The Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~ May 2023

What inspires you? Welcome to our May blog hop! The cue is to create a card about something that inspires….There are so many things that fall into this category, I can’t possibly think of them all right here…. so I chose a few.

Card #1- All the Flowers

Inspired by what was once believed folklore is the Himalayan Blue Poppy. Somewhere in Tibet and Nepal these can be seen in their true habitat. Years ago, I was on a walk in my neighborhood and saw this brilliant blue flower that took my breath away. I stopped and asked where this variety came from. It was specially ordered. Only ten percent of plants have blue flowers.

I probably have mentioned many times how much I love all shades of blue. This color naturally occurring in nature paired with gardening, takes me over the top with joy and happiness! Of course cardmaking is right up there too. This beautiful image was created by Angie Blom for Unity.

If you get a chance to see a photo of this flower, the middle is a bit brighter yellow and the petals probably a shade different than my painting. I think mixing white with blue might make it a little closer to the true blue color. I added dark shades of paint for depth. A watered down version for the background. Bright green as in nature for the stems. All the colors came from a mix of Prismacolor watercolor pencils, Tim Holtz distress and oxide inks and Mozart Komorebi paints. The gold hot foil sentiment and die are by Poppystamps.

Card #2 – A Summer Breeze

Summer is my favorite time of year and a warm breeze makes it that much better. This image by Phyllis Harris is extra special to me as it was how I first discovered Unity Stamp Company. It caught my eye on Pinterest and the rest is history. I am so inspired by this image of carefree days, warm summer breezes and an image that takes me to a good place.

Creating pure sunshine on this card, I went heavy on the yellow! Fun is painting a colorful pattern on the dress. And it is also a perfect shape for paper piecing. A mix of distress and oxide inks is what I used to color it. A die cut with a fancy stitched edge adhered to a pink card base finishes the card.

I love this sentiment. It reminds me that all our potential lies within us, we just need to discover, recognize and allow it to be welcome and present!

Card #3 – In the Midst of Chaos

I am inspired by this beautiful image by Angie Blom and the sentiment is most powerful. It reminds me that…Life is not always how we envision it to be. I grew up and found there are lots of ups and downs–working through bumps and hurdles along the journey. Making the best of every situation, finding something positive, and hoping to come out a better, stronger person with a new understanding–maybe like this angel. The sentiment reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes. “In the midst of winter, I have found in me an invincible summer.” by Albert Camus.

I colored the angel with Prismacolor watercolor pencils. I added Stickles glitter glue on the wings. The background is a mix of Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol on vellum. Amber, in the hop, introduced me to this technique!

So the background could represent chaos, but also looks beautiful and ever-changing to me. I see potential, adventure and many paths in which to lead or follow. I hope it looks dramatic to you and evokes emotion. I could have added embellishments but was very satisfied with the card as is.

These are the stamps I used for the hop! They are all available at http://www.unitystampco.com. There are thousands of images to choose from.

Please continue on the hop with the next creative friend on the list below. Comment at each stop for a chance to win a “thank you” gift. The winner will be randomly chosen and announced here at the June Blog Hop. And now for the winner of the May Blog Hop is …..Sharon Cherry! Congratulations Sharon, please message me your mailing address!

Crystal

Bobbie Sue

Gaylynn

Jane

Alaine

Tammy

Colleen

Rachel (me)

Kim

Joyce

Amber

Gardens, summer and beautiful quotes continue to uplift and inspire me. I hope you felt a little of what I am trying to convey. Thank you for hopping with me and I can’t wait to see you next month. Until then, take care and be inspired by everything in some kind of way!

Stay safe, creative, and curious ~

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram and TikTok @cardartbyrachel for more cards and short videos!