The Friends of Unity Blog Hop! ~ April 2022

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Hi and a Spring-filled welcome to you! Pattern paper is the theme for April. I was excited to rummage through my collection and get inspired. I have to say, cardmaking with pattern paper creates a wonderful starting point. I pick out a pattern and then paint to match. Everything seems to fall into place!

Card #1 ~ A Sweet Hello

Pink lemonade just makes me happy! These are the steps I took to create this card. 1. I picked out two coordinating pieces of pattern paper and cut out with a Gina Marie designs die. 2. Next I stamped the image with Versafine ink on watercolor paper and painted it with distress inks. (see picture below for colors) 3. Then I stamped the image again on the top pattern paper. 4. I fussy-cut the watercolored image. I cut off the bow. (the bow on the pattern paper will show when glued onto the paper). 5. I stamped the tag on watercolor paper, painted the heart and popped it up. 6. To finish the card, I used an open dot background stamp on the green paper for bubbles.
I was so excited when I found an old background bubbles stamp to perfectly match the bubbles in the jar!
“Happiness Is Homemade” by Graciellie Design for Unity Stamp Company
Supplies I used
So many embellishments can be added to this card. Stickles, sequins, and even crystal lacquer over the jar are a few fun ideas.

Card #2 ~ A Brighter Day

This card is a little busy but I love the soft color! To create this card, the steps are as follows. 1. I die cut the rose paper with a scalloped edge die by Gina Marie Designs. 2. I stamped the image on heavy cardstock and colored her with Spun Sugar distress ink. I also watercolored her hair, skin and lips. 3. I fussy cut her out, then glued her to the pattern paper. 4. I stamped the sentiment and mounted it on black, leaving a fine border. 5. To finish the card, I tied pink organza ribbon with burlap twine in a sizeable bow.
This girl’s dress reminds me of the organza ribbon I used to embellish the card.
“Heart Full” by Unity Stamp Company
Supplies I used
This card might be a little busy with the pattern I picked out. To offset the business, I chose little color.

Card #3 ~ Dropping in

Another image that makes me smile! That’s pretty good the bunny only takes one arm to hold the umbrella and the other for flowers! Here is how I created this card. 1. First I chose pattern paper with lots variation. I cut a piece to cover the back leaving a fine border. 2. Then I cut 2 strips, one wider for a border and one slightly narrower. (I made sure there was contrast). 3. I die cut a fancy stitched circle out of paper I had previously blended Victorian Velvet distress oxide ink on. 4. I stamped the image and painted the bunny with matching colors. 5. Using a scrap of the paper, I stamped the sentiment and cut it out with tails on each side. 6. Finally, a brad beside the sentiment and Stickles on the flowers for sparkle.
Glitter glue on the flowers and a pewter brad on the sentiment.
“Fall Breeze Bright Leaves” by Lisa Glanz for Unity Stamp Company
Supplies I used
This card is a sweet Happy Easter card! It can also be used for many other occasions too.

Card #4 ~ Berry Nice

I don’t know why, but I love strawberries! I probably could have spent more time on crisper edges of this image but I am satisfied how it turned out! Here are the steps to create this card. 1. First I stamped the strawberries on watercolor paper with Sahara Sand ink by Stampin’ Up. *Make sure you can line the image back up in the Misti. 2. Next I colored the image using the no-line coloring technique. 3. Reposition the image in the Misti. Then I inked the leaves and berries with darker green and red mini ink pads directly on the stamp for fine detailing. 4. I die cut the strawberries with a fun circular shape. 5. I picked out a red plaid and fun floral paper for the background and border. 6. I glued the image on the paper. 7. I stamped the sentiments in red and cut them down to size adding brads on opposing sides. 8. I laid washi tape on cardstock and cut it out. I glued it to the top for grounding and contrast. 9. I tied olive and burlap twine with a metal swirl accent to finish the card.
Supplies I used
“The Berry Sweetest” by Joselyn Nielson for Unity Stamp Company
Two sentiments that came in the kit. I decided to use both of them! Brads make another appearance in an oil rubbed bronze look.
Distress the edges of the strawberries image to give a nice vintage look.

I hope you have enjoyed the hop so far. Please let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear which card is your favorite. Also I will randomly pick one person to win a thank you prize for commenting! Below are the friends to continue on the hop.

Crystal

Kim

Rachel (me)

Dawn B.

April

Alaine

Amber

Eileen

Bobbie Sue

Joyce

Robyn

Dawn F.

And now to announce the winner of the March hop ……….Kathy Hering!

Congratulations Kathy! Please message me your mailing address and I will send your prize. Thank you so much for your comment.

A last look of the four cards I made for the April hop.

Have a wonderful April with blue skies and sunshine. May you find lots of time to craft away with pattern paper. And don’t forget, if you don’t have pattern paper, you can always create your own with background stamps, watercolor paper and paint, or repeating stamped images.

Rachel

You can find me on Tiktok and Instagram @cardartbyrachel for short process videos of how I make my cards.

“Hope is not pretending that troubles don’t exist. It is the hope that they won’t last forever. That hurts will be healed and difficulties overcome. That we will be led out of the darkness and into the sunshine.”

Published by duongr

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21 thoughts on “The Friends of Unity Blog Hop! ~ April 2022”

  2. Wonderful cards yet again, Rachel!! The lemonade card is gorgeous!! I love the colors! The soft palette of your second card is so sweet and pretty! The last two cards are adorable… great combo of paper and stamps! Love them all!!

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  4. Backgrounds are beautiful, in fact I also have those roses paper and cannot tell you how many times I’ve pulled them out and nope toooooo busy., but wow I will be definately CASE this card it is beautiful, Gosh she looks perfect on there!

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  7. You sure make it hard to pick a favorite – I truly can not!! They are all just beautiful! Your coloring is so lovely.

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  8. These are all fabulous but my favorite is the summery lemonade card! I love the colors and never thought to make the drink anything but yellow!

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  11. Every one of your cards is so different, and all are gorgeous. I love how you used patterned paper in so many ways. My mouth is watering over that pink lemonade…yum!

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  12. I love the way you stamped and fussy cut the girl image, and layered it over the rose pattern. I’ve never seen anyone do that before, and it’s gorgeous! Loving that lemonade card too!

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  16. Gorgeous cards. I love them all, but that girl is my favorite. Just lovely. Great patterns, coloring, and details. Thanks for the inspiration!

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