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

 

I just can't stop making cards! LOL The Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party ends on Friday! How many cards will be entered?!?

My card started with a piece of patterned paper that came in a "thank you" bag from Unity Stamp Co., not sure which pack it's from. I found a sketch that would work with the stamp set I grabbed (Unity's The Sweetest Snowman), and sketch 55 it is! Die cut the patterned paper with the largest die from the scallops and rectangles nesting dies. This one was easy to put together! Just colored this sweet guy in with King Art Alcohol Markers. The hardest part?!?!? Finding the right base colors for both the card base and the backer for the image! LOL Ultimately I found a dark green scrap big enough for the snowman, but not for the entire card! I added the sentiment to the snowman....couldn't figure out a better place! 

Feels a little plain, but the plaid is pretty predominant!

{BYSHC} Christmas in July 2025 Linky Party - Merry Little Christmas

 

Hello again! Still creating cards to build my stash! The linky party runs through Midnight on the 25th! Be sure to get your entries posted to the {BYSHC} Blog before then! You can also find the entire list of sponsors there too!

My card today used some scraps from the Unity Stamp Co. paper pack Old Fashioned Holiday (November 2023 Whit Kit). These papers were literally already die cut (Unity Stamp Co. Scallops and Rectangles Nesting Dies) and ready to assemble! I grabbed the matching stamp set called Merry Everything Poinsettia and stamped the large silhouette in Lumberjack Plaid, the abstract line drawing using versafine clair nocturne and the largest leaf in Gina K. Designs Grass Green. I fussy cut the flower and used the matching die set (doesn't appear to be still available) to cut the leaves and the word Christmas. I used {BYSHC} Sketch 28 for this one!

~ July 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Mixed Media/Grunge

Welcome to the July 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Hard to believe that July is already here and the year is half over!! Mixed media and grunge is the theme this month. To be honest, I didn't really think that I could pull off this theme so I did some research! LOL 

Mixed media art refers to artwork that combines more than one artistic medium or material. It can include elements such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and non-traditional materials like cloth, paper, wood, and found objects. Artists use mixed media to create intricate, layered pieces that break the boundaries between different art forms. 

This is the definition from Google, so I went with it! Layered pieces, different design elements, more than one artistic medium or material. Literally had no idea where to even begin. I found a card on Pinterest that was beautiful so I loosely followed it!

One thing that I did discover, is that pictures are hard to take and get all the elements to show at the same time! Sorry this first one is so dark, but I wanted to see everything! The background started as a piece of white cardstock, to which I ink smooshed some distress oxides in stormy sky, cracked pistachio, faded jeans, speckled egg, peeled paint and distress ink in evergreen bough. Then I sprayed some (new to me) dylusions ink sprays in periwinkle blue and vibrant turquoise. Once those were dry I started stamping! I used multiple stamp sets to create the background including Soul Mail, Numbers, etc. (retired), Winter Shakeup, Paper Wings and Extended celebration. I also used the stencil from the 10/2023 Whit Kit and some lunar paste in midnight snack in a few spots. I just kept adding stuff!! The lace is from stash, the flowers I have had forever! The butterflies, from Paper Wings, were stamped, colored and fussy cut. Added with liquid adhesive and foam tape on the wings for lift. Brads and clear sequins to finish it off!

WHEW that was a lot of work but also fun to just keep adding and adding until I liked the outcome!! LOL Onto the next one!!

I made a few sprayed backgrounds to start and then went back and figured out which one I would use. This is one of those. Ink smooshed with distress oxides in peeled paint, stormy sky and speckled egg. Then I sprayed on dylusions spray ink in vibrant turquoise and periwinkle blue. I stamped on a bunch of different background type stamps from Small Details, Rectified Poppies, Dinged Dots (appears to be retired), then added some of the elements from Soul Mail. The flower vase and sentiment came from that set as well. 

Something I wanted to try was stamping onto tissue paper and adding that. I stamped the script writing from Soul Mail to a piece of tissue paper, tore some pieces off and then used mod podge and glued the tissue on in several places. I think one of the hardest parts of mixed media is giving time to let all the layers dry! LOL I stamped, colored and then fussy cut the flower vase. Cut the sentiment into pieces and mounted everything with foam adhesive.

This is a fun technique that I do not do very often. In fact, may be the second time that I've done mixed media to this extent. I love the outcome, definitely not in my comfort zone but I dove in and took hold of it! It's fun giving new techniques a try! That's what this is all about! Stretching your creative brain! Give it a try!

I am the second on the hop, so if you came here from Crystal, you started at the beginning, next will be Toni. Please follow along and enjoy! 

See you in August!

~ June 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ Masculine

Hello and welcome to the June 2025 Friends of Unity Blog Hop! This month the theme is all about the men in our lives! Masculine cards have always been a challenge for me, so I love hops like this to give me some inspiration!

This past month has been quite full for me, with my daughter graduating and getting ready to leave for college, the house (and craft room) are in an absolute upheaval!! LOL My craft space doubles as the guest room, which had to be abandoned mid-May to get ready for my parents visit to celebrate the graduation of their youngest grandchild! So unfortunately only time for one card this month! Hope you like it!

I really had no idea where I was going with this one when I started! LOL I started with this fishing stamp called somethin' is fishy. This has to be one of the first stamps I purchased from Unity! My husband is a fisherman, works in the fishing industry as do most of our friends! This was a must have!

I stamped it onto kraft cardstock with some vintage photo and then some black around the edges. I lightly tapped on some salvaged patina with a blending brush to give it a little color. I tore the top and bottom edge and then distressed with a little more vintage photo and some walnut stain as well. I backed it with a piece of brown cardstock that I tore as well as distressed the edges. The background panel was also a plain piece of kraft paper when I started! I stamped the topography background on to that with all of the colors listed above!

I distressed the edges with a tim holtz distressing tool and then tore off the corner. I had other plans for that corner, but it didn't come to fruition! I then used the favorite dad stamp set to create the sentiment. DAD was stamped with salvaged patina and the happy father's day was stamped on top with black. The black twine was added to hold the cute fishing boat charm! I added some foam tape to the brown tag and it's all done!

Thanks for joining us this month and I hope that some of these masculine cards inspire you! To start the hop at the beginning, you can visit Crystal's blog here. If you are ready to move on, Kari is your next stop!

 

{BYSHC} Spring Into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - Merry Christmas

 Hello and happy Thursday! You will have all of today, and all of tomorrow to get your entries in for the Spring Into Christmas {BYSHC} 2025 Linky Party! The link closes at Midnight Friday!

I wanted to see what I could come up with in about an hour before I had to get to work! I have had this plaid paper in my stash for about 100 years! LOL Well maybe not 100, but you get the picture! I followed {BYSHC} Sketch 41 (pictured below). I cut the pieces to size, I should have adjusted the length just a bit so it fit better on the card base, but it is what it is! LOL 

The sentiment is from Unity's Gotta Love Sentiments (one of my absolute favorites, gets used a lot!), The wreath is from the 2020 Advent Calendar. I cut the circles using the scallops and circles nesting dies. Colored the wreath with King Art Alcohol Markers. I added some clear Ranger EmbossIT pen to the ornaments on the wreath, then sprinkled with Nuvo Embossing powder in gold enchantment! After heating with a heat gun, I added some foam adhesive and some gold glitter enamel dots. 

{BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - Merry & Bright Coffee

 One more "merry & bright" card to add to the {BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party!

Every once in a while I just print or stamp a bunch of images and while I'm sitting with the family watching TV, I'll just color them up. It passes the time and gets the job done! This is one of those images. 

I had printed the "sheet" of Christmas Joy Mugs from Angie Blom Digital Designs and while watching TV colored on a lap table. I used King Art Alcohol Markers. I was inspired by Angie's card which is one of the samples on her website. After coloring I die cut it with the scallops and rectangle nesting dies from Unity. You may be saying to yourself.....that looks skinnier! It is. I moved the die around to get the shape that I needed.

The paper is an older Stampin Up bundle that I purchased second hand. I followed {BYSHC} Sketch 40 (pictured below) for my design. The {BYSHC} Facebook page has all of the sketches in albums! I am never without a sketch to inspire! The sentiment is also from the same set from Angie Blom. Some foam tape and a large pearl brad and it's all set!

{BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party - May your days be Merry and Bright

 Still "building my stash" of Christmas cards with the {BYSHC} Spring into Christmas 2025 Linky Party!

These scraps are from a paper pack that is super old too! Authentique Retro Christmas from 2016! 

I followed the {BYSHC} Sketch 14 for this one! With scraps you don't usually have to do much cutting! I try to find a sketch that "matches" my scraps! Like a treasure hunt! I sort of cheated on this one....no actual stamping! I cut all the pieces according to the sketch, including the sentiment piece which I cut using one of the scallops and square nesting dies from Unity. Translucent green enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish!