Challenge #25 Top Picks: Voting Open May 11 to May 18, 2015

WELCOME TO THE CHALLENGE #25 POP TOP!

It is time to get on with showcasing the top picks for Challenge #25.  Before we start though, I want to give a big shout out to PAT, my good friend and team member who has agreed to be my DT Coordinator.  Without Pat's hard work behind the scenes, this post would never have been on time as I was away from home from Thursday to Sunday visiting with my folks.  Pat worked hard to collect and compile the stats for this challenge along with setting up the majority of this post.  I just had to come along and tweak things a bit and then add the framed images!  Thank you so much Pat for being such a big help to me this past week!

Okay so now on to the deets.  As we only had eleven qualifying participants enter Challenge #25, we will be opening things up so that those eleven entrants have the opportunity to be chosen as the Voter's Choice.   We do this any time we have less than 14 participants.  And, while we may not have enough participants to have our usual 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.

So, without further ado, please let me introduce you to the Top Picks for Challenge #25 (in no particular order)...

HANNE

EDWINA

ASMAH

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 #25 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 earlier, each of the participant's who entered Challenge #25 AND FOLLOWED THE THEME & RULES is eligible to have their project and/or post voted on.  Here is a list of those participants.  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).

Penny (Light Whimsy)
Teresa (Tickell Expressions)
Stephanie W. #1
Donna Ellis
Hanne
Create With Joy #1
Create With Joy #2
Edwina Brown
Asmah Zainal Abidin
Stephanie W. #2
Berina Febin

Please Note: If you entered and don't understand why your project isn't listed here, it is because we didn't understand how the project tied into the theme of GROWTH.  That is why we ask that you clarify the theme somewhere when entering, whether a simple statement on your blog, next to the link up, or by coming over and leaving a comment on the start post.  If we don't understand the connection, and you don't clarify it somewhere, and/or you didn't follow one of the standard rules of the challenge, your post/creation is not eligible for voting or prizes.

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 GROWTH.  Please be sure to go and check out the entries first and not just make your choices off of the thumbnails.  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:
May 11th to May 18th

Come have your say in determining the Voter's Choice for Challenge #25!  Don't forget to leave a comment after you have voted.  There will be a prize for one lucky person who leaves a comment on any post related to Challenge #25 (chosen randomly--excluding the winners post for #25).  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 images below on which to vote. As soon as they are all are uploaded, I'll enable voting to begin. If there are less than eleven, 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

Ponderings Along the Pathway...PERSEVERANCE

Welcome to this month's edition of Ponderings Along the Pathway, an exclusive feature over here on the Path of Positivity.  The purpose of this column is to continue with the goal of this blog which is to create a space "designed to inspire, nurture and provide support for the soul by creating a positive path to follow, one project or post at a time".  Providing some motivational introspection on the themes we cover each challenge period, is one way of achieving this goal.

This month it is all about PERSEVERANCE and PAT is here to share her thoughts on the subject...

The path to success is a long journey, dotted with many tempting rest stops. How often are we asked, urged or convinced to put aside our goals for “just a moment,” leading us to lose our focus? Procrastination is an easy habit to fall into, and a hard one to break.

I tend to call up my inner scientist. One of the basic laws of physics is that “a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion” (I definitely call on that one when it’s time to work out!) Perseverance is keeping your journey toward your goals at a steady pace. It is a mindset, and needs renewal every day.

Sometimes the path we’re walking seems all uphill. That’s when a rest stop is in order, but we must remember that it’s only temporary. For short-term goals, I give myself a break but set a timer; for longer-term goals I make a list adjusting it every time I move ahead (kind of like Santa who’s always checking his twice). I keep the list in my sights, like on my computer (constant companion), bulletin board (at work) or the fridge (I have to eat, right?). For those long-range goals that are way out there, like saving for a house or publishing a book, I break it down into smaller, more manageable mini-goals, or stepping stones, toward the ultimate destination. If I’m saving money, I’ll treat myself to something nice each time I reach a certain amount saved; if I’m lagging behind, I’ll go without for a week to make up the difference. I am presently working on a book of poetry, using my water colors as backgrounds for each poem. I try to either get a water color or new poem finished each week, or I research the publishing and selling of my e-book when it’s ready.

You can also run up against several stumbling blocks along the way. A step back to re-evaluate your destination or goal might be in order. Just how realistic is it? Is it important enough to be worth the climb? If it is, then we set our sights ahead, tighten our shoelaces, and persevere, never forgetting how empowering it feels to reach the summit.

The path toward success may twist and turn and we may get lost along the way. Maybe our companions are slowing us down with their negativity, or maybe work or relationship issues are weighing us down. Perhaps it’s time to lighten our loads. Sometimes the road to success is best traveled alone. Then again, maybe what we need is a team to help us carry our loads, blaze a trail or just cheer us on. For me, it depends on my goals. I definitely feel stronger when someone notices a weight loss (cheering section), but have had problems with criticism slowing me down on my poetry book goal (negativity).

Finally, remember that life isn't perfect, and time never stops. Things go wrong. Life gets in the way of personal ambitions and dreams. Remind yourself that they are only out of reach for the moment. Keep alert; keep steady on your path. The road could smooth out around the next bend. Make sure you keep your eye on the prize, whatever it is. Nothing is impossible when you have a positive attitude and a good foundation for obtaining what you want. Persevere is just another word for succeed, and success could be a stone’s throw away.

I hope our paths cross somewhere along the way, so we might lift each other’s spirits in our journeys. Godspeed!

 

Please be sure to pop over to Pat's personal blog, Patacake Pages, for more inspiration.

Well folks, that is it for today but please be sure to stop by again tomorrow evening when we post the top picks for Challenge #25.

May you persevere in your efforts to reach new heightls!

Enjoy your week ahead everyone!

Challenge #26--PERSEVERANCE: May 4th - May 31st, 2015

It is the first Monday in May and that means it is time for the next challenge to start.  This time around, for Challenge #26 the theme is "PERSEVERANCE".  Show us your interpretation of what perseverance means to you.  You can make any sort of project and/or post as long as it is positive in nature and relates to the theme.

To succeed in life you need perseverance.  Even when facing difficulties, one needs to stay slow and steady and stay on course.  Encouragement cards are a great way to show someone you care about the importance of never giving up.  Perseverance can also be shown in graduation cards as the graduate themselves will have needed great perseverance in order to succeed.  There are also situations where people in minorities have needed the strength to continue to fight for their simple basic rights.  However you interpret the concept of perseverance, we'd love for you to join us this month.  Whichever path you take, we'd love to see what you come up with and a few words on how you got there!

Don't forget when you link up your project and/or post, to please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of perseverance if it isn't readily clear within the design itself or clearly written somewhere else in your post.  Remember, the creation must be positive/inspirational/motivational AND adhere to the theme of perseverance in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes.  While you may easily see how perseverance 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 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.

This month's guest sponsors...

This month we have one returning sponsor and a brand new one!

First up is our newest sponsor, Deedee's Digis.  Let's learn a lit bit about Deedee's company shall we?!

Deedee's Digis offers wholesome digital "stamps" and printable digital papers that are the original creations of Deedee Anderson. All of our sets include both outline and pre-colored images, in both JPG and PNG formats. Our products are offered in high 300dpi resolution so that they are fully resizable to meet your crafting needs. We are a Christ-centered company, and you will find that many of our sets include KJV Scripture verses, in addition to encouraging sentiments of all sorts. We feel very blessed to be part of such a talented community of paper crafters, and thank you for allowing us to sponsor this challenge!

Main Blog:   http://www.deedeesdigis.com/
 Store:          https://shop.deedeesdigis.com/

Check out the sweet images the team worked with for their projects for the beginning of this challenge.  As Deedee's has had to divide the store into two sections in order to accommodate the new EU VAT regulations, there are two sections to shop in.  Please be sure to click on the appropriate link below the images.

 

 If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

 If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

Next, that brings us to Ike's Art.  Here is a refresher of what Ike's company is all about...

Hi there – I am Ike……a nickname that I got hooked with many years ago due to my surname, and in my profession at that time, …… they just loved to give nicknames ☺.

I live in Greece and have a passion for kitties ☺

I am a complete nutter or should I say I’m ‘zany’ hahaha. I have a very strange/sick sense of humour and I must admit I spend a lot of time talking to myself. !! Well, I get more sense out of me.! I reckon in a few years I shall be known as the “crazy cat lady” ☺

I am an artist and have a strange mind when it comes to creating my art. I either go completely true to life… right down to the last hair… or I go totally surreal. I have a passion for all things horror/Gothic etc. I’ve always loved horror films and books and I guess that’s why it creeps into my stuff ! Had I been a bit younger I swear I would have been a Goth……luuuuuv it.  Next time around I am gonna be a witch or a cat ☺

I started my Blog a couple of years ago and although I love crafting, my real passion is drawing, and now I just love making digital images.

My SHOP is IkesArt found at www.ikesart.com
My Challenge Blog:  http://ikesworldchallengeblog.blogspot.com My Blog is Ikes World and is at http://suzy-ikesworld.blogspot.com
Exclusive designer for Smeared Ink www.smearedink.com

Below you will see the awesome images that team members used for their projects for the beginning of this challenge.  Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to their section within the Ike's Art store...

Bak 2 Skool KT (located in the People section)

 Beauty The Beast (located in the People section)

 Flower Square (located in the Other section)

Once again, we are fortunate and blessed to have the chance to work with all these amazing images this month.  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.  I even had the time to create a project for the start of the challenge.  Clicking on the team members' name will take you to their blog where you can check out the details for their inspirational creations...

  

Technically that should say Guest Designers plural!  This month I'm pleased to showcase several different samples from each of the Sponsor's Designs Teams.  To make it easier, I'm going to include the watermark of the image the GDT used beneath each of their projects.

First up we'll check out creations from some of the members of Deedee's Digis team...

Carol from Our Little Inspirations...

 If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

Stephanie from Steph's Scrap Happenings...

 If you are a Non EU Resident, please click HERE to find this image in the store.

If you are an EU Resident, please click HERE.

Kathy from Dunnit Again Designs...

Kathy also used the 'Congratulations Graduate' set that Stephanie used (watermark and link above).

Next up, let's check out the creations from some of the members of the Ike's Art team...

Ginny from As.I.Do.Rodos. ...

PROF. OWL (located in the Animal section)

Black Dragon from Black Dragon...

COGNITIVE THOUGHTS (located in the People section)

Shell from Happy Crafter Shell...

MUSE 6 (located in the People section)

We are extremely blessed this month to have so many amazing guest designers joining us, each with their own unique styles and ideas.  As always I am blown away by the quality of projects from my amazing design team and wonderful guests!  Each of these projects has showcased perseverance in various forms and manners and I hope we have inspired you.

So what are you waiting for?  Create a project and/or post that is positive AND relates to perseverance, 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 on Monday, May 11th when voting will start on the Top Picks for Challenge #24.

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE ON PERSEVERANCE

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:

© 2015, 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.

Font Information:

• WG Patchwork font created by Nathan Brown
• Muller-Thin-DEMO created by Fontfabric and Radomir Tinkov

Click on the font name to take you to a download location.  These fonts were 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.  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 May 4th - May 31st, 2015.
• Link up your inspirational post below using Inlinkz. You will be able to submit your link up to 11:55 p.m. on May 31st.
• When you link up, leave a comment summarizing what it is about your post that you feel is inspirational  / positive / motivational and how it fits into the theme if you have not included this information somewhere within your post.  You can simply add a sentence or two right next to the link for this challenge if you want.
• 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.  Be sure to leave a comment telling us what it was that inspired you or something in general if you uncomfortable disclosing any details of your vote. 
• For Challenge #26, prizes will be the following:
• A $10 gift certificate from Ike's Art, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• A $25 gift certificate from Deedee's Digis, 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.

There will also be:

• One digital designer paper (made to order in a couple different ways) from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky person who leaves a comment.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

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:

An InLinkz Link-up