**July 2024 Friends of Unity Blog Hop - Technique**

 Welcome to my very first post as a Friends of Unity Team Member! I am so excited to be here! This month of July is all about technique! I have learned so many cool and clever techniques over the years, it was hard to pick my absolute favorite! 

I hope to share some fun techniques and have some amazing cards when I'm finished!

One of my favorite techniques is ink smooshing. If you look back at some of my previous projects, you will see lots and lots of ink smooshing! It's a great way to create a unique background!  

I start with a piece of 65# white cardstock (can be 65# could be 110# could be watercolor paper) and an acetate sheet! Smoosh your ink onto the acetate then spritz with some water. Carefully flip it over your cardstock and gently pounce the watered down ink colors! I suggest some drying time in between colors! A heat tool will speed up the process! 

After I created the amazing panels shown above, I stamped the ...inked florals Background Stamp using versamark and white embossing powder on the first one...versafine clair and clear embossing powder on the other. I die cut both panels with the largest scallop and rectangle die and chose some ribbon. The word "hello" die cut was cut from a dark purple cardstock (and also in black on the second card), then I stamped the remaining sentiment (from ...hello fresh start). I added some staples and some clear sequin circles to add some sparkle.

I think the white embossed image is my favorite! I tried both colors to see the contrast between the two! Which is your favorite of the two?!?

This next card is also ink smooshed with a background stamp, just a different color pallet! 

The colors I chose for this one are distress inks in wild honey, mustard seed and dried marigold. Same technique as above, smoosh, spritz, dab!! I added the May 2023 background of the month stamp called ...honeycomb chaos. Then die cut the panel with the largest scalloped and rectangle die. I tore the bottom of the panel off and distressed the edges with first vintage photo, then some black soot. 

The stamps are from the April 2020 Whit Kit Grow. Transform. Evolve. My inspiration came from Echo's example that came with the background stamp! I masked and stamped the sentiment in two different places. The banner at the top was cut with the Unity scallops and banners nesting die set. The white part at the bottom was stamped with versamark and embossed with gina k white embossing powder. There was a little bit of embossing powder over-sprinkle (LOL) so I added some embossing pen and more powder to make it a little less obvious! The bees were stamped, colored and then fussy cut and attached with foam adhesive. I wanted to try something new-ish to me and added some Hero Paste, colored with some ink, through a honeycomb die. Not too much, but just a little something on the edge.  Translucent enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and some bakers and burlap twine finish it off! I absolutely LOVE this one! It's one of those cards you want to keep for yourself! :)

Here are my finished cards all together! Give this technique a try! You will not be disappointed! You'll get inky and messy and it will be a blast!

Thank you so much for visiting with me today! To start the blog hop from the beginning, Crystal is your girl! If you are ready for the next project, Dawn is your girl! Enjoy the hop and I'll see you next time! :)

Unity Membership Makes Wednesday - Father's Day Edition!

 I am on a Father's Day card making kick today! Perfect that it's Unity Membership Makes Day! Each Wednesday Unity Show & Tell FB page showcases all of the Unity Stamp Company's membership kits! Today's card uses two of the past kits!

I had a partially completed background panel that I added a Background of the Month stamp called ....linen using vintage photo, then added another background stamp called small details using first salvaged patina, then broken china...too light so I added faded jeans! You can see the many layers of words on this! Love it! The typewriter is from the June 2023 Kit of the Month called {from the countryside}. After it was dry I die cut it using a Tim Holtz nesting die set called stacked deckle. 

The "paper" is a blank space in the stamp so I typed the word dad on my computer in a "typewriter" type font. Lined it up in my MISTI and stamped the typewriter with VersaFine Clair in nocturne. I then fussy cut the typewriter. I added some tombow brush markers to give it some detail and shadow. The sentiment was also typed on the computer with the same font as the top. After cutting the strip, I tore the ends. I added some vintage photo distressing around the outside edges of the background and also all over the sentiment. May arts ribbon burlap twine and enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs finish it off!

#UnityMembershipMakes

 Wednesday's on the Unity Show & Tell Facebook page they share cards and projects created using one or more of the awesome membership kits that Unity offers. This card also happens to qualify for the monthly challenge (wild & wonderful) happening as well!

I started with a panel of watercolor paper and created the yellow blob with another technique that I've done before....cleaning my blending brushes with water and just blending out the ink until it's no more! Lots of backgrounds can be created with this technique! After that I stamped the Unity Stamp Co. May 2023 Background of the month honeycomb chaos over that using vintage photo distress oxide. I then took out a few stamps from the Kit of the Month from May Bloom in Color. The dots were randomly stamped on top with more vintage photo. Die cut the whole thing with Unity's scallops and rectangle nesting die. Onto the focal image....also from the Kit of the Month. I stamped it onto watercolor paper with versafine clair ink in nocturne, colored with my Tombow ABT markers, die cut with the scallops and circles nesting dies and used some foam tape to pop it up. The natural twine and the burlap twine were from my stash. The sentiments are also from the Kit of the month. Stamped the same as the beehive....I hand trimmed the "hey honey" and the "you are the sweetest" was cut using some banner nesting dies which were included in the March 2023 Whit Kit. The clear dew drops were also included in a Whit Kit a few months ago. 

Thanks for visiting! Leave me some love! :)