Saturday, January 7, 2023

Friends of Unity January Blog Hop

 Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but I have some upcoming birthdays to get ready for, so our theme this month is perfect!

Before I start in on my cards, I wanted to remind everyone that our blog features giveaways every month, from our personal stash. I’ll be giving a giveaway this month! To be eligible, all you really need to do is leave a comment with your name… easy peasy! Winners are selected randomly from comments and are posted in next month’s blog post. I also announced a giveaway last month, so for December I’d like to announce that

Denise Bryant

has won some goodies! Please PM your address information and I’ll be sending out a package the following week!

The first card I created used the beautiful butterfly stamp set from Unity’s A Beautiful Mindset kit from 2021. I started with watercolor paper and stamped the image using black archival ink and then added rainbow watercolors to the butterflies. After feeling a fail coming on, I changed my mind. I decided I wanted a more colorful background, so I actually started painting colors onto the paper; mixing colors already laid down. Liking the look and wanting to intensify it, I sprinkled on Lindy’s Gang pigment onto the already wet watercolor paper, thus adding stronger colors to the background. By this time, I had already decided I was going to paper piece the butterflies on.

I stamped the butterflies again on leftover paper and used my Spectrum Noir Glitter pens on the butterflies and fussy cut them out. Then deciding I wanted to add more to the background paper, I took a TCW stencil, matte opaque paste and a mint green acrylic paint and added some texture. Finally, I added gold and black spatters. I used raised sticky dots to adhere the butterflies, adding some dimension. I used the sentiment from Fresh Air and Sunshine kit, embossed on black paper. I then found coordinating background paper I could use to frame the card and completed it by adding crystals.

For the second card, I was itching to use my pencils, so I pulled out the Friendship Blooms kit. I stamped the image onto blue toned sketch paper. I had already decided I was going to use a pretty paper from my Vintage Artistry Serenity 49 and Market paper pack. Using 5 pencils, I colored the image and fussy cut it out. I used a sentiment from one of Unity’s birthday sentiment kits. Using navy cardstock to back the paper, I added string and crystals to complete the card.


Thanks for stopping by! For more inspiration and ideas, please continue hopping! You may have come here from 

Rachel’s Blog

Next stop is

Colleen’s Blog

Or you can start at the beginning with 

Crystal’s Blog


25 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, wow!! Amazing cards, Joyce! The colors and texture in your first card are so gorgeous! I would love to see how you made it (hint hint... maybe a future video?)! I also love the elegant and soft design of your second card. Your talent always inspires me each month and I appreciate that you share it with us! Thank you, my friend!

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  2. These are so beautiful!!! great idea to stamp on blue toned paper, I need to try that!

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  3. I just love the background on your butterfly card. I am going to look up the Lindy's gang pigment. The effect is so cool. The rust border is just perfect paired with the background too. Your second card is stunning and magnificent. Your coloring with the pencils is perfection!

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  4. Absolutely gorgeous! They are both lovely, but the blue one is sticking with me!! So much detail!!

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  5. Beautiful cards Joyce, your colouring is amazing!

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  6. Oh I love the beautiful
    first card! Both are
    fabulous.
    Carla from Arizona

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  7. Awesome cards and I am in love with the pencil work in the second one. One day I'll get there. - Pam Duncan Vansant

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  8. Hi Joyce, happy to see that I was your December winner! I'm not seeing an email contact for you, but I did send a pm on FB.
    Beautiful cards for this month's hop! I especially love the butterfly card you created and the colors you used! Lovely floral design and coloring on your second card!

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  9. Your coloring is amazing! These are stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. Your cards always WOW me. I love the butterfly card so much, so full of color & cheerful. But the monochromatic flowers are also pretty, just in a different way. And such a pretty blue.

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  11. Oh my Joyce these are both so lovely! I really love your coloring on the flowers in the 2nd card!

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  12. Oh my, these are so lovely. I think that my favorite one is the floral using the pencils. Super pretty. Happy New Year!

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  13. Lovely cards Joyce and love that you paper pieced the butterflies!

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  14. Is there a video for this, wow! I love paperpiecing so. Much, but this is geeeorgeous!

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  15. Hello! Both cards are gorgeous! But my favorite is the butterflies. That entire style is awesome. And your blue flower is really lovely. I see new techniques I must try!💜💜💜. BetsGreene

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  16. First off WOW!!
    Your first card is so cheerful and the flow of the butterfly colors from the blue to the yellow was incredible.
    Your second card has such a tender and heart warming look. I really loved this card.

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  17. Your cards are simply amazing! The butterfly card is so gorgeous with all of the colors! The floral card looks so vintage between the image and the printed paper.

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  18. Gorgeous cards! Beautiful coloring.

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  19. Your cards are beautiful and inspiring, thank you
    Karen Clynes

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  20. Love all of the layers in the background of your first card...and the colors! The monotone look of the 2nd card is striking! Well done!

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  21. Both cards are just so beautiful...I am in awe of your talents!

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  22. Gorgeous cards! I love the stamps you chose, colors, designs, and details. Just stunning. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  23. Your creations always amaze me! These are beautifully done!

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