Saturday, April 3, 2021

Friends of Unity April Blog Hop

Welcome back to another blog hop! April’s hop is all about the Birds and the Bees... bet you thought you knew all about those already, huh? 🤣 Well, who knows, maybe we have a few more things to teach. 


As usual with this hop, we’ll be giving away some Unity stamps, so be sure to leave a comment on each blog for a chance at winning some! I’d also like to announce that

Karen Connor

won some Unity goodness from me from last month’s hop. Please PM me your address, Karen!

So, for this month’s cards, I got my inspiration from the super talented artist Tracy Evans. Check out her pretty cool YouTube videos yourself! 

For the first card, I cut down Bristol paper and taped up the sides with Purple tape. I then pulled out Daler Rowney’s Rich Gold and Cream acrylics, a Brea Reese Ocean Green paint, and a brayer. I first added a little cream paint, then some light touches of the gold. I next added more gold, using a makeup sponge and TCW’s Love Frame stencil. I then added some flower centers using the green paint with the same stencil. I added more cream, gold and green paint to the heart center. 

Next, I pulled out Unity’s Thoughts from the Past and Vintage Passport and stamped portions of them using Versafine Brown ink. I then outlined the stamp and stencil images with a brown watercolor pencil and a stabilo pencil and added both color and shadows. I also added color to the edges and pencil marks before taking off the tape.

Next I stamped and embossed the owl image, from Sending an Owl, using Brutus Monroe Coffee Espresso powder, onto a buttery colored card scrap. I added a little of the gold color to the bottom portions of the owl and then fussy cut it out. I restamped and embossed the envelope portion of the image on white paper and colored it in using the paints.

Next, I stamped and embossed the sentiment from the kit onto Bristol paper, using Speckled Egg oxide ink and glaze embossing powder. I added a few envelope details and cut that down. I backed the sentiment and the painted paper with brown cardstock. I adhered everything together, added crystals and called the card done.


For the next card, I pulled out the You’re You kit, and an old SMAK kit, Stories to Tell. I started by stamping the bird stamp using some green oxides and a green Gina K ink and then covering the branch and bird areas with Versafine black ink. I then added dots of metallic gold and black Gansai Tambi watercolor to the bird and branches. I followed that up with a black micron pen to add feathers to the front of the bird and used a Posca white pen for highlights.

I then traced an oval around the image using an oval die and a green graphite watercolor pencil. I pulled that color in a little using a paintbrush and water. I then masked off the area outside the oval and used background SMAK stamps to add texture. I then masked off the oval and added more background stamps  using both the green and black stamps. I used another discontinued kit I picked up called Circa Journal. I added both the green pencil and green oxide to the ovals in the corner. Finally, I stamped the sentiment, die cut it and added the green and stabilo pencils again.

Wanted to share with you, I also tried some of Tracy’s techniques on ATCs I recently sent out. See below. More on that in another post. Her techniques are so unique and fun to try.

So, hope you enjoyed these... now onto the remainder of the hop. Remember to post a comment before you leave! So, you should have got here from:

Rachel’s Blog

To continue on go to:

Robyn’s Blog

And if you want to start at the beginning go to:

Crystal’s Blog

23 comments:

  1. Amazing cards, Joyce! Wow! I love the shapes and designs in each. I'm totally checking out Tracy's YouTube... thanks for the link! Your first card... the owl.. has to be my favorite though! Love, love, love it!!!

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  2. Owls are one of my favorite creatures, so your cards appeal to me very much

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  3. As usual, your cards are breathtaking! Love them all!

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  4. I love your cards and the owl one is especially awesome. The green stands out and the teztures and layers are amazing.

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  5. These are so neat! I always go super basic with mine, but I admire those who branch out!

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  6. I love the vintage look of your cards!

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  7. Awesome cards, Joyce! I love the brown & blue color combo on the first card. I'm a bird nerd so I love the whole theme of the birdies. And your ATC's are so very pretty! I'm trying to make a pocket letter right now and need one more ATC. And of course, they all have birdies on them.

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  8. Pretty cards! I love the owl images!

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  9. Wow Joyce! These are all extraordinary creations!

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  10. Fabulous cards! I
    love the birds and
    lovely coloring.
    Carla from Utah

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  11. Oh my goodness! All of these cards are fantastic! You offered up so many different color combinations and designs. Absolutely beautiful!!

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  12. I love owls- beautiful cards!!! Loving your ATC’s as well!!! Beautifully done!!!

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  13. I used to follow Tracy Evans but have somehow lost track of her work. Thanks for reminding me about her. I love all your lovely makes Joyce! Just stunning work!
    Vannessa Osbourn

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  14. Owls are always a favorite and I love that you used two of them for very different designs. The first one with all that texture looks so dimensional!

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  15. Lovely cards. You put so much detail and texture into your cards and ATCs. So gorgeous!

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  16. Stunning! All of them! I admire your work and thanks for sharing techniques. I am still holding out for videos from you...lol!

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  17. Love love love your owls. Do I have that second one? Need to hunt, now! Gorgeous cards!

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  18. Wow, I love the variety of designs and styles from everyone, and especially like your realistic owls with all the artistic touches

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  19. Owl remember these gorgeous cards! I'm so attracted to vintage colors, the stamped organic background, the layers and warm feeling of this type of card. The pop of color and focal images are beautiful and frame worthy. I'm learning stenciling and enjoyed these very much.

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  20. Your first card made me think of Harry Potter! All of your cards are fantastic!

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