Congratulations to @LuLuLor for being the winner of the April challenge. Coupons for the winner and the participants will go out after iNSD weekend. Each month through 2025, a broad theme will be provided for the challenge and you can interpret these themes as literally or as loosely and abstractly as you wish. If you’d like to learn something specific please let us know! The theme this month is COMMUNITY The prompts: “Roots and Branches” – Illustrate how your community has shaped you. Use a tree metaphor: roots (your foundation), trunk (your present), and branches (your hopes for the future). “A Map of Belonging” – Create or use a map that charts the people, places, and experiences where you feel a sense of community. “This Is What We Built” – Illustrate what makes your community strong—whether it’s shared values, traditions, mutual aid, or laughter. “Portraits of Us” – Make a spread featuring portraits (realistic or abstract) of the people who make you feel connected or supported. “Unlikely Bonds” – Journal about or illustrate an unexpected connection you've made. What did it teach you? “The Circle” – Use circles as symbols. Who belongs inside them, and why? “Street Stories” – Pick a street, park, or public space in your neighborhood. What untold stories might live there? Use mixed media or storytelling techniques. “Windows into Lives” – Use windows on your page. Behind each window is a glimpse into another person’s daily life. “What Community Means to Me” – Use this idea as your title, then fill the page with symbols, colors, textures, or journaling that expresses your personal definition. “If Walls Could Talk” – Choose a building or community space and imagine what stories it would tell if it could speak or just share a special spot that you love in your community. Each of these prompts can be expanded with mixed media, textures, and even journaled thoughts to deepen the connection between your creative process and emotional reflection. Tips/Technique/Tutorial: With each challenge, a tip/technique/tutorial will be included. There is no pressure to incorporate the tip/technique/tutorial into your challenge page, the choice is entirely yours. Since the theme this month is COMMUNITY, I wanted to challenge you to think outside of the box and into the art communities that surround you. Creating can be a lonely thing at times, and it is important to branch out and share with others. We already do that here, at the Lilypad, home to a vibrant community that is welcoming and lovely. And still, it is nice to think about expanding those Lilypad-ian walls outward and spreading the kindness even further. One tip is to find community art projects. There is a global art project coming up on June 14, 2025. It is called GAME OF SHROOMS. It's a worldwide art-n-seek that's been running since 2019. It's a free-to-join event where people create mushroom-themed pieces of art to leave out in the wild for others to find and keep. There is a sign-up and map where you can put your general information. More information about it can be found here. You can drop hints in Instagram and keep up the suspense prior to the event. It would be a great opportunity to show off your hybrid art skills by making a cute giveaway tag, a card, an ATC, mini book, or anything else you can think up. Rachel's products are so perfect because there are so many that are nature themed and there are kits with mushrooms in them. Or you could broaden your art out and do something non-digi (sculpture, ceramic, painted, etc.) and then just scrap about it later, bringing all of your new artsy fans back with you to the Lilypad. Either way, it is a great way to explore and expand your community and add a new layer to your experience and work. Challenge Requirements: Create a new page using one of the prompts Use at least 75% of Rachel's Product currently available in her LilyPad shop. Any remaining percentage must be product from another current LilyPad designer. This could also include retired products from Rachel or the other current LilyPad designer. Hybrid projects are also welcome and the same product rules apply. Where digital products are used in a hybrid project they must all come from current LilyPad designers, and at least 75% must be Rachel's Product. Upload your layout to the Rachel Jefferies Designs Gallery at the LilyPad with your product credits. For your challenge entry to be counted, you MUST upload your finished layout to this thread. Please link your gallery image to your post in this thread, as it helps us leave love on your layout (and validate your project). No double-dipping… your layout must be created for this challenge only, no others. You must create a NEW layout for this challenge. This challenge will remain open for the monthly coupons through May 31, 2025. Prizes: All participants who post their page during the challenge month by the end of month deadline and meet the criteria will be eligible for a coupon of 15% off their next order (from Rachel's shop) of $8.99 or more. ONE lucky random winner who posts their page during the challenge month by the end of month deadline and meets the criteria will receive a $8.00 coupon for Rachel's Shop here at the LilyPad! If you have any questions just tag me and I will get back to you as soon as I can. I look forward to your creations.
Here is my page, thanks for the challenge! (I blocked out some faces and names as I don't have permission to post other's children.)
Fun challenge! I picked the "If walls could talk" theme to talk about a cool space in my neighborhood. The building went from being a place to store goods to a place where people get married, so I'm sure it has lots of good stories!
