Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Fathers Day Center Step and directions

SNS-Shining-Light-Fathers-D

I'm honored to have been asked to Guest Design for Sweet 'N Sassy this month, and this card was made with the brand new release, Shining Light. It's a great set with lots of inspirational verses as well as practical sentiments like these two I have used. With Father's Day right around the corner, it's perfect!

I used the center step card design for this one. I love this design and find it so fun and easy! I have seen variations of this design all over blog land, but I decided to try drawing the pattern for you if you'd like to try it.


center+step+card-instructio
It's very straight forward! Simply start with a piece of card stock that's 5.5 x 8.5" if you want an A2 card when folded. You could certainly adjust these dimensions easily if you wished. I used a craft blade to cut the inside cuts, and my score buddy to make the score lines. If you make one please link me and let me see what you did!!! Have fun!


SNS-fathers-day-center-step

The base is Gina K Tan Leather card stock, the designer paper is K&Co Blue Awning. The image is stamped on Gina K Pure Ivory with Memento Ink and colored with Copics. I used my air brush to do the sky, layering on several different colors for depth, but a super quick technique. If I didn't have the air brush, I would use chalks and sponge them on around my cloud template by Rosy's Road Show. The key to using ANY template is to keep moving it so the angles of the clouds are not all the same. I often use the template for my first layer, then remove it and color over the white areas with a light color such as W01 or B0000. This gives the illusion of the puffy clouds without having them be stark white, and it allows you to have a more natural feathering of the clouds rather than the real defined scallops. If you are doing a whimsical card, the scallops are fun, but if you are doing a more realistic scene, it's nice to use the layering technique I described.

I cut the oval with a Spellbinders Classic Oval Large, and the frame with the Lacey Oval, both of which can be cut at the same time using the Grand Calibur! I then simply laced some twine through the frame and added a ship's wheel charm. I stamped two sentiments from the set directly on the dp.

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Cards For Men - must be masculine - for Someone Special, Crazy Challenge -- Anything Goes, Design Dollies - Creative Folds, Make it Monday - Anything goes, Pollycraft - Boyz to Men (macsuline), Simon Says Stamp and Show... - Anything Goes, Squigglefly - - Shaped cards, Stamps R Us - Masculine, Aly's Sunday Challenge - Shaped Cards, Catered Crop - choose recipe: I chose brown ink, Copics and die cuts, Creative Cowgirls - - Anything Goes, Emerald Faeries - Anything Goes, One Stitch At A Time - Fancy Folds, Scrappy Frogs - Anything goes, Allsorts - Use at least 3 Different Stamps (2 sentiments and 1 image), Catch The Bug - Anything Goes, Card Makin' Mamas - For a loved one.

Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from you and so appreciate your sweet comments!


56 comments:

Hazel said...

Brilliant card - saw it on Make it Monday x

Patti J said...

Grace, this is such a vision of beauty. Thanks for explaining how you did the clouds! Gorgeous card, my friend...thanks for sharing!

Carla S. said...

Your step card is absolutely gorgeous, Grace! I love the images and the beautiful background scenery! A perfect masculine card! Hugs!

Cards By MI said...

Such wonderful card you have made!I love the light house! Stunning! Glad I got to see it while passing by the MIM blog.
Love n hugs
Marie

Hellma said...

Wow! This is GORGEOUS

Anonymous said...

A very striking card and the sentiment is beautiful.
Dianne.

Dianne said...

Grace this is beautiful. I love the sentiment. Thank you for sharing the directions.

Hugs,
Dianne
http://mypaperhugs.blogspot.com/

Holly Young said...

Really beautiful card Grace. I love your coloring on this, especially how you have the light shining into the sky. lovely paper you used too. I'm so happy you played in Squigglefly's challenge this week and i hope you'll play again!

Auntie Em said...

I love the way you coloured in the image and the beautiful clouds! Gorgeous! Great card design and thank you for adding the directions for making the Center-step card.
Thank you for sharing! :)

Gina said...

Oh! Your card is just breathe taking!! The natural twine is a fabulous touch :D Thank you for joining in at Creative Cowgirls XXX

Deb Mitchell said...

Ohhh wow!!! your card is absolutely amazing Hun!! A beautiful entry! Thank you for playing along with us at the Emerald Faeries Garden Challenge this month!

Hugz, Deb/ Owner

Sally said...

Hi Grace, Absolutely love your card. Great imae and perfect sentiment. Saw this on MIM.
Hugs Sally xxx

Bridget said...

This is a card design I realy love. Not only has it clear lines, but also a graet form.

Thanks for posting the instructions.

Bridget

Shirley said...

Wow! Your whole card is lovely. I really love your image and the fold is perfect for it. I am saving this. TFS the fold instructions. TTP and easy to follow too.

Only By His Grace said...

Hi Grace,
Your step card is gorgeous. Thank you for the pattern. I must give this a go. I loved your write up on coloring the clouds. yours look super. I didn't know there was a die for clouds. I love how you have the yellow wash of color on the clouds from the lighthouse.
I love the twine through the oval.
Hugs Maz

Lovely Linda said...

Wow Gace - this is divine! I love that image - you always colour so beautifully! Gorgeou use of the Nestie - I love that twine you have used Grace - it is perfect! Thanks for all of the inspiration my friend I am going to have to create a card this style! Love it! {{{hugs}}}

Linda McClain said...

Oh my goodness gracious gravy! This is stunning. Gorgeous! Thank you for joining us at Catered Crop - so glad to have you.

CraftinGranny said...

Congrats on DT spot! This is a perfect masculine card and says it all for Father's Day. Beautifully colored! "Hugs" Carol

kiwimeskreations said...

Wow this is stunning - thanks for the design for the centre-step, and for sharing the way you do the clouds.
Blessings
Maxine

Tracey Manderson said...

Wow this is brilliant! i have to give this a try! Thanks for joining us at the Emerald Faerie Garden.
Hugs
Tracey

Debby said...

Your card is wonderful! Thanks for the templete. Hugs

Elena said...

Oh wow, wow, wow... Beautiful!! Firstly the card, is really greatm, believe me, and the choice of paper perfetc... and then the stamp, oh wow, it's amazing, but most of all I falled in lovewith your coloring, especially the clouds and the light... bautiful, very beautiful!

Hugs,
Elena

Iulia said...

OMG, what an amazing card, Grace! These colors and your coloring are simply fantastic! Love the clouds and the shape of your card! Great work!
Thank you so much for joining in our first challenge at Emerald Faerie Garden and hope to see you again soon!
Hugs,
Iulia- new folower:)

velta said...

Grace ~ I am amazed at your creation of clouds...This is just beautiful :)

Shirley-Anne said...

My Goodness , Grace this is wonderful .You have made it look so simple Thanks for sharing and linking to Make it Monday .

Chris Olsen, Glowbug said...

Stunning Grace!! I just love your coloring and your design!! The center step is perfect!! The added hemp is a very beautiful but masculine touch!
hugs,
Chris

Adeline Ng said...

Hey Grace, this is such a manly card. and I love your colour combination, away from the dark masculine colors. Thanks for the pattern, i would try to make a centre step card on day and would definitely link you. and i love how you do the clouds too!

Becky said...

As always Grace you do stunning cards. This is no exception :).
And congratulations..

Stacy Morgan said...

Grace this is awesome, I have never seen a center step card. Fabulous masculine card.

Riet said...

What a beautiful card Grace,I love the image and the colours.
So gorgeous papers.

Hugs Riet.xx

Davi said...

Wowzer what an amazing card I love the way you did the step and the wonderful image. Your sky/clouds are spectacular!

Esther Asbury said...

Beautiful card and I LOVE the design of the center step!

Sabrina Jackson said...

Sweet Grace, this is such a beautiful Father's Day card!! Thanks for sharing the directions as well. Hugs and blessings, Sabrina

Dawn B. said...

This is beautiful Grace. Love that template. You did a great job showing the instructions too.. Love this set. One of my favorites. See you next week.

Dorcas said...

Wow Grace, this is GORGEOUS!!

Mummylade said...

this is truly gorgeous! Thank you so much for entering the Allsorts challenge with this creation and good luck!

Mary J said...

Wow Grace, this is AMAZING! Thx for linking it up to the Make It Monday party!

Mary J x

Joy said...

great job on this! thanks so much for playing with Bugaboo's Anything goes challenge! Joy DT

Deb said...

fabulous creation, I love lighthouses and your edging and rope is perfect, terrific design and colors, thanks so much for joining our "Fancy Fold's" challenge at OSAAT this week
Debs R
xxx

Ardilla said...

I love houselights and yours is gorgeous. I saw your card at make it Monday and it´s adorable :)

KarenB said...

This is fabulous!! Thanks for the tutorial too xx

Mandy said...

Beautiful card...Love the image and the shape is just lovely...Thanks for sharing with us at Cards for Men...
Mandy x

Scrapamum said...

What a fabulous card! Love what you created!!! Thanks for playing along with the Design Dollies.

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Fabulous grace - just love the image and the colors on the DP. Great work with the twine - so manly! It was wonderful to see your creation submitted to Simon Says Stamp and Show this week. So glad you joined in the fun with us!

Hugs,
Linda

Anonymous said...

WOW Grace, this is absolutely gorgeous hun!! I sure love your fun stair step creation and all of your gorgeous details too!! Such a beautiful creation!! Thanks so much for joining us at the Squigglefly Challenge this week! Smiles, *Vicki* ~ Squigglefly Team Leader

Collette said...

Beautifully done! Love that jute threaded through the scallops. Perfect masculine card! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Stamps R Us!

Unknown said...

A fabulous card, great image and design.

Thanks for joining us this week at Pollycrafts.

Hugs

Joanne x

Michelle said...

Hi Grace

I tried to comment on this amazing card before but Blogger is still giving me some terrible trouble.

It is a tough call, but I am thinking that this might just be my most favourite card of yours to date.

Thank you for sharing with us at Make It Monday this week.

Michelle :-)

wendipooh13 said...

this is way cool!!!! great folding!!! thanks sooo much for playing along with the Dollies!!!!

liannallama said...

wow! Everything you did on this card is perfect! I love the twine laced through the oval and thanks so much for the detailed instructions on the folding and cloud templates!

Debbie Pamment said...

WOW this is gorgeous - LOVE your amazing sky and the string wrapped around and through the nestie - perfect embellishments for this fabulous image!
Thanx soo much for joining us at The Emerald Faeries this week!
xXx

Tussemaja said...

I like this card a lot. Coloring is super and the sky is just gorgeous. Thank you for joining us at Cards for Men - Tussemaja

Cheryl said...

I saw your gorgeous card on the Catered Crop blog. I just wanted to stop by and leave you a comment.

Lana said...

This is just too fabulous for words!! Thank you for sharing how you did it, I can not wait to try making one myself. Just stunning!!
Hugs

Janeen said...

this card is gorgeous Grace, hmmm, I might have to try something like this to keep from getting bored with my same old half fold cards. I will bookmark this and come back to it on a day when I have a bit of tme to digest it. Thanks for the tutorial.

Cindy Haffner said...

I LOVE this Grace!!~