Art Crayons, Sentimental Cards, and People Who Care

Day 2 of GIU 2018.  Let me be real with you all. I am obsessed with looking at cards and paper crafts online.  My Instagram is full of beautiful works by clever and artists who are incredibly talented.  I go on the Show and Tell and stalk all of your creations. Sometimes in my stalking I run across a technique I can't quite put my finger on, or someone repping a new product I've never seen.  Curious stalking is what led me to my newfound love of Vicki Boutin mixed media products.  Pair her art crayons and glazes with some UNITY realness and you have instant paper craft gold.

Today I'm going to share 2 cards I created using some of Vicki's magic art crayons and the STUNNING SMAK and other Unity kits that I love.

Check out this butterfly card from kit Truest Life.

I embossed the butterfly in gold on printed paper from the pad "Preserved Paper" by DCWV and tore the edges of the paper to get a rustic feel.  Then I colored some of the Vicki Boutin art crayons on my mat, (3 colors of blue) and added some water until it dissolved like a very pigmented watercolor.  I used my colors inside the butterfly, but also let them drip down the page to mimic the stamp's drips.  Honestly, I stole this idea from Laura Mooney who made the most insanely cool drippy flower canvases.  I used the sentiment from Inspired Minds to set this off.  I distressed the edges with distress oxide ink in Walnut Stain and set the sentiment off with a touch of gold washi.  Add a few neutral sequins and voila!


The next card has a special meaning to me.  A friend asked if I would make her a card for her brother who was celebrating his third year being sober.  She always sneaks a little card in the mail to remind him of how proud of him she is, but had trouble finding masculine cards.  I made the card with a little extra love because my uncle who we celebrated for his continual sobriety just passed away last month.  While I was making the card for my friend, I felt like I was making it for my dear uncle Kevin too.  It's funny how making a card can be so cathartic and meaningful.

For this card I used the kits The Ocean is Calling and Sentiments for Graduates.  I embossed the lighthouse in gold again on a piece of watercolor paper.  I used the art crayon in the sandy color right on the bottom part of the box, then water blended it out.  For the sky, I wanted it to look a little stormy, so I smooshed some of the gray and light blue art crayon watered down using acetate.  I could control where it got darker or lighter using the acetate.  That cool rock paper came from DCWV pad called "Beach House."  The little sailboat charm actually came to me in a care package from a dear friend on the Unity Show and Tell named Bobbie Sue!  The Unity Show and Tell is bursting at the seams with the kindest people who have the biggest hearts.  It was awesome to share her kindness on a card with so much meaning.

Don't forget to share some feedback in the comments for a chance to win 25 beautiful stamps from Unity.  Share a story of how someone made a card for you that gave you the feels, or one you made that gave you the warm fuzzies.  Is there a product you are dying to try out?