Hey everyone!
Happy Monday! I know, I know, Mondays are tough. We all need a little tonic to help us get through the day. Luckily there’s a new challenge in town to help us do just that – the Cure For The Monday Blues Challenge!!
This is a challenge which I’ve created myself, yay me! Every Monday I will bring you a photo inspiration challenge, with images that focus on lifting us out of those Monday doldrums and all inspired to create!! I’ll be asking you to play along as well and linking up your creations! At the end of each week I’ll pick a Top 3 who’ll be my Cures For The Monday Blues and receive a special badge to add to your blog!!
This challenge is in its seventeenth week now – over 4 months old!! Time sure flies! Thank you to everyone who has given it love and support and helped it to grow!
In case you missed this previous post, please read on for some of the recent changes made to the Challenge – including info on how to be in with a chance of becoming a Guest Designer!
Today’s challenge is an extra special, I-can’t-believe-it’s-even-happening one as I get to introduce a very, *very* special Guest Designer indeed!!
When I first introduced the concept of Guest Designers, I put a little disclaimer in stating that if I ever dared to dream, I would wish to welcome some beyond-superstar-status Designers as extra special Guests. I really thought my head was in the clouds with this notion! So it definitely feels like all my Christmases have come at once to be here today to welcome my very, *very* Special Guest today!!
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*drumroll please*
This amazing *amazing* lady needs no introduction, but here’s a little about Jennifer for those of not in the know:
You can currently find Jennifer’s work at Online Card Classes; at the Hero Arts blog and website and in their catalog; and, of course, at her own blog, Jennifer McGuire Ink. Jennifer resides in Cincinnati with her husband Ken, stepdaughter Audrey, son Colin, and daughter Lila. Her stepdaughter Kay attends college in Texas.“
Speaking of Online Card Classes, and generosity, be sure to read to the end of this post as I have a Giveaway for you!!
Want a chance to be picked as a future Guest Designer? Read on!
I will pick one designer a month to join me in a Cure For The Monday Blues Challenge. The Guest Designer will create a project for one of the weeks in that month and be showcased on my blog when that challenge plays out! The first Guest Designer will be announced next week!!
- The Guest Designer will receive a special badge to promote themselves on their blog and social media channels, where appropriate. I will also give you a shout-out on my FB, promote your work, and add your project to a special new Pinterest Board reserved just for Guest Designers!
- In addition to this, as a special ‘Thank You’ for their efforts, the Guest Designer will be gifted with a $15 gift certificate to an online crafting store of their choice!
- Guest Designers will be selected from previous participants of the challenge. To be eligible you must have created and submitted to at least 3 previous challenges and been chosen as a Top 3 Cure at least once. The entries/wins don’t have to be within a single month, if you have entered 3 times in the whole history of the challenge and won once then you are eligible! I’m hoping this will encourage and reward true supporters of the challenge!
- Guest Designers will be required to promote the Cure For The Monday Blues Challenge and encourage others to play along during the week they are featured (and any other time you wish to, of course!). You are required to post your project at the same time as the challenge goes live. Promotion can be on your blog and/or social media channels of your choice. Some of you are true lovers of the challenge and already give it shout-outs which I am so thankful for! Together we can help this challenge continue to grow!
Right then. Back to business, lol!
Before we get to this week’s challenge I want to thank all of you that submitted entries for the last challenge. They were all truly beautiful entries and you did not make my life easy when choosing the winners!! I really wanted to pick you all!! Here are my Top 3 Cures For The Monday Blues:
Winners please contact me to be sent your challenge winner’s badges!
Yet again I had some absolutely amazing entries, oh how I truly *agonise* each week picking out only a Top 3! All of you have really been putting in some amazing designs and it makes me so happy when you play, so please keep playing along!
So are you excited to get this week’s challenge under way?! I know I am!! Let’s see what’s up for this week’s inspiration:
I could not love this more!! Such delightful, soft colours, cute accents and so many fun avenues for your imagination and creativity to explore! I can’t wait to see what you all do with this one!!
Here’s what my amazing, extra-special Guest Designer Jennifer came up with!
Awww!!! Can you say ‘cute’!!! Isn’t her card amazing?!?!
Jennifer was inspired by the colours and happiness of the inspiration and came up with this adorable baby card! She also liked how eclectic everything is in the photo, and this reflected in her choice of supplies (Tim Holtz and Avery Elle) too! I am just crazy about that embossing paste background and adorable little mouse with the blush on his cheeks! Awesome colouring!!
You really must check out Jennifer’s blog where she’s not only given more details on her card, but there’ll also be a video of her making this cute card later today too!! Jennifer’s videos are always piled high with tips and techniques and this one is no exception, so you definitely don’t want to miss it!!
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***Giveaway alert!!!***
I mentioned that Jennifer is generous, and here is just one example of that! She has very kindly offered me a spot on the latest ‘Watercolor for Cardmakers’ course from Online Card Classes to give away to one of you!!
You don’t have to be an Impressionist painter to create watercolor masterpieces! Explore the many different (and easy!) ways to create beautiful watercolor effects in Online Card Classes’ Watercolor for Cardmakers.
Join Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Jennifer Rsaza, and friends for a fun-filled, all-video, two-week course packed with inspiring, approachable techniques. Starting with easy soft sky washes and progressing to darling hand-painted images, this class is tailor-made for the both the aspiring artist and the cardmaker who wants to add to her go-to collection of on-trend techniques.
Class includes over 35+ videos and even more card ideas from top artists with a variety of styles. Visit Online Card Classes to sign up for Watercolor for Cardmakers today, and discover for yourself the fantastic looks you can create with watercolors! (Class started May 5 but you will have lifetime access to the content so you can join any time!)
Want to win a spot on this class? Just leave a comment on this post commenting on the cards today, or the challenge itself, and tell me what your favourite way of Curing The Monday Blues is!!
AND if you create an entry for this week’s challenge you can leave a second comment to double your chances!! As mentioned above, class has already started but you get lifetime access to the content so you can join any time!! I’m taking this class myself and it is *amazing*!!!
I’ll leave this contest running until 11pm BST/6pm EST on Sunday 18th May before picking a winner. Good luck everyone!!!
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Jennifer, I cannot begin to express my thanks for everything you’ve done! You have been the most amazing Guest and I’ve so enjoyed working with you! A million thanks – you are awesome!!
Jennifer now joins my special Pinterest ‘Guest Designers’ Board! I’m really looking forward to filling up this board with future Guest Designers too!
I’m not sure exactly how I follow up after all that! But here is my take on the inspiration:
*squeals* I am so very happy with how this turned out!!!
Wondering where those main colours came from?! I took inspiration from the pile of books from one of the compartments of the tree! I started with a Pure White card base and adhered a piece of patterned paper from one of the Studio Calico card kits (the design is from American Crafts’ Dear Lizzy line). I then punched out 4 circles from the same cardstock, and used A:Muse ink in Shell and Versamagic ink in Aqua Splash to add the pops of colour. I punched out one circle of Lemon Tart cardstock too, then adhered all my circles using Pinflair Glue Gel.
I then cut a length of gold thread and adhered it in places using Glossy Accents. I stamped the sentiment from Altenew’s Label Love set using SU! ink in Blushing Bride and adhered in place with Pinflair. I added a few sequins and I was all done!!
So now it’s your turn to cure the Monday Blues! Here’s how to participate in the challenge!
The Rules
- Create a brand new project using the photo inspiration
- Post on your blog or to an online photo album. Ensure you link up to this challenge post in your blog post and include the inspiration photo
- If it is not obvious how the image inspired you then please explain your process in your post
- Link up your creations to this post using the Inlinkz below. Please use the link to your actual post rather than the link to your blog
- You can enter as many times as you like!
- The deadline for linking submissions is Sunday 18th May at 11pm BST/6pm EST
PS: if you would like to check out all of the previous challenge images you can see them here on my Pinterest board!
WOOOOOOOOOOW! What a fabulous group of cards— LOVE Jennifer! Her card is so beautiful and so amazing! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE your card, Taheerah! I LOVE the papers and the cluster in the center! How do you get your thread to look so good in a bunch!?!??! I can never get mine to look this good:)
I've added my card— thanks for letting me know it fit your challenge <3
I don't want an entry into the OCC because I've already got one- but thought I'd stop by, say hi & say one day I will def enter your challenge. Love what you've done with the gradients and thread- and Jennifer's is fab too! 😉 Xx
I've been doing my watercolor homework influenced by all the water coloring over blogland, but I would love to be in that class… so, thanks again for a second chance (this sounds so dramatic :)).
I have cured my Monday blues by adding a card inspired by the challenge 🙂
My cure for Monday blues is making cards and hitting the blog land for inspiration 🙂 loved Jennifer's n ur card for this weeks mood board !
Great cards by both of you! My cure for the Monday blues is to just take it slow….lots of coffee! By noon I'm back in the game, lol!!
Fabulous cards! And what a great challenge!!!
Great cards! My cure for the Monday blues is a nice homemade Chai latte! It's my feel good drink 🙂 thanks for the giveaway chance. I may not be able to enter your current challenge, but I will enter one soon.
I don't have Monday blues, but love your inspiration photo's each week Taheerah … even though I rarely get to play along! This week's no different … great inspiration … your card's fabulous … and you have Jennifer here too … awesome! Anita 🙂
Great inspiration! I love Jennifer McGuire's blog-so many great tips and awesome crafting! Thanks for inspiring!
Just hopped over from Jennifer's blog. Guess I now have a new way to cure the Monday blues.
Love the you inspire me card with the gradient in the background! And Jennifer's card is wonderful, love the colors and the background, wow! Thanks for sharing.
Katie B.