Hi crafty friends! It’s November, I can’t believe another month has gone by and now, here we are, the last two months of 2024! The theme for November’s hop is “Gratitude”. There are so many things I am grateful for. I decided to make cards from a few Unity Kit of the Month membership sets that are in the fall season.

Card #1 ~ Warm Hug

I used a style called no-line watercoloring for my first card. I stamped the image in a light brown ink on watercolor paper. I painted the subjects using watercolor paints and distress inks. The idea is to create the lines by using the color of the object and applying dark shades to the edges of the color used. The lines that were stamped disappear and the new lines are defined by the paint.

Next I die cut the image out with a square wonky stitched die. I mounted it on a white square a little larger and adhered it down to a white A2 card base. I stamped the thankful sentiment on white and then cut it out and adhered it to the pumpkin with a dimensional. Finally I stamped the sentiment in dark brown.

Card #2 ~ Thankful Things

I love this stamp! I had my eye on it for a long time and was more than excited when I was able to own it! I love the three fonts grouped together and also the list of everything I love about fall.

I created this card embossing the stamped phrases on watercolor paper and then heat embossed it in clear. Next I watercolored the background with distress ink. Then I mounted it on a creme cardstock slightly larger than the image. I roughed up the edges.

I mounted this on an orange cardstock for added detail. On a green cardbase, I watercolored a darker greenish teal to give the base texture. I adhered the sentiment to the cardbase. Finally I chose two orange gems and placed them in the lower right corner.

Card #3 ~ Serenity and Blessed

This swing is so simple yet gorgeous and I can just imagine swinging every morning with a cup of coffee to start my day. I stamped the image on watercolor paper. I painted the image, it took only a few minutes as there is very little area to fill in.

I die cut the card front with a Gina Marie border die. It reminds me of an eyelet dress my mom made for me. Next I adhered it to a thin, orange cardstock and then slate blue cardstock with a wider edge. I glued this down on kraft and then onto a cardbase.

Finally I added a sentiment with the same blue border (as in the larger border) with a dimensional adhesive.

Thanks so much for hopping. Below are the links to our creative friends on the hop.

Crystal

Kari

Toni

Jane

Dawn F.

Jenni

Rachel (me)

Joyce

Have a great time raking leaves and drinking the pumpkin lattes! Be sure to save some time for crafting and fun!

Love,

Rachel

Please follow me on instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi crafty friends! It’s October, the leaves are turning their beautiful colors, another Unity Blog Hop is here. The theme is “CASEd It!” In the cardmaking world, CASE stands for “Copy and Share Everything”. Find a card that you love, grab your supplies and recreate it! A CASED card is perfect when time is limited or if a creative block is preventing ideas from flowing. CASE-ing a card takes the design step out of the equation and then the fun can ignite.

Card #1 – Gnome card CASED and inspired from Gaylynn Martling, “So Mushroom” and “Gnome-one like you” stamp sets by Sandhya Iyer for Unity, “Snailed It” by Lisa Glanz.

I began with an A2 cardfront. I die cut a border by Gina Marie. Next I used a Poppystamps heart die to create a stencil. I placed the negative space over the cardfront and stamped the images. I used Versafine black ink for the gnome, snail and dragonfly. I used grey for the mushrooms. Then I ink blended salty ocean distress ink around the straight edge of the heart and yellow in the center. I removed the scalloped border and ink blended wilted violet in the space.

I colored the images with Prismacolor watercolor pencils. A brush with water blends the color. Finally I stamped the sentiment on a white strip of cardstock. I glued it at the bottom left corner slightly overlapping the heart.

I love these garden images!

Card #2 – CASED from and Inspired by Bobbie Sue McConathy, Stamped image is “Clara Girl” by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Co.

I chose this image as the return to school is underwway. I stamped the girl off the edge of an A2 cardbase with Versafine black ink. I colored the image using Prismacolor watercolor pencils. I can’t say enough about these pencils, they are fun to work with, they are bright and full of color and they blend so smoothly with water. Next I stamped the sentiment and the heart above it. Finally a strip of washi tape adorns the right edge of the card.

I love the simple design of this card. Stamping the image off the edge gives the card so much interest and character. And I angled the image for even more fun!

Almost any image can be used to create this card. So many possibilities…

Card #3 – Inspired by and CASED from Tenia Nelson. The stamp set used is “You Otter Be” by Tierra Jackson for Unity Stamp Co.

This adorable otter doesn’t need much of an introduction. He really is too cute and just takes a minute to color. To create this card I stamped him on white watercolor paper. I colored the otter with Prismacolor watercolor pencils. I fussy-cut him out. Next I found two left-over pieces of background splotches and tore the edges. Then I cut a rectangular shape, smaller than the cardbase. I glued and stapled the scraps on the card. I placed the staples in x’s as they act as embellishments as well as functional way to attach the pieces to the cardfront.

I adhered the otter overlapping the paper. Finally I stamped the sentiment on a white strip of cardstock. I glued it on the lower left corner, slightly overlapping the heart.

i love you!

Thanks so much for hopping! Below is the list of friends on the hop with amazing CASED creations. Please follow along to the next person.

Crystal

Amber

Kari

Jenni

April

Colleen

Jane

Rachel (me)

Joyce

Have a wonderful day! I hope you find some time to CASE a card, you will love it! Thanks to Gaylynn, Bobbie Sue and Tenia for their beautiful designs I CASEd.

Rachel

Please follow me on instagram @cardartbyrachel

Good morning crafty friends! September is underway and it’s time for another hop with a color challenge. This bold, rich, warm palette was so inviting that immediately coffee came to mind…which leads me to the “Coffee is Not Enough” stamp set that Unity Stamp Company recently released and I fell instantly head over heels for this image.

Caffeinate Not Procrastinate!

As you can probable see, I created this card using the darker colors as my background and worked in the lighter hues for highlights. It was so much fun working with a set amount of colors and not spending any time deciding what colors to use!

I began this card by stamping the image using Versafine ink in black on watercolor paper. I kept a picture of the challenge color palette beside my set of paint to restrict myself from getting off track and dipping in teals and greens! I used MozArt Komorebi watercolor paints pictured later in this post. Burnt Umber combined with black is the first color to outline the image to suggest an early morning just before sunrise, kind of like right now writing this entry. Lots of water and dabbing with a paper towel is continuous to achieve the background style.

As I worked my way out, I added brown, burnt sienna and red ochre. i left the area above the coffee cup for yellow ochre, gambage(orange) and brilliant yellow. This created a hint of light suggesting the many superpowers that coffee can posess!

I painted the girl and kept the color bright to contrast the moody background. The kitty has touches of gambage and and yellow. The kitty’s expression is priceless and keeping it in light colors helps it little size stand out.

After the paper dried, I die cut the cardfront using the Gina Marie stitched border. I adhered it to a black frame and roughed up the edges with a scissors edge. Hard to see, but the black border has specks of metallic copper on it. Then I adhered the cardfront to an A2 kraft cardbase.

These are the supplies I used. The black fine point Copic marker was used to go carefully over the eyes to make them more intense. tip–leave the tiny white speck in the eye if possible. It is the lightsource and gives the eye a realistic focal point.

Finally, I heat embossed the sentiment in Ranger’s gold embossing powder on black, adhered to copper metallic cardstock. I added Stickles copper glitter on the sentiment strip and around the image. By the way, I love “unleash the joy”, it is a perfect way to say we all have joy, we must give ourselves the power to allow it in our lives, we have to unleash it!

I hope this card makes you smile and unleashes the joy as I only have one card to share. With so many fun things going on before the hop I let procrastination get the best of me. I need a stamp that reads “Caffeinate not procrastinate” or Caffeination not procrastination”!

As I finish this post, I am drinking my coffee and then going back to sleep as the light of day is still upon me. I hope this card finds you well and your day is full of many wonderful outcomes. Until next month, as the leaves begin to turn and fall, stay warm, cozy, crafty and caffinated!

Rachel

Please follow me on instagram @cardartbyrachel

Please continue the hop with the amazing and talented Unity friends!

Crystal

Kari B.

Tammy

Joyce

Jane

Jenni

Dawn F.

Rachel(me)

P.S. Don’t forget to try this out!

Hi Crafty Friends! It’s August and we are sharing cards with the theme of “Friendship”. Choosing which stamps to use was challenging as Unity has limitless stamps fitting into this category. I can’t wait to show you my cards, so here we go …

Card #1~Cherished Friends by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Company

This image is so beautiful. I didn’t realize until just now how much it reminds me of the artist Gustav Klimt. He used gold flakes with oilpaint directlly on the canvas. I think that must have been why I felt it wasn’t complete until I added metallic paint! If you get the chance, look up “The Kiss”. Have you seen his paintings?

I began by stamping the image with black Versafine ink on watercolor paper. As most often, I didn’t have a plan for color or card design. I decided to try a set of Prang watercolors my daughter brought out the other day still laying on the table. I love the vibrant color.

I painted the background and then colors started to pop into my head. I decided to use fun colors for the hair giving it a mystical feel. One of the things I love about watercoloring is that even after paint is applied, highlights can be added by simply applying water to the area and then dabbing it with a paper towel. Much of the paint is substantially erased. I used this technique alot on this image.

As I already said previously, I felt it needed something more. I added metallic copper paint to the flowers and the top edge of the blanket. When the light hits the paint, it is gorgeous.

I also painted copper along the entire border. Then I splattered more paint metallic white and copper over the entire area excluding the faces. I framed the panel with a thin purple border and mounted it on a black cardbase. The speckles on the cardbase happened when I left it laying close to my carefree splattering. It looked great just like that!

Finally I sprinkled a mix of Ranger silver and gold embossing powder on the stamped Versafine sentiment, heated it, and wow, I love this effect!

Card #2~Brandy & Emma Constant Companions by Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Company

Switching gears (not literally!) I had to include this little girl and her best friend. Our furry pets are so loved and I can’t imagine life without them. They bring so much joy to me. I love Phyllis Harris images and the stories her timeless images tell.

I stamped the image with Versafine ink on watercolor paper. I used the Prang watercolor paints as in the previous card. I chose a subtle palette but emphasized the light areas by the contrasting dark ones.

I was going to leave the background untouched but then decided on a faint wash of color making sure to keep the friends the focal point and not competing with a busy background. Next I die cut the image using a Gina Marie stitched border die and adhered it onto a pale gray cardbase.

Then I die cut a heart and border by Poppystamps. I painted the border in a wash of blue and stacked up three layers for dimension. I stamped the sentiment on the inside heart. I added one layer before glueing it down. You can see the dimension in this picture.

Here it is again at another angle. It gives the card more interest but does not take away from the friends!

Finally, I know the composition of the card might seem completely uncentered. I thought about putting the sentiment in the upper left corner and sizing down to a square shape. I often go against the rules and have fun changing things up. I am not sure how this looks to you but I really love the finished card. Let me know what you think!

Card #3~…whimsy warmth by Phyllis Harris for Unity Stamp Company

This Phyllis Harris image is a newer stamp by Unity. I love this sweet embrace of two young friends. I can feel the warmth…

I stamped the image on watercolor paper using Versafine black ink and watercolored it using Prang paints. (I think I said this before on my other two cards!) Instead of paper piecing the printed shirt, I painted my own pattern!

Next I stamped the sentiment in Versafine gray ink. I thought about using teal for the sentiment but went ahead with this.

I wanted something different so I grabbed a Sizzix floral die and placed it on the top area to fill empty space. I mounted the cardfront onto a pink cardbase. Then I used watercolor paper I had made last week to die cut a frame by Poppystamps. I used it to frame the floral pattern and was pleasantly pleased with the visual. I’m not sure what it is but I imagine it to be a window or piece of artwork on the wall.

Finally, I die cut Unity Washi Tape metal dies out of the same paper I used for the frame. I dug out floral brads and placed them on a few of the strips. I adhered the strips to complete the card. So sweet!

Thanks for hopping, below is the list of friends sharing cards full of “friendship” inspired cards. I appreciate all of your comments!

Crystal

Amber

Jenni

April

Kari

Tami

Joyce

Rachel (me)

Colleen

Friends are gold and you can never have too many. I love this theme. There are so many reasons to send a friend a card. I hope you are inspired to create a friend card.

Please let me know if you have any questions, I love exchanging ideas about cardmaking! Have a rich and bountiful August.

Your Friend Always,

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel

Hi sweeties! Today I am sharing a card with a baby too adorable for words. Unity released this stamp a few months ago and my heart melted.

Without a card design in mind, I knew I wanted to watercolor the baby image so I stamped her in Tsukineko Versafine black ink on watercolor paper. The detail is just incredible! I used Komorebi MozArt watercolor paints choosing a vibrant cerise hue.

Tossing around card ideas in my mind, I landed on a Poppystamps heart die. I wasn’t sure if my largest die would fit the image. Lucky for me, it did! I used the background as well as the scalloped border for a second heart in iridescent glitter card stock.

Continuing on with hearts I stamped a sentiment inside one heart…and wrapped metallic silver thread around a smaller one.

…and wrapped metallic silver thread around a smaller one. Also I decided to blend in the skin for a softer look. Water on the brush and gently painting over the areas works great! (next picture)

Stickles glitter glue on the bow, on the blanket’s edge and the center of the silver thread add a special touch. Last but not least are the glitter earrings. What a darling!

Along with the adorable image, this set is complete with four wonderful sentiments, each with its own flair. A flower is included.

I love this sentiment!

Tips– 1. I used a black Sharpie fine point marker to darken and accentuate the eyes. 2. I double layered some of the hearts to keep level. 3. A dab of glitter glue on the knot of the metallic thread bow helps secure the thread.

I love this card as it is a mix of sparkle and charm. Large bold dies paired in contrast with a semi clean and simple feel. I hope you love this cardtoo!

Take care and see you tomorrow, don’t forget to comment to win!

Rachel

Please follow me on Instagram @cardartbyrachel

Welcome Friends! It’s July and our hop is all about techniques used in cardmaking. What is your favorite “go to” technique? I love to watercolor images but I must say there are so many new techniques emerging in the world of papercrafting, it is hard to choose. On to the cards…

Card #1 ~ Pissy Kitty

This kitty is hilarious and too adorable! Looking at this cat just makes me laugh and I never get tired of it and yes, I love coffee!

Paper Piecing I stamped this image on patterned paper and cut out the mug. Next I stamped the entire image on watercolor paper and watercolored in the hilarious cat. I stamped the sentiment in black and a fun coffee stain image in espresso. Then I found a piece of bright orange cardstock and scribbled red and orange watercolor crayons across areas to border the image, I applied water to create a fluid effect. I ruffed up the edges of the image and adhered it to the orange cardstock and adhered it to a kraft cardbase. Finally, I added die cut floral embellishments by Poppystamps.

Who can resist a face like this?!

Card #2 ~ More than Ice Cream by Tracy Malnofski for Unity

The sweetest truck and a joy to color! I can even hear the music playing. In my neighborhood the ice cream truck can be heard from a few streets away and our kis would scramble to collect their money to buy a treat.

Watercoloring is my favorite coloring technique at present. It is not exact and for me, it’s relaxing, forgiving and carefree. Also watercoloring is fast to color in an image for a quick card.

To create this card, I stamped the truck on watercolor paper. The paints I used are the MozArt Komorebi watercolor paints. I love the metallic white paint on the truck. Also I love to paint using two colors on one image, for example the ice cream, the stars and lights, the window covering.

I glued the image to a patterned paper card front. I previously die cut the paper with a Gina Marie Designs stitched border. I stamped the sentiment and mounted it on a scrap of painted paper and again on watercolor paper. I glued it to the base of the image. Finally, baker’s twine finish the card.

Card #3 ~ Addison Girl by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Co

A beautiful girl ready to go out and celebrate. Her dress is gorgeous, she is living her best life.

No Line Coloring is a technique of coloring an image so that the lines disappear and the effect gives the image a more realistic look. A light ink is used to minimize the outlined figure. My coloring is a loosely based version of this technique.

I stamped the image with Tim Holtz distress ink. I used Victorian velvet, a nice light mauve, that would blend nicely with the skin tones and hair. I am a novice at this technique but I love how the image is somewhat transformed in a unique way. Next I stamped the sentiment in Versafine grey ink, overlapping the image. I die cut the cardfront using a Gina Marie Designs border die and adhered it to a dark charcoal cardbase. Iridescent, glitter and metallic sequins embellish the card.

Thank you so much for visiting. Please continue on the hop. I hope you find lots of inspiring ideas!

Crystal

Amber

Kari

Gaylynn

Jane

Tammy

Jenni

Dawn F.

Rachel(me)

Until next month, keep creating and enjoying the summer sun!

Rachel

Please follow me on instagram @cardartbyrachel