Newton's Nook Design Inky Paws Sketch Challenge #246 - Happy Blooming Birthday!

 What does one do when they are procrastinating and not doing the housework that she should be doing.....why making cards of course! LOL

I am a sucker for a sketch so when the Newton’s Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge sketch popped up on my feed, I immediately had to make something! LOL I'll include a picture of the sketch below.

This started with a piece of plain white cardstock and the argyle stencil set from Newton's Nook Designs. I used Gina K. Designs Inks in Peach Bellini and Ocean Mist to stencil this amazing design with some blending brushes!! So crisp and so fun! I then added a strip of teal paper which the manufacturer is unknown to me. I then die cut the entire panel with a Unity Stamp Co. scallops and rectangles die. I then cut the orange polka dot tag using the fancy edges tag die set. The image is from a set called Loads of Blooms, which happens to be retired now. I didn't get the matching die set so fussy cutting is what needed to happen! I colored her in with my KingArt Alcohol Markers and added her to the tag along with some burlap and natural twine. I attached the tag with foam adhesive and then added some enamel dots from Echo Park to finish it off.

The challenge runs through the end of the month!

~ November 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Creating a Background

 Hello again and welcome to November! It's crazy how fast this year has flown by! This month's theme is creating a background!

This is something that I feel most of us, especially myself, do quite often! I follow a lot of different techniques and love to try new things.

My first card today features a technique that I found on Pinterest a while back. I have made a bunch of these backgrounds for several projects and have had a lot of people ask how it's done. While I cannot find the original video, I am working on my own! :) 

I will share once it's finished!

It starts with a bunch of scraps! Cut strips of cardstock into 1/2" to 3/4" strips. 

Glue them in any order or randomly, horizontally, on a sheet of copy paper or some other thin medium. I like to leave a tiny gap between the strips to let the rows be seperate. If your scraps have "directional" print, be sure to keep them all going in the same direction. One of my scraps says "happy birthday" and another has balloons....I had to pay attention to which way the strips were laid out. 

Once all glued down, cut this sheet of paper in the opposite direction to create more strips!

Next grab another sheet of copy paper or other thin medium and glue the strips to that. I like to start corner to corner, but you can do whatever makes you happy! 

Like I mentioned above, if you have a directional print, be sure to arrange them with the words of print going in the right direction. Normally I can flip them and arrange whatever way (like the Christmas one below), but this one I had to be careful! 

I like to die cut the panel to clean up any ragged edges and also to mash it all together! I die cut this panel with the largest of the scallops and rectangle nesting dies. After I was finished with the actual card base panel, I had some extra pieces left over. Both what was cut off the edges and one entire strip that didn't get used....couldn't let it go to waste! I made a tag with the remnants! I used the scallops and banners nesting dies for that one! :)

I used the Pastel Party Parade for the Birthday card and North Pole Collections: Papers for the Christmas one. This "happy birthday" die was purchased from Unity, but I don't see it any longer. The "merry christmas" die is still available! 

The next technique I used, I sort of showed what the start of it looked like already, and Lisa Arana posted this how-to video on the Unity Blog, but this was so fun and turned out so pretty, I thought I would share the finished card! 

This is how it started! ^

This is how it ended up! ^ Once I cut up the sheets into A2 panels, this one stuck out because it looked like the ocean to me. After it was die cut with the largest of the scallops and rectangles nesting dies, I then grabbed an older Whit Kit set called Just Keep Swimming from 8/2021. Like Lisa's video I added some words and distressing to the background with a couple other set pieces. Stamped with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. I did the same with the turtles. Stamped onto vellum with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder, then fussy cut them both out. I added some clear dew drops.....it looks like water right?! LOL

So what's better than a blog hop!?! A blog hop that announces a challenge! :) The Friends of Unity are sponsoring a challenge over on the Unity Show & Tell Facebook page! 3 Unity gift certificates for $25 each are up for grabs!!!

To start the hop from the beginning, you can start with Crystal's blog here. Otherwise, you can head over to Joyce's blog here.

Thanks for joining us all year! Be sure to come back in December for a MOOD BOARD!!!

{BYSHC} Sketch 63 - Merry Christmas Bear

 Hello and Welcome to November! :| How did we get here so fast!?! Well it's definitely crunch time so glad that {BYSHC} has helped me get my Christmas card supply full and ready to get cards out!

Today begins Sketch 63! This sketch lasts throughout the month of November and our awesome sponsor this month is Angie Blom Digital Designs! I love using digital images! You have so many options! Change sizes, move things around on the page, it's amazing!

My first card for the month features this sweet set called Beary Nice, the sentiment is from Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas. Printed the image and sentiment, colored the bear using King Art Alcohol Markers. Plaid background paper and green "tree" strip are from Echo Park Snowed In. I added some enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and stapled the sentiment to the base.