~ December 2024 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Winter Wonderland

 

Welcome to my stop on the Friends of Unity December 2024 Blog Hop!! Winter Wonderland! Fun fact.......December's Blog Hop marks 7 years of hops! I'm pretty sure I've been following since the beginning and now I'm a part of it! So amazing!!

Here in Florida, there isn't much "wintery" winter. Coming from Michigan, I know winter! Seems like there are one or two days that I do miss the cold snowy winter scene....Christmas Day and New Years Day! But I digress! Winter to me is peace and love and calmness. Waiting for the new year, spending time with family, being present in the moment. As busy as we all are, this time of year gives me the feeling of reflection and being thankful for all that I have been blessed with!

This card was created with a watercolored ink smooshed background. Created with several different colors, then more colors were added after I stamped the Unity Heart of Christmas. Colors used include peacock feathers, stormy sky, faded jeans, speckled egg, broken china. I spritzed some white acrylic paint and distress spray stain in vintage photo onto the panel too. I stamped the image with versamark ink then embossed with Gina K. White embossing powder. After the embossing was finished I then die cut the heart with a Unity Stitched up Heart {nesting die} set. I have to figure out a better way to get the die cut lined up in the opening! It's off, but not by much! I added some foam tape to the back of the heart to pop it up. I took some inspiration from the example on the Unity website done by Lea Johnston (Keisling) with the cut out word and the banner across the heart.

I used the coordinating die set for this set to cut out the word "peace." I stamped with black versafine clair, heat embossed with clear embossing powder then cut out the word and the banner with Unity dies. After all was assembled, I added some clear flat sequins for a little extra sparkle. 

This cutie came about during my week as Growing in Unity (last week) while I was making cards from scraps. Yes, everything but the snowman piece was laying on my desk! Snowmen scream winter wonderland to me! I started with the scraps from the PhotoPlay It's a Wonderful Christmas paper pack. The snowflake panel was die cut from a piece that was stamped with the Heart of Christmas, that didn't get used. The die set is the postage stamp nesting dies. I picked this snowman (Snow Buddies UU 11/24) because he's just so cute! Stamped onto 110lb cardstock, die cut with the same nesting die set and then colored with KingArt Alcohol Markers to match the plaid paper. 

The sentiment was stamped in black onto a red scrap with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. It comes from the Winter Cheer & Deer set.

To start the hop from the beginning, you want to visit Crystal's blog here. If you are ready to move on, Rachel is next! 

I would like to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Much love and peace to you and your families! See you all in 2025!

{BYSHC} Sketch 52!

Hello friends! Welcome to December! It's either crunch time, or because you've followed along this year, you are feeling no stress because your stash is FULL of cards to mail! :)

If you are still working on getting some cards finished, this sketch is great! 

While the sketch appears to be for a "slimline" card, I don't typically make that shape, so I adjusted it to make an A2 card! Sketches are meant to inspire, not require (stole this line from our fearless leader, Crystal)! The patterned papers happen to all be from Carta Bella Home For Christmas paper pad. Since the measurements on the sketch are for slimline, I had to adjust. I just eyeballed it!  The sentiment is from Unity Stamp Co. Kit of the Month (September 2015) called Our Hearts to Yours. The wreath is from the 2020 Advent Calendar, was colored and die cut, then mounted with foam adhesive! I also added some white enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs.

 

Gina K Designs is the sponsor this month and is providing the prize! Be sure to play along and have a chance to win at the end of the month!

{BYSHC} Sketch 51 - Merry Christmas

 Hello and welcome again to see what new and fun sketch {BYSHC} has for you! Sketch 51 will bring November to a close and this card is the inspiration for the sketch!

This little lovely was originally created about a year ago for the Falling for the Holidays Linky Party! This was created using mostly scraps! The background was stamped with the Linen background of the month stamp from Unity Stamp Co., but the patterned papers and even the tag were all part of my scrap collection. The reindeer is a no longer available stamp from Stampin Up. Tied with some red organza ribbon and some burlap twine. Green glitter enamel dots to finish it off!

New sketch loading! Starting December 1!

Growing in Unity - Final Day!

 It's amazing how fast a week goes by when you are having so much fun! Welcome to day 5 of my Growing in Unity Week! Thank you for each and every comment and kind word both here and on Facebook....I am truly thankful and humbled by each one!

If you "know" me, then you know how I am a hoarder.......of scraps! It's so fun to find things that go together, but aren't supposed to go together! LOL Between all the Christmas card making, birthday card making, Thanksgiving card making, etc. my desk is covered with scraps. All sizes, all occasions, some solid cardstock, some red and white peppermint stripe paper! Not only that but bits and pieces of things....sentiments not used, leftover circles from a die cuts, just a hodge-podge of stuff! So for the last day of my week.....it's all about the scraps!

This is the beginning ^ picture! Paper, sentiments, images, vellum, all the things! Let's get to work!

All in all I made 3 birthday cards, one friend card and 4 holiday cards (one not pictured going on my Friends of Unity post {stay tuned} :) I can honestly say that there is plenty more scrap cards to come, two factors contributed to there not being more.....I've been fighting a cold all week and Thanksgiving Prep and subsequent cleanup! LOL ;)

Through this process, I used a bunch of sketches that can be found either at {BYSHC} Facebook Page, or on Tawny Owl Paperie Facebook Page! I am a sucker for a good sketch! Sketches are there to "inspire not require!"

I hope you give your scraps some love! Remember you kept them for a reason! That reason is now! I so enjoyed my week with ya'll! See you again soon!!

I'll leave the commenting until Sunday afternoon-ish and then will start the random-prize-winner-choosing-process! :)

Growing In Unity - Day #4

Hi and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 Whew! Day 4 already? Well it's been a great and fun week!

Today's card took some time for me to get it just right. I stamped, and walked away, then came back and did a little inking, then walked away, came back and found the "right" patterned paper....all in all, this one took all day! But in the end, I absolutely LOVE it!

I started with white cardstock, and stamped A Faithful Letter with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide. It was actually the second stamping, so it's nice and light. To that I stamped on the flowers from Simply Blessed. I wasn't too crazy about the fact that I could see the words through the stamping so I water-brushed the words out of the vase mostly. I used some inks as watercolors and gently colored in the image. I used Gina K Designs Ocean Mist for the vase, then I used some tea dye and wild honey distress inks for the flowers, leaves were gina k grass green. 

Then I die cut the image using one of the scallops and arches nesting dies and added foam adhesive. The background paper is from the Jubilant Tapestry paper pack, the other two pieces are leftover pieces that were on my desk that I tore the edges. The ribbon was recycled from a gift my daughter received. 

Sentiment is from ...aging gorgeously, stamped in black then slightly ink blended to match the rest. I added a paperclip for a little extra touch. The translucent enamel dots are from Gina Marie Designs.

Come back tomorrow for a "scrap-tastic" final day! Also, don't forget to comment to have a chance to win one of two $20 gift certificates!

Growing in Unity - Day #3

Half way through the week! Whew, that was fast! Since discovering Unity, I have learned so many techniques. I have also learned a bunch of things on Pinterest. It's a great place to find inspiration for all the things! 

I have done this technique before...white embossing, ink blending....but I found this set of cards on Pinterest and thought I had to give it a go! I have a bunch of Birthday's kicking off my new year, so Birthday cards are on my mind!

This card started as a full sheet of watercolor paper. I cut it up into 4 - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" panels. Since it happens to be "UNITY MEMBERSHIP MAKES," I grabbed a large mandala that happens to be from the February 2017 Kit of the Month. I purchased it second hand. I stamped this large stamp using VersaMark embossing ink and my Misti so that I could be sure the image was stamped fully and ready to accept embossing powder! White embossing powder and a heat gun, then on to the ink blending with some Salvaged Patina distress oxide. I then wiped the excess ink off of the embossing, then sprinkled some water on to give it depth. 

I then found a strip of patterned paper and added it to the edge, then a strip of black cardstock to divide the edge. Happy Birthday (from gotta love sentiments) was stamped with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder.

I added some white enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and it's done! I plan on making more of these in different colors!

Don't forget to comment to have a chance to win one of two $20 gift cards to Unity!

Day number 2 - Growing in Unity!

 Welcome to day two of my week Growing in Unity! It's a busy week with Thanksgiving prep and all, but don't miss out on some fun and freebies! I discovered this video and it really hit home with me because of all the little stamps that come in kits that just get ignored because they ARE so small! I did make a card using this technique during the {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays Linky Party, but today's card is using a stamp from the 2023 Advent Calendar! The 2024 Calendar is about to start so I thought this would be a great time to use one of the smaller stamps for this technique! The video is from Natasha Foote (video link here). 

I chose the poinsettia stamp from the advent calendar (day number 11). I colored with KingArt alcohol markers and fussy cut a bunch of them out. Next I took a piece of white cardstock cut to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 and die cut with the scallops and rectangles nesting dies. I cut the outside and then a panel in the center. I took the same markers I used to color the flowers and created the pink top to add the flowers to. I failed to take a picture of that part! :/ Some washi or pink/mint take did the trick to make a line to color against. I added the flowers a few with liquid glue and two with foam adhesive.

The sentiment is stamped at the bottom with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Sentiment comes from the October 2024 KOM. Perfect size and font! I added more foam adhesive to the back of the center die cut panel and then some clear flat sequins for sparkle. I love using the tiny stamps! Give it a try! 

Don't forget to comment on all the days for a chance to be drawn as one of two winners of $20 store credit! Stay tuned for tomorrow! It's Unity Membership Makes day! Before you start on your Thanksgiving prep, stop here first! ;)

Welcome to my Week Growing in Unity!

 Hello friends! Welcome to my little corner of the blog-iverse! My name is Jenni Shamblin and I am the Growing in Unity Girl for this week! I have been crafting for just about as long as I can remember, so it is literally a part of me. It is my stress reliever and my safe space! I can pour myself into a project and shut out *some* of the stress if only for a little time!

I am a HUGE fan of the technique called "ink smooshing." The variety of backgrounds that can be created is endless! When I sat down to start working on my projects for the week, I just wanted to get inky! So that's what I did! I started with a couple pieces of watercolor paper that I cut to generally the size of an A2 card. I wanted to make  "winter" themed cards. I am working on broadening my card collection to include all those that celebrate during the holidays.....not just Christmas!

I grabbed some speckled egg, broken china and stormy sky distress oxides and literally smooshed each one, one at a time, onto an acrylic block then spritzed with water. I then took a piece of acetate and dabbed into the ink, then dabbed onto the panel. Over and over again until I liked the coverage. With the leftover ink on the block, I used the other watercolor paper and then a scrap of white cardstock to sop up what was left. I now have two additional backgrounds to use!

To that I then added the snowflakes from the September 2024 KOM {wander and wonder} using Versa Mark embossing ink and some silver embossing powder from Nuvo. The panel was all well and good, but just wasn't grabbing me....it needed something more. So I die cut it with one of the scallops and circles nesting dies. The white die cut panel with the washi tape was not used on a previous project and was perfect to go with this beautiful snowy piece!

I die cut the snowflake from some silver shimmer paper using a die set from Waffle Flower called Winter Crystal Die. I then glued everything together. The sentiment (also from the same KOM) was stamped with versamark ink and white embossing powder was used on it. I stapled it to the die cut piece with some blue staples. Used some foam adhesive on the entire piece and then added some flat clear sequins to give it some pop! This was 1000% influenced by Unity Design Team Member Tenia Nelson! I just love her style!

Thanks for visiting and be sure to comment for a chance to be one of two winners that will be randomly drawn at the end of my week. $20 Unity credit! Lots of great things to come!!

{BYSHC} Sketch 51 - Cozy Winter Vibes

 Sketch 51 at {BYSHC} goes until the end of the month. It's the last big push to complete cards to be ready for the big holiday mailing!

This cute card kind of had a mind of it's own! I had printed a bunch of the images from the Angie Blom Digital Designs set called Christmas Joy Mugs. I colored with King Art Alcohol Markers and then fussy cut. The papers are scraps that were left on my desk (shocking) from a pad by Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays! I die cut the created panel with the scallops and rectangle nesting die set by Unity Stamp Co. and also the tag with the make a tag die set. I added some foam adhesive onto the back of the cup and add it to the tag. I added some red/white/green twine. The sentiment is from the Unity Sentiment Kit ...shake your flakes (December 2022).

It's really cute and colorful! 

Life is Tough, but so are YOU!

 Hello friends! I was planning out another project and this stamp set had just been delivered…so I grabbed it and made it happen!

I just made a card very similar to this and I loved the tag and ribbons and torn edges so I recreated it! The brown background and the plaid torn piece are front and back of a sheet of patterned paper from My Minds Eye Good Day Sunshine (circa 2011)!!! As I was looking for paper for another project I started going through the older paper in the stash that has been neglected! I plan on using more of it from now on!! 

The brown piece and the Manila tag were both in a thank you gift from Unity Stamp Co.  I die cut the tag down a bit with the make a tag die set. I stamped this cute Highland Cow from the set called Little High Road in versa fine Clair nocturne. Colored with King Art alcohol markers. I added a few dots of white gel pen to his eyes. The sentiment was stamped onto a scrap from the tag I die cut and then cut into a circle. I distressed the edges with some vintage photo. I added some coordinating ribbon and fibers from my *ridiculously* large stash! I attached the tag and sentiment with foam adhesive. Enamel dots were added from Gina Marie Designs. 

 So freaking cute!!

~ November 2024 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Gratitude!

Welcome to the Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! The theme for November is Gratitude! 

In this season of giving thanks, it's good to take some time to think about what you are truly grateful for. Health, family, friends. But also for other things....the ability to create, sleeping in on the weekends, hanging out with my almost grown kids, laughing so hard you are crying, big forgiving sweatpants and let's not forget Unity Stamp Co.! LOL But I digress......let's get on with the hop!

I absolutely love the sweet pumpkin from the September 2024 Kit of the Month {wander and wonder} I love how the stamp is so textured and detailed that it looks beautiful just on it's own! I stamped it using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne onto canson XL watercolor paper. Die cut it and the kraft mat with the scallops and squares nesting dies. I colored in the image with distress watercolor pencils and a water brush, then took some of the leftover color and splattered it onto the panel. I distressed both the mat and the watercolor panel. The edge piece is one of my favorite parts! I found an image on pinterest and just had to try it! I've been saving these giant safety pins with no idea what I would do with them!

The sentiment is the actual definition of gratitude that I printed, ink blended and added water to give it some dappling. Added some jute twine, foam tape and some Gina Marie Designs enamel dots!

I stamped this pumpkin on a couple different pieces to be sure I had the right version and paper so I happen to have one more pumpkin to share! 

This time I stamped it onto one of the manilla tags from a "thank you gift" that was in my last order! :) We all love those bags and actually look forward to them! At least I do! I wanted to color this in neutral colors, less "pumpkin-y" that usual. I added a little whispy white gel pen just to break it up a little. This bag had the manilla tags and a piece of patterned paper from the Whit Kit September 2023 paper pack called Golden Autumn Whispers, among other things. I tore the paper in half, added a piece of torn cardstock from Antique Annotations, another Whit Kit paper pack from May 2024. I distressed EVERYTHING! LOL The edges of the brown background with a pair of scissors, then distress inked all the other edges! 

I dug through my ridiculous stash of ribbon and found several that I thought worked well. I wanted something big and bold on there since it needed to take up a big of space. The sentiment was the next piece. I wasn't sure where to put it....here, there, up here, down there.....then it hit me......on the tag!! I used a piece of acetate and my misti to line it up just where it needed to go. After I stamped I embossed with clear embossing powder. Some clear with color enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs. I absolutely love this one!! 

The month of October has been absolutely CRAZY!! While I was preparing for November's theme, two hurricanes, no power for a week, no internet for longer and missed school and work days...I'm grateful crafting is here to keep me sane! I truly feel grateful and blessed to be able to create with my hands, I hope it never goes away. Between the card making and paper crafts, I also crochet. 

Thanks for following along on the blog hop. If you'd like to start at the very beginning, you'll want to start with Crystal. If you are ready to move on, Rachel is next! See you in December! 

{BYSHC} Sketch 51

 Hello again! Welcome to the {BYSHC} Sketch 51 Challenge! 

The sketch this month was inspired by one of my cards from a previous linky party! :) How exciting is that?!?! This card is created with a bunch of scraps, including the sentiment that was left over from another time! The tags were created by using the Unity Stamp Co. scalloped nesting dies which was a spotlight special in September (not currently available) and a stamp from the Advent Calendar. This years advent calendar should be released very soon!! Keep an eye out for it! 

Unlike the linky party, sketch challenge entries need to go on the facebook group album for this sketch! Have fun!!

Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party - BE MERRY

 Got one more card in!! I had to take it inside, so it's really not a great photo, but none the less, one more card for the Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party!

Created with some scraps that all coordinated and found that they coordinated with {BYSHC} Sketch 12! 

Stamp I used is from the December 2020 Whit Kit called Winter Shake Up. The white circle was a leftover from another project. Stamped with VersaFine Clair, colored with Kings Art Alcohol Markers and some Tombow ABT Markers! Stamped the sentiment with the same black onto white cardstock and then fussy cut. Better pictures when the sun is out! :)

Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party - merry making

 It's the last day of the Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party!! Get your creations linked up by midnight tonight to be eligible for any of the fabulous prizes!!

I am scrounging around my desk to see what's left! I have bits and pieces, stamped images, printed images, sentiments, scraps of paper.....so much goodness! I have a couple hours before I'm leaving for the evening (HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY) so trying to get in as many as I can manage! Unfortunately it's 6:15 pm and it's getting dark so these next few entries will not be the best pictures!

This one is a few pieces of scraps that were already cut into the squares so I just needed to find something to go with it! The remaining Angie Blom Digital Designs set Christmas Joy Mugs that I printed a few days ago were just sitting here....so let's go! Colored with King Arts Alcohol Markers and then added some stardust stickles for sparkle! Die cut with the smallest scallops and rectangle nesting die from Unity Stamp Co. and then distressed with some vintage photo. Some blue enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish it off! Used the TOPII Sketch #26 for this one!

{BYSHC} Sketch 50 - Merry Little Christmas

 Hello again! While today is the last day of the Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party, sketch 50 goes until the end of the month!

My card today was created with a new-to-me stencil from Newton's Nook Designs, called Argyle Stencil Set. I ink blended over the stencil with first the green (not sure which ink and/or color I used) ;), then onto the red. I see so many options with this fun stencil! I chose a cute little tree stamp from the Unity Stamp Co. Advent Calendar.