Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge #224

 Wednesday's are my current favorite day because I have the day off of my part-time job and my family is out of the house, leaving me to craft, craft, craft!

The latest challenge at Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws is #224, which is a color challenge!

I am trying to build my NND stamps and found these two sets on eBay! Peony Blooms (cir 2018) and Simply Sentimental (cir 2014)! Both of which are no longer available! :(

 I started with my background! One of my favorite techniques is ink smooshing! Yes, that's exactly what it is!! I took colors of distress inks that matched the color challenge (worn lipstick, scattered straw and shabby shutters) and added them, individually, to an acetate sheet and added some water. I then gently tapped the color around my white cardstock until I was satisfied with the coverage. I did this with all three colors. *TIP* be sure to completely dry each color before adding another! The colors tend to blend too much if still wet. Next I die cut with the largest scalloped and rectangle nesting die from Unity Stamp Co. This is where I should have thought this through first! LOL I then took a piece of white cardstock and die cut it with a background die plate from My Creative Time called zig zag background die (which also appears to be no longer available). I separated the little pieces that made up the pattern and then realized that the border was the exact same size as my scalloped panel....I tried to line up the die cut panel with the scalloped die to get the scallops to match, but alas it wasn't exactly correct! Oh well!!  I attached the die cut zig zag panel with a zig 2 way glue pen. 

Next I stamped the peonys onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in nocturne. Colored with watered down versions of these distress inks and watercolored to match! While most of Newton's Nook stamps have matching die sets....this one did not come from eBay with one! :/ So fussy cutting it is!! After I cut them up I arranged them where I thought they would look best. The sentiment panel was also stamped onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in nocturne and then die cut with a banner die from Unity Stamp Co.  I attached the flowers and sentiment using Tombow Mono Liquid Glue to be sure it was stuck in all the little spaces between the zig zags. The last flower I added with some foam tape. I then added some clear dew drops and onto the cardbase it went!

Inspiration for this card was found on Pinterest and an old blog post from 2018 from a former DT member Naki Rager.

Unity Membership Makes Wednesday - Faith

 Wednesday's are my favorite days 1) because it's my day off, 2) because it's #UnityMembershipMakes day! I get to dig out all my fantastic Unity kits and make something magical! Unity's Show & Tell Facebook Group is a great place for inspiration!

I started this lovely card with some inspiration from Unity Design Team member Echo Noble! Started with a piece of white cardstock, to it I added one of my favorite techniques...ink smooshing! It is as fun as it sounds! 

I took these three colors of distress inks (old paper, worn lipstick, shaded lilac) individually (not together) and "smooshed" them onto a sheet of acetate, added water and carefully tapped the wet ink panel all over the white cardstock until I was happy with the coverage. *TIP* Dry each layer before adding another! You could possibly "blend" too much and the colors would get muddy! After I was happy with the color saturation I stamped a Unity Background Stamp called A Faithful Letter on top using distress oxide in vintage photo. To that I added a tiny dot stamp from the May 2023 Kit of the Month called {bloom in color} using distress ink in walnut stain. Next the panel was die cut using the largest scalloped and rectangle nesting die from Unity, then ink blended around the edge. The bird is from the April 2024 Whit Kit called Bloom for New Beginnings. I stamped it onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in nocturne. Next I took the same three colors of ink from above and smooshed them again onto a acetate sheet, added some water and used that (along with a water brush) to water color the image!  All Unity stamps come with a white backing sheet as part of the manufacturing process. I used the white backing paper to create a mask to ink blend over the image for a nice crisp edge! Once ink blended I tore the panel as close to the image as I could, then ink blended over the torn edge to create a vintage-y look. The sentiment is also from a Kit of the Month April 2022 {true colors}. I glued this die cut panel to a piece of kraft cardstock (also from Unity) and added some pink burlap twine and pearls to finish it off!

If you are not a member of the Show & Tell page, I strongly suggest you join! Not only is there a ton of inspiration from the design team members, but everyone! Create and post away!! Never know you could inspire someone today!

{BYSHC} Sketch #45 - Llama Greetings!

 The {BYSHC} Sketch #45 is going through the end of the month! The sponsor this month is Newton's Nook Designs! I've been trying to use the sponsor's product along with the sketch....the only semi-Christmas stamp I have from NND is this Llama! LOL So you use what you have! LOL

I started with a white card base and to that I added some patterned paper that's been in my stash forever! The piece I used was a scrap and was just enough paper to cover!  I did use an edge die from Pink Fresh Designs to create the center point. The llama (it's called Llama delivery, but has been retired; however I did just see one on eBay!) was stamped onto white cardstock and then cut with a tag die from Newton's Nook Designs called fancy edges tag die set. The sentiment is from Unity Stamp Co., looks to be no longer available. My apologies!

Creative Scrapbooker Magazine - Summer 2024

 Ya'll I have been so crazy with a new job, graduations, dance.....I was looking at my blog posts and realized that I hadn't shared that I was again published in the Summer 2024 Edition of Creative Scrapbooker Magazine!

The page/theme call that I submitted for was Happy Birthday! All the cards shown below were created using Unity Stamps!

This card was created with an ink smooshing technique on the background which was die cut with the largest scalloped and rectangle nesting die from Unity Stamp Co. I then used a digital cut file for the floral piece, a set from Unity called Difficult Roads, and stamped the image on! The sentiment is from the kit called aging gorgeously. I loosely watercolored the flowers and water in the jar. Before I adhered it to the card front I tied some natural jute twine around the jar opening. I did add some white bakers twine along with the natural jute twine around the card front as well. Attached the floral and sentiment with foam adhesive. 

This card started with a panel that I had been experimenting an ink blended winter sunset! I used a multitude of colors on this one! Couldn't be absolutely sure which ones they were! I stamped on a tree line image from Unity Stamp Co. from a set called Radiant Moonlit Forest. I added a few of the single trees from this kit as well to fill it in.  The sentiment was stamped in white ink with white embossing powder onto a scrap piece of black. It comes from a kit called ...extended celebrations. Die cut the watercolor panel and the black background panel using the scalloped and rectangle nesting die set. Added some adhesive pearls for accent.

And last but not least is this lovely card! Started with a piece of kraft cardstock from Unity. The lovely floral image is from the February 2023 Kit of the Month called Happy Soul. I stamped it in black ink onto the kraft cardstock, then colored it in with white colored pencil! Nothing fancy either....crayola colored pencils from the kids old school supplies! Once colored I splattered some watered down white acrylic paint over it all. I die cut the panel using the largest scalloped and rectangle nesting die, then distressed the edges with some vintage photo distress oxide. Tied some white bakers twine and added some white enamel dots for the finish!

Happy May! {BYSHC} Sketch 45

 Happy May! With the beginning of a new month comes a new sketch and a new sponsor at {BYSHC}! This month's sponsor is Newton's Nook Designs! 

Today's card features a retired (and unfortunately no longer available) adorable Llama set! It's called Llama delivery. I started with the snowflake background which is kraft cardstock, Snowflake Frenzy  background stamp from Unity Stamp Co., versamark embossing pad and Gina K. Designs white embossing powder. After the embossing powder had been melted I die cut it and a piece of red scrap using a Pink Fresh Studio edge die from the set called classic edgers (which also appears to no longer be available). The plaid paper is from a 6x6 pad from PhotoPlay called Its a Wonderful Christmas. I stamped and die cut the llama and then colored with Tombow ABT markers. I added a vellum circle behind to break it up a bit and then stamped and die cut the sentiment! Added some foam tape and enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs.

This sketch runs through the end of the month! As I said at the beginning....Newton's Nook Designs is our sponsor for this month's prize! $20 gift card to spend in the store AND a 15% off coupon code! Use the code BYSH at checkout for 15% off all winter and Christmas items!

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - #222 Sketch (number 2)

 Wednesday is my day off so I tend to stay in my jammies as long as possible!  LOL That's why there are two cards today! :) Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge is a Sketch #222!

Started with a white card base. I ink smooshed with seedless preserves, saltwater taffy and salvaged patina onto a white piece of cardstock. I wanted to have a "celebration" kind of feel! After it dried, I die cut it with the largest scalloped and stitched rectangle die from Unity. To that I added a rectangle of vellum and loosely measured the kraft rectangles and cut them. The llama is from a retired set called Llama Delivery. I stamped and die cut this sweet guy and colored to match the background with Tombow ABT markers. I stamped three of the "present" which is part of the llama set directly onto the cardstock. But what do you do if you don't like it?!?! You embellish it!! I decided that the middle one needed some dimension so I stamped again onto cardstock and cut it out. Llama and present are popped up with foam tape! The sentiment and the streamers are from a Unity Stamp Co. sentiment kit called extended celebration.

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - #222 Sketch

 Hello again friends! I have created a card for the current Inky Paws Challenge at Newton's Nook Designs. Sketch #222 is the challenge! You all know I love a sketch!!

I guesstimated the measurements and to be honest I didn't really keep track of what they were! LOL I just held the paper up and marked it with a pencil!

Started with a white card base, to that I added the peach background. I then cut a piece of white with the smallest scalloped and stitched rectangle die from Unity. I then stamped the cutest mouse from Newton's Nook Designs set called Garden Mice along with a few flowers and a butterfly from the same set.  I used the matching die set to cut them out. I colored with Tombow ABT Markers. The peachy gingham paper is from Unity in a set called Pastel Gingham Perfection. I stamped the sentiment (also from the Garden Mice set) directly onto the patterned paper. Added some foam tape and glued it all together!

Sketch link is open until Friday!