Sweet Easter Gnome ~ March Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing my last bit of inspiration for the Unity March Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I'm sharing a cute Easter card using the super adorable Sweet Easter Gnome stamps. And I'm sharing another bonus card so be sure to read through to the end!

Eeep!! Isn't this Easter card just the cutest?! It turned out better than I hoped. Paired up the adorable Sweet Easter Gnome with the Hippity Hoppity paper pad from Doodlebug Design. I did consider using the new Plaid Builder {layering stencils} to make my own plaid but I'm afraid that time was not on my side so I went with the pattern paper.

The cute little clouds in the background are from the March 2023 Kit of the Month called A Good Man & Some Butterflies. I just adore the detail in these cute clouds!!

The Easter gnome and clouds were stamped with Black Amalgam ink and then colored up with Copic markers. Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used to color up the adorable gnome:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11, E04

Beard ~ C00, C1, C3

Hat ~ RV10, RV13

Ears / Feet ~ R000, R00, R20, C00, C1, C3

Easter Egg ~ YG11, G14, BG10, BG23, YR21, YR15, RV10, RV13

This time I decided not to use a die for my focal image. Just went with straight edges but I used a corner rounder punch for both of my focal image layers. The ground for my gnome was created by die cutting the green grass papers with the Land Borders Die Set from Newton's Nook Designs.

You can check out my process video here... Sweet Easter Gnome | March Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Also sharing a BONUS card!! Our family has been considering get a kitty and I am smitten with the tortoiseshell cats. Love the pretty mix of colors in their fur. 

I found a cute picture online and tried to replicate the coloring… it turned out okay. I do like how the eyes turned out though. Here’s a quick list of the Copic markers I used to color up the kitty:

Fur ~ YR21, YR15, YR16, N0, N2, N4, N6, C00, C1, C3

Nose ~ R00, R20, R14

Ears ~ R00, R20, N0, N2

Eyes ~ YG11, YR21, E00

 I die cut the Copic colored kitty with the third largest die from the Big and Little Pierced Chain Rectangle dies from Gina Marie Designs. Another paper pad of Spring papers made my background and my mat for the kitty layers. I used the Spring Market paper pad from Carta Bella. The sentiment was stamped, trimmed and then popped up on the card with thin foam tape. A few touches of white gel pen on the eyes, nose, and whiskers finish off my card.

Here's another look at the sketch! Today and tomorrow are the last days to play along with the sketch!! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation just as I did for both of my cards! Most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I have had so much fun hosting the challenges in the group for the last couple of months. Hope you all had fun too! Thank you all so much for playing along! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Queen Girl Birthday ~ March Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Unity March Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I'm sharing a sweet birthday card featuring another new release called Queen Girl. So excited for a new Angie Girl!!

I just had to pair up the beautiful Queen Girl with the pretty Birthday Party {paper pack}. They were made for each other and combined with the March Sketch this was a super easy card to create.

The background of balloons is a pretty pattern paper from the paper pack that I die cut with the largest rectangle die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. It's adhered to a pretty purple card front measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2".

Queen Girl was stamped with Black Amalgam ink and then colored up with Copic markers. Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used to color up this beautiful new girl:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11, E04

Hair ~ E21, E23, E27

Purple Balloon ~ V000, V12, V22

Pink Balloon ~ RV000, RV10, RV13, RV14, R81, R85

Shirt ~ Y000, Y11,Y06, C00, C1, C3

This time I used a square die for my focal image but it was way too big and would have covered most of the pretty balloon papers so I cut it. Pretty much making it a rectangle and keeping with the sketch. I did omit the rounded corners though since I used the Scallops & Squares {nesting dies} to die cut my panel layers.

You can check out my process video here... Queen Girl Birthday Card | March Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Also sharing a BONUS card!! For this one I used the adorable new bunny stamp called Hoppy Notes and I paired it up with the beautiful Kindness is Magic {paper pack}. I also used the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies} to die cut my main panels. Rather than doing a sentiment strip across the card I just stamped my sentiment under the image. I think it turned out pretty cute. 

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation just as I did for mine today. Most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I'll see you back here next Thursday with my last card for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Winnie the Pooh: Pooh's Bunny Hop ~ March Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Unity March Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I'm sharing another Easter card but this time I'm featuring two new releases that will hit the Unity website later today!! Yay!!

First up... notice the plaid in my background?! Unity is releasing an awesome Plaid Builder {layering stencil}!! It's so easy to use and the possibilities are endless. So many color combinations!! And then, of course, a new adorable Winnie the Pooh stamp. This one is called Winne the Pooh: Pooh's Bunny Hop. Love it!

To create the plaid background I blended Kitsch Flamingo, Salvaged Patina, Twisted Citron and Mustard Seed Distress Oxide inks over the plaid stencils. I trimmed the background to 4 x 5-1/4" and adhered it to a pink card front. The panel was then adhered to a white A2 top fold card base.

Winnie the Pooh was stamped with Black Amalgam ink on white card stock. I also stamped the sentiment inside the egg with the same black ink. Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used to color up this cute stamped image:

Pooh ~ Y11, Y15

Pooh's Ears ~ C00, C1, C3, RV000, RV10, RV13

Pooh's Basket ~ YG11, YG23

Eggs ~ Y11, Y15, RV000, RV10, RV13, V000, V12, V17, BG000, BG10, BG23

Flowers ~ RV10, RV13, Y11, Y15, YG11, YG23

Grass ~ YG11, YG23

Sky ~ BG000, BG10, BG01

The sketch calls for a rectangle but I thought a circle would be a fun change so I die cut Winnie the Pooh with the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies}. And then I die cut a piece of aqua card stock with the largest die from the same die set. Adhered the circle layers together and then cut the edge off. Next I adhered the circle layers to the plaid background. I finished off the card with a few pretty flatback pearls from my stash.

You can check out my process video here... Winnie the Pooh: Pooh's Bunny Hop | March Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation just as I did for mine today. Most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I'll see you back here next Thursday with more inspiration for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Luck To Go + No Bunny Compares ~ March Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Unity March Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. And I have two cards to share!! A fun St. Patrick's Day card and a sweet Easter card.

I've altered the measurements of the sketch for both of these cards so the images would work.

First up is the St. Paddy's Day card. I found some fun papers in my stash called Pot o' Gold from Doodlebug Designs. The plaid background is 4 x 5-1/4". Now the Luck to Go stamp is a bit taller and skinnier than the sketch calls for so my main panel measures 2-1/4 x 3-1/2" and the shamrock mat measures 2-1/2 x 4".

I centered the stamp on my main panel and stamped it with Black Amalgam ink. And then I colored it up with the following Copic markers ~ YG11, YG23, G14, G05, C00, C1, C3.

I adhered all my layers together also adhering them to a white A2 top fold card base. Stamped the sentiment on a scrap of white card stock with the same black ink. Trimmed it up and adhered it directly to the card with liquid glue.

Next up is a sweet Easter card using the adorable No Bunny Compares. I found another fun pack of papers in my stash with an Easter theme called Hoppy Easter from Doodlebug Designs. I cut my pink background paper to 4 x 5-1/4". The sweet girl and her bunny are a tad bigger than the sketch so for this one the main panel measures 3-1/4 x 3-1/4". The Easter egg paper mat measures 3-1/2 x 3-3/4".

I centered the sweet image on my main panel and stamped it with the same black ink. And then I colored up this one with the following Copic markers:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11, E04

Hair ~ E21, E23, E25, E29

Shirt / Bow RV000, RV10, RV13

Bunny ~ C00, C1, C3, RV000, RV10, RV13

The sentiment for this one is from the Pretty Easter Find itty bitty. It's trimmed up and popped up on the card with some thin foam tape.

You can check out my process video here... Luck to Go + No Bunny Compares | March Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation just as I did for mine today. Most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I'll see you back here next Thursday with more inspiration for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Winter Birdie Swag ~ March Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I'm back with a new challenge for the month of March in the Unity Show & Tell group... another fun sketch challenge! Sketches are a wonderful starting point for a card design. They have often helped me get out of a rut.

Another sketch with some fun layers. The main panel is a bit smaller this time so I'm thinking this one will be great with all those Itty Bitty stamps we have in our stash. Or any smaller stamps, really. The measurements included are for an A2 size card, but this sketch could be easily altered for a mini slimline or an A7 card. Keep in mind that the measurements are approximate and they are really just a guide. The sketch is really meant to inspire creativity so have fun with it!

The beautiful Watercolor Stripes {paper pack} makes a wonderful background for the sweet Winter Birdie Swag stamp. Do you see the texture in the background? I used the recently released Vintage Script Embossing Folder... it's not just for vintage cards friends! I just love the texture it adds to this pattern paper.

I chose a monochromatic color palette for my card with just white and purple really being the focus. There is just a touch of brown for the branch. And then I added a bit of red to the berries which actually look similar to the little crabapples that we have in our crabapple tree. The birds have pretty much picked our tree clean but there's still a few left. Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Birdie ~ C00, C1, C3

Hat ~ V01, V12, V15, V28

Branch ~ E51, E55, E57

Crabapples ~ R20, R27, R59

I used a corner rounder on my main birdie panel and the purple mat. Adhered them together. Heat embossed my sentiment on the same purple card stock with a white pigment ink and some white embossing powder. I trimmed the sentiment and adhered it to the main panel and then I covered the backs of both with foam tape so I could pop them up on the card.

You can check out my process video here... Winter Birdie Swag | March Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Feel free to alter it to work for your creation and most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize! I'll see you back here next Thursday with more inspiration for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Dreamin' Daze Watercolor ~ February Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing my last card for the Unity February Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I have had the gorgeous black eyed susans from the Dreamin' Daze stamps on my desk just screaming to get inky. So happy to finally play with these flowers. I did a bit of watercoloring which I'm trying to do more often. 

As I often do with a sketch, I started by picking my papers. I can't believe that I've gone this long without cutting into the gorgeous Fields of Summer {paper pack}. Have you seen these gorgeous papers? They are stunning!! Beautiful papers filled with sunflowers and lovely colors... I knew I had to use them but I chose papers that didn't have sunflowers since I was playing with a different kind of flower.

As I mentioned above, I've been trying to play a bit more with my ZIGs and do some watercoloring. Trying to at least do some watercoloring each month. So far so good! I used just a handful to color up these flowers: yellow, bright yellow, blue gray, blue, light gray, and black.

I used a slimline die to die cut the flowers. So perfect for this sketch! The main floral panel is popped up on the card with foam tape {which actually caused some havoc... you can see it in the video below}. I wrapped the main floral panel with a bit of {Ivory} May Arts Burlap string and tied a pretty bow. The card was finished with a few enamel dots.

You can check out my process video here... Dreamin' Daze Watercolor | February Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation and most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! But don't wait too long to play because this challenge ends on Tuesday, February 28th.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Zinnia CAS Card ~ February Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Unity February Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I was inspired by one of the entries into the challenge to play with more of a CAS design. Definitely a fun challenge for this sketch and I like how my card turned out.

I just had to play with the beautiful Zinnia stamp again! Love these beautiful flowers! I considered leaving all the flowers white and I really think it would look lovely, but I decided to add a pop of color. Love me some turquoise!!

I also colored up my little banners ombre style with the same markers. So fun! 

Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Zinnia ~ BG10, BG13, BG18, BG78, Y000, Y11, Y15, Y35

Turquoise Banner ~ BG10, BG13, BG18, BG78

Yellow Banner ~ Y000, Y11, Y15, Y35

I added a couple white enamel dots to my banners. And then to finish off the card I stamped my sentiment from the July 2022 Sentiment Kit called So Kind, So Caring, So You. I actually goofed up my sentiment on the card and had to stamp it again. Fussy cut and then covered up my mistake. Phew! Luckily that was an easy fix.

You can check out my process video here... Zinnia CAS Card | February Sketch Challenge |
 Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation and most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I'll see you back here next Thursday with one last card for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Valentina Girl with Chatty Hearts ~ February Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Unity February Sketch Challenge that I'm hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. A lovely Valentine's Day card with non-traditional colors!! I used the gorgeous Valentina Girl along with the awesome new Chatty Hearts {stamp & stencil duo}.

I'm always drawn to the blue-green colors and wanted to use those in my design but also wanted a touch of the traditional colors for a Valentine's Day card. The background was created using Evergreen Bough and Pumice Stone Distress Oxide inks over the two stencils in the Chatty Hearts {stamp & stencil duo}. 

My inspiration for my color combo though I think my blue-green color is lighter. I do love this combination and probably wouldn't have used the light gray in a Valentine's Day card at all.

The pretty corals, reds and pinks in the heart wreath contrast well with the background. 

Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11, E04

Hair ~ E21, E23, E27, E29

Clothes ~ C00, C1, C3, BG11, BG70, BG72

Flowers ~ R01, R30, R22, R32, R43, RV34, RV19, Y11, Y15 

Leaves ~ G00, G02

Hearts ~ RV34, RV19

I finished off the card with two little banners using complimentary colors that I found in my stash. This time I remembered to staple them to the card front before I adhered it to the card base... but I ended up covering the staples with the two cute hearts that I stamped with the oxides and fussy cut. Speaking of those cute hearts, I discovered that the background for Chatty Hearts is not just a background. It's a sheet of cute sentiments!! Each one of those adorable sentiments {49 of them, to be exact!} is cut out and can be used separately and then replaced in the background so you can use it as a background. This was a jaw-dropping moment for me! I had no clue and I love it even more!!

You can check out my process video here... Valentina Girl with Chatty Hearts | February Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Please know that the sketch is meant to inspire and not require. Feel free to alter it to work for your creation and most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! I'll see you back here next Thursday with more inspiration for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Play in the Puddles ~ February Sketch Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

I'm back with a new challenge for the month of February in the Unity Show & Tell group... a fun sketch challenge! Sketches are a wonderful starting point for a card design. They always get my mojo working!

Loving the fun layers for this sketch! I think it's a great one for those pretty pattern papers we're all hoarding. The measurements included are for an A2 size card, but this sketch could be easily altered for a mini slimline or an A7 card. Keep in mind that the measurements are approximate and they are really just a guide. You'll notice in my card below that my focal image is larger than the sketch calls for. The sketch is really meant to inspire creativity so have fun with it!

The Rainbow Wishes 6x6 paper pack was the perfect papers to pair up with the gorgeous wellies in the new amazing Play in the Puddles stamps {releasing later today}! The distressed lines in the background are a wonderful new stamp from the February 2023 Kit of the Month called Happy Soul. Love it!

I love the colors in these papers so I used them as my palette for my copic coloring. 

Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Leaves ~ YG21, YG91, YG93

Flowers ~ R00, R12, R22

Wellies ~ BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, B37, B99

I finished off the card with two little banners using complimentary colors that I found in my stash. And then added a couple translucent enamel dots because I had forgot I was going to staple them to the card front before I adhered it to the card base. I had to improvise!

You can check out my process video here... Play in the Puddles | February Sketch Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's another look at the sketch! Feel free to alter it to work for your creation and most importantly have some inky fun! I can't wait to see what you create! Be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the sketch challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize! I'll see you back here next Thursday with more inspiration for this month's sketch challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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