~ 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!

Hello October! Sketch 38 is up!!

 October 1st! WOW! As the holidays are quickly approaching it's a great time to get started on some cards! {BYSHC} has a sketch for that! LOL Either on Facebook or their blog, {BYSHC} is a great place for inspiration! Sketch 38 has begun and will last through the end of October! Even more fun in October is our Falling for the Holidays Linky Party happening mid-month! Prizes galore! (More info to come!)

This card sort of came to me in the middle of the night! I had the idea and put it together the next morning! I have always wanted to create a "winter sunset" with ink blending and thought I'd give it a shot! I absolutely LOVE how this turned out!

Pictured below is how this all started! I grabbed a piece of Canson XL watercolor paper and started blending! Antique linen, seedless preserves, faded jeans and black soot were my colors of choice (it's also what I have)! Blend, blend, blend until you get a blend you like! I then sprinkled some water on top to create the "snowfall."

After the blending process, I cut it according to the measurements on the sketch (pictured below). I then stamped the trees (from a Unity Stamp Co. set called winter wonderland walk) with Versafine Clair in Nocturne. White card base, black background, then a navy blue background. The inked panels were then placed onto a white background and the sentiment was stamped onto a piece of white and added. Embossed vellum circle, button and twine from my stash!

Absolutely love it!!

The Falling for the Holiday's Linky Party starts on the 20th! More details about sponsors to come!

Don't forget to link of Sketch 38 projects before the 31st to be eligible for the drawing!