Friday, June 20, 2014

When I Count My Blessings -- My First Side-Stepped Card

"Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose."
                                                         ---Garrison Keillor

Hi, Friends.....

Ooooooh...feel that stre-e-e-e-e-e-e-etch......!  

This challenge card really stretched me!!  But it was fun and I am so glad I gave it a try!!!  This is for the MFP Friends of Speedy TV Side Stepped Card challenge.  I have never made one before and wasn't at all sure I was up to it......I nearly wasn't, but I was nearly up all night making a go of it!!!!!  Eeeeek!  

I knew I wanted to use this "When I count my blessings, I think of you" (a thrift store find!) stamped and embossed in red, but from there on out I was winging it....like the robin.  (Little pun, there........very little....)


Photographing this was almost as challenging as making it!  Eeek!

 Thanks to the terrific design team who made sample cards for this intriguing challenge, I was directed to a wonderful tutorial for making this fun fold card.  It still took me a little bit of playing around to get the dimensions just right to fit my stamps, but I managed....eventually!

My big flower image is from a couple of sets I won from Denami Designs:  Summer Flowers and Summer Flower Leaves.  (THANKS, Denami!!!).  The grass and the robin are from an ancient Rubber Stampede set called The Country Garden.....also a thrift store find my son discovered and snagged for me.  I stamped them each with Staz-On black and then watercolored them.  Lastly, I added some sparkly blossoms to each of my layers of grass with sequins.  Seeing little flowers blooming in grass makes me extremely happy! :)

Did you recognize these leftovers?  Oh, yes!  The sky is from some bits from my recent castle card and so is the yellow.  Love it when I can use my scraps on the next card.  I still have 2 small pieces and 1 medium-sized piece of that yellow, so expect it in the near future again!  :)

Well, there you have my very first side-stepped card....(blushes with pride.)  I really am pleased with how it turned out, so I will appreciate all manner of kind words of affirmation for the heroic hours of effort I expended in making it!!!  Ha.

Thanks for your visit!  I seriously do appreciate each of you and count YOU as a blessing!!!

<3
Janis  



Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  MFP Speedy TV Challenge #129 - Side-Step Card 
2.  The House that Stamps Built Challenge DCC618 - Shaped or Fun Fold Cards 

3.  Eureka Stamps Challenge #94 - Friends
4.  Lexi's Creations Challenge #118 - For a Friend
5.  Through the Purple Haze Challenge #46 Anything Goes with Stamping 

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely card...very simple, but very effective.

    Fiona DT
    TTPH

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping in! Please drop in again!!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  2. Beautiful Side-step card - and I love the cat quote too! LOL!

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    1. I think you are the first one to ever mention my cat quotes, except for my hubby who looked at my blog recently! Thanks so much for your sweet comment.

      <3
      Janis

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  3. Janis, this is truly beautiful! Ha, I too stayed up verrry late working on my first side stepped card! I'm SO impressed you were able to tweak the folds on the steps to fit your images. I really love the little robin at the top and the adorable dotty cloud. Not sure if that is a stamp or you used a white gel pen, either way I love it! The sequin flowers in the grass are a real neat touch too.

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    1. Thanks so much, Lynn!! These challenges are fantastic, aren't they? But, yah, I do spend a lot of late nights finishing up a card and then posting it! Ha. I appreciate you stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave all your comments. That means a lot to me!!

      <3
      Janis

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  4. Beautiful side step card.


    Thanks for joining us at Eureka Stamps this week.

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    1. Thanks, Cheryl! I appreciate your kind words!!

      <3
      Janis

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  5. Janis, this is beautiful! Congrats on your first side step card! Thanks for joining our friends challenge this week at Eureka Stamps. Julie, DT member

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    1. Thank you so much, Julie! Your visit and nice comment mean a lot to me. Please drop by again!!

      <3
      Janis

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  6. This is a really summery card! I love it! Thanks for joining us at Through the Purple Haze Challenges!
    Hugs
    Darcy

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    1. Thank you so much, Darcy! I was looking for a summery feel! Thank you for your encouraging comment and visit!!

      <3
      Janis

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  7. Well, it doesn't look like your first step card. It's beautiful. Love the flowers and the sentiment is perfect. Thanks for joining Through the Purple Haze Challenge.

    Hugs
    Joanie

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    1. Really think so, Joanie? Wow....thanks!! I especially appreciate your kind words since this card was such a challenge for me. (I know...I am lame, but it really was!!!) Thank you so much for dropping by!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  8. Thanks for challenging yourself - fun result. Glad you joined us this week.

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    1. Thank you, Janine!! Your visit means a lot to me. Stop by again!!

      <3
      Janis

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  9. Gorgeous card! You may have found it challenging, but you got there in the end as it looks beautiful. I love the side stepper cards as you can use it in so many different ways and it looks so impressive.

    Thanks for joining us at Through the Purple Haze Challenges.

    Lucy DT x

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    1. Thank you so much, Lucy!! Your comment encourages me to try one of these again, soon. I think what I need is less coloring and more fussy cut images to accent the saying.....or something.... Ha. Thanks again for your visit!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  10. Beautiful side step card. Love the grassy edges on the stepper part and everything just looks so fabulous together

    Thanks for sharing with us

    Lin
    Lexi's Creations

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    1. Thank you, Lin!! The grass was harder for me than it probably should have been, so after it was done I had to dress it up. :) I really appreciate your kind words and your visit to my blog.

      <3
      Janis

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  11. Your card is beautiful and and such a great way to use the left overs. Thanks for joining us this week for our "Friends Challenge." Come back to join us again and good luck.
    Karal Eureka Stamps DT

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    1. Karal, I really appreciate you taking the time to visit and to comment here on my blog. Thanks so much!!!

      <3
      Janis

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THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis