If nothing ever changed {Growing in Unity week}

 Hi Unity friends! Welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to be sharing this week with you guys!

Today I'm sharing a pretty watercolor butterfly card. I say watercolor because I'm using watercolor paper... but I don't have watercolor paints. I use Tim Holtz distress inks.

First I used a fine white detail embossing powder to stamp my butterflies and my sentiment. The stamps I used are from the November 2010 Unity kit of the month called Picture Perfect. I love these butterflies!

This is also called the "packaging technique" by many. How do I do it? I have the mini ink pads so I just smudge some ink onto some plastic packaging. I spritz water on top. When I'm using this technique on watercolor paper, I sometimes spritz the watercolor paper with water too. It just helps the colors blend a little better. Then I just turn the packaging over and smoosh it where I want it on my watercolor paper.

For this card, I used four different colors. Sometimes I dab up some of the ink before it has dried to lighten the colors. To help build layers of colors, I will use my heat gun to speed up the drying process. Then when the card is dry, I start all over again with the packaging technique. Here's one more look at my card:

Have you ever tried the packaging technique? Do you use watercolors?

You have a chance to win a prize from Unity Stamp Company this week! Just leave a comment on each one of my Growing in Unity posts. At the end of the week, I'll choose two winners who get 25 random stamps from Unity! I'll post the winners next week.


supplies
stamp set: Unity Stamp Co (kit of the month Nov 2010: Picture Perfect)
ink: Tim Holtz distress inks (Mustard Seed; Spiced Marmalade; Spun Sugar; Picked Raspberry)

excited for 3.

My little cousin will turn four this July so it's time I scrapbooked his third birthday!

I'm playing along with another challenge at Paper Issue's spring crop. This one was "birthday bash."

 Thanks for looking!

supplies
patterned paper, die cuts: Elle's Studio
stickers: Bella Blvd

palm trees & ocean breeze.

The Spiegelmom Scraps FB group has a challenge using this inspiration photo:

It made me think palm trees and vacation. So of course, I scrapped a pic from Mexico.

 I combined it with one of the challenges Paper Issues has going right now for their spring crop.

I used Shimmerz, Palm tree (the word), Roller date stamp, Ink, Noteworthy (collection from Elle's Studio) and Green.

I smeared gel medium from Faber Castell all over my background before I used the packaging technique with my mists. The cut file I found in the Silhouette store and everything else is Elle's Studio.

Thanks for looking!

supplies
patterned papers, acrylic pieces, die cuts: Elle's Studio
mist: Shimmerz (Vibez Snow Way Man; Coloringz Keep Palm)
sequins: SMS (Magical Adventure)
flair: The Crafty Pocket

trending.

Last time I had my hair done, my hairstylist asked if she could take a picture of it. Later I saw it on her Instagram account. I kinda feel like a star ;)

I apologize that this is crooked - I had a hard time editing it to make it straight.

I played along with this month's Challenge YOUrself, which was a sketch challenge.

Everything is from the Pick me Up Collection by Pink Paislee + the cut file is free at Paper Issues!

Thanks for looking!

life currently looks like this.

I could just sit here and look at this view for the rest of my life.

These pictures take me straight back to the beach on Isla Mujeres where we vacationed in February 2017. I'm playing along with sketch 150 at Sketch N Scrap + the Off the Rails challenge this month to use lots of color!

Thanks for looking!

supplies
patterned papers, die cuts, stickers: Elle's Studio (Noteworthy collection + monthly kits)
stamps: Kelly Purkey (Endless Summer); Kellie Winnell (Looks like Summer)
ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black)

all the single ladies.

Stick It Down combined with The Studio challenges in April for a sketch + song lyric challenge. You guys know I love using music on my layouts!

I've had these pictures since my friend's wedding in October. I chose Beyonce's song, Single Ladies. Everything on my page is from Pink Paislee's Pick Me Up collection.

Thanks for looking!

design team call at Stick It Down!

It's time for a design team call!

We are looking for new design team members for all three teams, as well as, sketch designers. We're also looking for a design team/social media coordinator.

Our next term will run from July to December 2018. Please do not apply if you cannot commit to this entire time frame.

What you will do:

• provide one project per month, with possible special events during the six month term
• comment on all submissions as you are assigned - please do not apply if you cannot commit to this!
• post our challenge to your blog and other social media outlets 
• have projects completed and posted one week before the deadline

What you need:

• experience with Blogger - this is a big one!
• an active blog and/or social media accounts
• a Facebook account as this is where the DT "meets"
• a love for creating with sketches
• organizational and time management skills 
• the ability to commit to a six month term

What we will do:

• provide the sketches at least one month in advance
• provide your posting schedule and commenting assignments at the beginning of your term
• be supportive and encouraging
• share your projects and your blog and/or social media links on the SID blog
• share your projects on our social media outlets 
• seek opportunities for collaborations with other teams and brands 

The design team/social media coordinator is a new role that will be developing over time. A few of the responsiblities include:

• Posting to the SID Instagram account and keeping SID engaged in social media
• Sharing the SID challenges to challenge sites
• Being available to help DT members with questions or problems during their term
• Coordinating collaborations and helping recruit sponsors
• Ensuring DT members are meeting their monthly requirements

How to apply:

• send an email to Ashley at StickItDownChallenges@gmail.com with the subject line "Design Team Call" and the following information:
• Your name and location
• Have you used Blogger? 
• Can you make sketches? 
• Links to your blogs/social media accounts
• include a list of current commitments (no experience necessary!)
• include three of your favorite layouts that best display your style and suit the requirements of the team you are applying for (ie submit cards if you are applying for the card team)
• introduce yourself in few brief sentences
• If you have experience or are interested in designing sketches, please include a few of your sketch designs as well.

A few notes: There is no compensation for this role and I am aware that family and life come first. However, this is a team and this is a commitment. Please review carefully what is required of you and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Also, please be mindful of your other design team responsibilities and if you think time management will be a concern, wait until next time to apply! We post a DT call every six months!

This call is open to everyone, including our current team members, and will run until 11:59pm on Thursday, May 31. SID reserves the right to end the call sooner if the team requirements are fulfilled before this date. The new team will be notified by Friday, June 8 and announced on the SID blog on or around Tuesday, June 19. The new design team's projects will be revealed in July. If you have any questions, please let me know!

bloom / Lasting Memories guest designer.

This is my last post as a guest designer at Lasting Memories. This week our challenge is to use 6x6 patterned papers.

I pulled out a super old sheet of Cosmo Cricket circa 2006 for my background and then everything else is from 6x6 paper pads.

My cut file was free at Scrapbook Nerd. I used my Silhouette Cameo 3 to cut it out onto 6x6 papers from Elle's Studio's brand new collection called Noteworthy. I used the packaging technique with some mists onto the background where I was going to place my cut files.

Then I mounted my photos onto an older 6x6 paper from Elle's Studio Live Laugh Love collection. This is not a sponsored post for Elle's Studio (I wish!), but I love their 6x6 paper pads because you can mix and match them, they all coordinate, and they have similar patterns in each pad.

For some embellishing, I pulled out some stamps and Versafine ink. I used some of the 6x6 patterned papers to make my own die cut embellishments and then I just added a few puffy heart stickers.

supplies
patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket (Hey Sugar); Elle's Studio (Noteworthy; Family Fun; Live Laugh Love)
mist: Studio Calico Mr Huey (Rudolph); Shimmerz Coloringz (Keep Palm)
puffy stickers: Elle's Studio
ink: Versafine (onyx black)
stamp: Elle's Studio (live laugh love); Studio Calico

The Crafty Pocket haul

love.

I'm playing along with the April blend a sketch challenge at Scrap Our Stash this month. Part two of the challenge is to use polka dots.

I pulled out my Crate Paper Heart Day collection from a couple of years ago to document this past Valentine's day. Austin worked on V day so we celebrated the day before with lunch at our favorite place + massages.

Thanks for looking!

supplies
patterned paper, chipboard sticker: Crate Paper (Heart Day)
die cuts, stickers: Elle's Studio
washi: Little B

Caribbean Bliss / Lasting Memories guest designer.

Hi guys! I'm guest designing with Lasting Memories this month and today is our next challenge - use 4 patterned papers!

I used all the goodness from Bella Blvd's Island Paradise collection. I bought this collection to document our trip to Mexico in February and it's making miss the beach.

So I was able to use five different patterned papers on this page - one is from a border strip sheet so it doesn't really count ;) 

1) pink background paper
2) clouds from a cut file
3) and 4) photo mats
5) border strip

I didn't love this pink background paper so I smeared some Faber-Castell gel medium on it and added a bunch of Shimmerz colors. Then I just added some stickers from that collection and I'll add my journaling last.

Let's see what you can do!

supplies
patterned papers: Bella Blvd (Island Escape)
mist: Shimmerz Coloringz (Keep Palm; Pink Stilettos); Shimmerz Vibez (Snow Way Man)

Elle's Studio Noteworthy + Paper Issues haul

it's time to celebrate / Lasting Memories guest designer.

Hey guys! I'm back at Lasting Memories sharing the layout I designed for the challenge create your own background.

Recently Indiana passed a law and we can now buy alcohol on Sundays. Yes, I know. Previously you had to plan ahead (!) or go to a restaurant because stores could not sell alcohol on Sundays. We had just returned from vacation in Mexico and were at the grocery store anyway so we bought one single bottle of beer, just to participate in this life changing event. We had plenty of alcohol at home, but we wanted to join in this historical moment.

So I have this Beer stamp set from Kellie's Stamps (I could only find the digital version to link) and I knew I wanted to use it to stamp my background. I pulled out a sheet of white cardstock and used Versafine ink. I arranged all of the stamps onto an acrylic block so I could cover a large area in an shorter amount of time vs stamping each stamp individually all over the page.

Then I chose a few other stamp sets from my stash and did the same thing, but with smaller groupings of stamps. I did use a few individual stamps at the end to help fill in larger white spaces.

This is the first time I've tried something like this and I love the way it turned out. I will definitely be doing this again! I did not do a perfect job, but I covered the worst area up so you don't even know. This is a fantastic way to get more use of your stamps!

A few things I learned...

• Stamp some of the images off of the page
• Some white space is OK
• Do a practice stamp after you put all your stamps on your acrylic block 
• Stamps can have a difference in thickness & this will affect your stamping if you use them both on the same acrylic block
• I didn't want to overlap images or use colored inks, but you could totally do either

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you give this technique a try!

supplies
stamps: Elle's Studio (Right Now Sept 2016; Little Moments; Noteworthy March 2016; Live Laugh Love; Yes to This August 2017); Kellie Stamps (Looks like Summer; Beer); Kelly Purkey (Cruise with Me; Spring Break); Studio Calico (July 2013 add on kit)
journal cards: Elle's Studio (Birthday collection)
washi: Elle's Studio (Live Laugh Love)

Paper Wings Productions April blog hop: Amazing Grace.

Hi friends! 

WELCOME to the Paper Wing Productions Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway! If you've arrived here from Dana's blog, then you're in the right place. If you’re just stopping by for a visit, please CLICK HERE  to start from the beginning.

Are you ready for our April blog hop? The theme for this month is watercolor! Have you tried watercoloring? The design team is sharing their own watercolored projects! We hope you will hop through and find inspiration for your own projects. If you complete the hop, you will be eligible to win an awesome prize! 

The prize is a $25.00 gift certificate to the Paper Wings Productions online store.For a chance to win all you need to do is:

• be a follower of the Paper Wings Productions blog
• visit each of the participating designer's blogs and leave a comment
• come back and leave us a comment on the pwp blog telling us you completed the hop.

To increase your chances of winning: like our Facebook page and/or invite your friends to the hop. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each of your additional entries. The winner will be announced on Friday, April 6 2018 on the Paper Wings Productions blog.

Today I'm sharing a card I made using the Easter cling stamp set. This isn't an overly Easter themed card - more of a general religious card.

I chose the large sentiment and heat embossed it with a gold fine detail embossing powder. I also stamped out the small cross and fussy cut it. 

For my background, I used two yellow distress inks. I stamped the ink pads directly onto some old plastic packaging and spritzed it with water. Then I just smudged the color onto my background. 

Here is the complete line up just in case you get lost along the way:

Dana

Ashley

Larissa

Veronica

Paper Wings Productions Blog - The Aviary

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY!
&Let Your Creativity Take Flight! 

supplies
stamp: Easter
ink: Tim Holtz distress ink (scattered straw; mustard seed)
embossing power: Simon Says Stamp! (ultra fine gold); Sparkle N Sprinkle (fiery brown EP369)

No Worries. Be Happy. / Lasting Memories guest designer.

I'm so excited to be guest designing with Lasting Memories this month! I love their challenges!

To kick off April, our first challenge is to use a new paper technique. I decided to try hand stitching on a background paper... I hope that counts!

This was both harder and easier than I thought and I know that doesn't make sense to anyone else. I think normal people use embroidery floss, but I didn't have any since I've never done hand stitching. I used twine from my stash - two colors because I knew I would run out. I don't know if it didn't take as long as I expected or if just distracted myself by watching You Tube videos while I did it. I'm going to try it again in the future and I think it's something that will get easier with practice.

Using my Silhouette, I cut out this geometric heart and removed the inside pieces. Then I traced it onto my background paper. The pencil lines were a guide for my stitching and after I was done stitching, I erased them.

Everything on my page is from Pink Paislee's Pick Me Up collection - even the cut file is by Paige Evans. Using my Silhouette, I cut out this geometric heart and removed the inside pieces. Then I traced it onto my background paper. The pencil lines were a guide for my stitching and after I was done stitching, I erased them.

I'm the one in the photo, circa early 1980s :)

Thanks for looking!