
Hi crafty friends! It’s March and I hope you are all doing well. The theme for this month’s blog hop is a “Friends of Unity Sketch”. I love having a sketch to guide me especially on days when creativity is challenging. A sketch always seems to give cardmaking a jump start and my patterned paper stash becomes a perfect “go to”.
Create a card using this sketch, post it in the album on the Unity Show N Tell Facebook page, and two gift cards will be awarded from Unity Stamp Company at the end of March! Let me tell you, they have thousands of stamp images to choose from!
Card #1 – “Stunner”

What a fancy lady! I love her style and her glamorous way. I stamped her on watercolor paper with black Versafine ink. The paper had a visible texture which in turn, the image came out a bit dotted. I painted in the these areas creating a darker, less defined detail of the image. If you get this “stunner”, it stamps out in finer detail on smooth paper! I painted the lady with watercolor paints and die cut her out with a basic circle die. I adhered a Poppystamps circular, scalloped border with a heart pattern.

Following the sketch, I layered the card using a Gina Marie stitched scallop edge on a salmon floral paper. The second layer is sea green and the third layer, a dusty pink speckled paper. A fourth layer in lavender and then I mounted the cardfront on a pale pink cardbase. Whew, thats alot of paper! The candles and the sentiment pieces are by Poppystamps. I love the gold flames. Stickles glitter glue on the glasses and hat adds a little or a lot of sparkle!

Finally, a netted ribbon bow on the candles creates dimension and interest without too much distraction. Such a fun card to make!
Card #2 – “Functioning Chi Chi” by Lisa Arana for Unity

This little dog is the sweetest, I love the little pink tongue and the expressive face! I stamped the dog two times on watercolor paper. I die cut one small circle and another much larger. After coloring the small circle, I popped it up and matched the lines over the large one and adhered them together. I layered the cardfront with a Poppystamps border die cut out in three papers–floral pink frame, avocado green pattern paper for the inner piece and creme for the outer piece. The creme edge is usually discarded but I used it as my final “layer” adhering it all to a warm, pale grey cardbase.

I stamped the humorous sentiment on the same watercolor paper in black Versafine ink. I stamped the YIP! in Hero Arts cotton candy. Three brads in random places adorn the sentiment. I mounted this on a wider and shorter strip of dusty mauve. I popped it up and adhered it to the cardfront.

I love his eyes and talk about adorable! So cute and so much personality!
Card #3 – “Flock Talk”

These fluffies are some of the silliest birds I have ever seen. They make me happy and I love each bird with its individual characters. I stamped the image on a watercolor circle with black Versafine ink. I painted the bird using Prang watercolor paints. A Poppystamps scalloped edge in green and heart patterned paper borders the image. Following closely the sketch I added layers of paper. The top one, I stamped the birds on a blue and roughed up the edges. The second layer is a plaid pattern and the third, a small check pattern. I adhered these layers to a black cardfront.

Next I stamped a worm that comes in the set and fussy cut it out. After adhering it to the bird. I applied Hero Arts clear lacquer over the eyes and the worm. I love it!

Then I stamped the sentiment on watercolor paper to match the main image. Leaving space on both sides, clear heart embellishments complete the card.

Unity stamp sets I used for this hop. They keep coming out with irresistible images!

Please keep on hopping, below is the list of direct links to click on all the inspiration.
I hope you get a chance to try out this sketch. Not having to think about the design too much, I was able to use my patterned paper sitting in my craft room. Tip–Thin paper works best to eliminate weight and bulk. I think you will find it fun and freeing!
Have a wonderful March. Until next hop, craft on!
Rachel
Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel























































































