Growing in Unity - Day 5 Be Who You Want

 Okay…last day! Phew, what a watercolor week! Couldn’t finish the week out without another one! This time I used the Be Who You Want kit from Unity. I also used a couple other Unity papers for backing and framing from 2 different kits, Magnolia Dreams and Watercolor Stripes. Again, I think I stamped this one with a couple different oxides (they just blend and dissolve into the watercolors… you just need to make sure the ink color doesn’t change the tones you want). 

I thought I’d struggle watercoloring this one, but I had a lot of fun painting it! I think I did a little white gouache again to the centers. I completed this one by stamping and embossing one of the sentiments (which I cut down). I just added enamel dots to complete this one.

So, that’s it for my week… a lot of stamping, papering and watercoloring! Hope I showcased a lot of pretty Unity stamps for you and gave you some ideas for pairing papers and stamps! Have to say…Unity has a ton of both!

Remember to comment on this and the last 4 Growing in Unity blogs for a chance at winning Unity store credit! 

Thank you for stopping by and till next time, happy crafting!

Growing in Unity - Day 4 Everblooming

 Day 4…oh my, close to the end! Today’s card was created using Everblooming and the Magnolia Branch paper pack. I started by stamping the flower image again using Antique Linen onto watercolor paper. And you guessed it… I then watercolored it to match the paper colors. Again, it’s a beautiful pack! Once completed, I used a tiny bit of pen for detailing. I then used the outline stamp to frame the image using a darker ink. I then fussy cut it out.

For the seed pack image, I found a random patterned paper I could use. After stamping, I cut it out and distressed the edges. I then adhered the center flower part. I used papers from the pack as backgrounds. I added a ribbon. After stamping and watercoloring the sentient, I added clear crystals to complete the card!

I like the coloring and completely different design and feel of this one! Again, it was fun to pull it together! There’s a ton of cute examples of how to use this kit.

Remember to comment below for a chance at winning Unity store credit and let me know what you think of this one! Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting till next time!

Growing in Unity - Day 3 Have Courage

 Hey there… half way through my Growing in Unity week! Phew!  Okay, on this card, I married a bunch of stuff from Unity! I used the Have Courage stamp set, Trust it Will Be Okay sentiment kit, and the Blossom Avenue paper pack. Again, I started with watercolor paper, my pan set and a paper from the pack. I then stamped the images using Antique Linen oxide ink. I proceeded to try to recreate colors from the paper and started watercoloring! I tried to match the watercolor style to the paper with a little more detail. I even thought about adding the white script over the top and then pulled myself back from the edge of.. whatever 🤪!

I then fussy the flower images. To create the card, cut down another paper from the pack and used cream paper to back both papers. I added green twine for some reason… who knows why!

I then stamped and clear embossed the sentiment and backed it with matching plain paper. Since it was so busy, I stopped there!

 Welp… what a different style for me…but I kinda love it! I actually was thinking of a couple ladies undergoing significant health issues when I created this card. I hope you like this one! Remember to comment below for a chance to win Unity store credit!

Growing in Unity - Day 2 June Rose

 Back again with Day 2 Growing in Unity week! I used the June Rose and Pink Lemonade paper pad to create this card. I also pulled in an old Signature lace die. I began by pulling out the papers (watercolor and patterned paper) and stamping the images using pink and tan oxide inks. After mixing colors to match, I then watercolored the images again using my Schmincke pan set. I then fussy cut the images out. I used the die on a plain yellow paper and backed it with white paper. I clear embossed the sentiment onto paper from the kit after stamping with green and gray inks.to complete this one I added pink and green enamel dots.

 I 

Must admit I love the colors of this one…and I do remember picking up the papers for that reason and the lovely images! I think this stamp set is another lovely match with the papers!

Remember to comment below for a chance at winning Unity store credit!

Growing In Unity - Day 1 Falling into Place

 How fun is it that I get to enjoy another Growing in Unity week? Very, I say! Reminder: this week of my posted cards is sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. At the end of the week, I get to pick a winner from commenters here of store credit from Unity Stamp Co… so be sure to add your comments below! Let me know your likes and dislikes!

Today I a sharing a card I made using the stamp kit Falling Into Place. I was drawn to a Pinterest painting of a butterfly using grays and soft blues and tried to create version of it with this card. I used a watercolor paper and my Schmincke pan set on this one. I started by stamping the image using a black ink which on the textured paper produced a gray broken image and then watercolored it, including adding a soft wash and spatters in the background. I pulled out a black pen and detailed the flowers and darkened the black areas. I used gray and white pens to add wing details. I used negative painting, black pen marks and white gouache brush marks to create the illusion of stamens.

 

To create the card, I decided to use a 6x6 format. I found this brick patterned paper I thought matched the mood of the painting and the sentiment. I die cut the image, stamped the sentiment and backed everything with matching black and blue papers. For embellishments, I added back and blue enamel dots and called it done. 

Must admit, I had fun trying to create the illusion of stamens with detailed negative painting brush strokes around the stamens. This stamp is so pretty and and the possibilities of colors and mediums used to create cards is endless!

Reminder, comment below for a chance at winning Unity stare credit! Thanks for stopping by!

BYSHC Sketch 43 - Bo Bunny Cards

 Welcome back to another BYSHC sketch for the month of March! Here’s the design!

I decided to take advantage of this sketch and try out some Bo Bunny papers I’d collected over the years. For the first card, I pulled out my old Yuletide Carol collection (papers and ephemera). For some reason, the lovely papers in this collection really drew me in. It was pretty easy to create this card using papers and chipboard pieces from the collection. For the sentiment, I used an Alexandra Renke kit and added enamel dots to complete the card.

For the second card, I used papers from Bo Bunny’s Christmas Treasures collection. This time, I coupled the papers with Unity stamps from a retired Tags, Glorious Tag kit. I stamped the image and watercolored it, added copper spatters and then copper embossed the same image onto acetate paper. Since I had stamped the image with an oxide ink and watercolored over that, the details of the ornaments was lost, so the acetate embossing brought those details back.  I ended up creating a shaker card using those two pieces. 

I stamped the sentiment and embossed it with a glittering embossing powder. To complete the card, I added pearl embellishments. 

Clearly, with this card I took some creative freedom from the following the detailed sketch. Must admit, both cards are a big departure from my usual style but were fun to experiment with! Thanks for stopping by, till next time… happy crafting!

Friends of Unity March Blog Hop

 Hello there… its a new month, so welcome to a new blog hop featuring creations with this theme…

If you are new to the hop, we offer giveaways every month from our own stash. To be eligible, you just need to comment on blogs in the hop including your name. We randomly select names when choosing winners. Check out the other blogs for who’s doing giveaway this month!

Now, on to the first card! I paired Stamperia’s Forest papers, with a couple Unity kits, Happy Soul from February 2023, and Difference Maker from December 2023. I stamped the image using Antique Linen onto one of the ~6x3” frames in the kit which already ha$ some foliage on it. I then used my Prismacolor pencils and some pens to color in the image. I fussy cut out the paper and distressed the edges using Scorched Timber ink. I inked up the sentiment with varied brown and green inks and clear embossed it. To fill in behind and around the image I lightly added sprigs of foliage. To complete the card, I used another paper from the pack and added enamel dots. Unfortunately, a couple friends of mine enduring some hard times were on my mind in creating cards this month.

This next card was also inspired by the Stamperia paper which you can see in the background of the photo. I used Jeanie Hays’ Unity Sail With No Limits kit and for the sentiment, Fresh Air and Sunshine from July 2022. I used my watercolors and watercolor paper after stamping the image with Antique Linen. I added pen marks to tighten up lines and inked the sentiment on when done. This time, I embellished the card with twine, metal embellishments and sequins.

Again, I’m hoping this card provides some encouraging words to get outside and enjoy nature when life gets rough! Funny story, I grew up summers on a small lake in upstate NY which is why this image so resonates with me. Well, my first and only attempt at sailing with my 11 year old girlfriend, ended us up at the other end of this 7 mile long lake. Of course, we had to be humiliatingly towed back to the other end by strangers as we had no idea how to tack! Give me a motor or oars any day over sailing…although I do love looking at them from afar! Love, love, love being on the water!

Hope you enjoyed my nature cards…and now on to some spectacular cards from my creative fellow bloggers! You may have ended up here from: 

Gaylynn’s blog 

Next stop on the hop is:

Dawn’s blog

Or, you can start at the top with:

Crystal’s blog