The November Challenge Endeth

Please note, Wilbear's pudgy paw posted the challenge early. If you would like to still join then you have until Midnight 30th. Sorry to anyone trying to post, please go ahead and we will add you to the list.

It's the end of the month already, and that means the end of the bears' November challenge; Your Cubhood/Childhood Favourite. Before we show you the bear's creation, we would like to say a big furry thank you to

Lauren

Hazel

Laurart

Morning AJ

for taking the time to join the bears in this challenge. Fab work ladies, we love each entry and think crafting is so much more fun with friends joining in. Don't forget to go and look at each others' work. That's what makes it more fun.

The bears were undecided on which book actually was their favourite, everyone wanted to create a page based on different books, or the same book with different themes! Finally Wilbear decided, as the eldest bear, that he should take charge and decide. Over to you, Wilbear....

Hello there from Wilbear, as the eldest resident in The House of Bears, I thought I should take charge of this month's challenge, as the other bears were bickering amongst themselves as to what they wanted to create this month.

I decided on Little House on the Prairie, as this was my very favourite cubhood book, and one I return to time and again. A comfort book I suppose, I love the way the book centres on the themes of family and loyalty.

To start, I inked my pages in Scattered Straw distress ink, with Vintage Photo ink around the borders.




Next, I cut the word 'family' from the Cricut Heritage cartridge, in white card, and inked it in Scattered Straw distress ink, again with Vintage photo for the edges, to give definition to the word,








I treated the bears to some new stamps recently, I thought I'd try some on my page,




I inked up my chosen stamps, being careful not to ink my paws at the same time.




Then, using the usual @copyrighted bears' stamping technique, I stamped straight onto my page




Cleaning stamps is a pain when you have paws, but I do like to put them away clean once I've used them.




I cut lots of shapes from the Heritage Cricut cartridge, it seemed to be serendipity that we had this, as it was pawfect for my project.




My page centres on the things that stood out as important to the Ingalls family, their church, eternal hope in the face of adversity, their work life, and most of all, family, which, no matter what, they could always rely on to be there for them.




In the middle of this page is a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder,

' As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common, everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our hearts with gladness-- just pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm'.




Although not written specifically about her Little House series, this was Ingalls Wilder's core belief, and it shows through in her writings.




I quite enjoyed taking charge this month, and I certainly enjoyed the peace once I'd prevented the other bears arguing over the challenge.

Come back in December for news of a festive challenge, and a little bear competition too.