The Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~January 2023

Happy New Year! Hope you are looking ahead to a fresh start in 2023 and lots of good things coming your way. I know I am. And “Birthdays” is such a fitting theme for January. I love making birthday cards, though I have to say my cards often do not say “happy birthday” on them. Here’s a question — when making a birthday card, do you put the words “happy birthday” on the front? I am so curious to find out what you do.

Card #1 ~ Little Mouse with a Big Wish

On this card, I am combining a few leftover New Year’s fireworks with a birthday celebration. A blend of colored pencils for the mouse is a fun play of color.

Steps to create this card.
1. Stamp the mouse in black Versafine ink on a purple card front slightly smaller than an A2.
2. Color the mouse and balloon with Prismacolor pencils.
3. Run the Darice firework embossing folder through your embossing machine making sure the mouse and balloon are not embossed.
4. Cover the mouse with a scrap of paper and splatter watered-down white acrylic paint over the embossed fireworks.
5. Die cut the birthday die in lavender and white.
6. Using purple distress ink, blend ink unevenly on the white die cut.
7. Adhere the lavender die cut on the card front and then the blended die cut slightly askew over the lavender one.
8. Heat emboss “Best Wishes” on black card stock in gold. Trim and adhere.
9. Add 3D Crystal Lacquer to the balloon for a glossy finish.
10. Glue card front onto a black card base.

Supplies I used. Word dies and “A Little Mousy” by Unity Stamp Company

Card #2 ~ Birthday Wishes

Carefree and the wind blowing in her hair, is in my mind, a wonderful way to spend a birthday! It doesn’t need to be a fancy celebration but a day to relax, unwind and just be free.

Steps create this card.
1. Using an A2 card base, unfold and run the Darice “photo” embossing folder through the machine.
2. Stamp the image on white card stock with brown Memento ink.
3. Blend distress ink and oxide inks with a blender brush on the hair, sky and grass.
4. Using Copic markers, color the sash in green and the arms and legs in skin tone hues..
5. Stamp the sentiment with brown Memento ink.
6. Adhere a button that matches the sash color.
7. Tie burlap string on the fold of the card.
8. Die cut glasses and camera, lightly coloring with like colors and adhere to card.

Supplies I used. …”keep wishing” by Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Company

Card #3 ~ A Lifetime of Celebration

Birthdays are a lifetime celebration. Celebrating the days we were born and the years that follow. The highs and lows we face to get through each and every year. Life is short, but beautiful… I love this sentiment ” live. every. moment.”

Steps to create this card.
1. On watercolor paper slightly smaller than an A2 card front, stamp the front facing image to the right.
2. Stamp the profile on the left. I made sure the tiniest bit of the eyebrow showed to ground the image. Also, I like that the curve of the nose is fully visible as well.
3. Stamp the figure of the girl on the lower third of the card.
4. Using a limited color palette, loosely paint the images.
5. Stamp the sentiment on a scrap of watercolor paper.
6. Cut a second piece to frame the sentiment. Blend watered-down Fired Brick Distress ink unevenly on this piece to use as a border.
7. Glue the pieces together and adhere to card front.
8. Adhere card front to a pale pink card base.

A few close-up views with a limited palette. I love the dimension this card has with the overlapping images. Instead of masking, I contrasted dark and light paint to create depth.

Supplies I used. “Off in the distance – Large” and “Anastasia (believes)” by Donna Downey, and “….keep wishing by Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Company

Card #4 ~ Classic Birthday

A birthday card for someone who loves automobiles! My thoughts were to keep it loose… I envisioned spots of bright lights and shadowy darks to create movement and interest.

Steps to create this card.
1. Stamp the background image in Versafine Onyx Ink on white.
2. Die cut the card front with a Gina Marie stitched rectangular die.
3. Beginning with Mustard Seed Distress ink, blend ink over each car.
4. Blend blues mostly around the perimeter and spots of orange in random places.
5. With a paint brush, apply paint loosely around the edges and lines of the various images.
6. Stamp the sentiment on black card stock with Versamark ink, and heat emboss it with antique gold powder.
7. Punch a hole on the left side.
8. Tie a metal spiral embellishment with burlap string through the sentiment.
9. Adhere the sentiment with a foam square to keep it level with the left side.

Supplies I used and “Vroom” background stamp by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Company!

Let’s keep the celebrating going! Here is the list of all the friends sharing their creations. Please visit and comment on each blog for a chance to win a “thank you” prize! The winner will be announced on my February post.

Crystal

Amber

Bobbie Sue

Gaylynn

April

Dawn F.

Rachel (me)

Joyce

Colleen

Alaine

Kim

Thank you so much for taking the time to hop. There are so many inspiring ideas and crafty thoughts along the way! Birthday cards are so much fun to make and truly the sky is the limit. Almost any card can be used for a birthday, just stamp a happy birthday sentiment inside. It is also a blast to personalize birthday cards to fit the person’s interests and hobbies. Fun, fun, fun!

Please follow me on Instagram and TikTok @cardartbyrachel. I post video shorts showing how I make my cards and a few other fun things.

Happy New Year, can’t wait to see you in February!

Rachel

“When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life.” Eckart Tolle