Friends of Unity December Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity December Blog Hop. This month the theme is “All is Calm”. With that theme, I opted to find winter images that evoked feelings of peacefulness and serenity. On any given winter day, you can find that just looking out the window. Snow as far as the eye can see... in my world, when I’m not working I call that reading weather. This month we are also celebrating two years of crafty goodness with Unity. I am already looking forward to 2020 and what the new year will bring.

 

With my first card I created a galaxy background to represent the night sky. I stamped some tree images over the background to create an outdoor ambiance perfect for stargazing or watching the snowfall. Our young lady is enjoying her cocoa or coffee to keep warm.

The second card uses the beautiful snowflake from the November 2019 SMAK kit. I stamped the image with versamark than lightly dusted the image and cardstock with perfect pearls to give it all a light shimmer. I dipped the Joy sentiment in versamark and heat set a glitter embossing powder to give the card some extra sparkle.

Here is what we have planned... our usual giveaways PLUS we have 2 HUGE prize packages that Angela Magnuson put together just for this celebration. Comment on my blog to be entered in my giveaway, plus there are lots of other personal giveaways this month to celebrate our two year anniversary in addition to the two grand prizes. 

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)
Joyce Verdon

Dawn Bryson
Alaine Tanner
Kim Klinkovsky
Amber Trubiak
Jeanie Hayes
Dawn Fields
Robyn Jordan
Donna Baes (Guest Designer)
Shannon Edwards (Guest Designer)
Jessica Pickeral (Guest Designer)

Stamps:
Winter Wild SMAK 10/17 (Unity Stamp Company) Card 1
Dream of Being So Loved (Unity) Card 1
Beauty of Life SMAK 11/19 (Unity) Card 2

Paper:
True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey)
Cold Press Watercolor Paper (Tim Holtz)
Dark Indigo (Papertrey)
Silver Shimmer (Papertrey)

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)
VersaMark
Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide
Wild Honey Distress Oxide
Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide
Salty Ocean Distress Oxide
Black Soot Distress Oxide

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot
Slanted Sentiment Strips (My Favorite Things)
Bold Borders: Flurries Die (Papertrey)
Perfect Pearls (SimonSaysStamp)
Holographic Embossing Powder (Simon)

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!!

Friends of Unity November Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity November Blog Hop. This month the theme is “Give Thanks”. Thanksgiving was the first thought that came to my mind, followed by some fancy thank you cards, or even cards of appreciation or admiration. But since I’m a outside of the box thinker, I opted for a different occasion that rightfully fits this topic... Veterans Day.

My family is rich with military service... my husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, siblings, even my in-laws. They have served in every branch of the armed forces, some even seeing combat for many years. I have a great deal of respect for the military and our flag. We spent this past weekend in Washington DC, and I was reminded of just how much we have to be grateful for. This is a picture of one of my two favorite memorials.

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

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Kim Klinkovsky
Alaine Tanner
Jeanie Hayes
Dawn Bryson
Bobbie Sue McConathy
Joyce Verdon

Dawn Fields

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:
Ragged Ol’ Flag (Unity Stamp Company)
Flourish Wonder (Unity)
Stars & Stripes Forever (Unity)

Paper:
Classic Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey)
Pure Poppy Bitty Big (Papertrey)
Pacific Point (Stampin Up)

Ink:
Real Red (Stampin Up)
Pacific Point (Stampin Up)
Crumb Cake (Stampin Up)

Accessories:

Sizzix Big Shot

Lucky Stars Embossing Folder (Stampin Up)
Washi Label Punch (Stampin Up)

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!!

Friends of Unity October Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity October Blog Hop. This month the theme is change. With summer turning to autumn and all the beautiful colors changing around me, I easily could have easily found my inspiration right outside my window. Instead, I went in a uniquely different direction with the theme.

My inspiration for this card was sending a note to a far away friend or maybe the sender had recently moved away and was mailing a letter back to someone in their hometown. I then realized that after a friend recently switched jobs, this could also make a great retirement card, or even a little pick me up for a college student who is away from home at school.

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

Crystal O. Minkler
Kim Klinkovsky

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)
Alaine Tanner

Dawn Bryson

Joyce Verdon
Dawn Fields

Stamps:
Stay in Touch (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Flirty Flamingo (Stampin Up)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
Just Be You (Echo Park)

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Accessories:

Copic Sketch Markers
Sizzix Big Shot
To the Point Edgers Die (Papertrey Ink)

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!!

Friends of Unity September Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity September Blog Hop. This month the theme is fall colors. Summer is my favorite season, but my husband loves the fall. I will admit the colors and flavors of the fall are some of my absolute favorite. The changing of the leaves, pumpkin flavors as far as the eye can see, and let’s not forget candy corn! I only dislike fall because it is the season right before winter.

For this months theme, I opted not to use just fall colors, but to select some seasonal cues that summer is drawing to a close. With my first card I chose the butterfly border stamp “Migration of Beauty” and opted to spotlight one butterfly. Working in a library we have milkweed plants that grow near our entrance way. We have many families that use the large leaves for caterpillar feedings, teaching their young children about chrysalis formation. I love to hear the many stories about butterfly hatchings under their care.

With my second card I selected the July 2019 Kit “Shimmer & Shine” which features beautiful sunflowers. I dusted off an old technique and made a triple layer card. This is a kit that I have been itching to ink up since I purchased it. When brainstorming for this blog hop, this was the first stamp I grabbed. Sunflowers stamps are some of my favorites.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...Pssst! There is are giveaways too!
Speaking of giveaways... congratulations to Amy Williams you won the giveaway from my August blog. Message me your address and I will get your goodies in the mail ASAP!

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Robyn Jordan
Dawn Bryson
Alaine Tanner
Kim Klinkovsky

Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon
Jeanie Hayes
Bobbie Sue McConathy

Stamps:
Migration of Beauty (Unity Stamp Company)
Shimmer & Shine (Unity)

Paper:
True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (PTI)
Crushed Curry (Stampin Up)

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Accessories:

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!!

Unity~ Be A Lot KOM

The following creations were made as part of the August 2019 challenge titled “one kit three ways”. While work has been busy, I had two free days to attempt to complete this in hopes that it would not detract from other crafting that I originally had planned for this short stretch of free time.

Card one was selected using a layout design that I had saved from Pinterest. The original used a larger floral spray that was cut diagonally. I used the layout idea, but reversed the flower to the opposite corner. The image is embossed in white and sponged lightly with white craft ink. The center sentiment was cut out several times to give it height and dimension and placed on a vellum layer. 

Card two might be a little trickier to explain. Start by stamping your image with Stazon on a window sheet and than color the reverse side with alcohol markers. Use mini glue dots to adhere the image to a silver glitter sheet and fussy cut it out, trimming close to the edge. For best results don’t over color your image and don’t try to blend. 

Card three was a simple spotlight technique. Lining up this card was tricky, but after a few attempts I learned to start with the sentiment first.

Stamps:
Be A Lot 7/19 KOM (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Classic Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (PTI)
True Black (PTI)
Vellum
Silver Glitter Card Stock

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)
VersaMark
White Craft
Stazon

Accessories:
Alabaster Embossing Powder  (Brutus Monroe)
Marvy Heat Tool
Sizzix Big Shot
All About You Dies (Concord & 9th)

Copic Sketch Markers

Friends of Unity August Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity August Blog Hop. This month the theme is Furry Friends. While I won’t sit here and bore you to death talking about my cat... I will say that I am an animal lover of almost every kind. Our four legged fur baby has been with us for 8 years this fall, and life has never been better. I now can fully understand the concept of “pets are like family”.

I was inspired for the layout of this card by a similar card made by the talented Dawn Bryson. I liked the use of the cloud stencil background and decided to create a scene using dies and stencils to achieve a similar look. The cat and butterfly were fussy cut out and colored in with my Copic markers.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations. I am hosting a giveaway too... Make sure to comment for a chance to win!

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

Dawn Fields

Jeanie Hayes 

Joyce Verdon

Bobbie Sue McConathy

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:
Kitten Encouragement  (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Blueberry Sky (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (PTI)
Garden Green (Stampin Up)

Ink:
Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Spring Rain (PTI)

Accessories:
Clouds for Days Stencil (Simon Says Stamp)
Essential Fishtail Sentiment Strips (My Favorite Things)
Grassy Border (Lawn Fawn)

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!!

Friends of Unity July Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity July Blog Hop. This month the theme is vintage. While I don't have any stamps that portray the image of vintage, I knew I could create a vintage appearance on my cards using different techniques. Since both of my cards worked out, I will share them both with tutorial links as well.

The first card I created is probably the only true vintage stamp in my collection. I opted to make this a grainy ‘black and white’ picture, one that I could have seen in one of my grandmothers photo albums. I remember these pictures were always backed on black paper and when removed from the album, a rough trimmed black boarder always remained. The black ice technique was used to achieve this cards vintage look.

The second card I made is an old milk jug filled with flowers set against a patina background. Patina is a green or brown film on the surface of bronze produced by oxidation over a long period of time. That would make this one card vintage for sure! The patina technique was fun... especially watching it unfold as the layers of color were added.

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

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

Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon
Jeanie Hays
Robyn Jordan

Stamps:
Better with Age KOM 11/17 (Unity Stamp Company)
Hello Gorgeous (Unity)

Paper:
Basic Gray (Stampin Up)
Smokey Slate (SU)
True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Silver Foil Paper (SU)
Classic Kraft (PTI)
Costal Cabana (SU)
Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink:
Stazon Black
Versamark
Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Costal Cabana (SU)
Crumb Cake (SU)
Early Espresso (SU)
Costal Cabana (SU)
Garden Green (SU)

Accessories:
Clear Embossing Powder (Unity) 

Subtle Embossing Folder (SU)
Tin Tile Embossing Folder (SU)
Penny Embossing Powder (Brutus Monroe)
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!!