Welcome to our January 2023
~ Friends of Unity Blog Hop ~
where several amazing designer friends & myself
share our love (and obsessions) of Unity Stamp Company
to inspire you with amazing projects every month!
Winter is here ya'll... so grab a cuppa your favorite brew,
cozy up to follow along and hop with us.
***
Before I get started...
check our ==> December Blog Hops to see if you are one of our
many Winners and claim your prizes!!!
<< "Karen L." is my winner from November 2023 >>
And the (3) Unity Gift Card Winners for December
were announced on "Crystals Blog here"
so be sure to see if you won!!!
Congratulations!!!
***
Our theme for January is... Birthdays!
With the start of a new year we all could probably use some birthday cards to have on hand, right!?! Sit back and enjoy the fun & get inspired to make your own yearly stash.
As many of you probably shopped Unitys awesome sales or got some goodies for Christmas.
I too got some more new stamps! Yay! Of course, right?
I can't help it (lol). I love them!
Do you make New Years Resolutions?
I usually do not, because I usually forget them (lol).
But, because this one was so achievable, helpful, fun,
and challenging at times, I've decided to continue
that "New Years Resolution" and only use new to me Unity stamps every month this year too!
I love making birthday cards and I make a lot of them.
So I decided to share a feminine and a masculine cards combining a few of my favorite things like heat embossing, markers, and ink. Here's what I came up with...
I made this gorgeous card for my boss and I'm glad she liked it. And now I can finally share it with you all.
These amazing images are all from one set and it's fun to arrange it anyway you want. It's a beauty for so many occasions. I chose to keep it simple with minimal layers and stamp these images on one piece of white cardstock with Versafine Clair Nocturne black ink and heat embossed in clear.
TIP: you could stamp with Versamark clear ink and heat emboss with black embossing powder too. Whichever you have on hand.
I colored with just a few colors and ink sponged around the image and heat set. I love the texture and effect you get with a sponge versus a blending brush. Then I matted the image with black cardstock and adhered to a white card base. It's hard to see, but I brushed on some clear wink of stella for some sparkle too!
Unity: Magical Lilac stamp set
MISTI stamping tool
Versafine Clair-Nocturne black pigment ink
Ranger Ink clear embossing powder, Marvy Uchida heat embossing tool
Ranger Ink Distress Oxide Ink-Fossilized Amber
Craft Sponge
Copic alcohol markers and Spectrum alcohol markers
Wink of Stella-Clear sparkle
Ranger Ink Tim Holtz Watercolor White Cardstock (for texture)
American Crafts black cardstock
Double sided tear tape (scor-tape) at Scrapbookpal.
Card #2: Seasonal Birthday
I have lots of fall birthdays in my family, which is why I used fall colors on this next card. But this fun set is great for anytime of year!
And before you say it, yes, I know I've used this balloon background stamp and sentiment before, BUT I couldn't make a birthday card and NOT use these amazing balloons. It's a must! And is fantastic in all the colors. BUT I have NOT used this tree stamp before, which is the focus of this card.
Another simple card you can easily duplicate. I tapped on two distress oxide ink colors in red and orange randomly to the balloons, using my MISTI stamping tool I stamped on white cardstock, and adhered to an orange card base.
Then I stamped the trees and sentiment with Versafine Clair Pinecone brown ink on a scrap piece of orange cardstock and heat set, because it's a thick ink and needed to be dry. And adhered to card panel.
Using a Wink of Stella clear sparkle brush I inked the center tree and it turned it a darker orange with some sparkle. And added a few more dots of bling with Stickles diamond glitter glue, because masculine cards can have a little sparkle too!
Unity: Itsy Bitsy Giggles (trees)
Unity: Gotta Love Sentiments
Unity: Balloon Party Background
Unity Luxury Card Stock: Orange Fizz
MISTI stamping tool
Versafine Clair-Pinecone brown pigment ink
Ranger Ink Distress Oxide Inks: Candied Apple and Carved Pumpkin
Marvy Uchida heat embossing tool
Wink of Stella-Clear sparkle
Ranger Ink Stickles glitter glue: Diamond
American Crafts White Cardstock
Double sided tear tape (scor-tape) at Scrapbookpal.
Here is another peek at both cards...
your stamps & create some wonderful Birthday cards to have on hand all year long.
The possibilities are endless!
***
Supplies I used are available below, with some affiliate links that give me a little commission. Thank you for shopping!
Enter this GIVEAWAY using the Rafflecopter box below.
The more boxes you check the greater your chances to win!
Please leave your email, so we can contact the winner via email or private messaging, and announced on our next Blog Hop February 4, 2023.
Good Luck!!!
Be sure to go back to start at the beginning
& Hop with ALL of these talented
Friends of Unity Designers
click their names below & leave a comment at each to enter Giveaways
Kim Klinkovsky <== {me} and you are at the end
Crystal O. Minkler <== Start Here
Amber Trubiak
Bobbie Sue McConathy
Gaylynn Martling
April Sarandrea
Dawn Fields
Rachel Duong
Joyce Verdon
Colleen Balija
Alaine Tanner
I hope you have a happy & crafty New Year!
xoxo ~ Kim
***
Follow our social media channels for more inspiration:
Card #1
Simon Says Wed Challenge: Something New (new stamps & new sponge)
Lil Red Wagon Challenge: NEW BEGINNINGS 2023
Allsorts Challenge Week 710 Something New (new stamps & new sponge)
LTSCB #159 Anything Goes
Card #2
LTCCB #72 Anything Goes
KRAFTY CHICKS CHALLENGE #645 WEEK 1 (STAMP ACT)
AAA Birthday Game #45 - Anything Birthday Goes