Growing in Unity ~ Day 4 of My 5 Favorite Things

Hi again crafty friends!

I'm back with Day 4 of My 5 Favorite Things for my Growing in Unity week and today is all about backgrounds!! I love background stamps and in particular the {border backgrounds} stamps by Unity Stamp Company!! These fabulous stamps are so much fun to color and create with!! I just adore this line of stamps and I've made several cards with them, but for today I'm going to share two that I created for todays post and a couple that I made last month but never posted on my blog. 

So, let's get to it!!

For my first card, I actually found inspiration from a card I made earlier in the month using the Yuletide {border backgrounds} stamp for our Friends of Unity blog hop that was all about Vintage cards. You can check out that card here ---> Vintage Christmas card.

I started this card by stamping the beautiful Adornment {border backgrounds} stamp on white card stock with Gina K's Black Amalgam ink and then got to coloring! I used the following Copic markers ~ R14, R27, R46, G24, G29, B0000, B29, B39, Y000, Y06, Y15, Y17. I also used Gold Wink of Stella to finish up coloring the ornaments. I cut out the center of the card stock just fussy cutting around the images. I then lightly blended Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink around the outer edges and ran the card stock through my big shot with a large stitched rectangle die. The center of the card stock was too bright so I ended up blending the same Vintage Photo ink but without adding more ink to my blending tool... I didn't want it to be too dark. And there was plenty of ink still on the sponge. To finish off this top layer of my card, I cut a piece of Real Red card stock to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" and die cut the center with a stitched rectangle die... why did I do that? Well, I wanted a 'window' of sorts to the bottom layer and I figured I might be able to use the red stitched rectangle piece for another project. I adhered those layers together and set it aside.

I blended some Vintage Photo and Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink on a piece of Vintage Cream card stock being sure to leave the center portion lighter so I could stamp my sentiment and the tiny ornaments. The sentiment and tiny ornaments are from the adorable Merry Little Season kit that is actually a background stamp but I bought a second kit to cut apart the images to use separately. I used my Anti Static Pouch liberally over the cream card stock (the embossing powder really likes to stick to the distress oxide inks) and then stamped the sentiment and tiny ornaments with VersaMark watermark ink and heat embossed a fine antique gold embossing powder. I colored in the tiny ornaments with Festive Berries and Mustard Seed distress markers. I then popped up my top layer using foam tape and to finish off this card I added some Xmas Red stickles on the dots.

For my second card, I used the brand new She Sells Sea Shells {border backgrounds} along with the adorable Cuddlebug Sea Horse... Eeep! So cute together!! I used the following Copic markers for this card ~ V0000, V05, V12, BV23, BV25, B60, RV0000, RV00, RV10, RV63, RV95, R00, R01, R12, R30, E00, E33, G12, G24. I die cut the background with a large stitched rectangle die and mat it with Creamy Caramel card stock and then adhered the panel to a Lavender Moon card base. I stamped the sentiment from Sammy Girl using VersaMark watermark ink and then heat embossed a fine white embossing powder. I die cut it with a skinny banner die and then layered it offset with another banner die cut from Lavender Moon card stock. I popped those up on the card and got to work on Mr. Cuddlebug Sea Horse.

I fussy cut the seaweed and the sea horse. I adhered the sea weed to the card using liquid glue and then popped up the sea horse with foam squares. I just adore how this card turned out.

I just wanted to share a couple more cards that I created using these lines of stamps... this one is the Citrus Medley {border backgrounds}... such a dream to color! Unfortunately, I don't have the list of Copics I used to color this one. I did want to share how I changed this one up... I die cut the entire piece using a large scalloped die and then I die cut the center with a stitched rectangle die (both dies are from the Blueprints 20 die set by My Favorite Things). I adhered the center to a True Black mat and then adhered it to the card. I love the dimension it gives the card! The sentiment for this one is from Bird's the Word. I stamped that and trimmed it down and then mat it on True Black card stock, as well, and then popped it up on the card with foam squares. I just love this card layout for these {border backgrounds} stamps!

My last card to share with you today is probably one of my absolute favorites!! Not just because it's coffee themed... I do love my coffee!! But because it was such a quick card!! I colored a few of the cups and mugs from the Hot Mess {border backgrounds} stamp just randomly with coral and turquoise shades (I didn't write the Copic markers down but I'm thinking it was BG11, BG34, R01, and R22) and then smooshed it in Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Oxide inks. Once the panel was dry, I die cut it with the Blueprints 22 dies by My Favorite Things. I then stamped the sentiment from Kimmie Girl, die cut it with a circle die and mat it on a slightly larger circle die cut from Early Espresso card stock. I adhered my panel to an Early Espresso card base and then popped up the sentiment with foam squares. Easy peasy and delicious!! 

Be sure to leave a comment on each of my GIU blog posts for a chance to win one of two fabulous grab bags of 25 stamps from Unity Stamp Company!!! 

You can check out my other GIU days:

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Thanks so much for checking out my blog!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal