Unity {be inspired} Hop

Hi Everyone!  

Back in June/July one of my cards won the {be inspired} Challenge 

which happens monthly over on the Unity Stamp Company Blog. 

Thanks to my win, today I am joining the wonderfully talented 

Unity Stamp Company Designers

 as a Guest for the Unity {be inspired} Hop.  

The hop starts over on the Unity Blog here. 

and then on to

Danie (That's Me)

Angie

Erin

Jolande

Joslyn

Lisa A.

Renee

Stephanie

Simply by hopping and leaving a comment on each stop along the way 

you will be in the running to win a great prize.

WHAT INSPIRED ME!

The inspiration photo above screams Autumn to me, 

and the butterflies on the card sketch caught my eye also.

  Contemplating the color palette I also thought

it would be perfect for a male card.  

Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere signifies Thanksgiving, 

so my first card had being grateful in mind.

This card uses the inspiration colors and card sketch.

Supplies:  Paper - Basic Grey, Cardstock - Stampin' Up!, Stamps - Unity Blessings Stamp from Feb 2012 SMAK Kit & Butterfly from April 2011 KOTM, Other:  Chalk - SU, Flower Bling, Striped Ribbon - Pink Paislee

 

My second card incorporates the inspiration colors, has lots of butterflies 

and uses the cracked glass technique. 

Supplies: Cardstock - Quill, Stamps - Unity Dream Big Itty Bitty, Other:  Gelatos - Faber Castell, Clear UTEE Embossing Powder, Striped Ribbon - Pink Paislee, Twine and Button

My third card once more incorporates the inspiration colors 

and was made with a male recipient in mind.

Supplies:  Paper - Basic Grey, Cardstock - Quill, Stamps - Unity Candles and Cake (Wit and Wisdom) Itty Bitty, Other:  Gelatos - Faber Castell, Black Ink and Embossing Powder, Ric Rac.

So are you feeling inspired yet?  

There's heaps more wonderful inspiration to follow.

Your next stop on the Unity {be inspired} Hop is the very talented Angie Blom

Thanks for stopping and have fun hopping.  

Cracked Glass Anniversary Card

Hi Everyone I'm back with another project for The Robin's Nest and also to announce the Winner from my Blog for our recent Home for the Holidays Blog Hop which was in conjunction with the Helmar Team.

The lucky winner of a $10 Gift Certificate to the Robin's Nest from my blog is Rhonda Helm.  The other winners from each blog along with the Grand Prize Winner have all been announced on the Robin's Nest Blog.   Thank you must go to Rhonda and everyone who left a comment and/or became a follower of my blog during this event.  I really appreciate your kind words about my project.  Rhonda please email Rachel at robinsnestscrap@gmail.com to claim your prize.  

Now for my project.  Tomorrow is my 18th Wedding Anniversary so I thought I would share with you all the card I made for my hubby, which uses the Cracked Glass Technique and the Glitter Black and White Paisley Cardstock  and Black Cardstock  from The Robin's Nest.

I have taken a 12.5 x 12.5 cm White Card Base and then cut a square measuring 12 x 12 cm from the black cardstock and two squares from the Glittered Black and White Paisley Cardstock.  One measuring 10 x 10 cm and the other 9 x 9 cm.  Taking three colors of my Stampers Big Brush Pens from Faber Castell I applied color to the smaller piece of the Paisley Cardstock and then to this I glued a heart I had cut using my spellbinders dies also out of the Paisely Cardstock.

To achieve the Cracked Glass Look I then applied Versamark Ink all over the colored piece and then applied UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel).  I heated this with my heat gun until it melted as you would any embossing powder and then kept repeating the process by added more Versamark Ink and UTEE until I had built up a thick layer over the colored piece.  I then set this aside to cool/dry.

Once Dry I then proceeded to bend the colored piece back and forth until the enamel started to crack alternating where I was bending the piece so the cracks formed in different directions to give the appearance of the Cracked Glass.  Once happy with the result.  I then adhered this to the other piece of Black and White Paisley Cardstock, then to the Black Square and then to my card base.  To finish I applied my stamped and punched sentiment and a couple of dew drops (from the Mens Collection) to the flower centers of my colored piece.

I love the effect of this technique and the colors are quite rich and perfect for a card to give to a male without being to over the top romantic, don't you think?

I have used this same Paisley Cardstock for another project I am posting a little later today, a Cute Christmas Themed Canvas which is my Project for trying out for another term on the Robin's Nest DT, so I'd love it if you popped back a bit later on to take a look and let me know what you think.