~ October 2026 - Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Pink October/Breast Cancer Awareness

 

Hello and welcome to October! The Friends of Unity are going PINK for this month's blog hop! While I have created some other pink cards, I want to take this opportunity to say God Bless and Believe to those who are battling, have survived or are going through treatment with someone battling breast cancer! My one word of advice, get the boobies checked! Early detection is key! Ok, off the soap box and onto better things!

First card is meant to be for someone who needs some reassurance! Life is tough, but sometimes a little extra positivity hits just right!

I used the Seraphim Wings, both stamp and die (which I see is no longer offered, but there is a SVG). This actual card went through several versions, this is the one I ended up being the most satisfied with! 😀  The sentiment is from December 2023 KOM {difference maker}.  I took the picked raspberry watercolor pencil, scribbled it onto an acrylic block and added water! I started with smooshing, then took to using a water brush and just flicking it on. I found some coordinating cardstock, tore the edge. Added some foam adhesive and enamel dots.

Come to realize that I do not have any baby girl cards in my baby card stash! What a perfect opportunity to make some cute pink cards! I used the May 2026 KOMpanion set, oh baby.

Stamped onto white cardstock, die cut the stamped image and another coordinating piece of cardstock using the make a tag die set. I added some ribbon and a little embellishment from my stash as well as some foam tape to the sentiment! I loosely followed the Tawny Owl Papiere Inky Inspiration Sketch 44 pictured below. For those that may not recognize, Tawny Owl Papiere  is our very own Crystal Minkler!

Well that's it for me this month. I have been getting ready for the busy crafty fair season! Thanks for following along! If you'd like to start from the beginning, my friend Crystal is the beginning. If you are ready to move on, another friend of mine, Dawn, is next!

{BYSHC} Sketch 74 - Sending holiday hugs

Hello and welcome to October! Our sponsor for Sketch 74 this month is Taylored Expressions. My stamp set of choice today is an expired Taylored Expressions set called Fluffy Friends - Holiday.

Papers I have chosen are from a Fancy Pants Designs pad called Cottage Christmas.

I added some Nuvo Aqua Shimmer in glitter gloss to the present bow, the sled and the scarf.

Let me also take this opportunity to invite you to the upcoming {BYSHC} 2026 Falling for the Holidays Linky Party which begins October 16!

{BYSHC} Sketch 73 - 'tis the season

 Hello and happy FRIDAY!! The month has gotten away from me, sorry for the late posting with details! :) As a reminder....the sponsor this month is Unity Stamp Co.

My card today features a Unity Stamp set, nesting dies as well as their papers!

Stamp set is called Frost Kiss Gratitude, sentiment is from October 2024 KOM, papers are from Quiet Christmas Morning, nesting dies used are scallops and banners and scallops and circles.

~ 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!