Motivational Monday & PoP Reminder: SHARING

Did you miss the special blog hop going on until July 28th to help raise funds for a special lady undergoing cancer treatment?  I created a special sentiment set and a digital paper set specifically for this fundraiser.  Click HERE for all the details.

Or, how about the Alice in Wonderland themed bloghop hosted by Create with TLC where there are freebies up for grabs and the chance to win extra goodies on my blog and also on Lynne's.  Click HERE for all the details.

Also, don't forget you still have time to win one of three sets of 50 Christmas themed digital brads. Click HERE for all the details.
 

To walk away with a set of five fairy themed digital brads, do the simple task listed HERE. 

Finally, it is time for...

 Motivational Monday

 If you are new to my blog and would like to know why I started Motivational Monday, please go HERE. 

Hello and happy Monday to those of you stopping by today.  I appreciate you taking the time to come over and read what I have to say.

This evening, I'll be sharing this month's Motivational Monday passage, along with a card I created and couple freebies at the bottom of the post.  

The reflection, and one of the freebies can also be found over on my Path of Positivity challenge blog as part of the midway post where the theme this month is SHARING.

 On with today's thoughts...

A Joy That is Shared Is a Joy Made Double

In this month's Pondering Along the Pathway,  Pat made reference to the idea that:

"The universe moves towards maintaining balance, so what you give to others eventually comes back to you. In fact, if you want to multiply the things in your life that matter—health, balance, happiness—you need to share what you already have!"

This is a concept that I learned about many, many years ago but I think I lost track of it for a while.  It was nice to be reminded again of how important it is share what you have with the rest of the world and if you are lucky enough, you'll benefit from the effort that you yourself have put out.

Now I know that many of us are not in a position to share too much of our money these days with the financial woes that affect people across North America and beyond.  However, it isn't always about sharing our money.  The simple act of sharing a smile with a stranger can potentially help lift that person's mood.  Can you imagine if the smile you shared ended up resulting in 1000 more smiles shared due to the ripple effect it caused?!  How wonderful would that be to know that a simple act could create so much happiness.

Or how about sharing a bit of our time with someone in need?  Whether volunteering with a charitable organization or simply spending time with someone who is going through a difficult patch, taking some time out of our busy schedules to come to the aid of another is definitely another way we can share ourselves with the world around us.

As card makers, we have the ability to do so much more sharing.  Our talents can help to lift someone's spirits with a simple 'thinking of you' card.  Sending a 'get well' card to someone recovering from illness may be just the medicine they need to give them that final push back into wellness. Sharing 'birthday wishes' with someone you normally wouldn't think to send a card to may help to bring just a bit of happiness to that person.  The simple act of creating and sending a card to someone shows that person that someone cares and that they are not alone.

Whatever it is that you share--your time, your money, your talents--remember that "a joy shared is a joy made double" (Proverbs).  If you are lucky, some of that goodness will be doubled back on you.

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This month our sponsors are...

Fresh Brewed Designs...

 and Limited Runs...

Next up, is the card I made using an image from Limited Runs...

True friends are a special part of life.  You can share anything with them and they won't judge you.  They'll sit back and listen.  They won't even offer advice unless it is asked for.  There is nothing better than sharing time with these special people in our lives.  As such I've created this card to share with one of the many friends I am blessed with.

General Info:

• This card was created mostly digital and then printed out and assembled.  The hearts were added once assembled.
• This particular layout was inspired by a From the Hearts Stamps Sketch.  

FRONT

Digital Image Details: 

• Sleeping Mouse:   This adorable mouse was coloured with a combination of digital paper piecing and coloured pencils.  It can be found in section #51-60 of the Furry Critters category in the store.  Click on the watermark to head over to that section.

• The blankets were digitally paper pieced using two of my papers (details below).  I just used some coloured pencils to give the blankets some shading.
• The teddy bear was paper pieced with a texture from Texturemate.com.
• The digital paper used to paper piece the pillow is from the Another Tea Party kit created by Correen Silke available at {Computer}Scrapbook.com.

Embellishments:

• The satin hearts are Crafts brand and were purchased at Dollarama.

INSIDE

Digital Sentiment: 

• This sentiment was created by Paulette from Create with TLC.  While I picked it up a while back as a freebie, you can purchase it in the Best Friends, Vintage Digi Image and Word Art set that you can find in the store by clicking HERE or on the watermark below. Click  To find more great sets in the store, click HERE; and to check out Paulette's blog, click HERE. I recoloured it to match the colours in my card.

OVERALL 
Paper Products: 

• Card base: Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, white.

Digital Paper Products: 

• The  paper used as a base is from my Mommy Dearest:  Patterned Papers Kit.  The two accent papers are from the Mommy Dearest:  Textured Papers Kit. 

 Challenges I am hoping to enter:

• http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.ca/ (5E)-- Always Anything Goes 
• http://yourscrapbookplace.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes (2nd entry)
• http://craftingfromtheheartchallengeblog.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ -- Anything Goes 
• http://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ -- Anything Goes 
• http://simplypapercraftsforalloccassions.blogspot.co.uk/ (3E)-- Always Anything Goes 
• http://crafting-with-friends.blogspot.co.uk/(3E)-- Always Anything Goes (2nd entry)
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Finally, that brings me to a couple of freebies.  The first was offered up at the challenge start and the second was just offered up today during the midway...

© 2015

Font Information:

• Classy Pirate font created by Design TNT
• Andalusia Script font created by Seniors Studio

Please note that the first font listed may be a limited time freebie but was listed for commercial use at the time I downloaded it.   The second font was purchased as part of a limited time bundle with a commercial use license but may be purchased from the designer by clicking on the link above.

© 2015

Font Information:

• Odalisque font created by Nick's Fonts
• Kathya Script font created by Seniors Studio

Odalisque is a free font and was listed as free for commercial use at the time this project was made. Kathya Script is one I purchased as part of a bundle.  You can buy it through the designer by clicking the link above. This font was purchased with a commercial use license.

Please be sure to click on the images to bring them up into the lightbox in their proper size before saving them.  Click on the font name to take you to a download location.  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.

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

Credit Notes For These Creations:
© Lisa L. Décosse. PUO. However, you are allowed to use the sentiments 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(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.

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 I invite you to go and check out, not only, the fabulous creations some members of my Design Team had the opportunity to create over on the Path of Positivity (click HERE for the midway) but also some of the great entries into this month's challenge (click HERE for the challenge).  I also invite you to come over and enter a project yourself, if you haven't already.  There are still two  weeks left to enter and I'm sure there is someone in your life you could share a card with.

Well, that is it for this one!

Until next time,