Welcome back to Day 2 of my week of Growing in Unity with Unity Stamp Company (If you haven't already, you can visit Day 1 here). I am thrilled to be sharing my love of Unity Stamp Company this week.
Today I'm sharing cards made with Unity Stamp Company stamp sets in my stash that had never seen ink (you never do that do you? Buy a stamp you just have to have and then let it stay un-inked?)
The first one is one of the few Angie Girls that I own … I'm just not normally drawn to that style of image (I think it's the missing faces), but had to have Renee Girl to make cards for my amazing sister. She is training for her second marathon and inspires me every day (especially since she is dealing with the fact that the marathon she trained so diligently for has been rescheduled for later in the year).
That's one of the awesome things about Unity Stamp Company is that there is such a wide selection that there are styles for everyone.
I stamped Renee Girl on white cardstock and then paper pieced her together using various cardstock scraps from my stash. One of the tricks I use when paper piecing an image like this is to slightly overlap pieces (for example, the top of the shorts are tucked slightly under the top), so cuts don't have to be exact on all sides.
My sister has awesome purple hair, and while it's shorter than Renee Girl, I still wanted to keep her color. Since she'll be running another Marathon, I added 26 number stickers to her running bib.
My sister also has a collection of coins she has found on the ground while running, so I had to scatter a few coins around her feet.
Here we were working out together with our running hair don't care in the lights of the Kansas City Plaza over Thanksgiving Break.
That is one of my absolutely favorite things about cardmaking … being able to completely personalize the cards I make for the recipients … and knowing they will never have another card exactly like it.
For my second card, I played around with Archival Inks and a Spray Bottle full of Alcohol (I realized when I was done that my alcohol was only 50% and the video says this works better with 90%). I saw a video by Wendy Vecchi on Instagram, and I'm not sure how I missed that these inks will work with Alcohol … so much fun. I created backgrounds using Garden Patina and Thistle for my next two cards.
You use the pads to apply the Archival inks to a craft sheet … and then spray on lots of Alcohol before dipping your cardstock into the ink. I used My Picket Fence Intense Black Hybrid ink and my MISTI to stamp the images on the inked backgrounds.
My sister and I also both share a love of Whales … I especially like the artsy one found in the Unity Stamp Company The Other Side of Fear… I really love the sentiment too.
I added a bit of colored pencil to the flower on the whale tale and the sail boat to help them stand out a bit more on the inky background.
I finished with lots of scattered bling where the bubbles were on the stamped image.
I used the same inky paper (I added more alcohol for this one and got better blending) for my next card featuring stamps from Unity Love Abundantly.
I'm joining trend week at the Just Us Girls Challenge using a Black Background with my vibrant colors. The sentiment was stamped on paper inked with just the Garden Pantina Ink.
I added some gem flourishes to the center of my Butterfly and cut the sentiment into two pieces to frame it.
And lastly, this is one of the few stamp sets that I went and purchased the moment I saw it (actually I think it was a gift with purchase originally, so of course I had to buy enough to get it) …
we collect all things BEET related at our house (my husband's Fantasy Baseball Team name is Schrute Farms), so I knew I had to have Beets for You.
A simple but happy card using my MISTI to stamp the beet with two shades of ink with the Fab Friday Sketch.
Thanks for joining me for Day 2 of my week of Growing in Unity. Remember, leave a comment on each post this week for a change to win one of two Rubber Stamp Grab Bags from Unity Stamp Company. I had so much fun reading all the comments from yesterday … thank you so much for your kind words.
Oh yes, I too have stamps that I just had to have but have never seen an ink pad!! I love the detail that you added to your sisters card to personalize it just for her, I love paper piecing but have never tried any of the ink/alcohol mixtures, and know that I just have to because I love the look. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to tomorrow.
Hello! Thanks for the pretty cards to see today. it’s rainy and gloomy here.
stamping sue
http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/
I am a running coach and ultrarunner! I LOVE that card! All are gorgeous!
I would never buy stamps and leave them uninked, said no stamper ever. Some days I feel more like a stamp hoarder than stamper, but then Angela does come up with some great images that I just have to own. Great cards! I hope your sister’s marathon goes well when she does finally get to run.
Wonderful cards! I love to personalize cards for the recipient and I think they appreciate it.
Wow, lovely cards (my favorite, again, is the butterfly one!)! Love the stories you have and thanks for the card sketch – I’ll be pinning that one and following that blog from now on as well!
Love how you customized the runner and your colorful backgrounds are amazing! Great cards & thanks for the inspiration!
What great array of cards! I like the freedom of personalizing cards too! Your Renée girl card is perfect! I love the alcohol ink backgrounds you did for the whale and butterfly cards… so pretty! The beet card is simple yet perfect! Thanks for sharing your cards!!❤️
Gorgeous cards!
All very lovely!
Lovely cards!! When I saw the thumbnail in our gallery I was totally “what a cute radish stamp” lol! Glad for the clarification that it’s a beet! I love those too. Very cute card! Thanks for sharing at Fab Friday!
I’ve had the whale on my wish list for a long time but it always seems to very bumped. Love how you used the stamp with the inky background. You have inspired me!
Such an awesome variety of cards! I enjoy personalizing peoples cards also. I need to try that with the Archival inks. Never heard of that combination of media! Enjoyed your post!
Eee! Love that little beet – how great for your husband’s team to have a farm sponsor, lol. What a great set, perfect sentiments, so fun! Thanks so much for playing at Fab Friday!
I absolutely love your cards today, such a wonderful variety! I think my favourite is the butterfly
Wow, lots of fun inspiration here today! I love the faceless girls & never put a face on them. I hate to admit that I have a lot of sets that have never been inked.
Some beautiful offerings today! Wow!! And I thought I was the only one who leaves new stamps un-inked! Thanks for sharing!
You have me thinking that before I do anything else that I must ink up the oldest stamp I have that has never seen ink. I love your style of cards but I especially enjoy the stories behind them. Can’t wait to see tomorrow’s creations.
Great cards. Oh yes, unfortunately I have many stamps I just “had to have’ and then abandon them when they arrive. So sad. But with this recent event keeping us home, I’m hoping to get more stamps inked. Love your designs. Thanks for the inspiration!
These are beautiful cards! My son has been running marathons for several years now. A lot of his runs have been cancelled, so I understand. All that training! The details that you put into that card, shows so much love! Thanks for sharing.
Wow! What great cards!! I especially love the ink/alcohol smooshed ones… just gorgeous. And, how cool to see the picture of you and your sister on the Country Club Plaza.
Lovely post! I love to run but not good at it like my gym partner. She is a marathoner. I’m a can we run to the store to get chocolate runner. Lol.
I love all your cards! The running girl is awesome and love the girls that are in motion! The beautiful colors you used for backgrounds of the butterfly card is a favorite!
Fantastic cards! Love them all, great sentiments and designs! Thanks for joining us at Fab Friday, hope to see you again soon!
Thanks for sharing the tip about alcohol sprayed into ink today. I have never heard that. Love the backgrounds-going to try this today!
Awesome cards! That whale design is one of my favorites!
This is the first I’ve heard about the Archival/alcohol smooshing, Stephanie, but I love smooshing of any kind. It made a great background for your butterfly. Thanks for sharing that card with us at Just Us Girls.
Great cards! Love the tip about the alcohol. I’m definitely going to have to try it.
Love making personalized cards for people! Great cards you made today…loving he colors!
Hiya Stef, popped over to see your card with a black background and found a whole GALLERY of cards! These are all fabulous but I got sidetracked with that lovely pic of you and your sister 🙂 I feel the same about being able to personalise cards – it makes people feel very ‘known’ and cared about. If I had Angie Girl stamps I would add faces I think! Didn’t realise Unity was so amazing at sentiments – these are inspiring. Vicky x