Monday, April 2, 2018

Growing in Unity, Day 1

Monday, April 2, 2018

Happy Birthday

Hello, Unity Stamp lovers! I am so excited (and yes, a little scared!) to be a Growing in Unity Girl this week! I am really not much of a blogger, so I dusted off this blog, which hasn’t been used in quite some time, especially for this occasion!
Please leave a comment each day this week, to be eligible to win a fabulous prize of 25 Unity stamps direct from Unity!
Feel free to leave suggestions as well - I am always excited to learn new and different ways of doing things when it comes to stamping and making cards! Also feel free to look for me on Instagram after the week is over, to see what other crafting I’ve been up to!

Now for today’s post -

I’ve got several family birthdays (as well as other occasions) during April and May, so my GIU week came at a perfect time for me to get busy and make cards.
I used the Happy Birthday Balloon kit to make these 3 perfect-for-anyone birthday cards. So many of my cards are very floral and feminine so it’s good to have some cards ready that can be used for a man as well as a woman. I stamped the balloon on patterned papers and cut out the ballon only. (That’s the extent of paper piecing I’ve tried! I’m looking forward to trying something more complex soon, although I’m not a big fan of fussy cutting.) Then I stamped the balloon on the card panel, not worrying about overlapping the balloons or strings. I adhered the balloons in the appropriate places on the card front. For one card I die cut the word “birthday” a few times, adhered the cuts together to give it some dimension, and heat embossed the top layer in black. For another I heat embossed “Happy Birthday” from the Special Wishes sentiment kit in white, on black paper. On the 3rd card I added a touch of black and white twine to coordinate with the black and white striped paper I adhered the panel to.


















Another birthday kit that works for anyone is the Hugs, Kisses & Birthday Wishes sentiment kit. The owl image was colored with colored pencils and blended with odorless mineral spirits (aka Gamsol) on white card stock. I die cut the image panel, and cut it again out of kraft card stock to create a kraft frame.


















Thanks for stopping by today; I hope you pop in again tomorrow!

48 comments:

  1. Such great birthday cards. Loving all the balloons.

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  2. I love your birthday cards! Inspiring!

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  3. I love both stamps I have used my owl and it is so cute, have made my balloons myler with paper on some have not inked the new happy birthday balloon yet. Was on vacation and making book markers and cleaned my craft room, snow today a good day to color

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  4. Awesome birthday cards! I love the owl card! Love the kraft frame and your coloring is wonderful!

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  5. balloons are best for birthdays!
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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  6. I am a big fan of these stamps you used. So cute. Adorable cards.

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  7. These cards are adorable! I need to invest in some stamps that would work for cards for younger kids. The balloons with the "happy" string is such a cute stamp!
    --Phaline Mays

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  8. Oh! Two of my favorite stamps. Love the colors, patterns, and designs. Just adorable.

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  9. Beautiful cards. Love the designs.

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  10. Beautiful cards Avra!!! I'm gonna try these balloons too with the paperpiecing!! Great idea!!

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  11. Pretty! Nice paper piecing on the balloons!

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  12. Love these! That stamp is so easy to use and that owl is adorable!

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  13. Very cute! You created some wonderful cards. Thank you for sharing.

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  14. Charming set of birthday cards! Love that cute owl with the balloons!
    Congrats on your GIU week! I'm looking forward to stopping by each day!

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  15. Great cards. I love the fun happy vibe

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  16. I am positive your blog will get very busy with comments on your beautiful cards. I love them and hope someday to create some beautiful cards in comparison with yours!

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  17. Great Cards!! Love the Happy Birthday Balloon stamp!!

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  18. Super cute cards, I especially love the Birthday Balloons! 🎈🎈🎈

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  19. Great cards. I don’t have that balloon but it is on my wish list!!!

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  20. You can't have a birthday without balloons! I'm going to raid my scrap box and do some paper piecing. Thanks!

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  21. Love the balloons; those are all very
    cute cards. And I seem to never have any
    'guy' cards; always too girly. LOVE that
    sweet owl. Lovely coloring.

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  22. Paper piecing is perfect for the balloons, a lovely result!

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  23. Love the repetitive balloons - fun cards.

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  24. Avra! So excited that you are a GIU girl! Your cards are so cute.
    You have inspired me to stamp some more balloons:)

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  25. I love the different ways you did the balloons. I have that stamp and have yet to ink it up. You have inspired me to get it out.

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  26. So happy and proud you are the GIU girl this week, Avra!! LoveLoveLove all your cards! I will have to add to my wishlist again.

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  27. I love your balloon cards. You gave me inspiration to get my balloon stamps out. I forget how festive and happy balloons are at any age. Thanks and looking forward to your cards this week!

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  29. Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like a bunch of colorful balloons! Love all of your cards. Very nicely done!

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  30. Really cute cards, Avra! It is always great to have ideas for birthday cards!

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  31. I have that balloon stamp. I going to try making a card like that. Thank you.

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  32. I have both of these stamps and have used the owl multiple times. Now I'm going to try the paper piecing with the other one. I agree it's a good one to start with. 😉. Thanks for the great ideas!

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  33. Your owl with special balloons is really cute. :)

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  34. I have this new birthday balloon stamp and live what you did, totally going to case it.

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  35. I really love how you used that itty bitty balloon!

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  36. Cute balloon cards. I like the paper piecing.

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  37. Great birthday cards! So versatile. I have the Owl w/ balloons kit but the "birthday ballons" kit is on my wish list. I love how you used it!

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  38. Love your birthday's cards,they are so beautiful and creative.But,I love the owl birthday card,it's so colorful,bright and cute.Thanks for sharing.

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  39. I just ordered the balloon stamp, and now I can't wait to receive it. Beautiful!

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  40. Awesome cards, Avra! Your first try at paper piecing is absolute perfection! I've seen this balloon stamp several times and it never tickled my fancy, till now! It's perfect for paper piecing! The owl card is adorable. Great job on your first day of being a GIU girl!

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  41. I’m obsessed with Unity sentiment kits! I love your paper pieced balloons!

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  42. Absolutely love the balloons and Unity sentiments are the best!

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  43. Balloons are my favorite for birthday cards ! Great job !
    [margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]

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