Funky Pandemic Tag

Used Unity’s August SMAK kit, You Are My People, to create this artsy funky tag. I used a variety of products to create it: Brea Reese acrylic paint, Montmartre glossy acrylic paint, Art Alchemy metallic paint, 3 Tim Holtz stencils (plus another random stencil), Gansai Kuretake watercolors, 2 Washi tapes, glitter inks, ribbons, and a pen.

I started by laying down the colors and using the stencils to create a design. I then emphasized the stencil marks with pencil and started stamping. I ended up restamping both the center image and the main sentiment onto separate paper, adding color, fussy cutting them out and adding them toward the end. Must admit, I changed my mind several times in creating this one, thus adding several layers.

I have a full house right now, with my son and his family, their additional 5 animals and all their furniture and belongings, staying with me. I’m so thrilled they’re here and enjoying the brief time I’ll have with them while selling their current place and buying a new house! Especially my grandbaby... and during the pandemic and the Cali fire incidents going on right now! My husband is still on the other side of the country and hasn’t been back since the pandemic started. He and I are both at that age where we don’t want to risk travel and socialization, so this has been a godsend! What a change company can make to your mental state! Anyway, I’ll be keeping this one as a reminder if this time! 

Hope you are all staying safe and sane... happy crafting till next time!

Another Unity August 2020 SMAK Kit Card

Used Ciao Bella paper to stamp the bird image and sentiment onto, from Unity’s August SMAK Kit, You Are My People. I then grabbed the tag and postal image and added red and very pale green images on the paper. I stamped the tag onto a piece of patterned paper and added some lowlights and highlights and fussy cut it out. I outlined all the images with pencil and added a touch of white highlights to the sentiment to make it stand out.

Finally, to complete the card, I used patterned paper as 2 backgrounds, and added twine and red and green crystals. Pretty simple card to make with a very vintage feel.

Hope you all are doing well. I’m surrounded by fires currently, but they are far enough away not to be a danger to my family, but close enough to create serious havoc with air quality. After 6 days of over 100 degrees, we are enjoying the balmy 😏 90’s today! However, still can’t walk the dogs, until air quality improves! Oh well, the almost 11,000 lightening strikes California experienced Monday and the myriad fires they caused, just fell in line with all the other craziness of 2020! Stay safe, everyone, and happy crafting!

Sympathy Card 2 - August SMAK kit

I decided to do a more minimalist card for my second sympathy card. 

This time, I pulled out a Primary Elements pigment, called Snapdragon. I sprinkled some on my craft mat, spritzed water on it, and laid a piece of watercolor paper over the pigment. I then spritzed more water on the paper to Stallone the pigment to flow a bit. I then lifted off the water with paper towels and did it again. Once I was happy with the effect, I dried the paper.

I then pulled out a stamp from Unity’s August 2020, You Are My People Kit. I also found, to my delight, in my embossing powder stash, a violet/purple based powder from Crafter’s Companion that I picked up at a Tuesday Morning! I then stamped and embossed the image. I found the perfect sentiment to pair with the image/occasion in Unity’s Brody’s Love kit. 

After die cutting, I then backed the image with black and violet papers, added black ribbon and purple crystals. In both the last card and this card, I used other sentiments from that same kit on the inside.

Again, I hope this simple card fits the occasion. Well, that’s it for tonight. Till next time, happy crafting!

Sympathy Card Simon Say Stamps

Unfortunately, I had to create a couple of Sympathy cards for close cousins for the passing of my Aunt, a special lady. She was a very talented lady, and helped to inspire my creativity in many ways. So, I had to honor her by creating some homemade cards. 

The first was created using a new background stamp called Poppies by Simon Says Stamps. I stamped the image on Strathmore watercolor paper using Antique Linen Distress ink and painted it using my Schmincke watercolors. I added navy and green inks and used my Prismacolor pencils to deepen colors. I stamped the sentiment using a combination of white ink, Squeezed Lemonade oxide ink and an antique embossing powder by Brutus Monroe, onto navy cardstock. I then die cut the watercolor paper and backed it with the same navy paper. I added yellow and navy ribbons and yellow crystals and mounted it all onto an A6 card. 

What is wonderful about creating a card for a special purpose, is that in the time spent during the act of creation, I always recall fond memories and events associated with the people the card is intended for. It’s especially important to me when everyone is literally across the country from me!

Well, hope this serves as a special card for my family! On to the next one, now. Till next time, happy crafting!

Unity August 2020 SMAK Kit Bird 1 Card

Tried out my new August Unity SMAK kit, You Are My People! What another gorgeous image... love this bird! I again used another Ciao Bella kit, Broccata Estense, as inspiration (and background paper and ephemera) for this simple card.

I started by stamping the image using Gathered Twigs and Speckled Egg oxides to stamp the image on light Kraft Paper. I then colored the image using Prismacolor pencils. I embossed the sentiment using brown Brutus Monroe powder and added another background image from the kit using Gathered Twigs. I cut a slit around the beak and added twine with a silver key attached. Finally, I added the ephemera piece and crystals.

Love this sentiment... think I’ll be using this one a lot! Actually, this kit has lots of lovely stamps and sentiments. This one is a keeper! Well, till next time, happy crafting!

Missing Our Time Together Card

Today, inspired by a copper colored hanger ribbon I snipped off a shirt, copper hues became my color palette. I also wanted to create a mixed media card as well and found a package of card sized Ranger Mixed Media paper I picked up on sale somewhere. I pulled out a Ciao Bella ‘Ciao Bella’ Creative Pad A4 paper pack I thought I could provide further inspiration. I ended up fussy cutting out an envelope and some alphabet letters from the paper. Finally, I decided to use the girl image and a sentiment from Unity’s 4/20, Hope in Uncertainty KOTM kit.

So, to begin, I pulled out copper metallic, portrait pink and white acrylic paints, a roller, and a plastic ribbon stencil I picked up in a magazine. I wanted a more grungy look so I taped the stencil down and rolled ink over the paper, using my fingers to ensure I captured the outline of the stencil. I then added some portrait pink, and white paints. Finally, I used the copper again to add color to the edges and small strips. Once that was dried, I added gray and copper inks... adding outlines and some writing. 

I then stamped the girl image using Gathered Twigs oxide ink onto old pale peach stationary paper (I like the pencil effects on this paper). I used Prismacolor pencils and rust and brown pens to color the image. I fussy cut out the top and sides of the image and tore the bottom.

To pull the card together, I used a border die cutter on the sides of the inked up paper, added the ribbon and adhered it to Kraft cardstock. I then glued the cut up envelope on. I added the girl image with raised foam tape. I embossed the sentiment using Rusty Hinge Embossing powder onto white scrap paper And cut it down. I added Gathered Twigs and Pumice Stone inks to the paper to Match the envelope color and inked the edges with Rusty. I added that also using foam tape. Finally, I added the letters alternating using foam tape and paste. 

I enjoyed using some fairly new to me products to create this mixed media card! It was fun trying to pull together stamps, paper and mixed media supplies as well! Hope you enjoyed the card I created today. Till next time, happy crafting!

Know You Are Strong Card

So, I’ve been absent a bit, this time, because I’ve been invaded by my son’s family, including his 2 cats, a dog, a turtle, and a chinchilla! A temporary situation while they sell their place and buy a new house. And I’ve been adjusting to the schedule of my 21 month grandson! I finally took the opportunity of nap time to create card. I used Unity’s Uniquely Unity Kit, Know You’re Strong. I also used paper from Unity’s Whit Kit, Have Courage, called Watercolor Stripes. 

I started by inking up the stamp with Ink On3’s Fadeout No Line ink and stamping it on a piece of Strathmore watercolor paper. Since it’s been a while, I decided to try my hand at something new. I colored the image using Spectrum Noir AquaBlend watercolor pencils. I just grabbed a couple limited sets and used colors at hand. I knew I wanted to start prepping for ‘fallish’colors. Overall, I think it turned out okay, given little experience with pencils and, this set, in particular.

I decided to spruce it up by using a combination of watercolor papers to bring out the colors. I further defined the edges of the paper with Love From Lizi sticky border strips. I added the sentiment using both black and brown inks for a softer look. Finally, I added sticky dots for accent.

Well, now that I know I can get a card done during nap time, I plan on taking advantage of this time some more. Till next time, happy crafty! Stay safe everyone!