The cue this month is birds and bees. Just perfect as we transition from cooler weather to bright shiny days ahead. I loved the first morning I woke up and heard the birds chirping, for I knew Spring had sprung!
Here is my first card
I love this birdie with glasses and such a cute expression on it’s face. I colored the image with Copic markers using a dot style technique. I used a very pale greenish-blue over the glasses and added 3D Crystal Lacquer to give it that extra finish. The background is a Tim Holtz stencil. Stencils contribute so much to a card with empty space. I added washi tape and burlap twine. The washi tape I centered over the top of the card so it can be seen from the back. I repeated the washi tape at the bottom with a heart button for balance. I used my favorite sequins for more interest and a few fine paint splatters. A short sweet sentiment stamped with oxide ink to complete the card.
I wanted to create a pale, soft celebration card with a hint of joy and elation. I stamped the image and splattered paint in the blue and brown tones. The same colors I used for the eggs and nest. I heat embossed Ranger’s gold powder and added blue Stickles to the eggs. I heat embossed the sentiment with clear powder over the dark brown Memento and Versamark ink. I added Scrapper’s floss and a scalloped border by Gina Marie. The most time-consuming part of this card was taking the picture. It was a bit difficult to capture the embossed gold specks!
This kit is intriguing to me. I feel the owl is staring right into my soul and the sentiment is equally moving. To create this card, I ink blended three distress oxide inks. Next I spritzed the ink with water and dried it using a heat gun. Then I die cut the paper and stamped the owl. I stamped the sentiment using three inks. I chose colors that would stand out against the blended background. Finally I stamped the flower on a separate paper, fussy cut it out, and loaded it up with Stickles and a bead in the center.
I love this kit because every stamp is used and I can move the chicks around to create many scenes. I stayed with one palette of yellow, using hints of orange and red. Do you see a speck of green on the leaves?! The first step was to ink up a grid stamp with two yellow distress inks. I spritzed the stamp with water and then pressed the paper on the stamp. Next I stamped the chicks and loosely painted them. I was happy to have white spots on the lower birds to create light effects. Then I die cut the scene with a Gina Marie die. Finally I stamped the long stem flower around the border of the card base. I added the sentiment with a black thin border and orange Scrapper’s floss to finish the card. A dot of Stickles on the flower center is barely visible.
Here are the Friends of Unity Blog Hoppers. Please click on the next person and enjoy the many wonderful cards to see!
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. Please stop by each person listed above. Lots of wonderful inspirations, ideas and techniques to try out. Let me know if you have any questions. I love talking about stamping and cardmaking any and all the time. Don’t forget to comment to be entered to win a prize. One person will be randomly chosen and announced at the next Friends of Unity blog hop.
The winner of last month’s hop is….Amy Williams!!!
Congratulations Amy! Please message me with your mailing address and I will send your prize!
Until May, thanks again I appreciate you. Stay safe and healthy. Enjoy all the beginnings of what Spring has to offer!
Rachel Duong
Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel – I post often and if you tap on my profile picture I have coordinating videos on my story
I am also on TikTok @cardartbyrachel – I have coordinating videos showing how I created some of these cards!
“Keep shining beautiful one, the world needs your light.” author unknown
I am ending my week with a stamp kit by Phyllis Harris “…happy mind happy life.” This girl is pure joy! I love how her hair is blowing in her face, the effortless smile and her bare feet.
I began by stamping the image with Memento black ink and colored her with Copic markers. Next I loosely masked the image and stenciled the sunshine with a Tim Holtz stencil called “Rays”. Then I used Stickles to add sparkle to the cloud. Stickles are my favorite embellishment. They are tiny bits of glitter glue that last forever and can be applied in small amounts. Stickles enhance a card when it needs a little umph!
Sunny paper with a die cut edge complements the image. The sentiment is roughly shaded and bordered with dark teal. Finally I added holographic sequins loosely around the card to add impact and shine.
Here are some of the supplies I used.
I adore this stamp kit by Phyllis Harris ” …happy mind happy life”. It is packed full of positive energy, peace, joy and all that is good.
I chose Memento Rose Bud ink to stamp everything on this card. I use black and brown ink 99% of the time, so I challenged myself to try another color.
I used one embellishment, the blue floss bow. It is self restraint when I use just one embellishment. And it’s not even sparkly or shiny! I added a few specks to the sentiment, it looked a little too bright for the rest of the card. 
Here are the supplies I used. They look a little lonely. I added paper scraps for company.
“Barn Wall” by Brutus Monroe is timeless and I love the contrast of the dark and light boards.
“Warmth of Home” by Beth Duff. Notice the pillows have a deer and a tree on them! I paper pieced over the images for my card today but will definitely use them when I make a cabin themed card or Christmas card. Also the stamp I used for the rug makes a great wall hanging over the sofa.
I am using a stamp called “Windows to the Soul” by Donna Downey Studios to create this card. It is a single stamp of a face and comes in two sizes, this is the large one. She/he is absolutely mesmerizing. Take a minute to hear all that is going on in her/his soul.
I began by using Tim Holtz Distress Inks to create a watercolor background.
Here are some of the supplies I used.
And the stamp…It is so amazing. There are limitless possibilities for this image. I hope you love it as much as I do.
This kit is “Impossible to Forget” by Angie Blom and Joselyn Nielson. For some reason I am drawn to the back view of people images. Maybe it’s because I get to imagine who these people are when they turn to face me. As I look at this trio, I see three lifelong girlfriends together on a summer day enjoying each others company in the country.
I watercolored the girls with Tim Holtz distress inks. I love watercolor painting because it is not precise. I am learning that leaving empty spaces at the top of images can give it an interesting light source. I used Spellbinders Frameabilities Classic Frame with metallic bronze paper.
I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Black Onyx ink. I used a curve punch to round the edges to mimic the curved edges on the frame. The embroidery thread is a favorite because it has just the right amount of shimmer.
I think these pieces have a bit of a vintage country feel.
I love this kit because it reminds me of my friends from home. I come from a tiny country town with one stoplight. I wouldn’t have chosen anywhere else to grow up.
The sentiment is framed with Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 2. The paper is a water colored scrap and the ink is Versafine Black Onyx. I almost forgot the silver dot, it is a Nuvo drop.
I love this kit. It has three wonderful sentiments as well as this incredible girl. I love images that express action or an emotion that doesn’t need to be spoken or explained.
