GIU - Growing In Unity Gal Thursday

Today, I have for you something new that I tried.  The layout is similar to Tuesday's card, but it is presented vertically instead.

One of my favorite techniques is paper-piecing.  I love giving cupcakes patterned frosting and putting patterned elements on all sorts of things -- even animals!   This type of paper-piecing I tried today, however, is new to me.

I am in love with this image.  I wanted the leaves and grass to be green, but I didn't want that green color on the flowers themselves.  I tried it with ink pads, just pressing the green against the grass part and purple against the flower part, but it never looked like I imagined.  So I stamped the flowers in black on a second piece of cardstock, colored the flowers with Prismacolor pencils, and pieced those colored flowers onto this image.  (Now, if I could just get my camera to behave when photographing purples!)
  
Please check back every day this week for more Unity projects.   I'll be doing a drawing for a free Itty Bitty stamp from Unity from all of the comments left this week.  Happy Stamping!

GIU - Growing In Unity Gal Wednesday

Thanks for stopping by for another day of my "Growing in Unity" week!

Here's a clean & simple card for the middle of the week.   It was created for a challenge to include hearts on a project, but not to use "heart" colors like red or pink.   I liked the blue because, depending on embellishments, it would be appropriate for a male or female.

This paper is from the Theresa Collins "Everyday Moments" 6x6 paper pad and the little resin flower is from Stampin' Up!   As you can see, I stamped the heart onto a patterned panel to add visual interest.   (By the way, the stamp is from the 12/13 Kit-of-the-Month which is on sale right now for only $20 -- it also includes an adorable cupcake, cute chemistry beakers, and lots more!)
   
Please check back every day this week for more Unity projects.   I'll be doing a drawing for a free Itty Bitty stamp from Unity from all of the comments left this week.  Happy Stamping!

GIU - Growing In Unity Gal Tuesday

Happy Tuesday, everyone!   Your regularly-scheduled GIU gal had an emergency, so I'll be filling in for her this week.

Today, I'm sharing two different focal images for the card I made.  I really liked the first one I stamped, but at the last minute I decided to add antennae to the butterfly and I didn't like how those turned out.   So I grabbed another piece of white cardstock and tried again with pinks.   What do you think?

This layout was a sketch challenge for The Stampers' Sampler magazine, inks are Memento dye from Tsukineko, and the black & white patterned papers are from Darice.  Stamps, of course, from Unity.

Had the part I not liked been so close to the butterfly, I probably would have covered it up somehow.   As I often say, "Every mistake is a chance for embellishment."   Looking back now, I guess I could have just put gems on the end of the thick antennae of the orange butterfly and called it good.

How do you deal with elements of your projects that don't turn out as planned?

Please check back every day this week for more Unity projects.   I'll be doing a drawing for a free Itty Bitty stamp from Unity from all of the comments left this week.  Happy Stamping!

FWF: Missing You Butterflies

Once again, it's time for Unity's Friends with Flair Friday!   Are you doing any crafting this weekend?  I am!   One of my friends' husband is going on a trip and she generously invited a bunch of friends over for a crafting weekend.   I have lots of thinking & packing to do, but I'm sure all the work will be well worth it.   I love hanging out with this group of crafty gals.

This week's card was fairly simple to put together.  I paper-pieced the butterflies so I could have intense pink color along with a little bit of added dimension.

Looking at this card, I'm not sure I like the color of the edging around the tag/banner at the bottom.   Chestnut Roan is my go-to inking pad, but perhaps a darker brown would have worked better given the color of the card and the spray.  What do you think?

Hope you enjoy your week!   Happy Stamping!

FWF: Every Artist

It's Friday once again, everyone, and I have a special Unity card to share with you for today's Friends with Flair.  This one was can be found in print, on page 92 of the current Take Ten Summer 2014 issue.  I submitted this card for a "sage green" call, but the sage projects aren't going to be published until the Summer 2014 issue of The Stampers' Sampler.
    

 
If you have the desire to see your projects in print, set a goal to submit a few.  It's so interesting which ones they choose and which don't make the cut.  You see, the cards that don't get chosen aren't necessarily bad.  It may be that they already have lots of orange cards, for example, but they have a spot on a layout with red cards that needs to be filled.

Most magazines offer you the opportunity to have your project returned to you if they choose not to publish it.  I always let them keep it -- who knows when they'll need my lavender card to fill a spot?   I've had a project published almost two years after I submitted it.  That wouldn't have happened if I had insisted that it get returned to me.
   
It's such a thrill to see your project in print!  In addition to the excitement, there are often other perks, too.  Typically, the publisher sends you a complimentary copy of the issue your project is featured in.  Depending on the products your project features, you might also qualify from some reward swag (typically called "Publication Incentives").  I've been keeping a comprehensive list of paper & stamp companies that offer such incentives and links to their specific guidelines.  It's right here on the blog, up top, labeled "Publication Incentives", or you can click on that phrase here.  I would definitely encourage you to support companies that offer these.
      
I hope you'll take a chance and send in a few of your favorite cards, and I hope to see your project in print someday soon.
   
Happy Stamping!