellery. When a touch of glittering metal is combined with black, it can immediately give off a sense of glamour. Gold, silver and bronze are colours that are often found in competition medals characterizing first, second and third place respectively, representing an athlete's success. Gold being a warm colour is related to yellow and as a result it shares the same attributes of being bright and cheerful. Silver is a cooler colour, and while it is a little less luxurious than gold, coming in at second place it still represents grace and elegance. Bronze, the metal often associated with third place accomplishments, captures the qualities of brown giving it a more earthy, natural and cultivated sense.

Many companies that produce luxury products often incorporate these metallic shades into their design. While metallic effects can be hard to recreate online since they are more like materials or textures than they are colours, one can still suggest metallic tones on a website or in a logo. Gold is primarily a shiny yellow, silver is shiny grey, and bronze a shiny brown. The use of shading and highlighting can help to achieve the approximated look of metallic sheen.

With the holidays are right around the corner it is the perfect time of year to focus on all the different metallic colours that we see around us. While silver and gold feature prominently this time of year, you can also find other metallic shades as well. Coppers, greens, blues, wines and purple metallic shades show up too. Everything from Christmas ornaments to the glittery tinsel and garland that adorn many Christmas trees showcase these unique metallic finishes.

Therefore, this challenge, our focus is on SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS. We want to see a project that prominently features this range of colours in your creation. If you don't have metallic markers to create the effect, consider using shades of grey to imitate silver, shades of richer yellows to serve for gold, or shades of browns to embody copper. These suggested shades can help to represent the range of metallic shades. Additionally, you could add metallic embellishments to your project. Many brads have metallic rims around them. You could also add glitter which by its nature appears shiny.  Even glitter papers would be considered fine. Since the inclusion or use of metallics might be a little bit difficult to manage, we certainly don't expect half of your project to feature this colour grouping. Just be sure that if you would like a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, your use of SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLIC shades should be at least noticible! 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. While it isn't mandatory, we'd also love to find out how this month's colour makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings do SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLIC 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 $15 gift certificate from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our guest sponsor this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win an additional sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate also from Sparkle N Sprinkle, for the project chosen as Most Inspiring.

Talking of our guest sponsor...

We are very pleased to have Sparkle N Sprinkle back as our sole guest sponsor for this month's challenge. Here is a refresher of what they are all about...

Sparkle N Sprinkle is a small company with a big heart owned and operated by Margaret Myers.  SNS specializes in hand-mixed embossing powders and glitters. Our quality, deeply etched rubber stamps are closely cropped on Cling Mount Cushion ready for your acrylic block. Produced in our local Shoppe in Ruskin, Florida, the stamps are already indexed on a laminated color storage sheet for your convenience. SNS sells a variety of other paper crafting tools and products, including a new line of digital stamps and many other exclusive products.   You can find Sparkle N Sprinkle on line at:   http://sparklensprinkle.net

Sparkle N Sprinkle is our sole sponsor this month and is generously providing us with both prizes! Check out the amazing 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 the page they can be found on in the SNS store...

A Peppermint Christmas Digital Stamp Set

Flower Silhouettes Digi Stamp Set

Happiness Greetings Digital Stamp Set

Fall Cotton Wreath Digital Stamp Set

Lovely as a Leaf Digital Set

Sleigh Ride

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 sponsor. Be sure to come back at the midway when you'll get to see more beautiful projects created with images from this wonderful company.

Now check out what my amazing design team came up with to inspire you. 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 various 'SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS' range splendidly and I hope we have inspired you. Be sure to go and visit each of them so you can see how their project further connects 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 'SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS' 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 METALLIC sheens affect you, so be sure to lets us know if you can, somewhere in your post or come over and leave a comment. 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 week when voting will (hopefully) start on the Top Picks for Challenge #63.



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 December 3rd to January 6th, 2019.
• 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 January 6th.
• If you have chosen to follow the optional theme, you will need to add 'FT' after you name so we know which creations to add to the draw for the sponsor's prize for Most Inspirational. While it isn't mandatory, we'd also love to find out how this month's colour makes you feel, if you'd like to share that with us. What kinds of feelings do the different METALLICS shades personally 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.
• 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 #64, prizes will be the following:
• $15.00 worth of digital images from Sparkle N Sprinkle for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch (based on those projects who have followed the theme).
• $15.00 worth of  digital images from Sparkle N Sprinkle 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 #64--Optional Theme: SILVER, GOLD & OTHER  METALLICS
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 January 6th 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.



Reference:
Lundberg, Anna . (2018). Color meanings and the art of using color psychology . Available: https://99designs.ca/blog/tips/color-meanings/. Last accessed 3rd Dec 2018.