{BYSHC} Sketch 65 - Happy Holidays

 Hello and welcome to 2026! Join {BYSHC} in 2026 to fill your Christmas Card stash all year long! Each month is a new sketch and a new sponsored prize! Let's start the year strong! The sponsor for Sketch 65 is Not2Shabby!

My card today features a mix of papers. The background green is from Graphic 45. It's a NON Christmas pad called Ephemera Queen, and the stripes are from a Unity Stamp Co. pack called I'll be home for Christmas. The sentiment is also from Unity Stamp Co., set is called Simply Holiday. I added some red twine from MayArts Ribbon behind the sentiment and added some foam tape to pop it up a bit. The clear flat sequins add just a hint of sparkle.

Don't forget to create away all January and add your cards to the Sketch 65 Album on the {BYSHC} Facebook group for a chance to win a Not2Shabby prize!

~ January 2026 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Case'd

 Hello and welcome to the new year! Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog which is part of the Friends of Unity Blog Hop! Each month is a new prompt and each month we feature the amazing products from Unity Stamp Co.!

The prompt this month is called "CASE'd." What this means is Copy and Share Everything! It refers to the practice of creating a card or project based on inspiration from others. Including elements from the original design while making personal changes. You will be giving credit or "props" to the original artist while expressing love for their work by creating something of your own inspired by their original! The Unity Stamp Co. Design Team is a wealth of inspiration! I am inspired every day by them! My camera roll is full of screenshots of their amazing talent!

This first one is inspired by the sweet Angela Magnuson! She posted this beauty a few months ago and I absolutely love the simplicity and elegance of this one!

I didn't have a heart stencil, so I made one! I used the Stitched Up Hearts nesting dies and a sheet of acetate. The die set appears to be no longer available, but I believe Angela used the Heart of the Matter - Stencil. I used Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Oxides to ink blend around the heart. Next I inked up A Faithful Letter with Tea Dye Distress Ink and stamped over the stencil. The beautiful floral is from the July 2025 KOMpanion stamp set called Meadow of Memory which I inked up with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. I die cut this panel and another solid (came from a Tim Holtz pack) using the Deckle & Stitches Nesting Die set. I splattered on a watered down tea dye using a water brush over the entire panel. The birthday sentiment is from July 2021 {Front and Center Stamps}...tree of love. Lastly I added some clear dew/water drops and some natural colored twine!

Angela's card for reference.....hard to photograph but you can find the tutorial here on YouTube!

Next up is the amazing talent of Crystal Minkler and April Sarandrea! Always inspired by these amazingly talented ladies! I'm going to change up the occasion of the card and make another birthday card but followed closely the coloring of the image. I make Christmas cards all year, but the birthday cards sometimes sneak up on me! LOL ;)

Started with the Chirps & Cheer (UU 4/25) set which I stamped onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair and colored with KingArt Alcohol Markers. In looking at April's coloring on the listing samples, I added what looked to me to be white gel pen on the edges of the flower petals too. I then die cut the tag with the Make a Tag nesting die set and the square the image is on with Scallops and square nesting die set. The little tab was die cut with a tag punch from Stampin Up. The papers I chose are from Oh Hey! It's Your Day!  The ribbon on the tag didn't originally pan out as expected so I had to "fix" the top of the tag and try again! :)

I assembled all the pieces on the cardbase and then added the Birthday sentiment from July 2020 {Front and Center Stamps} ...aging gorgeously and some red enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs!

Crystal's original that inspired me! 

I have sooooooo many screenshots saved that I just had to make one more! Now this one didn't start out as a "Unity" CASE'd card, but I made it that way! LOL

I saved this shot mid-December from a Stampin Up post. I am always on the lookout for ways to use up scraps. I liked this layered weaved look, and I know I have plenty of scraps because I save EVERYTHING! LOL

Scraps are from Country Loving, I used Meadow of Memory again, but the other floral image. I also utilized the digital cut file! Colored the image with my KingArt Alcohol Markers. I then stamped the sentiment onto another piece from the Country Living pack and embossed with clear embossing powder.

original card that inspired my card!

Thank you for following along with us this month! Please visit my friend Jane, she is next on the hop! If you would like to start back at the beginning to be sure you didn't miss anything amazing, visit my friend Crystal!