Bunny Hugs - Unity Hop

Hello again to another Unity hop! If you're on the East Coast... I hope you are prepared for this blizzard coming! Stay safe and warm and get a lot of crafting done :)

I really cannot get enough of this Susan Weckesser Bunny Hugs stamp! I mentioned last week that I colored her multiple times, so here is another example. I combined her with a 'thinking of you' sentiment from the wonderful "Jar of Mixed Sentiments" kit. 

Angela has been so busy this week that her amazing 60% off birthday sale is continuing! Pick up ALL OF THE STAMPS you have on your wish list! This is too good to pass up.

We have TWO amazing Unity filled prize packages to giveaway. Leave a comment on EACH blog in the hop (including the Unity blog) for your chance to win.  

— PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT —

Anything Goes - Anniversary Layout

Each month, Paper Issues offers up a new "issue" to get your creative mojo flowing. For January we've made it super easy for you to play along with the Anything Goes Challenge! I've decided to go back in time a bit and finally scrapbook my 6th wedding anniversary photo :) (awwww)

Here's a little tutorial of how I created the background of my layout...

First I coated the entire page in a thin layer or gesso and let it dry. Then I started by using up ALL of my rub ons from the Crate Paper Kiss Kiss collection. I've been hoarding these things for a year now. It was time to use them!

I wanted to use some color mists, but the ones I have are too bright. I wanted softer/paler colors for this layout. So I created my own spray mist using Double Scoop Gelatos by Faber Castell Design Memory Craft. The picture shows the Bubblegum color that I cut chunks out of using my palette knife.

Next, I put those cut up Gelato pieces inside a mini mister and fill it slowly with HOT water. The hot water help the Gelato dissolve so you have more pigment in your spray. I also filled another misted with my Double Scoop Gelato in Mango.

With the paper rotated on its side, I sprayed the Bubblegum mister and let the color drip across the page. Once the Bubblegum was mostly dry I sprayed again with the Mango mister and let it dry completely.

I finished the layout using some vellum hearts from the Crate Paper Kiss Kiss embellishment pack, chunky pale pink Thickers, and a couple 'xo' Thickers from Dear Lizzy. I mounted the photo in paper from Pinkfresh "Happy Things" collection that I also sprayed with my misters.

I'm thrilled you joined me for my first ever ISSUE post! Issues now take place in the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} Facebook group, along with all of our other monthly challenges. Just look for the Link & Win album. Add your projects for a chance to win a gift certificate to the Paper Issues store.

And of course you can always get 20% off your ENTIRE PAPER ISSUES ORDER using my code RWKRAFTS at checkout! Happy shopping!

Oh, Ship!

99% of the time I'm a pretty good wife. But then there was that one day that just so happened to be my husband's birthday, where I didn't make him a card.

I make cards all the friggin time, and I didn't even make him one for his birthday?!!! Ya. Wife fail.

This was the perfect opportunity to finally use my Simon Says Stamp "Naughty Nautical" stamp set. I also put the pirate ship inside my Simon Says Stamp "Geotag" large stamp. The ink used is Hero Arts Ombre Pool to Navy ink and the Light to Dark Peach ink. With that... I will be entering my card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Ombre Challenge!

My hubby also enjoys Stickles... so this is the glitteriest pirate ship you will ever see :)

Enjoy your football today!

Unity Birthday Celebration!

Oh my goodness there are some FABULOUS new releases at Unity Stamp Co tonight! I already have my shopping cart full... can't wait to shop even more :)

The best part (to me)... more Susan Weckesser stamps yippee!

I was INSTANTLY in love with this little bunny. I colored her 3 different ways, but this one was my favorite. I paired the bold red and blue bunny with some grey and white paper to make sure the bunny stood out. 

All images in today's post were colored with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with Gamsol oil.

The other card I made also uses new Susan Weckesser stamps for Unity...

I just love the whimsy feeling of these houses! I paired them with a 'love' sentiment from another Susan Weckesser set "Painted Sentiments". 

Yesterday was Angela's birthday (and my husband's!!)!!!!! So of course she has a giant sale! There is so much on sale... have fun shopping! I know I did :)

We have TWO amazing Unity filled prize packages to giveaway. Leave a comment on EACH blog in the hop (including the Unity blog) for your chance to win.  

— PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT —

Sketchy Saturday Christmas Layout

Do you always promise yourself you'll get soooo much crafting done over the weekend, and then the weekend comes and you have zero creativity floating in your brain? Ya, me too. A sketch is the perfect way to jump start your creative Saturday mornings... so why don't you play along with Paper Issues newest Sketchy Saturday?!

I love a sketch that comes together quickly, and this did not disappoint! Once I picked my two Christmas tree photos I just layered them on top of a variety of red and green pattern papers in different sizes. Here I used Crate Paper Wonder - Brave paper, Heidi Swapp September Skies - Mountain Trail paper, Heidi Swapp September Skies - Open Air paper, and then each little chipboard frame was matted with some paper from the Crate Paper Kiss Kiss collection.

The bold Christmas stickers are from American Crafts Holly Jolly Stickers. I used a lot of them but still have plenty left for more layouts! 

Remember you can get 20% off EVERYTHING in the Paper Issues store with the coupon code RWKRAFTS. Happy Shopping :)

Pinspire Me Purples and Blues

How about a gorgeous wintery mood board to spark your creativity?! Here is the first Pinspire Me challenge for 2016! I love the soft purples, blues, and greys. It really pushed me outside of my comfort zone but that's what challenges are all about!

This was a great opportunity for me to bust back into my Dear Lizzy Serendipity collection, which is filled with soft purples, blues, and pinks. I used the Serendipity 6x6 paper pad, watercolor die cut phrases, and the ephemera pack to create my card...

I watercolored the 'hello' die cut using Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Dusty Concord, and Seedless Preserves and let it dry completely. Then I applied a thick layer of Glossy Accents to give the 'hello' some dimension and a nice shiny finish. Other than that, I just layered some ephemera pieces underneath the phrase and finished it off with some washi tape and sequins.

I hope you have been inspired to play along with the Pinspire Me challenge over at Paper Issues! Have fun crafting :)

Remember you can get 20% off ALL items in the Paper Issues shop with coupon code RWKRAFTS!

Valentine's with Unity

Welcome back to another Unity blog hop Thursday! Today we will all be focusing on the GORGEOUS brand new January subscription kits! This month's Kit of the Month is my favorite in a long long time... you won't wanna miss out on it.

There are SO many great images in the January KOTM. That's why I immediately created 3 different cards with them... plus I have many more already colored and just waiting for a card placement :)

The card above uses papers from the new Goldie collection by SevenPapers. By the way, you can get 20% off everything at the Paper Issues shop with the code RWKRAFTS 

I stamped all imaged on Neenah Solar White cardstock and colored then with Copic Markers... Then, because I'm me, I fussy cut everything out :) It's just so relaxing!

Of course I had to make a little tag to go with all those cards. I just love this KOTM!

— Link up your Unity projects through FRIDAY night (linky closes at Midnight CST) —

There will be THREE UNITY PRIZES given away by random selection

Winners picked from comments left on the blogs linked up below and to someone who links up a project to HOP with Unity

— PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT —

Take 5 Tuesday - Go Orioles!

I am SO glad to be on the Paper Issues Design Team, mostly because it forces me to get back into my first paper crafting love... scrapbooking. This is the first layout I've made since last April! Today I'm playing along with a BRAND NEW challenge at Paper Issues called "Take 5 Tuesday".

Here's how you play... visit the Paper Issues blog to see the list of items you can use on your layout, then create a layout or card using at least FIVE of the items. For my Camden Yards page I used 1) Orange, 2) Mists, 3) Sequins, 4) Alpha Stickers, 5) Twine/String (stitched the edges).

My bestie friend Katie is a huge Orioles fan, so it was only appropriate that when she visited me in Baltimore we did the Camden Yards ballpark tour! The tour of the stadium was very very cool... baseball fans should definitely take two hours to do it if they're around Baltimore!

I used a pretty big mix of items mostly because I was just looking for anything in my stash that was black and orange... if only I had more Halloween things in my craft room! 

Remember that you can buy some black and orange (or any color!) things for your craft room from the Paper Issues store! Make sure you use my coupon code RWKRAFTS at checkout for 20% off! Woohoo!!!

Top 15 of 2015

Holy wow it's 2016! Congrats to everyone reading this, you've made it through another year! Here I am to share with you all my favorite projects that I created in the year 2015.

**AND I have a very special fun announcement at the bottom!!**

Below you will find each project, in no particular order, with the accompanying direct link to visit for more details :)

A winter flip frame created for the MMMC Silver and Gold Challenge. 

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One layer watercolor card made for the 5for5 Holiday blog hop.

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Halloween altered clock created for the 5for5 Halloween hop.

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Two winter cards where I also share a how-to video for my new Controlled Color Bleed technique.

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A large mint and gold art journal page for Unity Stamp Co

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Creating bold translucent backgrounds with The Crafter's Workshop stencils.

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A scrapbook layout of my favorite place in the country: Crescent Beach, Maine.

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My favorite layout created at the Crop on the Cape event.

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My second favorite layout created at the Crop on the Cape event :)

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A mini album made for a fabulous crafty friend.

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This IS my number one favorite project of 2015. My scribbly birds canvas made for MMMC.

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A layout featuring my two best friends, created for National Scrapbook Day.

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A very Texty canvas made for Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

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Summer Sunset art journal spread (that I need to put on a canvas).

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And finally, a watercolor card with a how-to video included.

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WOOO-EEE! You made it through all the pictures! Now my exciting crafty announcement...

I am linking this Top 15 of 2015 post to the Paper Issues blog becaaaaauuusssee I am NOW ON THE PAPER ISSUES DESIGN TEAM! I have been trying for this team for more than a year so YES!

So what's in it for YOU?? You can get 20% off EVERYTHING in the fabulous Paper Issues store just by using my code at checkout! The secret code is RWKRAFTS for 20% off errrrythang. I mean it.

Happy new year :)