The Friends of Unity Blog Hop~December 2023

Hi Friends! It’s December and time for another fun hop. The cue is Furry Friends and I am super excited to see all of the creations! I have two little dogs that bring me tons of joy! Now on to the cards….

Card #1 – “All Ears“

I love this basset hound image. It is such a realistic image, I just want to hug him. Who can resist his floppy ears and affectionate eyes?!

To create this card I chose a pattern paper of holly and adhered it to a kraft card base. Next I die cut the border die in burgundy. I stamped the hound in black on kraft and colored him with Prismacolor pencils. I stamped the speech bubble, cut it out, colored it and added Nuvo stone drops on the heart. These drops are gritty, matte and have a vintage feel. I stamped and cut the sentiment on patterned paper. I cut a creme square and blended ink over it to create a background for the sentiment.

I adhered all the pieces and tied a burgundy organza ribbon at the top.

He is so cute! This is a unique holiday card for a recipient that might be stressed and overwhelmed during this time of year.

Card #2 – “Darling Menagerie”

This panda bear was not the bear intended in the set. I found an embossed bamboo scrap and it lead me to this idea! I looked up Panda images and discovered I would not have to do tooo much to turn it into a specific species of bear!

To create this card I stamped the bear on white cardstock and using grey Copic markers I colored in the eyes, ears, arms and feet. I fussy cut it out. Next I adhered the bamboo panel onto a thin black border to make it stand out. Then I adhered it to a piece of patterned paper and then to a white cardbase.

I stamped the sentiment in Memento pear tart and then in random areas with VersaFine green oasis. This gives the sentiment a little character and movement. The panda is then placed at an angle in the lower left corner. A double bow of chartreuse burlap string and matching dot embellishments finish the card!

Card #3 – “Brand & Emma Good Morning” by Phyllis Harris for Unity

Nothing makes me more happy than a wet kiss from one of my puppies!

I stamped this heart-warming image on watercolor paper and filled it in with holiday colors from my Mozart watercolor set. Using a sentiment I received in my last order, I stamped it directly on the cardfront. Hearts from the set were next, I felt there was more empty space to cover so I adhered a peace die I had previously cut. Red jewels were added for balance and festive glow to finish the card!

Card #4 – “Peek-A-Boo Cats“

I am allergic to cats so I always call myself a dog person. Lately I have a new appreciation for the sweet feline qualities as I admire a beautiful calico cat that visits our backyard every day.

To create this card I die cut the front of an A2 heavy white cardbase with a fancy MFT die. I penciled in the square area on the inside and stamped the cat. Next I stamped the fun sentiment above the image making sure it fit inside the square. I colored the cat with a mix of copic markers in browns and tans.

I randomly stamped cat pawprints by Hero Arts on the front. I might have been covering up smudges on the card, but nobody needs to know this secret! A soft, green cushiony heart finishes the card.

Now on to the rest of the friends on the hop! I hope you find tons of inspiration and ideas to try on your up and coming card creations!

Crystal

Amber

Tammy

Colleen

Kim

Gaylynn

Dawn F.

Rachel (me)

Jane

Joyce

Have a wonderful December! May peace and calm fill your heart and home as the holiday season continues through the month.

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel