Challenge #73-Opt. Twist: COURAGE...Oct. 7 – Nov. 3

Hello everyone and welcome to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog! It is the first Monday of the month and it is time for our newest challenge to begin!

Since we are not your typical challenge blog, it is important for you to understand how things work in order to be sure you are eligible to win any of the prizes offered. If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and you can find out 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). For your convenience, a summary of the most important rules can now be found in the right sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'.
 
Right now, it is time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. Here is what you need to know...

Challenge #73

Optional Twist: COURAGE

This challenge, our optional twist is a focus on COURAGE. If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project that depicts or inspires courage in some manner.

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes UNLESS they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Prizes this month include:

• A $10.00AU gift voucher that can be redeemed for digital stamps from Beccy's Place, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

Talking of our guest sponsor...

We are very pleased to have Beccy's Place join us as this month's guest sponsor. It is time for us to refresh ourselves with the details of this awesome company!

 

My paper obsession began with scrapbooking in the late 1990s and has since evolved into card-making and digital drawing. There were a few years of decorative painting, teddy bear making and silk ribbon embroidery mixed in there too! I still dabble in each of those crafts, and many others, but I generally gravitate toward paper, which I find versatile and forgiving.

I started “doodling” little designs for cards back in 2009, which is when I started my blog and began sharing my images with other Cardies. From there I progressed to my very own online store selling digital drawings for cards and other paper craft projects. In 2012, Margaret Myers from Sparkle N Sprinkle contacted me with a proposal to make some of my designs into rubber stamps, which was a very exciting opportunity for me. Four years later, I decided to further expand my business by offering my very own range of clear stamps, which are also sold from my online store. My latest venture is a line of cutting dies that will coordinate with some of my most popular clear stamps. These days, when I’m not hanging out with my husband and kids, I spend a lot of time with other crafters and card makers, enjoying our shared passion for handcrafts. I can’t imagine a day without some sort of creative activity taking place, whether it’s designing a new image, hand-stitching a little toy or just taking some inspirational photographs.

Store: www.beccysplace.com
Blog: www.beccysplace.blogspot.com.au

 

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. If you are interested in purchasing the image featured in a particular creation, you can click on the link indicated below the project to head to the page in the Beccy's Place store where it can be found.…

using an image and sentiment from Bonsai Digital Stamps

using an image from Safari Digital Stamps

using an image from Paw Prints Digital Stamps

using an image and sentiment from Milton Digital Stamps

using Bucket of Sunflowers (Free)

My wonderful design team continues to outdo themselves time and time again! They each have their own style and clever interpretation of the twist. Even after all this time, I continue to be astounded by the scope of greatness in their work! Each of these artful conceptions has showcased the notion of COURAGE exceptionally and I hope we have inspired you. Be sure to go and visit each team member so you can see how her project further connects to the twist.

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. How about stretching yourself by also opting to follow the twist?! While it isn't mandatory, we'd also love to find out how this month's twist affects your own life. Do you have a story to share on the concept of COURAGE? If you'd like to share a story about a time in your life when you have had to be courageous or if there have been ways that you have inspired courage in the lives of those around you, we'd love to hear it. 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. Finally, remember that we're trying to create a Path of Positivity so if you have some time, please visit other people participating throughout the month.

I hope to see you back next week when voting will [hopefully] begin on the Top Picks for Challenge #72. There will be a separate post detailing those picks where you will have the opportunity to vote on the creation or post that you have found to be the most positive, inspirational or encouraging of the chosen picks.

Then, be sure to join us again on October 21st when we'll be back with our midway featuring more great projects made with designs from Beccy's Place along with some projects made with images from Scribbles Designs, one of our on-going sponsors.

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 #73--Optional Twist: COURAGE
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. Entries for this challenge will be accepted from Oct. 7th until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Nov. 3rd, 2019. 

SEVEN entries MAX. Please click on the 'Challenge Details' tab located at the top of the blog to see all the rules. A summary of the most important rules can now be found in the right sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'. If you would like to be a Guest Designer in a future challenge, please add the letters GDT after your name.

Design Team Delights for Challenge #19

It is time for my Design Team to share their favourite entries for Challenge #19.  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 everyone who took the time to join along our Path during the month of October for Challenge #19.  While it is always a difficult decision, each team member managed to find a particular entry that really caught their attention.  Take a look... 

Edwina--chosen by Vicky, Suze, Lynda and Sandy...

Vicky had this to say:

"My DT delight is Edwina.  I really love how she's found in her life someone who totally embodies courage! Love this quote from her":

"How I wish I could smile and laugh in the face of illness and other worries as she does. Her courage is great. She does not let this unseen enemy get her down and keep her down. She stands tall all of 5' 2" and keeps on going on holding her head up, dressed in high heels and her hat to protect her skin."

Here is what Suze had to say:
"My DT delight is also Edwina. I love how the emphasis of her card is on the sentiments.  I can understand her inspiration for the card - who wouldn't be inspired by the courage her Aunt Theresa displays."

Lynda had this to say:
"My DT delight choice is also Edwina. I love her tribute to her Aunt who has pressed through her health issues. You can feel her admiration for her Aunt in her words."

Sandy said this:
"My DT delight choice is also Edwina.  I love the layered banded card.  Using a great sentiment by our very own Lisa D and to read about Edwina’s Aunt Theresa facing her health issues everyday with the courage  and determination to not take the positive from her life. Priceless."

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

Mimi--chosen by Pat...

This is what Pat had to say:
"My DT Delight choice is Mimi. She says that":

"life is not all doom and gloom and I believe much of the battle for any illness is staying as positive as possible and doing ones best to make the good days as good as possible, live life to the fullest when you can"

"It takes a lot of courage to smile and be positive!"

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

Gloria--chosen by Desíre...

Here is what Desíre had to say:
"My DT delight is Gloria, as she had this to say and I totally try and live my life this way too":

"I think it takes a lot of courage to slow down, and to stop chasing things; the job, the money, the man, the friends, etc. Just go with the flow and let things fall into place as they are meant to be. That is when the magic happens."

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

Julie O.--chosen by Monica...

Here is what Monica had to say:
"My DT Delight is Julie. I loved her card that she made for her mother and her mother's ability to find something positive in such a difficult time."

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

Dawn--chosen by Lisa (that's me)...

My choice this time around is Dawn--specifically the first card that she entered.  This card was dedicated to her mom who lost her fight with cancer 24 years ago this month.  Dawn stated that her mother faced her battle with "unbelievable courage".  This made me remember my own mother's battle with vaginal cancer back in 2000.  THANKFULLY my mom is still here with us today.  She too faced her situation and all the tests and procedures with true courage.  It was incredible to see how strong she was during that time and still is to this day! 

There are so many people out there who are dealing with cancer right now.  I don't think there is anyone who hasn't been touched by this deadly disease in one way or another.  May these individuals always be able to draw on courage and strength to get them through.

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

Creative Congratulations to all of you!

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

For our DT Delights chosen for this challenge... 

Edwina, Mimi, Gloria, Julie O., and Dawn

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

Please head to the Creative Bug Digital SnapShots store:  http://creativebugdigis.com.  Click to enter the digital snapshots area.  Once you are on the homepage for the digis, scroll down a little bit and you'll see a brown banner on the left hand side that says, "looking for digis".  There will be a Polaroid image right underneath it that says SnapShots (Digital Images).  Click on this.  You'll be taken to a page that lists all the categories of images available for you to choose from.  If you need to see the image a bit closer, just right click and choose 'view image'.  Once you've made your decision, please send me the name of the one image you want and let me know which section it came from.

Additionally, you are entitled to the special Challenge #19 DT Delight Badge. To claim both your digi and the badge, send your requests to popwinners {at} gmail {dot} com (be sure to replace at and dot with the appropriate symbols) or by clicking HERE to bring the address up in your email program, with the subject, "PoP#19--DT Delight Badge and Digi Request".   I'm always running a bit behind these days, so your patience is appreciated.

Our special yearly prize package will also still be taking place.  Remember, if you are chosen as a DT Delight during any of our challenges, your name will be entered into a draw for some digital goodies.  You get one entry per choice; so, if two members picked your card, you will earn 2 entries, three members 3 entries, etc.  The winner at the time will be notified by email.   The next draw will occur sometime in the summer of 2015.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope to see you again tomorrow when we will be back with the start of Challenge #21.  We hope that you will join us then to learn what the newest theme will be.

Until then, have a blessed day!

The People Have Spoken: Winners From Challenge #19

It is time to announce the winners from Challenge #19.  Things are a little bit different this month because our guest sponsor is generously sponsoring all three main prizes.  Thank you so much to the amazing

You can find Sparkle N Sprinkle on line at:   http://sparklensprinkle.com

So, without further ado, here are the lucky winners...

Drum roll, please....BBBbbbrrrrrrrrr pish

The people have spoken and their choice for Challenge #19 is....

GLORIA

Gloria, you will be getting a cool and awe inspiring personalized badge for your blog as the Voter's Choice for Challenge #19.

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

EDWINA

Edwina, you have won your choice of three images from Sparkle N Sprinkle and will also be getting a lovely, one of a kind personalized badge for your blog as the Most Inspiring choice for Challenge #19.

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

DAWN

Dawn, you have won your choice of three images from Sparkle N Sprinkle and will also be getting a neat and unique personalized badge for your blog as the Random Winner for Challenge #19.

  We also had a special prize up for grabs for a creation/post that best represented the concept of courage along with breast cancer awareness since October was BCA Awareness month.  This was a definitely difficult decision as there were three in particular that the the team found to their liking.  However, the tie was finally broken and our winner of this special category is:

 MIMI

Mimi, you have won your choice of three images from Sparkle N Sprinkle and will also be getting a cool and awe inspiring personalized badge for your blog as the Special Honour Choice for Challenge #19.

 We also have a prize available for a random voter who left a comment.

 The random winner for this challenge (chosen by Mini Web Tool), based on all eligible participants is:

DONNA ELLIS with her comment:

That was difficult - each of the projects and blog posts was moving. hugs, de

  Donna, you have won a selection of digital designer papers from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles.

Big Congrats to...

Gloria, Edwina, Dawn, Mimi & Donna E.

Please click HERE to send us an email with the subject, "WINNER PoP Challenge #19" to make arrangements to receive your prize and badge (where applicable).  Please note that it may take me a few days to get back to you.  Thank you for your patience. 

 

All entrant's in Challenge #19 are entitled to a special digital sentiment based on the theme for the upcoming challenge.  So, if you were one of the individuals who entered Challenge #19 and would like to receive a free sentiment based on the theme for Challenge #21, which starts Monday, December 1st, please click HERE to send us an email with the subject line, "PoP#19 Entrant Quote Request for #21".

You still have one week left to enter into our challenge on GRATITUDE.  Click HERE for details.  If you haven't linked up already, I hope that you will consider coming over to play with us.  As always, we'd love to have you join our Path!

Don't forget to join us this coming Sunday for our DT Delights post.  Until then,  

Challenge #19 Top Picks: Voting Open November 10th to November 17th, 2014

Welcome to the Challenge #19 PoP ToP!

Sorry that this post is being published a bit later than usual tonight.  I had a dental appointment late this afternoon and didn't get home until just a few minutes ago.  Since I need to be here to add the links for voting, I couldn't publish until now.

As we only had 11 participants enter, we will once again be opening things up so that all entrants in Challenge #19, have the opportunity to be chosen as the Voter's Choice.  However, while we may not have enough participants to have a top seven, we certainly have enough to have a top three.  Therefore, it is time to get on with showcasing the three projects that the team feels were the best of the bunch.

Without further ado, please let me introduce you to the Top Picks for Challenge #19 (in no particular order)...

 

Congrats Ladies...

As a participant who has been chosen as a Top Pick, each of you is entitled to a special Top Pick badge. Please send an email to popwinners {at} gmail {dot} com, or by clicking HERE to bring up the address in your email program, with the subject "Challenge #19 Top Pick" and I'll email your badge to you.  Please note that it may take me several days to get back to you, so I really appreciate your patience.

Now as I mentioned, each of the participant's who entered Challenge #19 is eligible to have their project and/or post voted on.  Here is a list of everyone who entered.  Each of the entrant's names is linked up to their blog post (order is reflective of how they entered the challenge and nothing else).

Peggy T. 

Samara #1 

Mimi 

Julie O. #1 

D~ Designs by Dragonfly #1 

 D~ Designs by Dragonfly #2 

Gloria S. 

Edwina B. 

 Julie O. #2 

Samara #2 

Samara #3 

EDIT:  Unfortunately, within the last 24 hours, Samara's blog, http://penumbrahallows.blogspot.com/, has been changed so that you can only visit if you have been invited as a reader.  Therefore, I am unable to access the blog in order to link up a picture of each of her three creations.  Therefore, regrettably, I can not include her in the list to be voted on. 

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 and in line with the concept of courage.  Some of our participants had some great things to say on how their project connected to the theme. Therefore, please be sure to go and check out the entries first and not just make your choices off of the thumbnails.  You can also check out comments left by entrants on the Challenge #19 start post by clicking HERE and scrolling down to the bottom.  Once you have checked all the entries out,  let us know who your favourite choice is by placing your vote below using the Inlinkz feature.

Voting open for 7 days:
 November 10th to November 17th

Come have your say in determining the Voter's Choice for Challenge #19!  Don't forget to leave a comment after you have voted.  There will be a prize for one lucky voter who leaves a comment (chosen randomly).  If you haven't had the opportunity to visit each of the entries already, please go and check them out a little more closely before placing your vote.  Once you have made your decision, why not go back and let them know how they inspired you.

Good luck everyone!

Important Note:

Please note that in order for this to work, I must add all the entries but I can only do this AFTER I have published this post.  So there will be some overlap time between when this post is published and when you will be able to vote.  Once I have uploaded the entries there will be a total of eleven eight images below on which to vote.  As soon as all eleven eight are uploaded, I'll enable voting to begin. If there are less than eleven eight, it means that I am still in the process of adding the images and you should come back in a little while to make your vote.  Thank you for your patience!

Link Up Below:

An InLinkz Link-up

Challenge #19--Midway Reflection & Voting Reminder

Hello everyone! We have reached the midway point of Challenge #19. The theme for this challenge is all about COURAGE. Today I am going to share a little introspection with you all that I am also presenting on my own personal blog in my "Motivational Monday" feature.

Characteristics of Courage

According to Google, courage is defined as:

1. the ability to do something that frightens one.
2. strength in the face of pain or grief.

Now, I could get into a whole exposition of what true courage entails but really that would be how I see courage being put into action.

The real question is how do you see courage as it applies to your own life?  Is it:

• Being afraid of something, yet choosing to act anyway?
• Taking a stand when you know a cause is just?
• Taking a risk and following the desires of your own heart?
• Remaining steadfast in the face of adversity?
• Listening to the guiding voice inside of you?
• Facing difficulties in your life such as health problems and/or pain, with dignity, faith and strength?

You are the best person to determine how to be courageous in your own life.  Whether it is putting into action one or more of the above points or coming up with one of your own.

When I wrote this, I was at the Doctor's office waiting to be seen.  In my case it was just a routine appointment.  However, as I sat there I wondered about the people in the surrounding rooms.  Did they need courage to come out for their appointment today.  Were some afraid of what they might hear?  Were some already facing a battle?  It truly made me think about all the ways that we face courage in our lives.  Especially those who are facing illness.

While we may each approach courage in a different way, may each of us always have the courage to face all the challenges that may come our way.

To help inspire you down the path of courage, check out the wonderful projects a few of my Design Team had the opportunity to create...

Lynda has chosen to use the image called Daisies.

For Monica's midway project, she has chosen to work with Catherine Hat Lady.  

Vicky decided to create a card this time around and chose Across The Miles.

 

 Pat worked with the image called Danielle Hat Lady.

 

Sandy chose to work with the wonderful set called Wisps of Autumn.

Suze chose to work with the image called Feline Humour.

Finally, that leaves our...

Julie, from Muddy Paws, Inky Fingers, who is our guest designer this month, created this pretty card...

Julie chose to use the beautiful Nature's Butterfly image for her midway project.  

Clicking on the team members name (or in the case of our GDT, the blog name) will take you to their blog where you can check out the details for their inspirational creations!

So if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for?  Create a project and/or post that is positive AND relates to courage, 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!  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!

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).

Don't Forget...

You still have until 11:55 p.m. tonight, to vote on your favourite entry for Challenge #18.  Voting is quick, easy and painless so I hope you will consider casting your vote if you haven't already.  Don't forget, if you leave a comment after voting, you have the opportunity to walk away with a selection of digital papers created especially with your interests in mind. To check out all those eligible and cast your vote, click HERE.  Winners for challenge #18 will be posted next Monday.

LOOKING FOR ANOTHER MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE ON COURAGE?
If you need some additional motivation to help inspire you, I've provided another sentiment on this month's theme (the first is available HERE), free for you to download.

Credit Notes For This Creation:
© 2014, 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 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 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. 

This word art creation is in png format and published at 300 ppi. It is quite large in order to accommodate different programs that people work with.   If you are a card maker you can always resize it smaller without distorting the quality.

Font Information:

• Cookie font created by Ania Kruk
• Kingthings Extortion font created by Kingthings

Click on the font name to take you to a download location.  These fonts were listed as free for commercial use at the time this project was made.and as such, it is my understanding, that I am within my rights to use these fonts in my creations and offer them to others.  Please refer to my full terms of service for what you can and cannot do with this digital creation.

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. You can enter the challenge by clicking HERE to take you to the current challenge post where you can also find a quick summary of the details related to this challenge, towards the bottom of the post. 

GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY...

Please show your support to our fabulous sponsor by going over and checking out their work and saying hi if you have the chance.  This month Sparkle N Sprinkle , is our sole sponsor for all the main prizes...

However, our regular sponsors would also love a visit from you too:

 

 

That is me and I'd love for you to visit me on my personal blog.

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

We look forward to seeing you participate!