{BYSHC} Sketch 54 - Merry Christmas

My last card for the {BYSHC} Sketch 54 Challenge is a sweet one!

All parts are from Unity Stamp Co.! The papers are from Snowflake Elegance and of course this sweet little snowman is called Snow Buddies. The sentiment is from Gotta Love Sentiments. This came together so quickly and easily!

I've done it again! Published for the 8th time!

 I feel so blessed that this is actually a reality for me! I've been published for the 8th time (7 editions in a row) and I couldn't feel more happy about it! :)

Right there on page 20 with a few other Easter cards is my sweet bunch of tulips!

Unity Stamp Co. KOM April 2024 {Petal Post}, Watercolor pencils, ink blend over a stencil for background, scallops and rectangle nesting dies.

Lucky!

 I do not typically make St. Patrick's Day cards....but with the Saturday at the Market event coming up this weekend, I thought I should have a couple on hand just in case! I did a quick Pinterest search and found this amazing background idea! 

I guessed on the supplies used and went with what I had and I absolutely love the two backgrounds I created!! This card was made with the lighter of the two.

Stencil from Tim Holtz (harlequin THS016), Distress oxide in cracked pistachio and lucky clover were used. I inked the stencil, spritzed with water, then pressed it down onto the 110# cardstock. Spritzed some leftover distress oxide on to that, then added some Distress Mica Spray in Antique Bronze, and Distress spray stain in Vintage Photo. I ink blended over the edges after distressing with a distressing tool.  The black border line is hand drawn. The stamp set is here.

I then went digging for a "match" of a background paper color. Cut it and distressed the edges on it as well. I found in the scrap pile some paper I tore to reveal the white edges. I created the bronze looking one myself by spraying the mica spray on a scrap piece of paper. Some brown twine (jillibeansoup) and transparent enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish it off!

close up of the background!

{BYSHC} Sketch #54 - Believe

Happy Friday crafty friends! We are still working on {BYSHC} Sketch #54! This sponsor for this month's prize is Club Scrap! I know, right?!? It's been a hot minute since I've worked with Club Scrap!

I ended up going onto Club Scrap's website and purchasing some paper and embellies! The collection is called Starry Night. The dark blue paper with gold "stars" was cut to the measurements from the sketch. The yellow and navy solids are from my stash. The stamp I used is from Unity Stamp Co. called All is Calm. After I stamped with versafine clair in Nocturne, I die cut with one of the circles from the scallops and circles nesting die set. I added some yellow coloring to the halos and some blue shading around the edges. The ribbon and wax cording used along with the charm are also from the Starry Night Collection from Club Scrap.

You have until the end of the month (which is next week and also happens to be my birthday!) :)

{BYSHC} Sketch #54 - Holly Jolly

Hello and welcome to February! {BYSHC} Sketch #54 is ready to go!

Today's card features a yummy steaming cup of cocoa just waiting to be had! The patterned papers are from Unity Stamp Co. North Pole Collection. The focal image is from Angie Blom Digital Designs, Christmas Joy Mugs. I just love this set! It comes with 8 different "mugs" to choose from! I colored this with some King Art Alcohol Markers, then used a white uni-ball signo gel pen to add little accents here and there. After I fussy cut the mug out, I added some foam adhesive to pop it up. Some tan enamel dots for a little accent.

Be sure to join in the fun! The sponsor for this month's prize is Club Scrap! I remember Club Scrap from WAAAAAY back in the day!! 

Inspired by…Valentine Hot Chocolate #IB321

 Hello again! This sweet Valentine is for the current Inspired by… challenge! 

I was inspired by all the things! The colors (red, grey and white), the cocoa bar and the sketch. Started with a white card base. To that I added a strip of torn patterned paper from Unity Stamp Co. the mug is from Angie Blom Digital Designs, Christmas joy mugs collection. I colored using the colors of the inspiration photo….shades of red and gray! Sentiment strips and the cardstock punched heart are all from Unity as well. Added some staples and foam tape for accent!

Thanks for visiting!

~ February 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Monochromatic

 

monochromatic [mon-uk-kroh-mat-ik] (adjective): of or having one color. relating to, or having tones of one color in addition to the ground hue.

Hello friends and welcome to February! This month, the Friends of Unity are creating in monochromatic tones!  Similar shades and tones of the same color families. 

When I started this card I was thinking yellows, but as it turned out it's more of a tan/off white shading. I tore the background papers (the scripty one is from Antique Annotations May 2024 Whit Kit). Next I stamped "Cast All Your Cares" with black versafine clair nocturne onto a piece of white cardstock. Probably should have used thicker cardstock, with all the water coloring and ink smooshing it was pretty warped! I used Tim Holtz distress watercolor pencils (mustard seed) for the yellowing on the flower. It didn't seem enough so I grabbed some Nuvo Hybrid ink (rubber duck) and ink smooshed it around. I distressed edges on all the pieces with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide. I die cut the image with the make a tag die set.  Finished with some seam binding (ivory) from My Scrap Cabin Shop, some burlap twine from May Arts and some clear flat sequins. 

After all the watercolor and ink smooshing was dry I did splatter on some gold and white inks!! 

After several more attempts for "monochromatic" they just didn't seem enough monochromatic! Too many other colors. Then it clicked! :) Don't get me wrong....I made a bunch of really nice things, but just not the RIGHT things! LOL

I grabbed two gina k designs ink cubes that coordinate...innocent pink and dusty rose. Then I needed a floral...(now retired) insightful meadows. Stamped in the dusty rose, moved the paper over, then stamped with innocent pink and repeat! Using the MISTI it was easy to just move the paper over, rather than try to get the stamp in the exact same position as before! I then went back and did the second stamping of both for some shadowing. (Second stamping means that I stamped it once, then the second time with just the ink left on the stamp...no re-inking.) The pink stripe paper is dated 2016! Somehow it was "on top" of a stack of papers and matched perfectly! Die cut the floral panel with the scallops and rectangles nesting dies. What do you do if you can't find exactly the color you need?? You make it yourself! This tag was white (and bigger). I dragged the dusty rose ink cube over it until fully covered, die cut with the make a tag die set and tied on some baby pink crinkle seam binding.

I die cut the circle (scallops and circles nesting dies) after I printed the sentiment from the computer. I used the "inking-the-inside-of-the-die" technique on this one in the innocent pink. The rose chipboard embellishment has been hanging around for ages! When it works it works!

I felt like I was on a roll, so I tried another! My daughter is a senior this year.....I'm going to be needing A LOT of graduation cards!

This one started with the blue check paper, next I created a background using the graduation cap stamp from snarky graduation. I stamped it all over in stormy sky distress oxide. It was the second generation stamping so it was a little bit lighter. Then I die cut with the scallops and rectangle nesting dies. Graduation gnome is one of my favorite graduation sets! He's just so cute! I stamped onto white cardstock with versafine clair nocturne, then watercolored using the stormy sky distress oxide, gina k innocent pink and some water based Tombow ABT markers. 

I see more of these gnome cards getting made in my future! In all the colors! :)

Give the monochromatic theme a try! It's definitely not as easy as I expected it to be at first! But once I got the hang of it, I want to keep making more! 

If you'd like to start at the beginning of the blog hop, check out Crystal's blog. If you are ready to move on, then April is next up!

Thanks for visiting! Please leave me some love! :) <3