{BYSHC} Sketch 60 - Bring on the Merry!

 Hello friends and welcome to August! August brings us to Sketch #60!

For this card I used patterned paper from Fancy Pants Designs Cottage Christmas. This is a paper pack that I purchased second hand....it's from 2018! The grey plaid piece was already cut to the right size! I grabbed a scrap of coordinating paper and cut it to size as well. The image is from a retired Newton's Nook Designs set called Christmas Trimmings. Colored with both KingArt Alcohol Markers and Tombow ABT Markers. Some spaces were just too small for the alcohol markers! LOL I die cut a circle from vellum using the Unity Stamp Co. scallops and circles {nesting dies} set, then added some foam adhesive to the sentiment and die cut image. This is a fun sketch! Give it a try!

~ August 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Technique

 

Hello Unity family! Welcome to the Friends of Unity Blog Hop for August 2025. The theme for this month's hop is technique! Technique is a pretty broad theme! There are so many that I love and that I want to try! I picked ink blending for my technique! There are so many ways to use ink blending, that's what I plan to show!

First is ink blending over white embossing. It's a favorite for sure! It's easy and such a dramatic effect!

I used the Unity February 2023 Background of the Month ...assorted blooms. I grabbed a piece of 110lb PaperTrey Ink cardstock, cut it down to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" and prepped it for embossing by running my homemade anti-static powder over it. I used the Ink on 3 Clear Embossing ink pad and Gina K. Designs Fine Detail White embossing powder. I used a Misti platform to keep everything steady and stamped it twice with the embossing ink to be sure I had it well covered.

Next I grabbed some Gina K. Designs inks...innocent pink and dusty rose. I started with the dusty rose on both ends, then blended in the innocent pink. The middle was just a blend of whatever was left on the blending brush. 

Once the blending is done, you may want/need to wipe a soft cloth over the panel to remove any excess ink from the white embossing. 

I added a simple sentiment from Unity August 2018 Sentiment Kit (now known as Front and Center) stamped onto white cardstock with versafine clair nocturne and embossed with clear embossing powder added with foam adhesive. I added some clear dew drops at the end and it's ready for giving!

Next technique I  love with ink blending is using a masking medium to create a strip of ink blending, not the entire panel. 

This time I (embarrassingly) couldn't find the masking medium so I made due! I grabbed a piece of 110lb cardstock, tore both edges and then cut it in half. Taped it down with pink tape and inked over it.  Wild Honey Distress Ink at the top and scattered straw in the middle. Using a masking medium would have made the edge a little crisper, but this pairs well with the softness of the feather stamp (Unity November 2018 KOM {whole lot of lovely}). Again I used the Misti to position the stamp over the inked strip to be sure the image was crisp.

I then took the panel and die cut it with a Tim Holtz Nesting Die set called Stacked Deckle. I took the blending brush I just used and added to the edges whatever was left on the brush. I put it back into the Misti to add the sentiment which is from Gotta Love Sentiments (A FAVORITE OF MINE)! I added some color to the center of the feather and the bubbles with some Tombow ABT Markers. Lastly I added some coordinating enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs!

Lastly is a technique that I wanted to try.....reverse stenciling over ink blending using baby wipes to remove some ink through the stencil. I'm sure there is a "technical" term for it, but that's what it is! LOL

I started with a piece of white cardstock. To that I added Distress Oxide in Cracked Pistachio and Broken China.

I grabbed a couple stencils, a distress linen look from the October 2023 Whit Kit and a harlequin stencil from Tim Holtz. I started by just rubbing a damp baby wipe across the stencil to remove the ink underneath. Watercolor paper may have been a better choice as the rubbing caused some damage to the actual cardstock. 

I stamped the large floral silhouette from Magical Motif and then a birthday sentiment from ...extended celebration. I tore the top and bottom edge then added a piece of patterned paper (from takin' em fishin') to which I also tore the top and bottom of as well. I blended some vintage photo over both torn edges. I added some clear flat sequins, burlap twine and foam adhesive. 

I recently saw a video re-posted by Gina K Designs. Didn't realize it was from 2022! For my last technique card, ink blending over a stencil! 

I started with a piece of white cardstock (should have cut it down a little bit before I started inking). I used a stencil, unsure of manufacturer, and blending brushes. I did use the stick & stamp mat from Unity to hold the cardstock and stencil edges in place! The Distress Inks I chose are festive berries, dried marigold, mustard seed, shabby shutters, stormy sky and milled lavender. Used my blending brushes and just blended over the stencil using each color while blending them together as I went along.

The sentiment is from the same kit as above....extended celebration. I simply trimmed the entire panel down a little bit, backed it with a mat of black cardstock and simply added it to a card base. Sequins, enamel dots, or other embellishments could be added, but it seems to stand on its own just as it is!

That's four cards using all different ink blending techniques, but still all ink blended! 

Thank you for visiting my blog and making it this far! Up next is Toni, but if you did not start from the beginning, Crystal's blog is where you should start!

{BYSHC} Christmas in July 2025 Linky Party - Warm wishes

 

I'm sneaking in one more card for the Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party! Never know, there may be one or two more! LOL

As I sit down to straighten up or check emails.....all the linky party leftovers are sitting right here in front of me! I had to make something! I found a sketch that worked with what I had and went with it! Sketch 7 (added below) and some Unity paper that came from a thank you gift! Cut and measured according to the sketch. The image is from Angie Blom Digital Designs, Christmas Joy Mugs. I die cut it with the smallest make a tag die set, then backed it with some grey cardstock. Stapled some ribbon to the top and added the sentiment. I colored it with KingArt Alcohol Markers. White enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and some foam adhesive to finish!

{BYSHC} Christmas in July 2025 Linky Party - peace love joy 2

 A post specifically for the second card! Wouldn’t work with same blog link! 

{BYSHC} Christmas in July 2025 Linky Party - Peace Love Joy x2

 

We are winding down on this linky party! If you have cards to be posted, have them in before midnight TONIGHT! 

So a 100% complete confession....I purchased this background (Frosted Fauna) and the reindeer (Winter Cheer and Deer) specifically because of Lisa Arana's cards! I loved her cards and just wanted to make them! :) I'll include her cards at the bottom! 

Red and kraft and pistachio and grey. The red one I stamped directly onto red cardstock, then added the kraft and the banner which I ink blended a little with Vintage Photo. All the die cuts are done with Unity dies....scallops and rectangle nesting dies and the scallops and banner nesting dies. The green one I stamped the background in versafine clair nocturne onto white cardstock, then ink blended the entire panel with Cracked Pistachio (note to self....ink blend first THEN stamp the background on...less muted). I added Gina Marie Designs Enamel Dots to finish! 

Mine are a little different, which is fine but I can't wait to make more of these!!

I LOVE THEM!!

Lisa Arana's cards! <3

{BYSHC} Sketch 59 - All is Calm

 Hello again! {BYSHC} Sketch 59 would be a great way to get some cards entered for the Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party! The party ends tonight! Lots of prizes to be randomly awarded!

It's been a busy busy few months around here! Graduation, dance nationals, college orientation and just plain summer things! So this card was created with just a pad of paper and some dies! The paper is Park Lane (Joanns [RIP]) Holiday Pine. I chose coordinating papers, cut according to the measurements in the sketch and added the background to the card base. The circles were cut using dies! The largest circle is from Unity's Scallops and circles nesting dies and the smaller one is from Stampin' Up. These were all cut from a piece of patterned paper in the pack as well as the sentiment! I then added some white enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and it's finished! It doesn't have to be hard to be beautiful! 

{BYSHC} Christmas in July 2025 Linky Party - Noel

 

Still creating cards for the Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party!

Today's card  features some scraps that were left on the desktop and BYSHC Sketch 56 to use them up!

I had all of these scraps laying on the desk, you can likely see where I used them in previous posts in this linky party! The sentiment is from the 2020 Unity Advent Calendar. Both pieces were die cut with the scallops and circles nesting dies. I used glossy accents on the letters to spruce them up a bit! They were too "dull" and it needed a little something. I distressed around the edge with whatever ink was left on the blue blending brush! No need to re-ink....just use up what's there!

I then added some foam adhesive to the sentiment circles and added some Gina Marie Designs Enamel Dots (IMO the BEST)!