JOY Christmas Sampler

The idea of a “sampler” was something I had always admired, but never tried my hand at. One lazy day I decided I was going to try and figure one out. I looked at a variety of them Pinterest and found a general layout that I liked and decided to tackle it.

The hardest part of this was sizing. Several of the images I looked at used the alphabet framelits, so I knew my top layer needed to be at least be 2” square. When I started to sketch my ideas out, I opted for  2-1/4” patterned paper with the two layers underneath being 1/8” larger than the one before it. Not wanting to squish everything into a smaller box, I went with a 9x9 shadow box frame and evenly spaced the images out using my T-square ruler. (I’m a self admitted perfectionist). As for the larger piece of patterned paper, the measurement for that is 5”x2-1/4”.

I say that the sizing was the hardest part because I was unable to find a sampler in a size and style that I wanted to make to simply copy and utilize their existing measurements. I wanted to use the word ‘JOY’ and had a sentiment that was a fitting compliment. From there I found patterned paper to use and die cuts and stamps to match the style. The only thing left was a sheet of 12x12 paper which I purchased from M’s to finish off my project.

Stamps:
Dashing Deer (Stamping Up)
Snowflake Sentiments (SU)

Paper:
Cherry Cobbler (SU)
Mossy Meadow (SU)
Very Vanilla (SU)
Gold Foil (SU)
Festive Farmhouse DSP (SU)

Ink:
Mossy Meadow (SU)
Early Espresso (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Detailed Deer Thinlits (SU)
Detailed Poinsettia Thinlits (SU)
Large Letter Framelits (SU)
Stitched Shape Framelits (SU)
Card Front Builder Thinlits (SU Retired)

Hearts Come Home

This card was inspired by something I see quite often “Transformation Tuesday”. This card looks so similar to a card that I had previously made, but the card was not reflective of my current style. While looking at my cards for my last craft fair, I was inspired to take that card and give it a modern lift. I was thrilled with the results. 

I have always labeled myself as a clean and simple stamper, and this card is no exception. I took the elements from my prior card and used them to make a similar card. I started with a current framelit that was more detailed than the older stamp and punch design. I added a silver embossed star that was more relative in size to the house than the gray cut out one I had used before. I kept the snow falling embossing folder as the background as it adds just a touch of ambiance to the base layer.

Stamps:
Snowflake Sentiments (Stampin Up)

Paper:
Whisper White (SU)
Night of Navy (SU)

Ink:
Night of Navy (SU)
Versamark (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Hometown Greetings Edgelits (SU)
Softly Falling Embossing Folder (SU) 
Silver Embossing Powder (SU)
Marvy Heat Tool 
Petite Oval Dies (Spellbinders)
Petite Scallop Oval Dies (Spellbinders)

Friends of Unity December Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity December Blog Hop. This month the theme is thank you. While I initially thought about making thank you cards for gifts given, I decided to take a different route. My first creation is a card acknowledging a pet sitter, veterinarian or even a groomer. As a cat mom... anyone who cares for my four legged fur baby are VERY appreciated. My cat is tortoiseshell colored, and as much as I would have loved to color this one to match her... I opted for a smokey colored feline. I have colored lots of images, but I will work on other cat breeds over the winter.

The second card I made was one of an apology of sorts. We all have friends who stick by us even when we are at our ugliest. They deserve recognition too. The paper used as background on this card hopefully portrays retro wallpaper that we sometimes may have found. I lightly colored in the toilet (masking out the plunger from this stamp) which revealed a lack of grays in my Copic collection. Looks like I will need to buy a few more colors before the prices go up!

Comment on my blog to be entered into my giveaway, then hop along to the other
Friends of Unity blogs and see their creations also. Psst... there are other giveaways too!

Crystal O. Minkler
Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Robyn Jordan

Kim Klinkovsky
Bobbie Sue McConathy
 Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon
Jeanie Hayes

Stamps:
 Cat's Meow (Unity Stamp Company)
 AH Crap (Unity)

Paper:
Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
True Black (PTI)
Smokey Slate (Stampin Up)
Lovely Lady (PTI)
Vintage Wallpaper by Nicole (Blitsy)
Red Glitter Paper (Recollections)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Copic Sketch Markers
Stitched Rectangle Dies (PTI)

Disclaimer:
We all on the Friends of Unity design team appreciate every single comment we get.
That's why we use our own stash every month for a giveaway.
We are NOT sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. but, they do approve of our hop, and that make us all very happy.
We started this hop because we love Unity. That's it. This hop is our way of showcasing our cards made with our favorite stamps!!

Snow Place

Two of my most favorite things in my entire craft stash are my numbers and my letter dies. They are so versatile. I have seen several cards made with these letters, especially for Christmas. Since I sell my items ar craft and vendor shows, I need to remember that as much as I like Christmas, not everyone celebrates. Even if they do... this sentiment and snowman makes a perfect card to send out after the holidays too. Just because we pack up our decorations and take down our trees, doesn’t mean the white stuff leaves also.
The card that initially inspired me to this creation had the word ‘Noel’ on it. The letters had snowflakes on them in various colors, giving the appearance of them falling down the letters. Since I was looking for more of an all over image, I searched out my snowflakes to see what would work. I came across this exclusive stamp set of a Christmas tree made out of snowflakes. When I stamped it over the ‘S’ I knew that was the direction I wanted to go in. A quick change of my snowman’s scarf and viola! A quick card that looks like it took more effort than it really did.

Stamps:
Snow Place (Stampin Up Retired)
Snow is Glistening (SU) ***Available November 2018 only***
Wonderful Words: Snow (Papertrey Ink)

Paper:
Wisteria Wonder (SU Retired)
Whisper White (SU)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (SU)
Wisteria Wonder (SU Retired)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Softly Falling Embossing Folder (SU)
Snow Friends Framelits (SU Retired)
Large Letter Framelits (SU)
Copic Sketch Markers
Scallop Oval Punch (SU Retired)
Oval Punch (SU Retired)

Carols of Christmas

This card was the first card I made in several weeks... our family has been in the process of selling our house and moving to another town. I have missed my craft room so much, but I was able to read several books during this entire process. I definitely wasn’t bored! 

The Buffalo check stamp needed to be inked twice to get a dark and even coverage, but that is the joy of having a stamping tool to achieve these results. There are so many times that this tool has come in handy, especially when making multiple cards for craft fairs. This was especially helpful earlier this year when I sprained my thumb and couldn’t grip a stamp block. Since that incident, I don’t think I have gone back to using my acrylic blocks.

Stamps:
Buffalo Check (SU)
Christmas Greeting (SU Retired)

Paper:
Real Red (SU)
Basic Black (SU)
Whisper White (SU)
Champagne Foil Sheets (SU)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Card Front Builder Thinlits (SU Retired)
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform

Friends of Unity November Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity November Blog Hop. This month the theme is strength. While I don't have any stamps that portray the image of strength, I knew I had plenty of sentiments that did. So I decided to go with the first stamp set that I came across in which the sentiment spoke to me. I was excited that this sentiment also had my favorite flower on it as well.

I was inspired for the layout of this card by using the layout from Crystal Minkler's GIU day three card. If you missed it, you can check it out here. I know I was not the only one who was inspired by this layout... I saw several cards pop up with this design. Way to go Crystal!

I am not sure what set these papers are from, but I think the yellow really brings out the color of the sunflower. Although my daughter never had hair that long as a child, it reminded me of some of the pictures we had of her around that age. Freckled faced and always willing to smile for the camera.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is a giveaway too!

Crystal O. Minkler
Kim Klinkovsky
Bobbie Sue McConathy
Eileen Mathys (you’re here)
Wynne Grob

Robyn Jordan

Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon 
Jeanie Hayes

Stamps:
Sunny Days (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Enchanted Evening (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (PTI)
Perfect Plaid Chill (Lawn Fawn)

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)
VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Unity) 

Accessories:
Clear Embossing Powder (Unity)

Copic Sketch Markers

Disclaimer:
We all on the Friends of Unity design team appreciate every single comment we get.
That's why we use our own stash every month for a giveaway.
We are NOT sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. but, they do approve of our hop, and that make us all very happy.
We started this hop because we love Unity. That's it. This hop is our way of showcasing our cards made with our favorite stamps!!

Hello Lovely

This stamp set is one of my preferred stamp sets when I need to whip up a quick card. I have made a variety of cards using this stamp, but this design was case’d from an image I saw on Pinterest. It spotlighted a few flowers and simply created a shadowy effect around the entire image. While I will admit that it took a few minutes for the shading, the outcome is worth it.

The overall materials used on this card were few, and colors certainly could be changed. I like the red as seen here and would stick with jewel tones for alternative colors as their rich hues show nicely on the kraft cardstock.

Stamps:
Hello Lovely (Concord and 9th)

Paper:
Classic Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Pure Poppy (PTI)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (Stampin Up)

Accessories:
Copic Sketch Markers (Scrapbookpal)

I’m Pretty Sure

All the remnants of summer are pretty much over. This past week we had our final 70 and 80 degree days. Frost warnings are in the forecast, and the high doesn’t reach sixty degrees for at least the next ten days. Fall is officially here... leaves are changing colors and falling at a rapid pace, pumpkin and apple picking are popular weekend family events.

I am a lover of the heat summer, but fall is a pretty close second. I love the colors and the flavors that come along with this season. One of my favorites is the sunflower. While this beauty is found at the very end of summer, she spreads her arms widely and welcomes fall. 

This card was created with one of my favorite techniques... embossing resist. The sunflower was heat embossed first with white embossing powder than my distress oxides were sponged over the image. I then cut the sentiment apart and matted it on black cardstock. 

Stamps:

I’m Pretty Sure (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)

True Black (PTI)

Summer Sunrise (PTI)

Ink:

Versamark (Stampin Up)

Fired Brick Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

Wild Honey Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

Gina K Amalgam Jet Black (Unity)

Accessories:

Marvy  Heat Tool

Friends of Unity October Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity October Blog Hop. This month's theme is leaves. As much as I love the heat of the summer, I love the crisp mornings of the fall leading to a warmer day. So I was excited for a fall theme. The colors and flavors of fall are especially wonderful.

I decided pretty early on what stamp I wanted to use. I just needed to wait for my kit of the month to arrive... so in the meantime I looked through my stamps and decided to make a second card. This cute owl jumped right out at me and an idea sprung to life.

In the first card I mixed some leftover patterned paper until I found a layout I was happy with. I colored my owl with Copic markers before cutting out my image with my scan n cut. I sponged the punched out sentiment with my Versamark stamp pad and heat embossed gold powder to the border  so that it would stand out slightly from the background.

On the second card, I started with heat embossing the sentiment vertically in white, next to the stamped the tree. Without removing my stamp from my platform, I then took a versamark pen and colored in the leaves on the tree and stamped the image again. This allowed me to heat emboss with gold powder to just those selected areas. Once that was cooled off, I sponged my oxide inks on the background and wiped lightly the excess ink from the embossed areas.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is a giveaway too!

Kim Klinkovsky

Robyn Jordan
Bobbie Sue McConathy
Crystal O. Minkler
Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Jeanie Hayes
Dawn Fields
 Joyce Verdon

Stamps:

Bountiful Owl (Unity Stamp Company)
Blessed Fall September 2018 Kit of the Month (Unity)

Paper:
Classic Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Vintage Cream (PTI)
True Black (PTI)
Stampers Select White (PTI)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (Stampin Up)
Versamark (SU)
Gina K Amalgam Ink Jet Black (Unity)
Fired Brick Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)
Wild Honey Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)
Peeled Paint Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

Accessories:
Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)
Gold Embossing Powder (SU)
White Embossing Powder (SU)
Burlap Ribbon
Decorative Label Punch (SU Retired)
Versamark Marker

Disclaimer:
We all on the Friends of Unity design team appreciate every single comment we get.
That's why we use our own stash every month for a giveaway.
We are NOT sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. but, they do approve of our hop, and that make us all very happy.
We started this hop because we love Unity. That's it. This hop is our way of showcasing our cards made with our favorite stamps!!

Tea Cup Floret

This card was made to celebrate national coffee day. This is a day I celebrate 365 days of the year. Coffee and I have a love/hate relationship... well to be honest, it’s the caffeine. Too much and I get a migraine, so I limit myself to two cups in the morning.  If I simply must have more later in the day, it’s gotta be decaf (GASP). If it was my choice... I would more coffee without hesitation. Iced or hot, I simply love the flavor.

I can remember drinking coffee as early as six years old. My grandmother had a jar of instant coffee in her cupboard and when I would visit she would let me have some for breakfast. I had to use A LOT of sugar and milk just to make it taste good. Now I prefer a mug full of dark roast with extra cream. I tried my best to color the coffee in my card to represent the lightness of my morning cup of joe. I also added some wink of stella to the flower to give the card some additional shimmer.

Stamps:

Tea Cup Floret (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)

New Leaf (PTI)

Ink:

Memento Tuxedo Black (Stampin Up)

Versa Clair Nocturne (Unity)

Accessories:

Marvy Heat Tool

Clear Embossing Powder (Unity)

Brother ScanNCut (Brother)

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry’s Artarama)

Wink of Stella Clear 

Thankful Leaves

Concord and 9th has done it again... another new turnabout stamp. I have a hard time saying no to these since they make such beautiful backgrounds when stamped out four times. Sometimes the hardest decision to make is deciding the colors you will choose. This one was easier... since I knew the colors were going to be the colors all around me.

If you have been frustrated with the turnabout stamps in the past, worried about getting the "jig" lined up and such... this is a great one to try. The images are meant to slightly overlap, so if you get your lines just a smidgen off, you would never know!

Stamps:
Thankful Leaves Turnabout (Concord & 9th)

Ink:
Pumpkin Pie (Stampin Up)
So Saffron (SU)
Wild Wasabi (SU Retired)
Soft Suede (SU)

Paper:
Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink)
Harvest Gold (PTI)
Stampers Select White (PTI)

Accessories:
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform

Country Livin’

This set has sat on my shelf longer than I care to admit. I had so many plans for it, but it always was passed over. Trying to use more of my stock than I buy is always a challenge. Each new month brings temptations, each new season or holiday is a reason to freshen up your stamp sets.

When I couldn’t decide on what I was going to do with this stamp, I defaulted to one of my favorite rainy day activities... learn a new technique. The technique featured on this card is called black ice. I thought it would work great with this card since it would add to the masculine theme. I found the process very easy and would like to use this with other stamps and foil papers for different effects.

Stamps:
Country Livin’ (Stampin Up)

Ink:
Stazon (SU)
Versamark (SU)

Paper:
Basic Black (SU)
Basic Gray (SU)
Whisper White (SU)
Silver Glimmer paper (SU)

Accessories:
Marvy Heat Tool
Clear Embossing Powder (SU)
Triple Banner Punch (SU)

Friends of Unity September Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity September Blog Hop. This month the theme is wings. What an awesome theme! Unity has so many stamps that work with this topic... Angels, birds, feathers, butterflies, the list could go on and on. As I am sure the others in the blog hop would agree... deciding is always the hardest part.

I decided pretty early on what stamp I wanted to use. I have been challenging myself to use more of my "uninked" stamps and give them a little love. I bought them for a reason, right? Well, this one had me stumped. I bought it with the intentions of using it on a galaxy background. My Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat was intransit to my house, and I didn't want to procrastinate on this card when I had a room full of perfectly good craft supplies.

Recently I hopped on the Deco Foil bandwagon. I bought some starter supplies to see if this was something I was going to fall in love with. I saw a video by Gina K that demonstrated how you could use it with stamps and not just stencils. Well, that sold me! So I called up that video and watched how I could foil using my stamp. It took a couple of tries for me to get the layout I was finally happy with. The transfer gel was pretty messy on my stamp and I had to use a toothbrush to really clean the fine detailed areas. I think next time I will stick with stencils. =)

Thank you to all those who took time to comment last month on our Friends of Unity Blog. The winner of my giveaway is Darlene Kolojeski-Huttel. Please private message me and I will get your prize package out in the mail to you ASAP!

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is a giveaway too!

Crystal O. Minkler
Joyce Verdon 
Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Robyn Jordan
Kim Klinkovsky

Dawn Fields

Jeanie Hayes
Bobbie Sue McConathy

Stamps:
 Dragonflies and Fairies (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Vintage Cream (PTI)
Brushed Gold (Recollections)
Deco Foil Gold Transfer Sheet (Blitsy)

Ink:
Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink (Unity)

Accessories:
Deco Foil Transfer Gel (Blisty)
Thermal Laminator (Staples)

Disclaimer:
We all on the Friends of Unity design team appreciate every single comment we get.
That's why we use our own stash every month for a giveaway.
We are NOT sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. but, they do approve of our hop, and that make us all very happy.
We started this hop because we love Unity. That's it. This hop is our way of showcasing our cards made with our favorite stamps!!

Spirited Snowman

I love Christmas and I love Christmas stamps. I seriously have all I can do to hold myself back from buying every single one I see. There are certain ones I am especially partial too, and snowman stamps are on that short list. I have a customer that feels the same way I do, and upon spotting this set in the upcoming catalog it will likely be on her wish list.

I took the sketch/layout for this design from a card I recently received from a friend. I randomly stamped the holly in Stazon and colored with a blender pen to give it a watercolored appearance. Since I was covering the center, I only needed to stamp the perimeter. I then stamped the snow couple in Memento and colored with my Copic sketch markers. I did the same thing for the skater snowman,  stamping his flakes in purple and coloring him with Copics as well. 

Stamps:

Spirited Snowman (Stampin Up) ***Available until January 2, 2019

Paper:

Whisper White (SU)

Basic Black (SU)

Cherry Cobbler (SU)

Wisteria Wonder (SU Retired)

Ink:

Stazon (SU)

Memento (SU)
Wisteria Wonder (SU Retired)

Accessories:

Sizzix Big Shot (SU)

Stitched Rectangle Dies (PTI)

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry’s Artarama)

Stars and Stripes Forever

This cute little creation is an ATC, or Artist Trading Card. I created this to participate in the current challenge at Unity Stamp Company. The challenge is to simply make an ATC. These cards have always interested me, but I have never taken the leap... now was a perfect time to give them a try.

To get started I cut a scrap piece of paper to the size the card should be. This would give me an idea of what size stamp I could use to be my focal point. I had the background already figured out, and when I realized that I could only fit three colors on this sized card, I immediately thought about red, white, and blue. I knew I had a couple of patriotic themed stamps, so I set out to find those. Just like the story of Goldilocks... out of the three I had, one was just right!

Stamps:
Stars & Stripes Forever (Unity Stamp Co)
Brushed Off (Papertrey Ink)

Paper:
True Black (PTI)
Stamper's Select White (PTI)
Vellum (Stampin Up)

Ink:
Real Red (SU)
Dapper Denim (SU Retired)
Versamark (SU)
VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Unity)

Accessories:
Marvy Heat Gun
Clear Embossing Powder (Unity)
White Embossing Powder (SU)
Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)

Peaceful Poinsettia

The Stampin Up Holiday catalog... my favorite catalog of the year! Christmas stamps are the one single category that I have the most of . This stamp set was the first to catch my eye... especially the card here, which I modified slightly from the catalog. This card is so beautiful, and in all honestly is one of the quickest and most elegant holiday cards I have ever made.

The card featured here is shown in a retired color, but my customers will be making this beauty at my first Christmas Card workshop next month and we will be sampling it in Blackberry Bliss, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, and Night of Navy. Swap out the silver for gold, and the color variations for this card are endless!

Stamps:
Peaceful Poinsettia (Stampin Up) ***Available until January 2, 2019

Paper:
Emerald Envy (SU Retired)

Ink:
Versamark (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Detailed Poinsettia Thinlits (SU) ***Available September 5th
Silver Embossing Powder (SU)
Marvy Heat Tool
Silver Glimmer Paper (SU)

Stand Tall

This was created for the current Unity Stamp Company's "Not a Card" Challenge. This was a challenge I wasn't sure I was going to participate in. Cards are my specialty, they are something that I enjoy making... a lot. So when it came around to brain storming ideas for this, I had zero ideas.

It wasn't until I was searching my craft space looking for something totally unrelated, did I stumble across this linen bag (which ironically is also from Unity) which was my inspiration for this project. I have plans on filling this with some candy and giving this to a friend who has been a blessing to me this past month. I am going to include a matching note card and encourage her to reuse the bag and pass it on and bless someone else.

Stamps:

Stand Tall July 2018 KOM (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper: 

None

Ink:

Stazon (Simon Says Stamp)

Accessories:

Linen Bag (Unity Freebie)

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)

Tim Holtz Stamping Platform

You’re a Delight

I had the day off and was trying to decide what I was going to create. I had lots of other things to do around the house, but really wanted some inky fingers before I started on my to do list. I am in love with Concord and 9th turnabout stamps. This one sat on my shelf way too long uninked. When I went to add the finishing touches on this I could easily see how this could quickly transform into a Christmas wreath. That is totally My next project that I will be doing next with this.

The hardest part for me while making this card was deciding on the colors! This is going to be so much fun since I have a wide palate of  ink colors to choose from. I didn’t have a specific theme in mind for this card, so I left the wreath neutral with green leaves and stems.

Stamps:

Wreath Turnabout (Concord and 9th)

Paper:

Classic Kraft (Papertry Ink)

Garden Green (Stampin Up)

Stampers Select White (PTI)

Ink:

Garden Green (SU)

Pear Pizzazz (SU)

Rich Razzleberry (SU)

Pool Party (SU)

Accessories:

Sizzix Big Shot (SU)

Petal Burst TIEF (SU)

Rustic Jute Button Twine (PTI)

Tim Holtz Stamping Platform 

Keeping it Simple

This card was inspired by a design that I saw and simply knew I had the perfect stamp set to use. Once again I pulled out my favorite paper pack and began to work. Most people like to color than cut, but since I am still perfecting my coloring skills, I prefer to cut and then color.

This flower is from the smaller Unity Kit, not the one from the Kit of the Month, but I am sure either one would work. I use thick weight cardstock since I am coloring with alcohol markers. Fussy cutting on good weight paper sure made my hand tired quickly! I love the look of the stitched border and really thought it added just a touch to the card.

Stamps:

Keeping it Simple (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Just Be You (Echo Park)

Mint Julep (Papertrey Ink)

Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink:

Gina K Amalgam Ink Jet Black (Unity)

Blushing Bride (Stampin Up)

Accessories:

Circle Punch (SU Retired)

Simply Stitched A2 Vertical Dies (PTI)

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama) 

Friends of Unity August Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity July Blog Hop. This month the theme is coffee or tea. Your guess is as good as mine as to what my Angie girl is drinking... it could be either! I am a fan of both, so your guess is as good as mine. This month I am the host of one of the giveaways. You will receive the beautiful stamp you see pictured in my card PLUS a repurposed library book, like the one used in this card. All you need to do to enter to win is hop to all the blogs (they are all linked below) leave a comment, and the winner will be announced next month on my blog. The book pages can also be colored on, as shown HERE. The typeset also makes excellent background paper as seen below.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is another giveaway too!

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Robyn Jordan 
Jeanie Hayes
Crystal O. Minkler
Joyce Verdon 

Dawn Fields
Wynne Grob 
 

Stamps:
Moving Forward (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Autumn Rose (Papertrey Ink)
Vintage Cream (PTI)
Repurposed Library Book

Ink:
VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Unity Stamp Company)
 Memento Tuxedo Black (Stampin Up)
Autumn Rose (PTI)

Accessories:

Clear Embossing Powder (Unity)
Brother ScanNCut (Brother)
Triple Banner Punch (SU)
Die-Namics Blueprints 31 (My Favorite Things Retired)

Disclaimer:
We all on the Friends of Unity design team appreciate every single comment we get.
That's why we use our own stash every month for a giveaway.
We are NOT sponsored by Unity Stamp Co. But , they do approve of our hop, and that make us all very happy.
We started this hop because we love Unity. That's it. This hop is our way of showcasing our cards made with our favorite stamps!!

Growing in Unity Blog Hop

Welcome to the Growing in Unity Blog Hop. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog again. I enjoyed my week and all the wonderful comments and encouraging words that were left about my creations. It certainly helped with my nerves as this was my first time being a GIU girl.

If you missed my week, please take a moment and look through my creations. I felt that the cards I created that week were a reflection of myself. This stamp set is no exception. I really enjoy summer weather, or any kind of weather that allows me to wear my flip flops. I am frequently found in sneakers for work, but flip flops are my next favorite choice for footwear. The paper used on this card was also featured in one of my GIU cards. I love pattern matching and this paper pack has some fun designs that can easily pair up for a quick layout.

Hop along to the other Growing in Unity blogs and see their creations...

Amanda Rhodes

Michelle Peters Kister

Iona Unny

Cindy Gress Messer

Vickie Yeakley 

Eileen Mathys (you're here!)

Stasia Sloma

Laura Mooney

Stamps:
Flip Flop Happy (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Flirty Flamingo (Stampin Up)
Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)
Just Be You (Echo Park)

Ink:
VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Unity Stamp Company)

Accessories:
Clear Embossing Powder (Unity)
Brother ScanNCut (Brother)

Whole Love Story

This card was created as part of the one layer challenge at Unity Stamp Company. I initially struggled with the idea of giving a card depth on just one layer of paper. I had several ideas in mind, but none that really seemed better than the other. Inspiration comes in the strangest forms, weirdest places, or when we least expect it.
Crafting was the last thing on my mind when I was having dinner with my in laws the other night. My brother in law is a very talented photographer, and during dinner his hobby came up in conversation. The term “vignette” came up in the discussion and it wasn’t until the next morning that I decided that would be how I would add depth to my card.
I settled on a portrait style stamp and die cut an oval to be the mask over the stamped image. I sponged the distress oxide around the oval and once that was done I colored in the image with my Copic markers.

Stamps:

Whole Love Story (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:

Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink (Unity)

Black Soot Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Blitsy)

Accessories:

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)

Spellbinders Oval Die Cuts

Beautiful Day

Life has been so busy for me over the last two months that I pretty much resolved to limiting my purchases and using the stamps I have on hand. Haven't we all said that before? I was saving all sorts of ideas to Pinterest, adding items to online wishlists, but my crafting time was limited. I was excited to find myself with a full morning off this past week. I had lots of ideas running around my head... I just need to grab a couple as they went by and get started.

I have seen lots of ideas with this stamp set, but my main problem was deciding between the rose and the butterfly. I already had my layout in mind, and when I stamped both images the rose won out. I liked the elegant look of the simply stated background paper and the pop of color coming from the flower. Yellow roses symbolize friendship, so that is the color I chose to use on this card.

Stamp:
Beautiful Day (Stampin Up)

Paper:
True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (PTI)
Petal Passion DSP (Stampin Up Retired)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (SU)
VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Unity Stamp Company)
Copic Sketch Markers Various (Jerry's Artarama)

Accessories:
Brother Scan N Cut (Brother)
Triple Banner Punch (SU)
Clear Embossing Powder (SU)

Friends of Unity July Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity July Blog Hop. This month the theme is Christmas in July. If there is one thing I like more than birthday cards, it’s Christmas cards. My husband commented a few years ago that as our kids got older, their gifts get smaller but more expensive. Think about how true this is... back when the iPod first came out, they were small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but cost $150. Luckily for us, our children were spaced out enough in age that we were not buying them all one in the same year.

Fast forward a half dozen or more years later, and gift cards or money are the gifts that are most commonly exchanged in our family. Many people will argue that those are impersonal and doesn't show much effort. While I am not a big fan of guessing what you may like, there are also those people who really are that hard to buy for. My father looks forward to the gift card we give him to his favorite hunting and fishing store. Sure its predictable, but he gets exactly what he wants.

I made this card my stamping directly onto the patterned paper and fussy cutting the cup out. I was careful when placing my foam dimensionals that I left enough room for the money to stick out of the top. The coffee staining on the background is oxide ink and a stencil directly on cardstock. This card could be easily modified and used as a money holder for a birthday or graduation gift.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is a giveaway too!

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Crystal O. Minkler
Robyn Jordan 
Joyce Verdon
Jeannie Hayes
Wynne Grob

Dawn Fields

 

Stamps:

Cuppa Comfort (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Perfectly Plaid Dasher (Lawn Fawn)

Emerald Envy (Stampin Up Retired)

Real Red (SU)

Ink:

Walnut Stain Disress Oxides (Blitsy)

Black Onyx Versafine (Simon Says Stamp)

Accessories:

Tim Holtz Layering Stencil Splatters (SSS)

He Counts the Stars

I have always been intrigued by the galaxy background. I have watched several videos, repinned posts, even pestered a few fellow bloggers. I even bought a specific stamp with the sole purpose to use it in conjunction with a galaxy background. I finally set aside a day in which I was going to take the time to try and see if I could do it. I set upon a Jennifer McGuire video. She makes everything seem easy, and with a slight modification of my own, I was able to accomplish the background you see below. A link to her video is HERE.

Stamps:
Year of Psalms: December (Papertrey Ink)
 
Paper:
True Black (PTI)
Stamper's Select Vellum (PTI)
Watercolor Paper

Ink:
Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide (Blitsy)
Wild Honey Distress Oxide (Blitsy)
Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide (Blitsy)
Salty Ocean Distress Oxide(Blisty)
Black Soot Distress Oxide (Blitsy)
Versamark (Stampin Up)

Accessories:
White Embossing Powder (SU)
White Acrylic Paint
Vellum Tape (Amazon)

Hey, Gullfriend!

When I saw this stamp set it was just too cute to pass up. I also couldn’t resist having a “punny” seagull stamp set in my collection. Especially since I didn’t already have one. I waited for both pieces to be in stock together and I bought them. Lucky for one of my besties, the set arrived just a few days before her birthday. Her and I share the same sense of humor, so I knew she would enjoy this card.

This horizontal cover plate from Papertrey Ink makes for a perfect template to cut out and then inlay the ombré of colors to represent the sky background. Several of the sentiments from this stamp set fit perfectly between the horizontal layers... but I chose the one I knew would make my friend laugh out loud when she saw the card. My Tim Holtz Stamp Platform was used and my sentiment was straight on the very first try.

Stamps:

Seaside Seagulls (My Favorite Things)

Ink:

Memento Tuxedo Black (Stampin Up)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)

Enchanted Evening (PTI)

Blueberry Sky (PTI)

Spring Rain (PTI)

Accessories:

Sizzix Big Shot (SU)

Cover Plate: Stripes Horizontal Die (PTI)

Die-Namics Seaside Seagulls (MFT)

Tim Holtz Stamp Platform (Blitsy)

Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)

Growing in Unity Day Five

Hello and Welcome back to my Growing in Unity Day Five post. If you missed my previous posts,  you can view them here:
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY

If I was to stamp a self portrait, this would be it. Always with a book in hand and always with a stack of books nearby to read at any one time. Notice the cat in the background... thats me too. I have one, and my adult children have jokingly heard me refer to her as our best behaved daughter. I have been a life long reader... I can remember reading before starting school. In Kindergarten when the other students were learning how to read, I was allowed to go to the library. My love of mystery stories started with Nancy Drew... I read all the copies that our little school library had.

I work as a librarian... which I call my dream job. The greatest joy of my work day is finding books for young readers, who like myself would read three and four books a week. I still enjoy reading the books of my youth as well as the NYT best sellers. Many times you will find me in my craft room listening to an audiobook while I craft... one of the best ways to multi task. It allows me to get two of my favorite things done without being forced to choose.

Don't forget to comment to be entered to win a prize pack supplied by Unity!

Stamps:
Start Something New (Unity Stamp Company)
Library Background (Brutus Monroe)

Paper:
Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
True Black (PTI)
Pure Poppy (PTI)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black (SU)

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot (SU)
Petite Ovals Large (Spellbinders)
Petite Scalloped Ovals Large (Spellbinders)
Copic Sketch Markers (Jerry's Artarama)