~ October 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Color Challenge

 

Hello friends! Welcome to October! Another "BER" month is upon us and that means we are getting into the cozy fall season! Although in Florida that only means we patiently (not so much) wait on the first "cold front" to make it this far south and to keep our fingers crossed that no Hurricanes decide to visit! 

The Friends of Unity are sponsoring a Color Challenge on Unity Show & Tell! The colors are listed above in the graphic....red, gold, orange and brown. Cannot wait to see what is created!!

Rather than create a bunch of "fall" cards with this traditionally fall color pallet, I decided on Birthday Cards! I am always in need of more Birthday Cards!!

First up is a floral card created with the challenge colors using the acrylic block and water stamping technique! LOL I'm sure it has a much more technical title, but that's what I did! 

I used Distress Oxides in Lumberjack Plaid, Crackling Campfire and Vintage Photo and the Distress Ink in Scattered Straw. Smeared the ink on an acrylic block, spritzed with water and just sort of pounced it all over! Drying with my heat tool between colors to keep it from getting too muddy. I didn't have enough yellow in the mix so I took an ink blending brush and blended on some yellow in the blank spots.

I grabbed a favorite background stamp, Obsessed with Floral, and stamped it in Versa Fine Clair Nocturne. I die cut the rectangle using a set of diagonal stitch dies from the December 2023 Whit Kit. I backed the die cut piece with some white cardstock. I added the die cut piece with some foam tape over the opening that I just cut out. Next I stamped the large "happy birthday" from the Many More Birthdays and die cut with coordinating die. Stamped "hugs and wishes" as well. I added some natural twine from Timeless Twine to the back and added more foam tape, added on the remainder of the sentiment and then added some clear flat sequins. 

I found inspiration for this one on Pinterest. I used the 3-in-one stencil. I placed tape in between the openings to be sure I didn't over blend. The ink choices for this one were Nuvo Hybrid Rubber Duck, Gina K. Designs Sweet Mango, Red Hot and Kraft. I cut it down to a rectangle and then stamped one of the images from Insightful Meadows (unfortunately looks like it's retired) on top of it with Versa Fine Clair in Nocturne. 

What happened next I can only describe as a flurry of paper, stamps, die cuts, punches, paperclips, washi tape.....anything and everything! I couldn't decide how to finish! Happy Birthday is from ...there is no reason (may also be retired), "make a wish" from ....extended celebration. Ribbon and brad were literally laying in front of me! Added some foam tape to the sentiment and some enamel dots from Carta Bella and she's finished! 

Ever have those cards that end up nothing like you imagined in your head? Maybe you have had to take it apart a couple times and try again?!? Both of these cards were that for me! Whew! As chaotic and uncertain as these both were, I love the end results!

Thanks for stopping by and following along with our Color Challenge Blog Hop! If you want to start from the beginning, you'll need to go to Crystal's blog. If you are ready to move on to the next, Doreen's blog is where you'll head next!

p.s. sometimes you can find the retired stamp sets at the Unity Stamp Swap FB page :)