Friends of Unity April Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity April Blog Hop. This month the theme is birds and bees. Since I jumped the gun and did a bee card last month, it is only fitting that I do a bird card this month. It felt like spring the last few weeks of March, and the robins have arrived and I even saw a few early spring flowers in bloom. I have lived in New York long enough to know that there may still be a few days ahead of us where we need a winter jacket, so it is still hanging in the closet.

I picked this stamp out and then searched for a fun sketch to use with it. I used some bright and colorful paper as spring makes me think of lots of colors, leaves return, grass starts to grow, and flowers of all sorts start to bloom. Spring and Fall are two of the most colorful seasons in my opinion, they are so different, and yet so beautiful. 

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Alaine Tanner 

Dawn Bryson 

Colleen Balija 

Dawn Fields

 Rachel Duong 

Joyce Verdon  

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:

Note This Birdie (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Pacific Point (Stampin Up)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)

Spring Rain (Papertrey)

Really Rainbow (Lawn Fawn)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:
Sizzix Big Shot

Subtle Embossing Folder (Stampin Up)

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 March Blog Hop

 Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity March Blog Hop. This month the theme is a sketch challenge. I love sketch challenges. These are the perfect thing when you are stuck in a crafting slump or when you need a dose of inspiration. The great thing about these is that it gives you a general layout but doesn't require you to conform to the design. Last year when we had our sketch theme, so many people played along. I hope you will join us again, and if you do, please share your creations on the Unity Show & Tell page.

I am so excited that next weekend we get to set our clocks ahead. While losing the hour of sleep is not on my list of fun things, it does mean spring is right around the corner. I don't know about you, but February is the slowest month of the year and I'm so glad it is finally over. I looked through my stamps and wanted to go with something that had a spring vibe. Ironically my sketch last year featured a bee, and it does again this year. I am a friend of the pollinators, and will be happy to see them when they return. 

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...
 

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Dawn Bryson

Colleen Balija 

Bobbie Sue McConathy 

Kim Klinkovsky 

Dawn Fields

Rachel Duong

Joyce Verdon   

Alaine Tanner 

Robyn Jordan

 

Stamps:

Eyes of the Beholder KOM 4/2018 (Unity Stamp Company)

Cuttlebug Zebra (Unity)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
Harvest Gold (Papertrey)
Smokey Slate (Stampin Up)

 

Ink:
Harvest Gold (Papertrey)

Smokey Slate (Stampin Up)

 

Accessories:

Tim Holtz Stamping Platform

Sizzix Big Shot 

Subtle Embossing Folder

Hexagon Dynamic Embossing Folder

Circle Dies

Banner Punch

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 February Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity January Blog Hop. This month the theme is paper piecing. This is a technique I admire in others but seldom do myself. This is a quick and easy way to get away from coloring images if that is something you struggle with or are a beginner crafter and just lack the tools to work with.

Looking through my vast Unity collection, I did not have many stamps that I felt that would work for this month. I try to use a new image each time, especially with the large collection I have. The image I chose was partly inspired by the beautiful creation made by Dawn Fields last month, and my desire to want to make a slim line card. If you missed our hop last month, check out Dawn's card.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations...

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Colleen Balija 

Kim Klinkovsky 

Rachel Duong 

Amber Trubiak

Dawn Bryson
Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon   

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:

Funky Flowers (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
True Black (Papertrey)

New Leaf (Papertrey)

Ink:
Versafine Clair Black

Versamark 

Weathered Wood Distress Oxide

Pumice Stone Distress Oxide

 

Accessories:
Versafine Clair Nocturne

Copic Sketch Markers 

Word Window 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 January Blog Hop

 Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity January Blog Hop. This month the theme is black and white.  While this card is more of a gray scale... even on a black and white TV this would be the colors you would see, so I went with it.

I love the look and the simplicity of monochromatic cards. Black and white is one of my favorites. I was inspired with the card and to use this stamp by fellow team member Crystal with one of her design team creations when this stamp was a new release. I like how the gray coloring makes the wood look weathered. I opted to heat emboss the sentiment on the front to give it a crisp look. The background is done with emboss resist, one of my favorite techniques.

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations... . The winner from my December giveaway is Aimee Phillips. Please contact me to claim your prize.

Crystal O. Minkler

Kim Klinkovsky

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Dawn Fields

Joyce Verdon   

Amber Trubiak
Bobbie Sue McConathy

Alaine Tanner 

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:

A Lovely Message (Unity Stamp Company)

A Faithful Letter background (Unity)

Paper:

Stampers Select White (Papertrey Ink)
Weathervane (Papertrey)

Ink:
Versafine Clair Black

Versamark 

Weathered Wood Distress Oxide

Pumice Stone Distress Oxide

 

Accessories:
Brutus Monroe Alabaster Embossing Powder

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 December Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Friends of Unity December Blog Hop. This month the theme is our favorite things.  The card I made encompasses two of my favorite things... books and coffee. The only thing missing from this picture is my cat. Those three things equal a perfect lazy day in my opinion!

My cup could contain coffee, cocoa, or tea. There is something about a warm beverage, a good book and no plans for the day to equal pure bliss. I colored the spines of my books in a rainbow because I will read just about anything you put in front of me. From romance to mystery to nonfiction... I am not a finicky reader, but I don't like to caught without a book. Waiting never bothers me as long as I have something to read. 

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations... Comment to be entered into my giveaway. I will announce the winner on next month's FOU blog. The winner from my November giveaway is Cindy Knickerbocker. Please contact me to claim your prize.

We are celebrating THREE years hopping, so look for all the giveaways and make sure to comment to win!

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Alaine Tanner
Kim Klinkovsky

Joyce Verdon  

Bobbie Sue McConathy 

Amber Trubiak

Dawn Fields

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:

Chapter One (Unity Stamp Company)

Flourish Wonder (Unity)

Paper:

Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)
True Black (Papertrey)
Blueberry Sky (Papertrey)

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black

Blueberry Sky (Papertrey)

 

Accessories:
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform

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 backgrounds.  I love my big background stamps. I was so excited for this theme! Sometimes you will fall in love with the perfect patterned paper and then fear cutting it out because then it will be gone. With background stamps you can create that pretty paper over and over again.

There are so many fun techniques you can do with these stamps. I was inspired by a video by Echo to color these leaves and add a sentiment. I have extra cards cut out waiting to be colored. These came together so quickly and look beautiful. Thanks Echo!

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations... Comment to be entered into my giveaway. I will announce the winner on next month's FOU blog.

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Bobbie Sue McConathy

Kim Klinkovsky

Dawn Fields 

Joyce Verdon 

Robyn Jordan

Stamps:
Frondescence (Unity Stamp Company) 

Count Your Blessing KOM 8/20 (Unity Stamp Company)

 

Paper:
Cocoa Bean (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey)
Terracotta Tile (Papertrey)

 

Ink:
Memento Tuxedo Black

Vintage Photo Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

 

Accessories:
Copic Sketch Markers

Sizzix Big Shot

Rectangle Stitched Dies (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 birthday. These cards, along with sympathy cards are the few that I always have on hand. While I try to be better about sending them out early... each year I make it a goal to be better about remembering. 

When I first saw this stamp as a new release, I knew that I had to have it. My friends and I are getting to the age where we find delight in the wisdom that comes with age. No longer are we talking about someone else's ailments, we are talking about our own! Between me and my two closest girlfriends, all of our children have grown up, moved out, and now several are married with a plethora of grandchildren are between them.

With this card I followed a sketch that Crystal Minkler shared for inspiration. Sometimes when you are pressed for time you find your inspiration where you can and run with it. The paper used in this card were some freebies that I received in my recent Lawn Fawn orders. They were sitting on my desk waiting to be filed away and I decided to just run with it. 

Hop along with the other Friends of Unity and see their creations... Vanessa Osbourn is the winner of my giveaway from last month. Please reach out to me to claim your prize. 

Crystal O. Minkler

Eileen Mathys (you’re here)

Joyce Verdon 

Bobbie Sue McConathy 

Kim Klinkovsky

Dawn Fields
Robyn Jordan

Dawn Bryson

Alaine Tanner

Stamps:
Demand a Re-Count (Unity Stamp Company)

Paper:
Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink)
Stampers Select White (Papertrey)
Lawn Fawn Patterned Paper 

Ink:

Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Melon Mambo (Stampin Up)

 

Accessories:

Nesting Basics: Circle Die (Papertrey)
Banners Pick a Punch (Stampin Up)

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!!