Saturday Sneak Peek: Too Cute to Spook Collection -- Week Three

 

Hello you wonderful people.  Thank you so much for coming over and checking up on the sneak peek.  I know there is only a handful of you that do, but that is okay.  It is for you few that I do these posts.  So, how about I share a snippet of the new release coming out on Thursday...

 

 

You guys made easy work of the last one and I'm guessing you'll probably figure out this one as well!  Offer up your guesses by Wednesday at 5:00 pm EST in a comment on this post to be eligible.  You never know what sweet treats may be coming your way!  Of course they may take awhile to get to you given that I am running a tad behind over here but they will get to you eventually.

DON'T FORGET...

 there is still time to sign up for your chance to win Naomi's latest new release:  The Pumpkin Kins!  Click HERE to find out how.

Can you believe that we are halfway through October already?!  For those of you who are Canadian, have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  May you be surrounded by those you are most thankful for!  

I hope to see you back over here on Thursday for the latest reveal.  Have a great one!!!

Bit By the Bug Tuesday -- "Friendly Frankie"

 Welcome to Week 2 of...

Hello everyone.  Yes, once again I'm running late.  What else is new?!  I'm going to need to have a conversation with the 'boss' about changing the times these posts go out!!!  Then maybe they could start being on time!!!

It is LISA HERE with the second image that is part of our Too Cute To Spook Collection.  Today I bring you...

Friendly Frankie

Click HERE to get "Friendly Frankie".  Available from October 8th until October 22nd. 

After that it will be replaced with another freebie.

Until Naomi gets back into the swing of things and has a chance to put the image in the store, you can grab it straight from here.  Make sure you click on it to bring it up in the lightbox and then right click and save it to your computer.

Isn't he just the friendliest monster you've ever seen?  How could he not be happy surrounded by all the cool images that Naomi has created?!!

Origins of Hallowe'en

Some 2000 years ago, the Druids of the ancient Celtic people--from the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France--celebrated a number of holy days by having fesitivals. One of these occasions, the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) was celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd and it is believed that the time marked the start of their new year--that day which marked the end of summer and the harvest, and the beginning of the cold dark winter.

Celtic society, like other societies of that time period, was rather structured and organized with everyone knowing their place. To keep this order ongoing, the Celts knew that the people needed a time of release--a time when order and structure were set aside so that people could let go and be free. Samhain was the perfect time to allow this freedom. For the three days of the festival, people did uncharacteristic things--men dressed as women and women as men. Pranks were pulled (plows would end up in fields far from their owners) and children would knock on neighbours’ doors for food and treats. But of course, there was a deeper meaning behind the uncharacteristic behaviour taking place.

This was a time of year that was often associated with human death. The ancient Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead became blurred. So, on the night of October 31st, when it was thought that the ghosts of the departed returned to earth to help usher those who were prepared, to journey safely to the 'other side', the Druids commemorated the occasion. It was believed that the spirits of the departed were sources of guidance and inspiration rather than sources of dread. The dead were honoured as the living spirits of loved ones and of guardians who held the basic wisdom of the tribe.

One of the ways in which Samhain was celebrated was by building huge sacred bonfires, and offering up crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic gods. During this event, the Celts wore costumes, which typically consisted of animal heads and skins, and they attempted to tell each other's fortunes. At the end of the celebration, they would return home to relight their hearth fires, which had been extinguished earlier in the evening, with fire from the sacred bonfire to help protect them and their family during the coming winter season.

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. During the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two of the Roman festivals were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.Then in 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV established a dedication in Rome to honor all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Then in the early to mid 700's, this feast was expanded to include all saints as well as all martyrs and the date of observance shifted from May 13 to November 1. By the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into the Celtic lands, where over time it blended with and then supplanted the older Celtic observances. In 1000 A.D., the Catholic church made November 2 All Souls' Day--a day to honor the dead. Unable to get people to stop celebrating this holiday, it is widely believed that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of Samhain with a holiday that was related, but sanctioned by the church. Not only did the purpose of the festivals match but so did the length and some of the customs. All Souls Day was celebrated with big bonfires, parades, and people dressed up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas and the night before it, which was the traditional night of the Celtic Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve. This eventually morphed into what we know today as the celebration of Hallowe'en.

Stay tuned next week when we continue to learn more about this unique holiday.

Now let's check out what two of our DT came up with to showcase Naomi's funky Friendly Frankie...

 

Hee, hee!  I love the touch of humour that she added to this week's card.  You can check out the details of this creation over on Jen's blog Krafty Keepsakes.

 

Vicky has done a great job with her first official DT card.  Check out all that texture and depth and especially those googly eyes.  Also, that stand of hers is pretty freaking cool too!  You can check out the details of this project over on Vicky's blog Crafting Vicky. 

Sneak peek guesses...

Well there was no fooling you guys this week.  The three people who offered up guesses all got them correct.  So, D~, Fit Kitty and Kimberly Goodman, all three of you are entitled to a Hallowe'en goody or two as soon as I decide what I am doing and then make it.  Yeah, I'm behind in more than just this post this week.  Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have it ready.  In the interim, you can send me an email by clicking HERE with the title 'CBD Sneak Peek Guess:  Friendly Frankie' in the subject line.  As soon as it is finished, I'll pop it into an email for you!

DON'T FORGET...

 there is still time to sign up for your chance to win Naomi's latest new release:  The Pumpkin Kins!  Click HERE to find out how.

Now just before I go, how about another Hallowe'en joke...

 Q:  Have you seen Quasimodo? 

A:  I have a hunch he's back!

(source:  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/nosuchfile.htm) 

Well, it is time for me to crawl into bed peeps.  Once again I'm sorry the post is a couple hours late going out and I also apologize if I've missed any spelling or grammar errors.  While I did proof it, given that it is 6:30 am and my eyes have started crossing, I'm not sure I caught all my mistakes.

I hope you all come back and see me on Saturday when I show a sneak peek of the next image coming out of Naomi's workshop.

Until then, have a great week everyone!

References 
Author Unknown. (1996-2013). Halloween. Available: http://www.history.com/topics/halloween. Last accessed 8th Oct. 2013.
Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Halloween around the world. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world. Last accessed 8th Oct. 2013.
Author Unknown. (1995-2013). Halloween in Canada. Available: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/halloween. Last accessed 8th Oct. 2013.
Banville, Sean . (2009). Esl Listening Exercises. Available: http://www.eslholidaylessons.com/10/halloween.html. Last accessed 8th Oct. 2013.
Bonewits, Isaac . (1997, 2006 c.e.). The Ancient Celtic Fire Festivals. Available: http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html. Last accessed 8th Oct. 2013.

It's Time to Officially Meet the Design Team!

It is time to meet the team!  While you have been seeing cards from both Suze and Jennifer regularly for some time now, and have seen Vicky helping out in the past, it is time to officially bring them on board as part of the CREATIVE BUG DIGITALS Design Team.  Additionally, we have Patti coming on board who has been a fan of Naomi's work for quite some time.  So for the time being, I get to work alongside these four amazing women.  In time I hope that we can add more members to this fabulous group of talented women but for now I'm just finally pleased that we have a team to announce.  So let's meet them shall we?

First, let's get to better know the two woman who have been regularly showcasing Naomi's wonderful digis these past few months.  I put out a call a few months ago for anyone willing to work with Naomi's digis and help us show how they look coloured up as part of a card or other project.  Well, both Suze and Jennifer came through and answered that call and have both been acting as our unofficial team since that point.  It's is so nice to finally bring them on in an official capacity.  It is time to get to know them a little bit better.  Up first we have...

Hello! My name is Suze and I live in New Zealand.

I have been card-making off and on for a number of years since a friend introduced me to rubber stamps although I now work mostly with digi stamps. My style is mainly CAS but I'm trying to learn new techniques. I first started blogging my cards in February 2012 so that I could enter some challenges. I initially started with mainly Christmas challenges to take the pressure off at the end of the year but have since found several others that have appealed to me. Since I live on the other side of the world, so many of the challenges are the opposite season to ours which certainly makes things interesting! 

 Suze's personal blog is Craftysuze and you can visit her by clicking on the watermark above.

Then we have...

My name is Jennifer but most people call me Jen. I have been crafting since November 2011 so I still consider myself a bit of a novice as far as crafting goes, I am still trying to find my niche in the crafting world and love to try out new techniques and enjoy tutorials!

A big passion of mine is making 3D projects, it all started with a carousel I made my mum, she loved it which encouraged me to take it further. I now sell cards for any occasion and make wedding favours!

I have an amazing son who will be 25 in April and he really is my pride and joy. Five years ago I was diagnosed as having PPMS (Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis) which presents daily challenges, it has set me back and as much as I try not to allow it to rule my life, I sometimes find it difficult. I have come to learn my limitations, which are many now, however, I have found that I love to support anyone who has this disability or is new to it. I am a very patient person and I love meeting new people, people who know me, have often said that I can talk for Scotland and if there was a competition for talking I would win it, lol

Jen's personal blog is Krafty Keepsakes and you can visit her by clicking on the watermark above.

Back in the early part of the year, Vicky was a real trouper helping Naomi out by providing her with cards to showcase her images.  Vicky has always been there to support the blog and has participated any time we needed to spread the word about a particular event.  I am so thrilled that she applied when the DT Call went out.  Let's get to know her a little bit better...

I'm an accountant working full time and a mother of 4 great kids. I have an amazing husband who understand that in order to keep my sanity through all this I need to craft ;) I live in Quebec, Canada, so a lot of my crafting is done with French sayings.

I have been crafting over 21 years and tried my hands at all kinds of techniques over the years. I started blogging in March of 2012 in order to join challenges. I became totally hooked!!!! I can't believe this world existed and I only found out about it then. I see blogging as a wonderful opportunity to improve my card making abilities.

I have realized that through the web I get to meet amazing people from all over the world and learn from them. I'm in awe of all the wonderful blogs that I see and I hope that one day my blog will be up to that level. I have had the opportunity to be on amazing teams. What a pleasure to work with so many fabulous artists' digis!

Vicky's personal blog is Crafting Vicky and you can visit her by clicking on the watermark above.

Last but certainly not least, we have Patti.  As I mentioned above, Patti has been a fan of Naomi's work, both her digital images and her incredible card creations and other projects, for quite awhile.  It is really going to be great to have her as part of this team.  Here is a little bit about Patti...

My name is Patti. I am blessed with a fantastic husband, 3 fabulous children--Patrick, Wesley & Amanda, & the 5 most wonderful grandchildren--Jeffrey, David, Aubrey, Morgan & Kyle! We have 2 small furbabies, Jax & Neda, that we enjoy spoiling rotten. I started cardmaking at Christmas of 2010. Before I tried my hand at scrapbooking, cross stitching, and many crafts. This is the one that hooked me. Life is good when you are circled with love.

Patti's personal blog is Scrap Close 2 The Heart and you can visit her by clicking on the watermark above.

 We certainly can't forget about the lady who makes this all possible...

Now most of you know Naomi, it is her blog after all!  However, there may be a few of you who are new to the blog and haven't had a chance to meet her yet.  Well if you look over on the right side of the page, there is a picture of a gorgeous woman with the most incredible shining blue eyes.  You see, it is all the love, warmth and generosity that just oozes up out of her, through her sparkling eyes.  If you'd like to get to know Naomi better you can click HERE for a shortcut to get to her 'About Me' page.

Well, I guess that leaves me...

I met Naomi at the end of last year but in January we started writing, as Naomi put it, 'books' to each other almost on a daily basis as we struck up our friendship and got to know each other.  Well, that went very quickly from emails to nightly phone calls that would sometime last almost two hours.  Suffice it to say that we became fast friends.  I now count Naomi as one of my very best!  Around the time that we started getting very close I took it upon myself to become Naomi's one woman promotional and design team and worked very hard to get the word out about Naomi's adorable images on my blog by creating a Bit By the Bug Tuesday post.  When I could, I'd also create a card to showcase her work.  A couple other wonderful people stepped in around the same time and also worked with Naomi's images for awhile.  Vicky, whom is now officially part of our team and also Ike from Ike's World who will always be considered an honourary DT member.

At the end of April, Naomi was dealing with a relapse of her symptoms and since I didn't want her readers to miss out on her great freebies and occasional new releases, I stepped up and offered to help her out, and with the help of Vicky and Ike we continued to bring you Naomi's fabulous images and showcased how great they looked in cards and other projects.

In May, still dealing with the aftermath of her relapse, trying to prepare for a Trades Show along with trying to set up having her cards sold in a local store, she realized that she was going to continue to need so extra help on the blog.  Naomi was so pleased with the work I had done in her absence, that she hired me on as her official Promotional Coordinator sometime in the latter half of May.

In June we announced some changes to Creative Bug on the Loose with a reduction in the number of freebies and an increase in the number of new releases and also an explanation of the fact that I'd be here more and Naomi would be here a little less given everything going on in her life.  We also talked about the idea of creating an official design team to showcase Naomi's wares.  In the interim, I put out a call for anyone who wanted to help us out with showcasing the freebies and new releases until we could establish a team.  It was at that time that Jen and Suze jumped on board and both have been faithfully helping me out ever since.  I am so pleased that we have finally been able to put together a small team of people.  Now, we didn't get the response we had hoped for so we have decided to leave the DT Call up as an open call.  I've also changed a few things regarding how to apply.  If you are new to the blog and enjoy the variety of images that Naomi offers, plus enjoy hanging out with a cool group people--believe me, these four gals on the team are amazing ladies and I'm fortunate and honoured to have them on the team--then we'd love to hear from you.  You can click HERE to find out all the details.  The call will remain open until we fill up the team a bit more.

Now, on a personal note, I realize that I've never actually told you anything about me.  So, for those of you who don't know me, here goes...

Whether drawing, painting, cross-stitching, card making, or doing nail art, I've been 'creating' since I was knee high to a grasshopper. At the end of 2011, I really started getting interested in the world of card making and nail art. Then in October of 2012, I decided I wanted to enter some challenges but needed a place to showcase my work and as a result, created my own blog called Décosse's Dynamite Doodles. However, what started out as a place to post cards has developed into something so much more. I showcase other artists' work, spotlight comments that have made a difference to me, offer up thoughts and graphics that are motivational in nature and explore the concept of gratitude. Mixed in among these specific themes I share my creative endeavors--card making, drawing & digital design, nail art, etc.--with the world. I currently sit as a DT member on four different blogs, am the Promotional Coordinator for Creative Bug Digitals, am the Strategic Content Developer for Scribbles Designs and am the owner of the Path of Positivity Challenge blog. Ultimately, my goal is for my personal blogs to become a place of inspiration on many different levels. 

I live in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. I am happily married to my college sweetheart, an incredibly supportive man, and we have been married for 24 years. We were never blessed with children so our 'babies' have always been cats. Currently, we have one female tabby named Marigold.

There you have it.  That is all of us in a nutshell!  We are all so happy to be part of Naomi's incredible world and to be sharing our talents with all you guys!

Stay tuned for our latest freebie post coming out as soon as I can possibly manage to get it done.  It was actually supposed to be out thirty minutes ago but I'm obviously running rather late considering I still have to write it.  So, once again I find myself apologizing to not only you guys but to also Jen and Vicky whose cards are being showcased in that post.

See you soon!