Step Card with Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge

Hello, Blogging Friends and a warm welcome to my newest followers.



Today is my first post as a design team member for

Back to Basics and Beyond Challenges.

It's a challenge blog dedicated to... you guessed it... getting back to the basics.

For the next two weeks, join us by uploading an "Anything-Goes" challenge as long as a step card - center step or side step - is shown.

Mine is a vintage A7 size Center Step Christmas Card.

TIP: To make an enlarged step card, make the height 5 to 5.5 inches, and the width to whatever you like: 6 - 8.5 inches. You can also adjust the side panels (steps), but I recommend one inch, with the side panels at least one inch as well.

For an additional 10% off your SNS orders, please use the code during checkout:
DonnaDT10

Some products used on my card:

Often, I don't have a die that perfectly fits the layers in my card. That's when I pull out my punches and custom fit the borders. There are 3 pieces of punched border, like this on the back:

On the front, it looks like this:

The back of a step card is a great place to add a note or other sentiment. One of my favorite sentiments for the year from the Happy Holidays rubber stamp set, it was stamped in Acorn Brown Hybrid Ink to match the cardstock. Not just another pretty set of letters, the sentiment is just as lovely for the inside of a card, as well as a card front:
   

The snowflake was cut out 4 times in white cardstock. Two of the flakes were coated with Fantasy Gold Ultrafine Glitter. When dry, the white layers were adhered to the glittery layers, slightly offset. Vintage colors were used on the Christmas Skate Digital Stamp:

Side View:

Looking forward to seeing your step creations!

Products Used:

• Sparkle N Sprinkle Christmas Skate Digital Stamp 789 (available in rubber)
• Sparkle N Sprinkle Happy Holidays Rubber Stamp 897 (available digitally)
• Acorn Brown Hybrid Ink 
• Fantasy Gold Ultrafine Glitter G1001
• Tonic Winter Snowflake Die 1016E (it's a large, fully detailed die)
• Adhesives: Deluxe Adhesive with fine tip, 1/4" Tear-ific Double Sided Tape
• Spellbinders: Floral Ovals die set
• Tattered Lace: Center Step Card die set
• White, Brown, Gold cardstock
• Computer-generated words along bottom of card
• Other Inks: Walnut Stain Oxide, Antique Linen Distress, Black Soot Oxide

On a Personal Note:

We stepped outside early one morning to water the plants in the front, when several deer in the front pasture leapt away to a neighboring pasture. In front of the gate was a brown lump, and we worried it was an injured deer. Upon closer scrutiny, we noticed it was a newborn fawn, who did what came natural - be still in a down position until his mother returns. So we marched back up the hill and waited. Just a few minutes later, the mom came back and they left together.

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Crafter's Castle Challenges #7 AG + option Christmas 8/4
2. Twelve Months of Christmas #43 Anything Christmas Goes 8/4
3. The Merry Christmas Challenge #26 Anything Christmas Goes
4. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' #? Anything Goes Christmas 8/11
5. Pile It On Challenges #144 Vintage 8/5 (sep post)
6. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #32 Anything Christmas 8/1
7. Scrapy Land Challenges #93 AG dies SL sells (Tattered lace, Tonic, SB)
8. Sweet Stampers #22 Christmas In July 8/10

Thanks for dropping by!
hugs,

New Proverb House Mouse {Sparkle N Sprinkle}

Hi, Everyone! Wishing you a great day, and hoping you are doing well. Summer is in full force here with highs in the mid 90s (34-35C). Our vegetable garden is done except for some hot-hot peppers, okra (for roasting and barbecuing), and field peas (not green peas).

Time for a Sparkle N Sprinkle card.
Today's card is for a dear friend who recently underwent a very serious surgery. It's been a few weeks now, and she is beginning to feel a little better, but has a long way to go. This sweet card should cheer her!

Have you seen the "fix" for blogger comments? If not, click on the red link at the top of my blog.

House Mouse stamps have been among my bestest favorites for over 25 years. They are cute, reveal our own nature to us, and express love and sweetness in the most darling of scenes.

This card is 6" x 6" but the stamp is great for an A2 size as well. White cardstock was folded in half, with pattern paper placed on top.

Some favorite goodies used on this card:

The Mixed Edge Rectangles die set contains 13 dies alternating straight edge and scallop edge. I like these for the value, and also because they make great frames. I also like the Tim Holtz 9.5" Titanium Shears because it is easier free-cutting straight lines with them through just about any material.

A close-up of the sentiment from the Pansies Set heat embossed with pretty Blue Ribbon Detail EP:

The floral spray was made with Tonic Beautiful Brambles, Tonic Autumnal Oak, and Tonic Woodland Aster. The pieces were cut up, embossed with Mediterranean Star EP, glittered with Starfire Ultrafine Glitter, and spritzed with Mica Mist in Fresh Pear. The flower layers were spritzed with water, rolled, allowed to dry, before glittering:



 After spritzing the pieces, I looked at the paper under the pieces. What a great background piece it would make:

Loved the sweet "proverb" in this card. It's a great reminder to anyone who has trouble letting their body mend, too:



Such cuteness and lots of fun to make!

Challenges I'm submitting this card to:

1. Aud Sentiments Challenges #206 Anything Goes + Sentiment 7/3
2. Crafting With An Attitude #40 Anything Goes 7/5
3. Crafty Animals #15 Anything Goes with Animals 6/27
4. Monday House Mouse and Friends Challenge #268 AG or birthday - 6/24 
5. Creative With Stamps Challenge #15 Cute Animals 7/2 (sep post)
6. Scrapy Land Challenge #92 AG using die brand from SL 7/1 (several Tonic Studios dies listed below)
7. Sweet Stampers Challenges #21 Animals 7/8
8. World Wide Open DT Challenge #06 AG for DT (for Sparkle N Sprinkle) 7/15
9. Morgan's Art World Challenge (June 15) 7/15

SNS Products Used:

• Images: New Proverb House Mouse, Pansies Set 826 (sentiment) also available digitally 
• Dies: Tonic Mixed Edge Rectangles, Tonic Beautiful Brambles, Tonic Flora border die, Tonic Autumnal Oak, Tonic Woodland Aster
• Embossing Powder: Blue Ribbon Detail EP, Mediterranean Star EP, Anti-Static Bag (covers area quickly)
• Glitter: Starfire Ultrafine Glitter G1017
• Inks: VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Black Soot Distress, Peeled Paint Oxide, Broken China Oxide
• Adhesives: 1/2" Tear-ific Tape, Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive with fine point, SNS Dimensional Glue
• Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
• Tim Holtz 9.5" Titanium Shears (for long cutting the Flora die)
• Nuvo Mica Mist in Fresh Pear
• Nuvo Wedgewood Blue Crystal Drops
• Copic Markers
• Cardstock: White 12x6 folded in half, Aqua, pattern papers
• Button with stitching, tag punch

Thanks for visiting!
Stamping Hugs,

Sunflower Collage - Stampendous

Hello, blogging friends! It's time to share a wonderful new stamp for the new Moving Along With The Times Challenge! I hope you can play along. Challenge #74's theme is JUNE BLOOMS - just make sure your card's focal image is a flower(s) and share your card!

We have a guest sponsor this month who will be providing a prize to one lucky player: Crafty Ribbons. My card features Yellow Ric Rac Ribbon. Challenge ends July 4 at 11PM Eastern Daylight Time. Looking forward to seeing your floral creations on the challenge blog!

Today's project contains a bit of mixed media styling, using every bit of this gorgeous 6x6 Stampendous Stamp called Sunny Sketch!

I loved the way it looked with only the color - no glitter or embellishment.


But we all know I can't NOT add glitter! (love the double negative?)

After heat setting with White Detail Embossing Powder, I used assorted Watercolor sprays, markers, and reinkers - whatever was in my stash with colors I wanted to achieve. It was fun and easy! An acrylic block was my palette and I scribbled, dabbed and sprayed whatever color onto it. Then an Aqua Flow brush made easy work of the colors. Be sure to wet your paper before applying color for more fluid blending.

  

Nuvo Aqua Flow water brush

This two-pack includes one medium brush and one fine brush.

I stamped a 2nd flower, embossed it, and spritzed with Nuvo Mica Mist in Turkish Rose and Violet Lustre. This effortlessly produced a pearly iridescent flower, resisting the White Detail Embossing Powder. The flower was spritzed with water, and each petal was crimped and shaped. Every 2nd or 3rd petal was cut off so the flower beneath could be seen:


The flower center was fun! I adhered layers of Pink Fizz MicroFine Glitter, Glass Glitter in Fuchsia and Silver, Silver Leaf Tinsel Glitter and some micro beads on top of Dimensional Glue:



Raspberry Pink Crystal Drops have been used inside the yellow flower, along the bottom border, and a few other places. Dimensional Glue with Starfire Ultrafine Glitter was also used along the border and elsewhere:

Products Used:

• SNS Stampendous Sunny Sketch 6CR004 Rubber Stamp on Cling
• SNS Hampton Art Word Layering Greetings SC0752
• SNS White Detail Embossing Powder
• SNS Nuvo Mica Mist in Nebula Blue, Turkish Rose, Violet Lustre
• SNS Silver Leaf Tinsel Glitter GT3004
• SNS Glass Glitter in Fuchsia and Silver
• SNS Pink Fizz MicroFine Glitter GM2050
• SNS Starfire Ultrafine Glitter
• SNS Raspberry Pink Crystal Drops
• SNS Dimensional Glue, Brushable Glue
• SNS Nuvo Aqua Flow water brush (has medium and fine in the pack)
• Assorted Watercolor sprays, water-based markers, water-based reinkers
• Papers: 110lb Neenah cardstock in white, turquoise, sunny yellow
• Spellbinders: Grand Nestabilities Labels One, Grand Nestabilities Decorative Labels One
• Beadies

Challenges this card is submitted to:

1. As You Like It Challenges (June 21) Wet or Dry Embossing - Which is your Favorite and Why? - I have always enjoyed wet embossing because of the richness it affords. Watching it raise up into shiny, creamy textures, and marvelous colors, I can't help but be addicted to the possibilities such as resist techniques, simple golden elegance, or making my own metallic or sparkling paper for die cuts. It's a great distressing tool, too. I love playing with my EP! 7/5
2. Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #74 Sunny Summer Days 7/5
3. Dare 2B Artzy (June 3) Bright Colors 7/1
4. Crafting from the Heart #211 Anything Goes 6/27
5. Crafty Cardmakers #214 Wet or Dry Embossing (white detail EP around all the images). 7/1 (C15)
6. Creatalicious Challenges #141 AG with flowers 6/29
7. Morgan's Art World Challenge (June 15) 7/15
8. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges #1824 Anything Goes 6/25
9. Stamping Sensations (June 3) Anything Goes 7/1 (sep post aft)
10. The Creative Crafters #5 Anything Goes 7/12
11. We Love 2 Create (June 3) Anything Goes Mixed Media (same post) 7/1
12. World Wide Open DT Challenge #6 - AG for a DT 7/15

On a Personal Note:

My Hoya plant (commonly known as Hindu Rope) is blooming again! Each year, there will be more blooms, as long as I don't trim it, because Hoyas tend to bloom in the same spot each year. Here are 2 draped "ropes" with blooms:

In this bloom, the tiny waxy shell that contains the velvety starburst can still be seen at the bottom of the bloom. It has not burst open yet:

Like Christmas Cactus, Hoyas grow up trees in the wild and have many air roots.

Thanks for visiting today!
love,