~ 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!

 

{BYSHC} Spring Into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - Merry Christmas

 Hello and happy Thursday! You will have all of today, and all of tomorrow to get your entries in for the Spring Into Christmas {BYSHC} 2025 Linky Party! The link closes at Midnight Friday!

I wanted to see what I could come up with in about an hour before I had to get to work! I have had this plaid paper in my stash for about 100 years! LOL Well maybe not 100, but you get the picture! I followed {BYSHC} Sketch 41 (pictured below). I cut the pieces to size, I should have adjusted the length just a bit so it fit better on the card base, but it is what it is! LOL 

The sentiment is from Unity's Gotta Love Sentiments (one of my absolute favorites, gets used a lot!), The wreath is from the 2020 Advent Calendar. I cut the circles using the scallops and circles nesting dies. Colored the wreath with King Art Alcohol Markers. I added some clear Ranger EmbossIT pen to the ornaments on the wreath, then sprinkled with Nuvo Embossing powder in gold enchantment! After heating with a heat gun, I added some foam adhesive and some gold glitter enamel dots. 

{BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - Merry & Bright Coffee

 One more "merry & bright" card to add to the {BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party!

Every once in a while I just print or stamp a bunch of images and while I'm sitting with the family watching TV, I'll just color them up. It passes the time and gets the job done! This is one of those images. 

I had printed the "sheet" of Christmas Joy Mugs from Angie Blom Digital Designs and while watching TV colored on a lap table. I used King Art Alcohol Markers. I was inspired by Angie's card which is one of the samples on her website. After coloring I die cut it with the scallops and rectangle nesting dies from Unity. You may be saying to yourself.....that looks skinnier! It is. I moved the die around to get the shape that I needed.

The paper is an older Stampin Up bundle that I purchased second hand. I followed {BYSHC} Sketch 40 (pictured below) for my design. The {BYSHC} Facebook page has all of the sketches in albums! I am never without a sketch to inspire! The sentiment is also from the same set from Angie Blom. Some foam tape and a large pearl brad and it's all set!

{BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - May your days be Merry and Bright

 Still "building my stash" of Christmas cards with the {BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party!

These scraps are from a paper pack that is super old too! Authentique Retro Christmas from 2016! 

I followed the {BYSHC} Sketch 14 for this one! With scraps you don't usually have to do much cutting! I try to find a sketch that "matches" my scraps! Like a treasure hunt! I sort of cheated on this one....no actual stamping! I cut all the pieces according to the sketch, including the sentiment piece which I cut using one of the scallops and square nesting dies from Unity. Translucent green enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish!