{BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party - O Holy Night

 Hello again! I am still creating cards using scraps from my stash for the {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party!

As I said from the beginning, I tend to use up the most scraps during these linky parties! Throughout the year, it's my personal challenge to myself! This again is created from scraps. I created the background with scraps of shades of blue. The kraft piece in the back has a giant square cut out of its center. The image used is from Unity Stamp Co., called Brightly Shining (it appears to be retired).

I stamped it on scrap of white cardstock and die cut it with the make a tag die set from Unity. I backed it with a piece of navy cardstock, added some navy ribbon and some ivory seam binding (from My Scrap Cabin), and finished it with some foam adhesive. Enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs!

I used a past sketch from {BYSHC} for inspiration....a photo of sketch 36 is below!

p.s. if interested, there is a facebook group called Unity Stamp Swap where you could possibly find retired Unity Stamps! :)

{BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party - Merry Merry Christmas

 Hello friends! I'm creating cards for the {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party! To build up my stash of Christmas cards to keep December stress free! At least in the Christmas Card department! LOL

In keeping with the scrap theme, this background was created with strips of scraps. I was trying to get papers together that matched and just kept giving up. I literally sat down, grabbed a sheet of copy paper and my glue gun and just grabbed whatever was close. And in the end, it's perfect! don't have to be fancy or "matchy" just use up those scraps!!! I keep thinking I need to make a video for this, I saw a video that inspired me to try this technique, but now I can't find it. *note to self....self, make a video!*

Scraps from all different manufacturers, paper packs, thicknesses, style, etc.....but look at that, they all went together perfectly! After all the strips were glued down, I die cut it with the largest scallop and rectangle nesting die from Unity Stamp Co. The image is also from Unity. This one happens to be retired, but there is a new version called Simple Little Wishes. I stamped the image and then die cut it with one of the scallops and circles nesting dies. Colored with KingArt Alcohol Markers.

Sentiment from this same set, stamped with Versafine Clair in Nocturne (as was the image) die cut and mounted to another scrap! Glued everything down with Tombow Liquid Glue.

I followed {BYSHC} Sketch 48 for this card!

{BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party - Merry & Bright Poinsettias

Hello again friends! {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party has begun! You have until Friday the 24th to get those entries posted to the {BYSHC} Blog to be eligible for some amazing prizes!

This card is brought to you by my many bins/piles/bags of scraps and leftover images!  The poinsettia's are part of the set from Angie Blom Digital Designs called Blessings Poinsettia.  These happen to a part of the jar. I just cut them off of the jar, I only wanted the flowers! :) The papers are from a pack from Miss Kate Designs called Holly Jolly

I die cut the panels using the scallops and rectangles nesting dies from Unity Stamp Co., and added some sheer ribbon and foam adhesive as well.

I will be adding this lovely card to the Jingle Belles Rock October Challenge! Each October the ladies of Jingle Belles Rock (Stephanie and Lauren) deem the prompt pink Christmas in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month! For each card that is submitted they EACH donate $2 per card to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation! I do have one additional pink card in the works, so be on the lookout!

{BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party - Merry Christmas Santa!

 

Hello friends and welcome to the {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party! It's a week long flurry of creation! I hope you are able to enter many many times as the sponsor list and prizes are amazing!

Be sure to enter all of your creations on the {BYSHC} Blog post to be eligible! 

My challenge to myself is to use up as many scrap pieces of paper, spare images, leftover embellishments, an extra sentiment as possible! It's my own little personal challenge! My first card is just that!

The image and sentiment are from one of our amazing sponsors, Angie Blom Digital Designs (and right now you can get 40% off - no code needed)!! Both are from the digital set called Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas. Santa was printed some time ago, but used a different image on the same printed sheet. I colored the image with my King Art Alcohol Markers and then fussy cut out Santa, with my cutter bee scissors, to fit into the frame! The red and white paper was left from another project and happened to be the perfect size! I die cut the frame from a piece of kraft, then embossed it with a wood-grain folder and ink blended some vintage photo distress oxide over the embossing. Popped it up with some foam adhesive and then added the twine and button which were in my stash of goodies! 

Now onto the fun part!! The sponsors list is below and WOW are they awesome!

Tawny Owl Paperie

QT Cards with Mom

Unity Stamp Co.

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Crafty Stamp Co.

RAM Stamps

Creative Worship Stamps

Kraftin Kimmie Stamps

Gina K. Designs

Lawn Fawn

Digi Doodle Studios

Not 2 Shabby

Taylored Expressions

Jaded Blossom

Twiddler's Nook

A Colorful Life Designs

Club Scrap

Von Marie Design

Kat Scrappiness

Pink & Main

Newton's Nook Designs

Pajama Crafter Stamps

In Love with Paper - Cindy Messer

Markers, Ink & Paper - Cathy Preissing

Therm-O-Web

Marie Bingaman - Cardmaker

Like I said WOWOWOWOW! 26 sponsors!!! Be sure to join us on the Facebook group to get a front row seat to all the fun!! Your creations need to be uploaded to the blog before midnight on the 24th to be eligible for a prize!

Let's get this party started!!!!

{BYSHC} Sketch 62 - Get Your Jingle On!

 Hello and welcome back! Sketch 62 is up and ready for your creativity! Gina K Designs is this month's sketch sponsor! I love her!!

I regularly see her videos or reels and try to save the techniques for future inspiration! This background was from one of those videos. Simple and easy technique.....I smeared some red hot, kraft and then grass green premium dye ink cubes to an acrylic block. Next sprayed some water on it and then placed it onto a piece of white cardstock. It moves and blends as it wants to! After it was dry, I cut it into the measurements of the sketch (or as close as I could)!  

The red polka dot paper is from Miss Kate Designs Holly Jolly pack and the stamp set is from Unity Stamp Co. called Planner Girl: get your jingle on! I stamped her first on the inked panel....to get all the extra dots and "hair", then stamped her again on white cardstock in order to color her! I fussy cut her out and glued her right on top of the first stamped image. I added some red enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs.

Be sure to follow along because starting next week.....October 17th is the Falling for the Holiday's Linky Party! It's the last one before the holidays! Lots of sponsors and prizes! Stay tuned!

~ 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. ~ We have a special giveway - play along with our color challenge and add your card to the album over on the Unity Show & Tell FB page. Amber has a special giveaway happening for entries and all of the details are over on her blog...it's the last stop on the hop....GOOD LUCK!!

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

{BYSHC} Sketch 62 - Happy Holidays

Hello and welcome to October! This is the time to crank those Christmas cards into high gear! We are in the home stretch!

Sketch 62 is upon us! The fantastic sponsor this month is Gina K Designs! I love her!! Her videos and reels inspire me often!  I see them mostly on Instagram, but sometimes a YouTube video notification pops up too!  

The background technique was inspired by one of those clips. I swiped, diagonally across some white cardstock, Gina K Dye Ink cubes in grass green and red hot and distress oxide in crackling campfire. Once dry, I cut it according to the sketch. The poinsettia is from a Unity Stamp Co. set called Merry Everything Poinsettia. I stamped with two stamps, first the flower in crackling campfire, then the black abstract design in versa fine clair in nocturne. The sentiment strip came from Waffle Flower, it's just called subsentiments Christmas Tree Diecut sheet.

Be sure to follow along because starting October 17th is the Falling for the Holiday's Linky Party! It's the last one before the holidays! Lots of sponsors and prizes! Stay tuned!