Friday, January 3, 2025

Refuge

 I was needing some creative time….it eases my mind and helps relieve my stresses. What a perfect stamp to do that!! 

This stamp is from Unity Stamp Co., part of their {itty bitty} collection. It’s called Refuge. Creating is a stress reliever for me. The New Year should bring calm but sometimes it’s just the beginning of a year of change. My youngest will be graduating from high school in May and then possibly off to college. My oldest is getting ready to move out on his own. While it should be a time of excitement and joy I’m feeling anxious. 

I had created this ink smooshed manilla tag some time ago but it was a large tag, I wanted to make it smaller. I found a card in the Unity site made by Lisa Arana and created something similar! My background paper is from a pad I picked up at Joann's made by Craft Smith. The ink smooshed piece and the brown panel behind are cut using the smallest scalloped rectangle from the nesting die set and then I cut the corners off to make a tag. I die cut the focal piece with the postage stamp nesting dies. Then stamped the image with versafine clair in nocturne. I ink blended around all the panels with vintage photo. Then I watercolored the feather with some watered down distress oxides in crackling campfire, lumberjack plaid and shaded with stormy sky. Next I took the leftover ink from coloring and splattered it on the piece. To the tag I splattered some distress mica spray in antique bronze. The ribbon was wrapped around a gift box we received (I keep everything!) Enamel dots from GinaMarie Designs and twine from MayArtsRibbon.

Lisa's card for reference.


This may just sit on my desk for a while to remind me that God is in control! <3 Thanks for looking and letting me ramble on! :) Until next time! 



Friday, December 27, 2024

2024 Comes to an End! {BYSHC} Sketch 52

 Happy last post of 2024!! {BYSHC} Sketch 52 runs through next Tuesday, so get your cards in to have a chance to win a $25 Gina K. Designs gift card! I love Gina K. Designs!!


I turned the sketch on it's side to make this sweet card! The trees and sentiment are from the Uniquely Unity set called ...simply holiday deer. The background kraft paper and the patterned paper are also from Unity. The patterned papers are from The North Pole Collection. I stamped the skinny tree twice onto watercolor paper, then colored in slightly with a Tombow ABT marker. The sentiment was stamped with versafine clair in nocturne, then fussy cut out with Cutter bee scissors, into individual lines to accommodate the die cut (scallops and circles nesting dies) vellum circle. White enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish it off! 


After all was assembled, I added some star dust stickles to the trees. I thought they needed a little "umph!"


Because of the multiple sketches throughout the year as well as the Linky Parties....I not only had enough cards and didn't need to panic and make more, but I also was able to sell some as well and have some left over! Start your new year off right and come back January 1st for a new year of sketches! Sketch 53 is loading! :)

Until then, hope you and your families have a happy and safe new year! See you in January! :)





Saturday, December 7, 2024

~ December 2024 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Winter Wonderland

 


Welcome to my stop on the Friends of Unity December 2024 Blog Hop!! Winter Wonderland! Fun fact.......December's Blog Hop marks 7 years of hops! I'm pretty sure I've been following since the beginning and now I'm a part of it! So amazing!!

Here in Florida, there isn't much "wintery" winter. Coming from Michigan, I know winter! Seems like there are one or two days that I do miss the cold snowy winter scene....Christmas Day and New Years Day! But I digress! Winter to me is peace and love and calmness. Waiting for the new year, spending time with family, being present in the moment. As busy as we all are, this time of year gives me the feeling of reflection and being thankful for all that I have been blessed with!


This card was created with a watercolored ink smooshed background. Created with several different colors, then more colors were added after I stamped the Unity Heart of Christmas. Colors used include peacock feathers, stormy sky, faded jeans, speckled egg, broken china. I spritzed some white acrylic paint and distress spray stain in vintage photo onto the panel too. I stamped the image with versamark ink then embossed with Gina K. White embossing powder. After the embossing was finished I then die cut the heart with a Unity Stitched up Heart {nesting die} set. I have to figure out a better way to get the die cut lined up in the opening! It's off, but not by much! I added some foam tape to the back of the heart to pop it up. I took some inspiration from the example on the Unity website done by Lea Johnston (Keisling) with the cut out word and the banner across the heart.


I used the coordinating die set for this set to cut out the word "peace." I stamped with black versafine clair, heat embossed with clear embossing powder then cut out the word and the banner with Unity dies. After all was assembled, I added some clear flat sequins for a little extra sparkle. 


This cutie came about during my week as Growing in Unity (last week) while I was making cards from scraps. Yes, everything but the snowman piece was laying on my desk! Snowmen scream winter wonderland to me! I started with the scraps from the PhotoPlay It's a Wonderful Christmas paper pack. The snowflake panel was die cut from a piece that was stamped with the Heart of Christmas, that didn't get used. The die set is the postage stamp nesting dies. I picked this snowman (Snow Buddies UU 11/24) because he's just so cute! Stamped onto 110lb cardstock, die cut with the same nesting die set and then colored with KingArt Alcohol Markers to match the plaid paper. 


The sentiment was stamped in black onto a red scrap with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. It comes from the Winter Cheer & Deer set.

To start the hop from the beginning, you want to visit Crystal's blog here. If you are ready to move on, Rachel is next! 

I would like to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Much love and peace to you and your families! See you all in 2025!


Friday, December 6, 2024

{BYSHC} Sketch 52!

Hello friends! Welcome to December! It's either crunch time, or because you've followed along this year, you are feeling no stress because your stash is FULL of cards to mail! :)

If you are still working on getting some cards finished, this sketch is great! 


While the sketch appears to be for a "slimline" card, I don't typically make that shape, so I adjusted it to make an A2 card! Sketches are meant to inspire, not require (stole this line from our fearless leader, Crystal)! The patterned papers happen to all be from Carta Bella Home For Christmas paper pad. Since the measurements on the sketch are for slimline, I had to adjust. I just eyeballed it!  The sentiment is from Unity Stamp Co. Kit of the Month (September 2015) called Our Hearts to Yours. The wreath is from the 2020 Advent Calendar, was colored and die cut, then mounted with foam adhesive! I also added some white enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs.
 

Gina K Designs is the sponsor this month and is providing the prize! Be sure to play along and have a chance to win at the end of the month!


Friday, November 29, 2024

{BYSHC} Sketch 51 - Merry Christmas

 Hello and welcome again to see what new and fun sketch {BYSHC} has for you! Sketch 51 will bring November to a close and this card is the inspiration for the sketch!


This little lovely was originally created about a year ago for the Falling for the Holidays Linky Party! This was created using mostly scraps! The background was stamped with the Linen background of the month stamp from Unity Stamp Co., but the patterned papers and even the tag were all part of my scrap collection. The reindeer is a no longer available stamp from Stampin Up. Tied with some red organza ribbon and some burlap twine. Green glitter enamel dots to finish it off!




New sketch loading! Starting December 1!

Growing in Unity - Final Day!

 It's amazing how fast a week goes by when you are having so much fun! Welcome to day 5 of my Growing in Unity Week! Thank you for each and every comment and kind word both here and on Facebook....I am truly thankful and humbled by each one!

If you "know" me, then you know how I am a hoarder.......of scraps! It's so fun to find things that go together, but aren't supposed to go together! LOL Between all the Christmas card making, birthday card making, Thanksgiving card making, etc. my desk is covered with scraps. All sizes, all occasions, some solid cardstock, some red and white peppermint stripe paper! Not only that but bits and pieces of things....sentiments not used, leftover circles from a die cuts, just a hodge-podge of stuff! So for the last day of my week.....it's all about the scraps!

This is the beginning ^ picture! Paper, sentiments, images, vellum, all the things! Let's get to work!







All in all I made 3 birthday cards, one friend card and 4 holiday cards (one not pictured going on my Friends of Unity post {stay tuned} :) I can honestly say that there is plenty more scrap cards to come, two factors contributed to there not being more.....I've been fighting a cold all week and Thanksgiving Prep and subsequent cleanup! LOL ;)

Through this process, I used a bunch of sketches that can be found either at {BYSHC} Facebook Page, or on Tawny Owl Paperie Facebook Page! I am a sucker for a good sketch! Sketches are there to "inspire not require!"

I hope you give your scraps some love! Remember you kept them for a reason! That reason is now! I so enjoyed my week with ya'll! See you again soon!!

I'll leave the commenting until Sunday afternoon-ish and then will start the random-prize-winner-choosing-process! :)

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Growing In Unity - Day #4

Hi and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 Whew! Day 4 already? Well it's been a great and fun week!

Today's card took some time for me to get it just right. I stamped, and walked away, then came back and did a little inking, then walked away, came back and found the "right" patterned paper....all in all, this one took all day! But in the end, I absolutely LOVE it!

I started with white cardstock, and stamped A Faithful Letter with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide. It was actually the second stamping, so it's nice and light. To that I stamped on the flowers from Simply Blessed. I wasn't too crazy about the fact that I could see the words through the stamping so I water-brushed the words out of the vase mostly. I used some inks as watercolors and gently colored in the image. I used Gina K Designs Ocean Mist for the vase, then I used some tea dye and wild honey distress inks for the flowers, leaves were gina k grass green



Then I die cut the image using one of the scallops and arches nesting dies and added foam adhesive. The background paper is from the Jubilant Tapestry paper pack, the other two pieces are leftover pieces that were on my desk that I tore the edges. The ribbon was recycled from a gift my daughter received. 

Sentiment is from ...aging gorgeously, stamped in black then slightly ink blended to match the rest. I added a paperclip for a little extra touch. The translucent enamel dots are from Gina Marie Designs.

Come back tomorrow for a "scrap-tastic" final day! Also, don't forget to comment to have a chance to win one of two $20 gift certificates!

Refuge

 I was needing some creative time….it eases my mind and helps relieve my stresses. What a perfect stamp to do that!!  This stamp is from Uni...