Mid Month Reminder - "Possibilities" {Path of Positivity Challenge #17}

Clear It Out Challenge 12-2014

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Greetings to everyone, and to new followers Lisa, Hippieaud, Lady E and America. Thank you for dropping by. 

This month I am "guest designing" for the Path of Positivity Challenge which lasts from August 4 until August 31, when voting takes place. 

The sponsors and prizes for this challenge are:

• Two images (or three if you use a TSB image on your creation) from The Stamping Boutique, our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.
• Three digital images from Ike's Art for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital Stamps for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

There will also  be:

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

Today's card share uses the darling TWIGS THE SNOWMAN digital image from Creative Bug Designs:

Possibilities

"Twigs" reminds me that there are seasons in our lives -- each one bringing precious possibilities.

There are seasons of Joy, Family Gatherings, Friendly Get Togethers, Good Times...

But there are also seasons of hard work, self-discipline, poor health, sadness, and even tragedy.

I've learned that the Best of Times and the Worst of Times are equally ripe with Possibilities, depending how we look at the circumstances. I'm going to share one of my Worst of Times with you. This actually happened 20 years ago, and sharing it will be embarrassing, because I don't want anyone to think badly of me. (Do you ever fear that, too?)

My friends had always told me that I'm a very sweet, tenderly kind-hearted person. Probably I was, but the events that led to the New Possibilities, made me realize that something was amiss.

Through a series of "unrelated and unpleasant circumstances", I found myself open to becoming more  aware of the "hidden" blessings we all take for granted. As I reevaluated "myself" and the values of every relationship and situation, what I might or might not do to improve upon them, and so forth, I realized that I could no longer try to be available for everyone all the time. I recognized that I was no longer strong enough (emotionally or physically) to "be there" for everyone else in the way they seemed to want.

The possibility occurred to me that perhaps I was never intended to "be there" for everyone else. We all must travel our own journey, and learn what we can in this dear life. Finding true Happiness and learning to discover Peace is something we must do for ourselves - we simply cannot "give it" to others.

In the journey, I embraced Possibilities that previously I had not considered. My mother died. My health failed. My job became more demanding. Family members and friends did not like the emerging "new me" because I was no longer being the person they thought I should be. 

But my husband responded during the ensuing year of grappling with Possibilities, and our love and respect for one another deepened. Eventually we both changed in good ways, as a result of my embracing the Possibilities. The new Possibilities caused extended family members and friends to avoid me, because I would no longer give what they demanded. I had to quit my job due to failing health. But gradually, without even trying, new friends unexpectedly came into my life. These were friends who liked me for "me", and not for all the things I did for them.

Although I lost my job, my health, my friends, and my extended family, by embracing Gratitude for what remained, New Possibilities flooded my life with a richness beyond what I ever could have hoped for. I am different. I found myself in the process. I learned that sometimes, when certain situations need to change, that it requires we change, too.

It involved a lot of risk-taking, prayer, sacrifice, and over-coming many fears. But now I am true -- all because I was willing to see what the Possibilities were during a catastrophic season.

My card "TWIGS THE SNOWMAN" reminds me of this period in my life. He was built by other hands, and fashioned into an appearance of what others wanted him to be. He found a way to be content in his surroundings, even when he was all alone. He found himself. Like Frosty The Snowman, a song grew in Twig's heart, and even when his snowy self melted away, he found a way to prove that he would rise again, as a new snowman, on another day.

I hope it was ok to share this shrink-wrapped version of my Journey for Possibilities without going into the specifics, and that it will encourage someone else who might be facing problems in some areas of their life.

My wish for all of us:

• To find gratitude for seemingly small things during our hardships.
• To be grateful for being our true selves, despite how others might possibly perceive us, or make us feel.
• To be humble, yet proud, for looking at previously unlooked-for possibilities during the unpleasant events in our lives (or even during Joyous events!).
• To be patient as others journey similarly, knowing we cannot understand what people may be experiencing as they interact with us.

TWIGS THE SNOWMAN is colored with copic markers.
This is a 6.25" x 6.25" card (approx 16cm)

The largest scallop on top is coated with Sparkle N Sprinkle: Diamond Dust Glitter, Jasper Blue Microfine Glitter, By The Lake Embossing Powder, and some white mica flakes.

The large white circular matt is covered with Diamond Dust Glitter.

The sentiments are computer generated. I covered up a huge ink blob next to the word "of" with that white snowflake - not the best alternative, but that's what was on hand (smile).

The "song" and frame on the card base are coated first with Diamond Dust Glitter and then with Jasper Blue Microfine Glitter to fill in the spaces from the larger glitter. The snowflakes are covered with the same combination.

TWIGS THE SNOWMAN digital image was REALLY fun to use, especially putting the hat and twig arm into the sentiment.

Products Used:

Creative Bug Designs (scroll down to see "Twigs the Snowman"
Computer Generated Sentiment
Copic Markers, Pool Dye Base Ink, VersaMarker
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Stampin' Up! and Bazzill blues
Adhesives: SNS Brushable Glue, Aileen's Quick Dry Tacky, Dimensionals Spellbinders: Grand Stately Circles LF-019, Grand Scallop Circles LF-249
Punches: Martha Stewart Snowflake Trim, Himalayan Snowflake, SU Oval and Scallop Oval
MISC: Ribbon, cardinal button, white mica flakes
Sparkle N Sprinkle: Diamond Dust Glitter, Jasper Blue Microfine Glitter, By The Lake Embossing Powder

Fun Challenges I'm playing in:

1. Craft-dee BowZ - August "Anything Goes" 8/30 (bow made with CDB tool)
2. Christmas Cards All Year Long - August - "Sparkles" - (glitter, more glitter, and mica flakes) 8/30
3. Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #43 "Snowflakes" - embellies are "doubled" snowflake punches and a brad. 8/30
4. Winter Wonderland Challenge - August - "Anything Goes Christmas" 8/30
5. Sweet Stampin' Challenge - August - ?Anything Christmas" 8/30
6. A Gem of a Challenge - #126 Stitching (I used a sewing machine around the top image panel) 8/28
7. 613 Avenue Creation Challenge - #85 Anything Goes - 8/25
8. Christmas Card Challenges - #38 Embossing 8/25 (By The Lake Embossing Powder around the outside scallop edge of the top of my card. It is mixed with glitter and mica flakes as well. I hand blended these three items to adhere with the wet EP.
9. Sentimental Sundays Challenge - #220 Monochromatic Theme - blue tones 8/25
10. The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge - #75 Anything Goes 8/21

Thank you for dropping by!

always stamping hugs for you,