~ September 2026 - Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Anything But a Card!

 

Hello crafty friends and welcome to my stop on the Friends of Unity September 2026 Blog Hop! Our theme this month is "Anything But a Card."

This is always a fun prompt to get the creative juices flowing! At first you think "how hard could this be?" The next thing you know you are thinking...."what in the world am I going to make?!?!" Pinterest is my best friend....so is my daughter! She wanted to create an art piece for her dorm room with a jean pocket to hold sunglasses and other stuff. Since I had to cut up a pair of jeans for that project, I decided to finally create a junk journal! No idea what I'm doing! 😆

I found an old journal that I had to tear out a few pages that were one of my kids school notes but then all was good! I tore the insides out and then covered the outside with some denim! I added a few bits and baubles, likely will add more! Covered the inside cover with a scrap piece of pink gingham fabric. Lots of glue and "gravity" to get all the glue to dry it's finally ready for page production!

Again, no real direction, just remembering some of the videos I had seen come across my feeds....I ink smooshed, then added a printed dictionary page that has words like: journal and journey. I then stamped the typewriter from the June 2023 Kit of the Month {from the countryside}. The butterfly was in a Unity thank you gift. The tags, brads and button are from stash. The journaling stickers at the bottom are from a Tim Holtz metallic sticker book.

Next page is a couple pages back in the book. I started with another dictionary page with words like: love, love-bird, lovable. Torn edges, inked with salvaged patina. I then cut the word "love" out with a heart die from Unity (now appears to be discontinued). Inked that heart with spun sugar. Stamped and die cut the beautiful  Seraphim Wings. Lots of colors on this giant butterfly! Stamped the "love" stamp from that set, with seedless preserves and then second and third and fourth generation to fade it out. "Hello" and "Beautiful" are both from the September 2023 KOM {harvest hues}. I added a button and then flicked onto the page, picket fence distress stain, black soot distress stain, antiqued bronze distress mica spray. 

Well, that may be about as much as my brain can handle without a plan 🤣 onto the next project!

I went looking for an idea of what could come next, then I found the cutest little album (link is here) posted to Pinterest in 2012!

As you can see I started with the postage stamp nesting dies and just went from there.   I cut 6 "pages" out of some cardboard mailers. This made 10 pages for photos. 

Lots of dies used on these....in addition to the postage stamp dies, I used the make a tag die set, the scallops and squares, scallops and arches, scallops and rectangles,  scallops and banners, and scallops andcircles.

Stamps sets used are May 2026 Kit of the Month oh baby KOMpanion set, twinkle twinkle itty bitty (retired), fairy from 2024 Advent Calendar, sentiment from Twinkleheart, wild about you (giraffe) itty bitty (retired).  Papers from several kits too...cozy textiles (WK 10/2020), hydrangea harmony (WK 6/2024), enveloped in love (WK 3/2022), cloud hopper chronicles (WK 6/2023), pastel gingham perfection (WK 3/2024).

I managed to get two albums finished! WHEW! The boy album is not quite as elaborate, but that's how boys are anyway! LOL

I started the same way with the die cut cardboard using the postage stamp nesting dies. Next I made each page! Using similar stamps and Unity papers. Some additional sets used were "hello sweet baby" sentiment is from a retired itty bitty called sweet elle. Additional paper packs used are Fields of Summer (WK 9/2021).

I am absolutely in love with these two albums! I feel that there will be more in my future! 🤣

Thanks for visiting! Hope you are inspired by the many talented ladies sharing their blogs! To start at the beginning, you can visit my friend Crystal. Ready to move on... Rachel is next, enjoy! 

{BYSHC} Sketch 73 - Holly Jolly Everything

 Hello and welcome to September! The {BYSHC} new sketch is up and ready for the new month! The sponsor this month is Unity Stamp Co.

Today's card features the sweet santa from A Little Ho Ho Ho. The papers are also from Unity, Season Starter. I utilized the Scallops and Banners as well as the scallops and circles nesting dies.

Don't forget to post your entry on the Sketch Challenge 73 album and be eligible for a $25 Unity Gift Card!

Just a heads up.....the Falling for the Holidays 2026 Linky Party will begin next month! Last one of the year and a big one for getting those cards ready for gift giving!

{BYSHC} Sketch 72 - Merry Christmas (Vacation)

 Welcome back to the {BYSHC} Sketch 72! There are only a few days left to get a project completed and posted before the end of the month. Our sponsor this month is Lawn Fawn! They have some really cute sets! 

My card today features a set I got likely about 10 years ago! It's not technically a "Christmas" set, but when I saw the sketch I knew it was the perfect one! The set is called Happy Trails. When I saw the curvy break in the center, it reminded me of a road and Clark Griswold! I used a curved die from Newton's Nook (land borders) to create the stitched curve.

I stamped the car and tree onto white cardstock, fussy cut them both out. The snowflake paper is from Echo Park Snowed In which I sprinkled some Distress Spray Stain in Picket Fence all over to mimic snow! I used the street lines stamp in this kit to make the lines on the road. The sentiment is from Bella Creationz Co.

{BYSHC} Sketch 72 - Merry Christmas Santa

Welcome to the {BYSHC} Sketch 72! This sketch runs through the month of August. Our sponsor this month is Lawn Fawn!

For this card I have chosen the Ho-Ho-Holidays set from Lawn Fawn, as well as the coordinating die set! I started with white cardstock to that I ink blended on some Distress Oxide in Speckled Egg and Faded Jeans. Next I sprinkled some Distress Oxide Spray Stain in Picket Fence all over for snowfall! Die cut down the center with a curved die from Newton's Nook called land borders. I added a scrap of glitter-look paper to the middle. Next I colored all the stamped and die cut pieces. Added them and then added the sentiment. 

last minute I stamped on a little star that is in this set using Rubber Ducky Nuvo Hybrid ink. You could see it, if you looked hard enough, but I decided to add some Nuvo Aqua Shimmer in Glitter Gloss to brighten them up a bit!

Unity Sketch Challenge - August 2026

Hello crafty friends! I have created a couple cards for the Unity Show & Tell Sketch Challenge! I got on a roll last night and made two! :)

First up is an Autumn/Fall/Thanksgiving card. Since this is the next "season" I thought it was a good time to get some fall vibes!

I started with the ink spot! I grabbed my blending brushes, added some water and smooshed it around! That's all! Leftover ink on the blending brush and some water! I had to be careful with the amount of water and rubbing that was used because it started to damage the cardstock.  The pumpkin is from September 2024 Kit of the Month {wander and wonder}. Stamped it onto the card base first to get all the swirlies and yumminess, then onto a scrap piece that I fussy cut and colored with KingArt Alcohol Markers.

The sentiment and enamel dots were added at the end according to the sketch!

I went in a completely different direction with this next one.....

I made the ink spot first and had a stamp set in mind, but couldn't find it! :/ so had to switch gears! I used the same blending brush and water technique for this ink spot. The butterfly I had received in a grab bag (it's from May 2017 Kit of the Month {free your dreams}). I loved the sentiment in this kit, but didn't have it in stamp form, so I printed it from my computer. Used basically the same technique as before, stamped the image onto the card front to get all the "extras," then onto a piece of scrap to fussy cut and color. Gina Marie Designs enamel dots again for the finishing touch!

Thanks for the visit! :)

 

~ August 2026 - Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Grunge

Hello crafty friends and welcome to my little corner of the Friends of Unity August 2026 Blog Hop! This month our feature is GRUNGE! I always have a hard time with this one.....I am more of a "less-is-more" sort of crafter so adding more and more is not the easiest for me! LOL

This first card ended up nothing like I had thought when I started! I ink smooshed two panels with spun sugar and old paper. I had plans for a large rose spray that I fussy cut and colored and was all ready to use it......but it didn't look right or grungy! 😝 So I started with some stamped words (Unity Stamp Co. Small Details) and dots (Unity Stamp Co. dinged dots) and linen (Unity Stamp Co. linen) all over the panel, some in spun sugar, some using vintage photo. Next I splattered on some Distress Mica Spray in Antiqued Bronze and more watered down vintage photo to boot. Next I grabbed an embossing folder which is rather textured and rubbed the vintage photo and walnut stain distress ink over the raised sections with a blending brush to bring it out a little bit more. I tore the edge and added a piece of kraft which I also tore the edge. Distress oxides and inks over the edges! 

Next on to embellishing! I made a tag from the second sheet of my ink smooshing pair and distressed the edges of this. I grabbed a butterfly that's been in my stash for way too long, found a button that worked and a tiny tag (from the Unity Advent Calendar) which I stamped with the Small Details background stamp. Added a heart paperclip, some natural twine and some baby pink seam binding from My Scrap Cabin. The sentiment comes from a Tim Holtz sticker book. I like how it turned out, even if it was unexpected!

Next I wanted to create a masculine card using a 3-D texture embossing folder and some masculine coloring!

I started with the Tim Holtz 3-D Typewriter Textured embossing folder and a piece of black cardstock. With embossing folders such as these, it's advised to spray a find mist of water over the paper before embossing to keep the paper from "cracking" when using the folder. I found this technique on YouTube (Natasha Foote) to apply ink with my finger to the raised parts of the design....that's what I did. Started with Antique Linen, then switched to Salvaged Patina. Then I "grunged" it up a little bit more! Sprinkled onto it...Distress Mica Spray Tarnished Brass, Distress Spray Stain Picket Fence, and some watered down Salvaged Patina. Roughed up the edges with a Tim Holtz Distressing Tool. 

The typewriter is from the Unity Stamp Co. June 2023 Kit of the Month {from the countryside}. I stamped with black ink onto white cardstock. After I fussy cut it out, I then antiqued it up with some vintage photo and walnut stain. I watered down some Salvaged Patina and sprinkled it here and there. The "paper" was printed and cut to fit in the space where the paper was on the stamped image. I wanted a background sheet to match so I ran the salvaged patina ink pad along with sides of my card base then added some vintage photo distressing. From the Unity website in the KOM samples, I found a great card by Karen Maldonado. I loved the script piece she put behind the typewriter, so I made my own! Manilla tag (Unity thank you gift), vintage ledger background stamp (appears to possibly be retired) and a faithful letter background stamp. I then finished it off with some jute twine!

I hope you are able to get through all of the blogs....there are some amazingly talented ladies here! 

To start from the beginning, visit Crystal's blog. If you are ready to move on, my friends Joyce is the next stop! 

TOPII Sketch 45 - Have Faith

 When I spotted the new sketch from Tawny Owl Paperie and saw the sample the Crystal posted....I knew I needed to recreate it! 

I created a video about how this ink smooshing beauty came to be, but it's in "production edit" at the moment (which means I asked my son to edit it for me and he's working)! I will post to my YouTube channel soon! I will also link on the video all the products I used too!

Started with two pieces of white cardstock, ink smooshed lumberjack plaid distress oxide and festive berries distress ink over both pieces. I stamped onto one a couple background stamps, small details and (retired) dinged dots, both from Unity Stamp Co. The flower stamp came from the December 2022 Kit of the Month called {a new chapter}. I stamped it first on which cardstock and colored the flower with KingArt Alcohol Markers and then fussy cut pieces of it out. I also stamped it onto the inked circle. The sentiment is from faith & hope which I purchased separately. The circles were cut with the scallops and circles nesting dies from Unity.

Here is the sketch I followed:

and Crystal's card that I had to attempt to recreate:

Thanks for the visit!