Step Card - Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

Hello, dear friends!
Hoping your Advent Journey is enjoyable as you prepare for Christmas Celebrations!

With great pleasure, I've joined the talented designers at

Christmas at Sweet Stampin'!

I'm thrilled to team up with these marvelously brilliant crafters, and hope to see your imaginative artwork each month in our "Anything Goes Christmas" Challenges. The challenge is for ANY Christmas theme craft project. December's Challenge is open until January 8.

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' also has a DT Call out! Hope you can join us!

Recently I drooled over a Crafters Companion Gemini Christmas Tree on Sue Drees' blog. She generously gifted me with several versions of die cuts from the pretty set. My card uses the pink pearl background and the ornate, white glittered detail image on a center step card!



Using IO snowflake dies on brown cardstock, I then coated them with sparkling SNS Embers ultrafine glitter.

Cute little glittered hearts peek from behind the first step:



Wishing you a fantastic week, and hope you and yours enjoy a lovely season.

Products:

• Dies: Crafters Companion Gemini Christmas tree gifted by Sue Drees, Snowflakes from IO, Step Template from Tattered Lace, Poinsettias from Poppy Stamps, 
• Glitter: SNS Embers G1034
• Paper: Bazzill Pale Pink, assorted pinks, white, brown
• Inks: Raspberry DO, Old Paper D
• Computer generated sentiments

Challenges I am Supporting:

1. Allsorts Challenges #497 Christmas Flowers (3 layered poinsettias) sep post 12/14
2. Scrapyland Challenge #103 AG with dies SL sells (Crafters Companion Gemini Christmas tree gifted by Sue Drees, Snowflakes from IO, Step Template from Tattered Lace, Poinsettias from Poppy Stamps) sep post 12/19
3. Holly and Ivy #42 Christmas (sep post) 1/8
4. Sparkles Christmas Challenge #95 Fancy Fold Christmas 01/01

Stamping Hugs,

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,

It's all about the "B"s!

Welcome, sweet crafting friends!
Can you see me waving all the way from Florida, USA?
The children in our area returned to school on August 10!

Thanks for stopping by for a little Dies R Us Inspiration today!

Today's post is all about The "B"s!

Birds, Blues, Birthdays, Browns, Blooms, BFFs.
*
This birthday card is for a very special, dear friend!

click below for:
STORE

PINTEREST BOARD
CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

The following Dies R Us Products are being used:

Memory Box Catalina Border

Memory Box Contempo Birds

Tonic Studios Bird and Birdhouse die set

Tattered Lace Centre Stepper Card die set

Impression Obsession Greetings Top Edger DIE234-M set

Impression Obsession Mini Rectangle Tags 2 set

Cheery Lynn B320 Clouds and Rain set

Poppy Stamps Grassland Border

Let's begin by building a flat, but dimensional birdhouse:

After putting the tape on so the sticky side faces down...

To create flat flowers:

Pretty Pearly Vellum clouds were cut using the Cheery Lynn B320 Clouds and Rain set.

Side view of the center card set - it also folds flat for mailing:

Finally, the back is just as pretty as the front! 

It looks slightly different than the front, but the card could be shown either way!

Hope you enjoyed today's ideas.

On a personal note:

Time for Missy's annual immunizations, so off to the vet we go!

First, she needed to get weighed:

Notice the red basket in the corner, how tightly it hugs the walls:

With the weighing done, the vet left the room briefly.
Normally, I hold her, and reassure her that everything will be ok. But this time, before I could get up...

We heard a funny rustling noise, and I knew Missy was digging a hole:

Jack asked, "Where did she go?"

Missy made herself as small as possible:

As the vet re-entered the room, she looked in all the usual places kitties hide. 

We finally pointed out where she was. It was a first for the vet!

Products used:

• Memory Box Catalina Border
• Memory Box Contempo Birds
• Tonic Studios Bird and Birdhouse die set
• Tattered Lace Centre Stepper Card die set
• Impression Obsession Greetings Top Edger DIE234-M set
• Impression Obsession Mini Rectangle Tags 2 set
• Cheery Lynn B320 Clouds and Rain set
• Poppy Stamps Grassland Border
• Sparkle N Sprinkle: Cerulean Star embossing powder, Waterscape Glitter, Nuvos, Brushable Glue
• Hero Arts Mini Sentiments stamp set
• Penny Black Birthday sentiments
• Ink: Tea Dye Distress, Black Onyx Versafine, Versamark
• Paper: White, Pale Blue, Navy Blue, Patterned

Challenges I'd like to support:

1. Artistic Inspirations Challenges #162 Anything goes 8/13
2. Craft Your Passion #324 Anything Goes 8/13
3. Crafting By Designs (Aug3) Anything Goes 8/26
4. Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenges (Aug 9) "Use Dies" 8/17
5. Inspiration Destination Challenges #98 Anything Goes 8/17
6. The Paper Shelter  #259 "Punches and Dies" 8/17

Thank you for visiting me today!
hugs,

Happy The Car {Sparkle N Sprinkle}

Greetings! And Welcome to my humble blog home. 

Today I am featuring a masculine card using

 SPARKLE N SPRINKLE products.

A special welcome to new followers: Sandra van Blaricum and aussie aNNie.

This masculine card used several embossing powders listed below, and this fun Happy The Car Rubber Stamp Set.

TIP:  Depending on the thickness and/or layers of EP applied, metallic EPs can look smooth and shiny, or they can highlight textures and details, making them look like real metal, rather than applied to paper.

Shade unexpectedly, like above the "smile" to create the illusion of a mustache, adding humor to your artwork!

Speaking of Humor, this month at Path of Positivity Challenge, the theme is HAPPINESS.

• Perhaps Happiness is a very subjective emotion/feeling/state of being. 
• To me, Happiness is definitely tied into our state of being, and comes from within. 
• Many people depend on others to bring them happiness. I wonder if those individuals ever truly enjoy a true state of Happiness, since it would be so fleeting. 
• Others seem to bring it with them, regardless of their circumstances. 
• Probably, like a good relationship, Happiness requires cultivation and a little hard work at times. 
• But you cannot "fake" true happiness. Contentment and Gratitude often work hand-in-hand with Happiness. 
• Sometimes we have to make difficult choices in our lives in order for Happiness to overcome Unhappiness.
• It's important to always make time in our lives for a little "Happying Up" so that the rest of our time is more productive, enjoyable, and free.

One thing is certain, thank you, dear blogging friends, for bringing happiness into my life -by sharing your lives with mine, and making me a better person because of it.

My first ever step card! 

TIP:    Create 5x7 step card in white card stock. Use walnut ink and distress all the edges and folds so that the white will not show on the edges. Cut Brown Authentique DP pieces to layer on top of the white CS as desired.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Crafty Bloggers Network June Challenge uses this bingo card:

Column A (Die cuts, Image, Patterned Paper) is on my card.

Products Used:

• SNS Exclusive Stamp "Happy"
• SNS Copper embossing powder EP236
• SNS Copper Kettle Cosmic embossing powder EP341
• SNS Caramel Cosmic embossing powder EP116
• Blue Fern Studio Chipboard (gears)
• Spellbinders: Grand Scallop Circles LF249, Decagons S4-369, Petite Scallop Circle Small S4-117
• SU Slot Punch
• Lifestyle: Nesting Star Dies
• Papers: Authentique Designer Papers, tan, blue, white cardstock, Neenah Solar White
• Copic Markers
• Ink: VersaMark, Walnut, Old Paper
• Embossing Folder
• Ribbon

Challenges this Card was submitted to:

1. Crafty Bloggers Network - June 2 2014 - Bingo Card (shown in my blog post uses Column A (Die cuts, Image, Patterned Paper) on my card - see blurb in my blog post. 7/2
2. Path of Positivity Challenge - #15 "Happiness" - See paragraph above 7/2
3. Party Time Tuesday - #178 Anything Goes - 6/30
4. Through the Craft Room Door - June 24-30 Anything Goes 6/30
5. Cards Galore Encore - June - Anything Goes 7/1

Thanks for visiting today!
hugs,