Hi Friends! It’s December and this blog hop is all about a Mood Board. How do you feel when you take a look at the above picture? I immediately felt a sense of the holiday season filled with a bright and fresh new spirit. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of this time is chaotic and busy and I forget the simple joy of crisp days, mornings with a cup of coffee, the thoughts of past memories and future days that will engage our lives into something positive and new. I am grateful.

Card #1 – Gretchen Girl by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Co.

A beautiful image taking a moment to look out the window and enjoy a hot drink is all goodness. I watercolored the image and fussy cut it out. (very easy as it is mostly straight lines!) I chose a paper that looked like wallpaper and mounted it all on a slimline kraft cardbase. The image determined the height. I mounted the sentiment sign I stamped from Farm Fresh Girl, another image by Angie Blom, on patterned paper and cut out a cute piece from an ephemera pack by Unity and glued it on to suggest a picture on the wall?!

Burlap string in 1 mm thickness and glitter laquer on the mug by Hero Arts finishes the card.

Card #2 – A Little Dash by Unity Stamp Co.

Dash was not able to be passed up when I laid my eyes on him! Too cute for words, even though I have a million reindeer images, I had to have him. Stamped on watercolor paper, I painted him using Prang watercolors. I mounted the image previously cut in a square-ish shape on a beautiful dark forest green cardstock which was on a white cardbase. I adhered a cushioned green heart embellishment and decided I wanted to add a little more to the background.

I found an image of trees by Stampin’ Up and stamped them in random places using Versamark ink. Versamark ink used by itself creates a watermark appearance. I felt it still needed more. I stamped the trees in Fresh Ink Paper White pigment ink.

Card #3 – Cottage Lane by Lisa Arana for Unity Stamp Co.

This image was gorgeous and breathtaking when I saw it. It reminded me of Whistler, BC from over 30 years ago. I have a weakness for sceneries as I collect Thomas Kinkade images and have always loved his paintings of light.

If you look closely I added Stickles glitter glue in a bright yellow on the lamppost. Frosted Lace Stickles are on as many of the snowy areas I could find. Dark red jewels adorn the closest tree. I chose this color over bright red as to not compete with the lamppost. I mounted the scene on forest green and then on a white cardbase.

Card #4 – A Whiff of Christmas Cheer by Unity Stamp Company

I have to say I don’t have a skunk stamp until I got this sweet one. It’s not that I don’t love them, I just haven’t come across too many. If I may take you down memory lane–my little town I grew up in often had the scent or “whiff” of skunk spray around the farming fields. It was one of those fun moments when we would cover our noses and make funny faces until it passed!

Stamped on watercolor paper I painted a green background and used Prismacolor watercolor pencils for the candy cane and holly. I mounted the image on white and roughed up the edges. i chose a burgundy red patterned paper adhering it to a white cardbase, adhering the image and a fitting sentiment cut into a strip that comes with the stamp kit. A matching burgundy wide net ribbon completes the card.

My cards on the hop!

Below are the links to friends on the hop. Please be sure to click on them as they have beautiful creations to see!

Crystal

Doreen

Joyce

Toni

Jenni

Rachel (me)

Dawn

Thank you so much for visiting!

Until the New Year, I wish for you this month, thoughtful moments of past memories with loved ones and warm ones for the upcoming days ahead.

Peace, love and light to all of you,

Rachel

Please follow me on instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi friends! November is here and Creating a Background is the theme for this month’s hop. There are so many ways to create a background with stamps and patterned papers but I decided to watercolor mine. Sometimes it is so relaxing to take a pad of watercolor paper and just make a whole bunch of backgrounds!

Card #1 – You Grow Girl, UU for Unity Stamp Company

Watercoloring a background is all about allowing water and color to intersect and freely run together naturally or manipulated with air or paintbrush. It is a practical technique because you can create a group of colors that you plan for your card design that may not be available in a patterned paper.

I inked up the plant portion of the images in green distress ink and the pots in brown distress ink. tip–I used the mini inks as it is much easier to control the area to ink up. Next I used a fine tipped paintbrush and Prang watercolors and began a no-line watercoloring technique. The idea is to paint over the lines with color as to erase any outline to make it appear more natural. I didn’t bother to follow coloring the leaves found in nature, I had fun using hues of green that I felt like using! I mounted the cardfront onto a kraft cardbase.

This card is simple in design yet full of dimension. I resisted the urge to add a burlap twine bow on the top. Even a sentiment strip, I saved it for the inside. Do you ever make cards without a sentiment on the front?

Card #2 – Write A New Story, Whit Kit for Unity Stamp Company

First of all, I giggled with the sentiment because the contrast of a pretty background paired with such a direct message is super funny to me! Is it just me or do you feel the same?!

I stamped the image on watercolor paper and I had fun choosing what color each book should be. While coloring the books, I enjoyed thinking about reading and libraries and listening to books online. Turning pages and collecting physical books, especially ones with pictures, are still appealing to me. I am enjoying listening to audio books these days but my collection of art books is treasured.

I die cut the image using a Poppystamps Scallop PInpoint Hearts die. I painted a teal edge on it. I die cut a smaller heart on white and in the leftover background (to create the edge) and stamped the sentiment. I tied a pale blue bow vertically over the large heart, adhered the smaller one, roughed up the background edges and adhered it to a white cardbase. Pearl embellishments complete the card!

Card #3 – Love Brings You Home by Erin Schreiner for Unity Stamp Company

This watercolored background screamed water to me. World peace is a constant hope housed in my heart so I immediately thought about this beautiful image. I stamped it on the watercolor paper and went over it with black paint as the paper texture needed more color to fill in the image. I mounted the image on silver mirrored cardstock and then on a black cardbase.

Stickles glitter glue on the heart finishes the card. Upon looking at my pictures, the marks at the top of the card show up as black ink smudges but is actually silver!

Once again I opted to leave off a sentiment. It must have been my mood this hop! Watercolor backgrounds give so much depth and visual interest, I want to get lost in that instead of a preconceived thought. A beautiful quote by Robin Williams comes with the image–No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. Embossed in silver, the sentiment is perfect inside!

Thank you for hopping, following are my friends who have created amazing backgrounds. Just click on their names and it will take you to their blogs.

Crystal

Doreen

Amber

Dawn

Toni

Rachel (me)

Jenni

Joyce

Have a fulfilling and generous November. As the busy time of year approaches, take some time to create beautiful watercolor backgrounds and get lost in the joy of creating!

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi friends! Today I am sharing a Christmas card from the latest Poppystamps holiday release, the Nordic Sweet Angel die. I can’t say enough about how much I love this darling angel.

I used gorgeous glitter, metallic and pearl papers from the specialty 6 x 6 paper packs.

I diecut the angel’s face and hair out of watercolor paper and painted in the skin tone, hair and pink cheeks!

The background is Lavender Bloom paper from the Poppystamps 8.5 x 11 color cardstock. I used the largest frame from the Scalloped Pinpoint Frames. Five frames come in this die set.

I popped up the skirt and halo with dimensionals to level out the height of the wings.

I adhered the pieces together on a white cardbase. The finishing touch is the gold foiled greeting tab with a fairy jewel on top!

One more look at the beautiful effects of the specialty papers in the light.

Have a wonderful day, please check out the Poppystamps release @poppystamps.com. It is filled with so many amazing dies, I can’t say enough!

Happy World Card Making Day! It’s October and welcome to The Friends of Unity Blog Hop! The theme for this month is a Color Challenge.

We have a special giveaway – play along with our color challenge and add your card to the album over on the Unity Show & Tell FB page. Amber has a special giveaway happening for entries and all of the details are over on her Blog (it is the last stop on our Hop) Good luck!

Card #1 – Positive Currents by Unity Stamp Company

Koi fish are so beautiful! Many years ago my dad’s aunt and uncle owned a koi farm. I remember visiting them and feeding the fish, throwing pellets into the large ponds! The koi came in so many colors and the gold ones were the most sought after.

To create this card I stamped the images on watercolor paper in Versafine ink and painted red orange (Prang watercolors) and metallic gold (acrylic) spots on them. Next I watercolored brown over and over the background. I added the darkest brown right up against the white on the fish to build contrast. Then I stamped the sentiment and spattered gold acrylic paint over the surface. I mounted the images on rich brown cardstock before adhering to a kraft cardbase. Two jewels at the bottom right corner, finish the card! Tip–I went over the eyes with a fine point black Sharpie to enhance the eyes!

A close-up of the beautiful effect metallic gold paint gives off as the sun shines directly on it!

Card #2 – Winnie the Pooh: No Fun Without You by Unity Stamp Company

Tigger is pure happy with abounding energy! I wish I had that much spring in my step! I kept this card very simple because Classic Pooh is so beautiful without alot of fluff! I hope the background isn’t too much!

To create this card I loosely blended all the colors from the challenge on a sheet of watercolor paper. I stamped Tigger with Versafine ink and added a wash of orange. I went back over the stripes with black paint. Next I diecut the paper with a fine dotted edge using the Poppystamps Scalloped Pinpoint Frames die. Then I adhered it to a kraft cardbase. Finally I stamped the sentiment and that’s it!

The sentiment is perfect to send to someone who is getting back up on their feet and needs a little love and encouragement.

Card #3 – Scaredy Cats by Unity Stamp Company

These felines just crack me up! I love their expressions and just thought of making a silly, all over the place card. I am not sure how I feel about this card but sometimes it’s fun to just throw a curve ball. (Go Mariners!)

To create this card I first stamped the hilarious cats on various brown cardstocks and fussy-cut them out. I painted the one peeking out with watercolors. Next I die cut a scalloped border by Gina Marie Designs with red cardstock and adhered it to a kraft cardbase. I glued a cool red patterned paper over the top to be the background. I overlapped the cats and made sure they ran over the edges. I popped up the middle cat, he is my favorite. What a cutie! I stamped the sentiment on a piece of kraft and roughed up the edges. A thin strip of worn metallic brown paper and gold orange jewels completes this card!

Maybe this card explains a chaotic world that somehow comes together with hugs and humor!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Below is a list of the friends on the hop. There are amazing cards with tons of inspiring ideas and creativity to see. Don’t forget to comment and check out the giveaway at Amber’s link, the last stop on the hop.

Crystal

Toni

Dawn

Jenni

Doreen

Jane

Rachel (me)

Kari

Amber

Have a wonderful October! As the leaves display their brilliant color, may they inspire and stir up all kinds of creativity just waiting to emerge!

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi friends! It’s September and The Friends of Unity Blog Hop this month is all about creating “Anything But a Card”. Isn’t it always a great idea to make use of our stamps in more ways than one?! I love it!

Project #1 ~ Gift Tag, Rescue Tales Chip stamp set by Unity

My first project is a gift tag with the most adorable puppy named Chip. He melts my heart everytime I look at him. I stamped Chip on a rectangular piece of kraft cardstock. I colored him in with Prismacolor watercolor pencils in brown, yellow and orange tones. Yellow brings out the front of his muzzle and gives him a dimensional quality!

I grabbed a scrap of watercolored paper and adhered it above Chip. I added the foiled Poppystamps sentiment over the strip. Denim is always a good thing so I added it below the sentiment for interest and texture. Black stitched grosgain ribbon in a knot looks sweet on Chip’s collar. Red pencil on the heart and then Stickles over the top for a little sparkle! (Background is vegetables from our garden!)

I punched a hole at the top and added two diecuts of hole reinforcements for a finished look. Burlap twine threaded through the hole and tied at the top is emellished with a bow of string tied just over the hole and a strip of denim wrapped around it.

Project #2 ~ Snail Coaster, Snailed It stamp set by Lisa Glanz for Unity

A common inhabitant of my garden are these snails! Their silly eyes are too much fun and how convenient to have a house built in!

I stamped the images on a 4 x 4 travertine tile with StazOn permanent ink. I painted them with Hero Arts ink in shades of green and brown.

A thin coat of varnish and adhesive cork protectors finish the coaster.

Project #3 ~ Memorydex file by Heidi Swapp, Margaret Girl stamp set by Angie Blom for Unity

A Memorydex is a unique storage item for unlimited ideas to organize recipes, birthday dates, address and phone numbers… Each file fits on a unit that can be looked through by turning the side handles. It is similar to a Rolodex.

I die cut the file from white cardstock and stamped the image in Versafine black ink. I watercolored the hair and skin with watercolor paints. Next I stamped the image on patterned paper and fussy cut the dress out and glued it onto the image. I also used the same paper piecing technique for the balloons. I die cut the sentiment and glued it onto the file overlapping the dress.

Mirrored dots adorn the empty space and burlap twine tied up at the top adds dimension and interest. Finally I put it into the Memorydex for future use. How fun it wuld be to trade Memorydex cards!

Below is a list of the friends sharing projects on the hop. Just click on the names and it will transport you to their blog!

Crystal

Doreen

Jenni

Amber

Toni

Joyce

Kari

Rachel (me)

Dawn

Thanks so much for stopping by! If you get a chance to create something in the “Anything But A Card” theme, please share on the Unity Show ‘n Tell Facebook page. I look forward to seeing you next month. Until then, have a wonderful September full of creative adventures!

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardsrtbyrachel

Hi crafty friends, it’s August and our Friends of Unity Blog Hop is here! The theme is “Technique”, so I made my cards with a technique in mind. I hope the cards might spark a little inspiration and maybe something you will try if you haven’t done so already!

Card #1 ~ Distressed and monochromatic- Gingko Greetings by Sandhya Iyer for Unity Stamp Company

My first card is a beautiful set of Gingko leaves. My neighbor has a Gingko tree in her backyard and I love the fan-shaped leaves. I began with a sheet of watercolor paper. I stamped the images in Versafine black ink. I loosely painted the leaves and the background in green and teal using Prang watercolors. A lot of water haelped make the color move around the cardfront. I stamped a sentiment from another set I used for this hop on a strip of the same paper. I love the font, so delicate and incursive.

I roughed up the card edges and added washi tape at small angles. Then I glued the cardfront onto a forest background and then onto a light blue cardbase.

Card #2 ~ Patterned paper and watercolor – I Really Love You – Unity Stamp Company

This tree is so beautiful. The hearts make this a heart tree! The fine lines are so fun. For this card I focused on pattern paper. I picked it out and glued it to a pastel blue A2 card. Next I stamped the image on watercolor paper. I added black-brown to the bark. I loosely painted the image tree with like colors to go with the paper. I cut the cardfront down and framed it in eggplant and then framed it again in lavender. I glued it to the card.

I painted the hearts pink and after it dried I added Stckler glitter glue. I stamped the sentiment in Versafine black ink. I glued it down in the lower, part of the card. I stamped the image. Finally I added mirrored embe;llishments around the ears.

Card #3 – Mash-Up – Fan Club Pissy Kitty – Unity Stamp Company

What is a mash-up technique?! I might have made it up but I call a mash-up technique on a card when 3 stamps or die sets are mashed together and used for making cards. This kitty is too funny and I just had to use him. I stamped the image and “stay cool” sentiment on watercolor paper in black Versafine ink. I lightly watercolored a bit of orange on the face and paws. I die cut the bottles from a Tim Holtz die set. I stamped the Chemistry and all sentiments using a My Favorite Things set. I glued the flasks together and tied a baker’s twine around one. I diecut the cardfront with a Gina Marie Designs border die. I lightly blended a teal oxide ink on the lower part of the card. Finally I arranged the card pieces to my liking and glued them down on a kraft cardbase.

A group of friends asked me to make a card for a chemistry engineering student going off to school. He also loves cats. I also think he is pretty cool. So–I hope this card makes sense! This face is too hilarious.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Following is the list of friends on the blog hop. Just click on each person’s name and it will take you to their blog.

Crystal

Jenni

Toni

Rachel (me)

Dawn

Joyce

Enjoy the rest of your day and please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you find a few techniques to try this month.

See you in September!

Rachel

Please follow mew on Instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi crafty friends! Welcome to our blog hop. July’s theme is Mixed Media/Grunge–an art using layering, textures, found objects and distressed effects where imperfections are welcomed. In my mind it means that anything goes! How refreshing and freeing! I found myself asking if this matches or looks good and my answer was that it doesn’t matter so just go for it.

Card #1 ~ Squeeze the Sweetness from Unity Stamp Company, The Kit of the Month – June

This girl is looking out and contemplating her next adventure. I created this card with a lime paper. I placed a stencil over the right side and spread Tim Holtz Distressed Texture Paste over the words. I stamped the figure going off the page in black Versafine ink. Next I masked her off and brushed watercolor over the stamp and pressed on the left siding going all the way down. Then I used a heart die from Poppystamps and painted the outline with many hues ending up with a deep purple, I watercolored inside the heart with rich teals and greens.

I paper pieced the hat and dress, adding more paint to each. I love how the hat goes off the edge. Hero Arts glitter gue adorns the ribbons. on the image. I punched 2 holes in the lower left portion of the cardfront and found a wire ribbon in shiny crimson and gold metallic threads. I wanted a few of my family members about their opinion on the bow and they both said it doesn’t go with the card and I should remove it. I don’t know why but I loved it and kept it anyway! Continuing on, I roughed up the edges with a scissor.

I stapled the top right for a grungy element. I adhered the cardfront to a purple wash on a pink paper, tore the edge and adhered it to a white A2 cardbase. I stamped the sentiment on white, cut it at an angle, affixed a photo corner protector and a black brad over a folded edge and glued it down. Finally a sequin and a pearl and glitter on the drink….phew! Card complete!

Card #2~Thank You Kindly by Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Company

I love this card. It is so sweet and the bear, even though he is quite large, looks very friendly. I stamped the card in brown ink on yellow paper and heat embossed with clear powder. I watercolored the scene and included metallic paint on th leaves. A painted die cut frame– I adhered to the card.

Next I glued the image to a black cardbase. I found gold foiled black paper and framed the image.

Beautiful sequins adorn the tree. I embossed the sentiment in silver on black and then placed it partially over a strip of purple/brown/bronze paper and adhered it to the card. I added Magenta Stickles glitter glue is on the dress and flowers.

Finally I bent a copper wire and tied various pieces of ribbon around it!

Thanks so much for hopping! Below is the list of the friends sharing cards on the hop.

Crystal

Jenni

Toni

Rachel (me)

Doreen

Joyce

Thanks for hopping! Have a great July!

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel