Love, Paper, Etc.

Saturday, July 1, 2023

Friends of Unity Blog Hop, July 2023, Watercolor

Hello my crafty friends! Welcome to a new month and a new hop. Our cue this month is watercolor. So many stamps, so little time to watercolor. Watercoloring is one of my favorite techniques. I Love to get those colors moving around. My winner from last month's hop is GLENNIS F. Congratulations Glennis! Please email me at lovepaperetc@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Let me just preface this paragraph by saying I have only inked one of these stamps before. See what I mean, so many stamps, not enough time to get inky. My first card features a lovely Phyllis Harris image:

To me, this image exudes trust, faith, and innocence. Prima water colors were used. The verse is from, my heart trusts, which is another beautiful set of stamps from Unity. The card was completed by die cutting the image. The postage stamp die is also Unity. This piece was layered on another die cut. A metal floral brad, a chipboard circle, and lace were the final touches. If you don't have this image in your collection, I highly recommend it. It is a dream to color.

Next up is a plain navy blue journal cover I altered:

This stamp is huge, perfect to adorn journals. It comes from the set, Blooming Peonies. This kit is another must have in your stamping arsenal. I prepped the journal cover with a super heavy gesso, let it dry overnight and then stamped it. I used Karin markers and one Zig marker. The sentiment is from the September 2017 SMAK Kit called truest life. I really miss this membership. Maybe Unity will come out with something similar one day. A girl can wish, right? I really love how this journal cover came out. I'm in love with the color palette. It's quite soothing.

Lastly, I have another card:

This one did not turn out like I had hoped. I'm thinking I should've used a different background stamp instead of the wonky stripes. Or maybe have added some color to the embossed butterflies. But, it'll have to do for now. This pretty stamp image is from Layers of Life, embrace today, March 2018. I love everything about this stamp, the flower, honeycomb, and butterflies. I tried to play up the butterflies with a butterfly embossing folder from Stampin' Up. A crafting goal of mine is to use embossing folders more. They add amazing texture. The image was stamped on water color paper and colored with Karin markers. The sweet sentiment is from the May 2021 Kit of the Month, summer vibes. It just so happens that this kit of the month is on sale. Hint, Hint, you need it in your life.

Thanks for hopping with us. I am having another giveaway this month, so don't forget to comment on all our blogs for your chance to win. Also, please follow me on IG @lovepaperetc.

Here is the hop order once more. Happy 4th of July to my friends in the United States. Enjoy and please be safe!

Until next time, my friends!

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Friends of Unity June 2023 Blog Hop, Masculine

Man listen. Y'all know I love making some masculine cards. Thus, I am so excited for this cue. Peep the graphic:

I have been MIA for several months for both happy and sad reasons. But I'm back! I have missed hopping with my friends. I have missed YOU! The last time I participated in a FOU hop was February 2023. In that post, I mentioned a prize. Sorry for the late notice, but Jen R., you are my winner. Please send me an email at camdyl@msn.com to claim your prize. I am giving a prize for this hop as well, so make sure you leave a comment on all our blogs.

Here is my first card. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SECOND CARD IF YOU ARE NOT A FAN OF SOME PROFANITY

Three Unity stamp sets were used on this card. First, the bull, is from Take No Bull. Second, the background was created using Barn Wall. I placed a chicken coop wire sticker over the barn wall stamp. Finally, the sentiment. The sentiment is not from a kit. Several years ago, Unity offered individual sentiments in a sale. This sentiment was an add on to Take No Bull if I remember correctly. The 'remember this' was cut from Tim Holtz ephemera. A strip of pattern paper was placed over the sentiment. The bull was layered over a frame die cut. The two metal hearts are Prima and the other three metal pieces are Tim Holtz.

Second and final card. NO PROFANITY ON THIS ONE

Three Unity stamp sets were also used on this card. First, the background was created using all the stamps from Woodland Layers. Second, is Forrest Guy. Finally, the sentiment is from Happy Retirement along with the coordinating die. I used colored pencils and Gamsol on the sky and lake. Forrest Guy was colored with Prima water color pencils. The die cut with the mountains and sentiment is from Pink Paislee. I think Unity should make something similar into a stamp. Hint! Hint!

Well, I'm the last stop in the hop, but if you need the order again, here it is:

Thank you so much for visiting all our blogs. We appreciate all of you and your support of our monthly blog.

See you next month,

Dawn

Saturday, February 4, 2023

Friends of Unity February 2023 Blog Hop, Say It! All About the Sentiment

I've been waiting for this cue...can't wait to see all the different interpretations from the team. I have one creation to share with you this month, but it has many sentiments. Firstly though, check out our graphic:

Pretty cool, right? So, as I have mentioned, I have been excited for this month's cue. I have been having this idea floating around in my head and I finally decided to do it. I am calling this a daily affirmation unbound journal in a decorative wood container.

I'm so excited about this creation Unity has so many encouraging sentiments. Their stamps were perfect for what I had in mind. I used so many sets, that they are too many to list here. If you see a sentiment or two that you really like,, just ask me, and I will happily let you know which set it is from. This lovely wood container is filled with so much inspiration. I used a lot of the tags Unity sends out as free gifts and cut them down to size. I also used these really large tags from Ranger. They were cut down to size as well. And of course, I used pattern paper, too, because you know I love my pattern paper. I was thinking that the recipient could jot down aspirations, hopes, fears, doubts, dreams, and or ideas.

The next group of pictures highlight some of my favorites. This section is picture heavy.

Are you still with me? Sorry for the picture overload. I am giving away a prize this month. To be eligible, all you have to do is comment on all our posts. We love to read your comments. Thanks so much for your continued support.

Here is the hop order once more. See you again next month. Don't forget to comment.

Thanks again for hopping! See you the first Saturday in March.

Happy crafting,

Dawn

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Friends of Unity Hop, January 2023, Birthdays

Happy New Year! I cannot believe it is a new year already. Where does the time go? I'm looking at my Unity Stamp Collection, thinking, wow, I have way too many stamps that have not seen ink. This year I plan on inking these babies up. This is not a New Year's resolution. I don't make New Year's resolutions. I don't believe in setting myself up for failure. Lol. But, honestly, I really need to do something about this situation. OK, let's get to our cue...birthdays. So fun. As I am typing this, I have so many ideas running through my head. I can't wait to see what comes to fruition.

I decided to use some sass on my cards. Card #1:

This sentiment cracks me up. It can be found in the June 2022 Sentiment Kit, could be better. This set is full of sass. The sassy girl is from Totally Have This. The flower, hey girl sentiment, and happy birthday sentiment are from the May 2021 Sentiment Kit, in my thoughts, girl. Her outfit was colored with Zig markers and a blending marker. Do you notice anything missing from this card? Pattern paper...I use pattern paper on my cards 99% of the time, but I challenged myself not to use any on this card. I did not do this challenge on my next card.

Card #2:

This lady is absolutely fabulous. She and the sentiment are from the June 2022 Sentiment Kit, could be better. I stamped her on a section of pattern paper and cut it down to size. I added a little color to her outfit with a colored pencil and blended with Gamsol. I finished card with coordinating pattern paper, ephemera, and die cut stems.

Well, that's going to do it for me. Please keep hopping.

See you next month,

Dawn

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Friends of Unity Hop, December 2022, Glitter and Glitz

I love me some sparkle! I'm super excited for this month's hop. Plus, Unity is celebrating our 5th anniversary of hopping by giving away (3) $25 gift cards. Isn't this awesome? Unity is always so incredibly generous. It's so easy, too, to be eligible to win one of these gift cards. All you have to do is comment on all our blogs. Make sure you comment by December 10th. Winners will be announced on December 11th.

Check out our gorgeous graphic. This color combo is absolutely stunning.

I made two cards for this cue. Here's the first:

I made this card in honor of a very dear friend who recently earned her wings. I never met Pat in person. I wish we had. She just so happened to stumble upon my ETSY shop about 10 years ago. She was my biggest cheerleader. She was a sweet soul, with a big heart. She was always so supportive of my art. She especially loved my cards featuring Angie Girls. I know she would have loved this one.

This Angie Girl is so full of hope and dreams. She is from the November 2021 Kit of the Month, kinda sorta love ya. This kit is a must have; so many beautiful stamps. The images are of generous size, too. The large snowflake and sentiment are also from the same kit. The other snowflake is from the December 2014 Kit of the Month, Warmth of winter. This is another beautiful kit with another Angie girl, too! I stamped the images and sentiment on water color paper. I colored the snowflakes with Prima's Shimmering Lights water colors. Girl was colored with Prima's hair and skin tones water color pencils. Sentiment was stamped in a Tim Holtz Distress Oxide I paper pieced her dress with some sparkly paper. I received the green bow as part of a free gift with one of my Unity orders. I didn't have any snowflake stickers, but I had these jeweled star stickers. They definitely add even more shine.

Card #2:

I had another design in mind for this card, but I am so glad I decided to create an ornament with this evergreen branch from Unity and Graciellie Designs Winter Blessings kit. The branch was stamped on water color paper. I used an old QuicKutz ornament die. I poured some green Prima spray into a shallow bowl. I dipped a water color brush into the ink and spread it around over the evergreen branches. I then added silver glitter. Red bow was part of same free gift as the green bow on the girl's dress. Sentiment is from the October 2019 Kit of the Month, keeping spirits bright.

Don't leave the hop just yet. The lovely April is next.

Here is the hop order:

Did you get some ideas? I hope so. Did you see any stamps you want to add to your collection? Then, don't forget to leave comments on all our blogs for a chance to win one of three Unity gift cards.

Thank you so much for supporting us each and every month. We appreciate each and every one of you!

Have the happiest of holidays,

Dawn

Saturday, November 5, 2022

Friends of Unity Hop, November 2022, Watercolor

Welcome back for another fabulous hop with the Friends of Unity! We are always so happy when the first Saturday of the month arrives. We get to share our love of Unity products and read all your lovely comments. Here is our beautiful graphic for the month:

I had plans to create a few cards, but time got away from me. I was only able to crank out this one card. I was not a fan of this card initially, but when I came back to it, added some wax cord and a die cut I fell in love. I'm hoping to still create some cards with watercolor this month, so be on the look out.

The hummingbird is from the May 2021 Whit Kit, Beauty of Becoming. This is a gorgeous kit. I can't wait to use the florals from this kit. The sentiment is from the October 2020 SMAK Kit, the best memories. The postage stamp die and jewels are also Unity. Watercolors used are from the Prima Woodlands palette. The yellow wax cord is also Prima. Flower was cut from pattern paper using a Tim Holtz die. I had cut this flower some time ago for another card, but never used it. I think it's perfect on this card.

This card came together rather quickly. I first used the postage stamp die on watercolor paper. I then stamped the hummingbird. I colored the bird with several colors from the Woodlands palette. I then created a watercolor wash background using several colors from the same palette. The sentiment was stamped and jewels added. I wasn't pleased and decided to walk away. I came back the next day and added the wax cord along with the die cut flower. Now it has my approval. Ha!

Thanks for hopping with us! In case you lost your way, here is the hop order:

See you next month for another amazing hop!

Dawn

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Friends of Unity Hop, October 2022, Anything But a Card

Welcome back and Happy Fall! I just LOVE fall...so many beautiful colors. So many cozy sweaters. And don't forget crunchy leaves, pumpkins, football, and hot cocoa. Fall came here fast in northeast Ohio. We went from 80's to 50's in a day...literally. We were not given a period of adjustment. I had to pull out my winter coat. It has been so cold in the mornings this first week of fall.

Well, enough talk about the weather. Let's switch gears. I am so happy to announce the winner of my prize pack from last month. Wilma DeG, come on down! You are the lucky winner! Thank you so much for always leaving comments on our blogs. You are always so supportive. We appreciate you so very much. Please email me your address at lovepaperetc@gmail.com so I can get some Unity goodness to you.

Here is our lovely graphic for this month:

I have two projects for this cue. Here is the first:

So I have had this Donna Downey stencil for several years. I bought it to use in my art journal. Then this past week I saw this wonderful card by Julissa Sargo. She used a Unity stamp within a stencil and let me tell you; it is gorgeous. So the wheels start turning in my head and bam, an altered journal. Thank you Julissa for the inspiration. Sentiment, row of circles, and vine stamps are from the March 2021 Kit of the Month, hope to be. Flower stamp is from the February 2022 Kit of the Month, kind souls. Vellum plant ephemera was layered over flower stamp and stencil. I received this ephemera as a freebie in a Unity order. I placed an acetate butterfly over a wood butterfly and layered it over the ephemera.

Here is my second project:

Long story short on how this tag came to fruition. I wanted to make a yellow file folder pretty. I took out my gelli plate and used the above paints and this gorgeous stamp, sakura. Folder did not turn out pretty. Instead of totally scrapping it, I cut out the flower and placed on a tag I received as a freebie from Unity. The tag was stamped with a grungy image from the April 2020 SMAK Kit, head up, my firiend. I blended several distress inks over it. Foam adhesive was added to the sakura stamp. I then layered some Prima ephemera and finished tag off with some Prima bling. Initially, I wasn't sure if I liked this tag, but something keeps drawing me to it. I just keep going into my craft space and looking at this tag. It has definitely grown on me. I have decided that not only do I like this tag, I actually love it.

Next time we meet, northeast Ohio probably will have had its first snow. There is this chill in the air, that we normally don't feel until November or December.

Make sure you keep hopping for more inspiration. Next up is the talented Colleen.