~ July 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Mixed Media/Grunge

Welcome to the July 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Hard to believe that July is already here and the year is half over!! Mixed media and grunge is the theme this month. To be honest, I didn't really think that I could pull off this theme so I did some research! LOL 

Mixed media art refers to artwork that combines more than one artistic medium or material. It can include elements such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and non-traditional materials like cloth, paper, wood, and found objects. Artists use mixed media to create intricate, layered pieces that break the boundaries between different art forms. 

This is the definition from Google, so I went with it! Layered pieces, different design elements, more than one artistic medium or material. Literally had no idea where to even begin. I found a card on Pinterest that was beautiful so I loosely followed it!

One thing that I did discover, is that pictures are hard to take and get all the elements to show at the same time! Sorry this first one is so dark, but I wanted to see everything! The background started as a piece of white cardstock, to which I ink smooshed some distress oxides in stormy sky, cracked pistachio, faded jeans, speckled egg, peeled paint and distress ink in evergreen bough. Then I sprayed some (new to me) dylusions ink sprays in periwinkle blue and vibrant turquoise. Once those were dry I started stamping! I used multiple stamp sets to create the background including Soul Mail, Numbers, etc. (retired), Winter Shakeup, Paper Wings and Extended celebration. I also used the stencil from the 10/2023 Whit Kit and some lunar paste in midnight snack in a few spots. I just kept adding stuff!! The lace is from stash, the flowers I have had forever! The butterflies, from Paper Wings, were stamped, colored and fussy cut. Added with liquid adhesive and foam tape on the wings for lift. Brads and clear sequins to finish it off!

WHEW that was a lot of work but also fun to just keep adding and adding until I liked the outcome!! LOL Onto the next one!!

I made a few sprayed backgrounds to start and then went back and figured out which one I would use. This is one of those. Ink smooshed with distress oxides in peeled paint, stormy sky and speckled egg. Then I sprayed on dylusions spray ink in vibrant turquoise and periwinkle blue. I stamped on a bunch of different background type stamps from Small Details, Rectified Poppies, Dinged Dots (appears to be retired), then added some of the elements from Soul Mail. The flower vase and sentiment came from that set as well. 

Something I wanted to try was stamping onto tissue paper and adding that. I stamped the script writing from Soul Mail to a piece of tissue paper, tore some pieces off and then used mod podge and glued the tissue on in several places. I think one of the hardest parts of mixed media is giving time to let all the layers dry! LOL I stamped, colored and then fussy cut the flower vase. Cut the sentiment into pieces and mounted everything with foam adhesive.

This is a fun technique that I do not do very often. In fact, may be the second time that I've done mixed media to this extent. I love the outcome, definitely not in my comfort zone but I dove in and took hold of it! It's fun giving new techniques a try! That's what this is all about! Stretching your creative brain! Give it a try!

I am the second on the hop, so if you came here from Crystal, you started at the beginning, next will be Toni. Please follow along and enjoy! 

See you in August!

{BYSHC} Sketch 59 - Sending Christmas Wishes

 Hello and welcome to July!! Sketch 59 is active until the end of the month!

Wow that was sooooo fast! Already July?!? 

My card for today was simple and easy! I love that kind! The papers are from Park Lane "Nice List." I measured and cut according to the sketch. I decided after I cut to tear the top and bottom edge of the center strip. The circle was stamped with the reindeer from the Unity Stamp Co. November 2023 Kit of the Month. Sentiment is from an old Stampin Up set from 2018 called Christmas Traditions. Stamped both in VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Die cut the circle using the Unity Stamp Co. scallops and circles nesting dies, the sentiment was punched with a Stampin Up punch. 

I added a small piece of red ribbon tied in a bow onto the reindeer. I just felt he was too plain! I added both pieces with foam adhesive and then added some red pearls. The sketch is shown below! Enjoy!

Be sure to come back later this month and join us for the Christmas in July Linky Party! Lots of fun, prizes and inspiration to be had!! Mark your calendars!

{BYSHC} Sketch 58 - Merry Christmas Tree

 Hello again and welcome back! {BYSHC} Sketch 58 is still on our minds!

Today's card features more papers from Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party by PhotoPlay. These bright prints were perfect to be paired with the ornaments and tree from the Newton's Nook set called Scandi Christmas. After the background papers were chosen and cut to the rectangle size (I was off with the size again) of 4" x 5 1/4" I cut it diagonally down the center. 

This one came together pretty quickly as the vellum circle, the ornaments and tree were already stamped and/or cut and just waiting for the right moment! The elements were attached to the vellum circle, which was attached with foam adhesive to the base. 

~ June 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Masculine

Hello and welcome to the June 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop! This month the theme is all about the men in our lives! Masculine cards have always been a challenge for me, so I love hops like this to give me some inspiration!

This past month has been quite full for me, with my daughter graduating and getting ready to leave for college, the house (and craft room) are in an absolute upheaval!! LOL My craft space doubles as the guest room, which had to be abandoned mid-May to get ready for my parents visit to celebrate the graduation of their youngest grandchild! So unfortunately only time for one card this month! Hope you like it!

I really had no idea where I was going with this one when I started! LOL I started with this fishing stamp called somethin' is fishy. This has to be one of the first stamps I purchased from Unity! My husband is a fisherman, works in the fishing industry as do most of our friends! This was a must have!

I stamped it onto kraft cardstock with some vintage photo and then some black around the edges. I lightly tapped on some salvaged patina with a blending brush to give it a little color. I tore the top and bottom edge and then distressed with a little more vintage photo and some walnut stain as well. I backed it with a piece of brown cardstock that I tore as well as distressed the edges. The background panel was also a plain piece of kraft paper when I started! I stamped the topography background on to that with all of the colors listed above!

I distressed the edges with a tim holtz distressing tool and then tore off the corner. I had other plans for that corner, but it didn't come to fruition! I then used the favorite dad stamp set to create the sentiment. DAD was stamped with salvaged patina and the happy father's day was stamped on top with black. The black twine was added to hold the cute fishing boat charm! I added some foam tape to the brown tag and it's all done!

Thanks for joining us this month and I hope that some of these masculine cards inspire you! To start the hop at the beginning, you can visit Crystal's blog here. If you are ready to move on, Kari is your next stop!

 

{BYSHC} Sketch 58 - Merry Christmas Santa

 Hello again and welcome to {BYSHC} Sketch 58! 

Today's card was a combo of fun scraps and a recycled Christmas tag! The background papers are from Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party by PhotoPlay. I love this paper pack! It's so full of bright colors and fn prints! I need to see if I can find anymore! :)

I started with the 4" x 5 1/4" rectangle (except mine was 4 1/4" x 5 1/4") to which I cut it down the middle. I arranged the papers together and found this cute Santa tag! The sentiment is from Gotta Love Sentiments from Unity Stamp Co. Stamped in versafine clair in Nocturne and embossed with clear embossing powder.

Tied some red and white twine to the tag and mounted with foam adhesive! 

{BYSHC} Sketch 57 - Merry Christmas

 As we come to the end of May, can I just say WOWOW that was fast! {BYSHC} Sketch 57 will end on the 31st! 

Today's card came about when I remembered the sponsor this month is Newton's Nook and I have stamps that haven't been opened up yet! I found this set and went to their website for some quick inspiration. Looking through the "samples" I found a card that I loved so what better way to show love than to use it for inspiration! The papers are from Cottage Christmas from Fancy Pants Designs. I cut the paper according to the sketch (below) and arranged on the green background paper. The stamps are from the Scandi Christmas set (just noticed that this is on clearance...run and get it before its gone). Following the inspiration picture, I created a tag from kraft paper, added a red scrap to the top. Stamped the tree in peeled paint distress oxide and the reindeer in vintage photo distress oxide. I fussy cut them out (because I didn't get the matching die set :/). Added some foam tape to the tag and there ya go!

{BYSHC} Sketch 57 - Merry & Bright

Hello and welcome back! The {BYSHC} Sketch 57 is what's up! 

These past few weeks has flown by! Lots going on around here, with Graduation, party plans, college dorm piles.....its crazy!! Luckily I can craft and take a little stress off!

This cute card made with some paper I've had forever. Authentique Retro Christmas from 2016. I cut the papers according to the sketch (pictured below) and found this cute reindeer from the Unity Stamp Co. 2022 Advent Calendar. Cut with one of the scallops and squares nesting dies and placed in the space! The sentiment is also from Unity.....cheerful prancing sentiment kit!