I'm BACK!!!! Card Saying How I Feel!!!

I'm back finally!  Yay!  At least it's a yay for me!!!  Haha  I wanted to first say thank you to all of you for your well wishes and your wonderful kind words to me.  You are all so sweet and such incredible souls - I appreciate each and every one of you.  Additionally, thank you so much for your patience while I had this little break with my complications from my disabilities as well as being in the hospital and my recovery.  You guys have been absolutely incredible.  Sending you so much love.

A double cafe mocha vodka valium latte to go please!!!!!

For my first card back, I felt I needed to do a card reflecting how I've been feeling!  So, I went to my stash for this Art Impressions Giraffe Card that I absolutely love!!!  It reflects exactly how I've been feeling after being in the hospital and being in bed all week and also how I feel getting back in the craft room (I was seriously all thumbs!!!).  Maybe it reflects how some of you feel today too - it's seriously too cute!!!!

Watercolor giraffe with distressed edges

I started with the stamp set and my new Stamp Perfect from Hampton Arts and stamped it with Memento Tuxedo black in on Tim Holtz Distress watercolor paper and on Spectrum Noir alcohol ink paper.  I wanted to do two separate cards for my first time back in the craft room with two different mediums.  For the watercolor card I used my Spectrum Noir Aquablend pencils in Essentials and Natural and my waterbrush to blend the colors.  Once those dried slightly I went over that with the same colors to add some brush strokes to give it a darker color and some texture to this awesome mixed up giraffe!

Watercolor giraffe supplies - Spectrum Noir Aquablend

For the other card I used the Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink markers and blended those colors together to get a fun blend.  I can honestly say that my hands were very shaky and I was not comfortable with either medium for my first time back.  But, that is okay, that is what we are doing - art therapy to get better and enjoy each moment - so all is good.

Alcohol Marker Giraffe with Wonky Paper

When each of the card panels dried, I added them to card bases I cut from some paper I received from Simon Says Stamp in recent card kits.  I used some pattern paper I had laying around (sorry I don't know exactly where it was from) and I also distressed the watercolor paper with the Tim Holtz paper distresser tool.  I love that thing!!!!  I then added some Pretty Pink Posh crystal drops (probably a bit too many) and the cards were finished!  Now I need a "double cafe mocha vodka valium latte to go please"!!!!  How about you????!!!!

Alcohol Marker Giraffe Supplies - Spectrum Noir Markers

Thanks so much for joining me on this art therapy journey and I appreciate every single one of you.  Have an awesome day!  Jude  :-)
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Links:

Social Media Links: (Please visit me for more fun art therapy!)

YouTube - Click HERE!

Hey Jude Cards Instagram - Click HERE!

Jude U Personal Instagram - Click HERE!

Snapchat Username - judeunnone

See you there!  Thanks!

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Supplies:

Stampin'Up - if you are interested in anything from Stampin'Up - click HERE!!

To order the Simon Says Stamp monthly kit - click HERE!

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Hampton Art HAMAC0710 Stamp Perfect Tool	Pretty Pink Posh 6MM CLEAR DROPLETS (medium)	https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/product.aspx?id=342386	Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock 8.5x11-	Crafter's Companion REDS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-REDS6	Crafter's Companion TURQUOISES Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-TURQ6
Crafter's Companion PINKS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-PINKS6	https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/product.aspx?id=344229	Crafter's Companion ESSENTIALS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-ESSEN6	Crafter's Companion PALE HUES Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-PALE6	*Tim Holtz DISTRESS WATERCOLOR CARDSTOCK Ranger Ink TDA39549	Crafter's Companion COOL GREYS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-COOL6
Crafter's Companion BLUES Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-BLUES6	Crafter's Companion BROWNS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-BROWN6	Crafter's Companion GREENS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-GREEN6	*Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two Applicators 62191	Fiskars REINFORCED Paper Trimmer 12 Inches 05266	Crafter's Companion BRIGHTS 24 SET Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-BRIGHTS24
Crafter's Companion PASTELS 24 SET Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-PASTELS24	*EK Success CRAFT TWEEZERS Precision Tip 54-04000	Crafter's Companion DARKS 24 SET Spectrum Noir Markers SPENC-DARKS24	Crafter's Companion WARM GREYS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-WARM6	Crafter's Companion YELLOWS Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-YELLOW6	Crafter's Companion PURPLES Spectrum Noir Markers SPECN-PURPLE6
Crafter's Companion 72 MARKER STORAGE TRAYS Spectrum Noir SPECN-UPT6	https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/product.aspx?id=344227	Simon Says Stamp LARGE GRID PAPER Pack Pad SGRID1 The Color of Fun	Simon Says Stamp SMALL TEFLON BONE FOLDER Tool	Memento TUXEDO BLACK INK PAD Full Size me-900	American Crafts BLUSH Scissors Designer Desktop Essentials 370802
Art Impressions 4190 Zoo Crew Series

InLinkz.com

Colored Pencil on Natural Cardstock - Featuring Unity Stamp Co KOM

I love the technique of coloring on kraft card stock.  I think it is beautiful!  I haven't done it a lot so I wanted to try that technique on various colors of the natural card stock - kraft, dark kraft, gray, soft gray, and a green/kraft.  These papers were in a Neenah card pack and were the start of where I wanted to go with these cards.  I also had the January Unity Stamp Co. card kit that had some awesome images on it and thought they would be absolutely perfect for this technique.

Colored Pencil on Natural Cardstock - featuring Unity Stamp Co KOM

I stamped the stamps in either white pigment ink or memento tuxedo black ink using the MISTI tool.  I then used the Prisma colored pencils and colored them in.  I didn't use gamsol this time as I felt they blended really well and I didn't need it on this card stock.  After all the images were colored in I decided to just use some simple decorations with these cards.  I didn't want to add any patterned paper, glitter paper, dimension, embossing or anything like that.  I just wanted them to be plain and simple this time.  Maybe that was because I was having a bad week and I didn't feel like doing it - or maybe I just liked the simplicity on this one!!!  I have no idea which one!!!!

Everything's Coming Up Roses

Make a Wish

I added ribbon, nuvo drops, rhinestones and line stickers that I had left over from the Love from Lizi kits.  Once I did that, these cards were complete!  See, simple!

Heart Alive

Happy Everything

Beautiful When You Smile

I would love to see your creations of colored pencil on kraft or neutral card stock - I know that they will be incredible.  Tag me in your pictures so I can see them on social media.  Have an awesome day!  Jude  :-)
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Social Media Links: (Please visit me for more fun art therapy!)

YouTube - Click HERE!

Hey Jude Cards Instagram - Click HERE!

Jude U Personal Instagram - Click HERE!

Snapchat Username - judeunnone

See you there!  Thanks!

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LINKS:
Unity Card Kit Kit of the Month Club - Click HERE!

For more information on the Love from Lizi kit - click HERE!

Stampin' Up Haul - New Occasions Catalog

Hey guys - I hope you had a wonderful holiday!  We had a very nice time except I got the flu - bummer!  But, we did manage to drive into Pittsburgh and surprise my husbands family with a visit!!!  That was the best holiday present we could have given and that we could have received as well!  I haven't personally seen any of my family or my husband's family in over two years due to my health issues so I literally cried the moment I got to hug them!  It totally MADE my Christmas!  Now, if I can just get to see my Mom and my brother soon it would be another blessing on top of the one I already received!  Yay!

So, for Christmas I got a few things from the new Stampin' Up Occasions catalog and a few free gifts from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  It was lovely!  They have some amazing things coming out on January 4th and, if you spend $50.00, you can get something free from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  I love FREE!!!!  That also includes anything from clearance, anything from the annual catalog and, of course, anything from the new catalog!  So, yay for that!  If you don't already have a Stampin' Up Demonstrator and you want a catalog, just let me know and I will get one out to you.

New Stampin' Up Occasions Catalog & Sale-A-Bration Catalog along with the Annual Catalog

On to the haul - this new catalog had some beautiful items in it, but my most favorite had to be the dragonfly set!  I love dragonflies for some reason and this set was absolutely perfect!  I cannot wait to use it.  There was also a beautiful hot air balloon set and a regular balloon set with a pop-up die cut that was so cool!  The papers in this catalog were beyond gorgeous as well - and, I have said many times that my favorite thing about Stampin' Up is the paper.  It is fantastic quality at great prices and the designer paper is just so fun and fantastic as well!  This catalog was no exception and I had a blast picking out some fun things to work with here in the near future.  There was so much more that I wanted to get, but I had to just calm myself!!!!

New Stamp Sets and Dies from Stampin' Up - Yay!

New Papers and two Project Kits from Stampin' Up - Fun!

Hope you enjoy the haul video and that you are having a wonderful holiday season.  I will have a couple of video's up this week on some New Years cards as well.  Fun, fun, fun!

Thank you for being here.  Jude  :-)
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Social Media Links: (Please visit me for more fun art therapy!)

YouTube - Click HERE!

Hey Jude Cards Instagram - Click HERE!

Jude U Personal Instagram - Click HERE!

Snapchat Username - judeunnone

See you there!  Thanks!

____________________________________________
LINKS:

Stampin'Up - if you are interested in anything from Stampin'Up - click HERE!!

Occasions Catalog:

Dragonfly Stamp Set - Dragonfly Dreams 142924

Dragonfly Thinlit Set - Detailed Dragonfl Thinlits Dies - 142749

Set (10% off) - 144728

Balloon Thinlit Set - Balloon Pop-Up Thinlits Dies - 142753

Hot Air Balloon Stamp Set - Lift Me Up - 142896

Hot Air Balloon Thinlit Set - Up & Away Thinlits Dies - 142748

Set (10% off) - 144712

Falling in Love Designer Paper - 142788

Falling in Love Paper - 142789

Succulent Garden Paper - 142779

Annual Catalog:

Snail Adhesive - 104332

Snail Adhesive Refill - 104331

Wall Project Kit - Clearance section on-line (check website for availability)

Sale-A-Bration Catalog:

Coloring Paper - Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper - 143830

T-Shirt Stamp Set -Designer Tee - 143359

Hot Air Balloon Paper - Carried Away Designer Series Paper - 143608

Unity Stamp Company aka "Power of Positive Thinking"!!!

I have a confession:  I have a thing for Unity Stamp Company stamps!  It's true.  I really love everything about them!  And, to be honest, I didn't think I would like them so much originally.  You see, I really like clear stamps and had never really experienced red rubber stamps so I just assumed I wouldn't like anything but clear.  Additionally, I wasn't a "coloring" girl because of my hands and arms issues since the two strokes - it honestly just hurt to much.  But, I had to push myself for art therapy and my rehabilitation and so I looked into Unity Stamps just because I needed some more things to color besides the few coloring books that I had!  I saw them on Instagram and I liked their style so I hesitantly decided to give it a go (I'm stubborn like that!!!)  However, the minute I actually stamped them I was hooked!  They are such amazing quality and the red rubber is so detailed that it is incredible to stamp - I truly love them - a total fan girl experience!

Colored in with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers and
added Glossy Accents to a couple of bowls.

Add to that the ability to color them in with a multitude of mediums and you just made me a happy little camper.  I can use alcohol markers, colored pencils, distress inks, distress crayons, heat embossing, watercolors, zigs, etc.  I could go on and on!  It is helping my art therapy along greatly as well.  Additionally, I love that I can stamp an entire sheet of images and then bring them to bed with me (where I am 80% of the time unfortunately) and color them when I feel well enough (remember my video of watercoloring in bed?!!!).  So, it's a total win-win all around!

Colored in with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers

So, that said, these are a few cards that I made recently using Unity Stamp Company stamps.  I'm sure Unity will be a regular feature here on the blog as I truly love the quality as well as how much it is helping my hands and arms - Yay!!!  Additionally, they have so many fantastic and uplifting sentiments and images it is like going to a full on positive thinking seminar when you sit down and read through the web site - I love that!!!!

Created a mini card and colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers
and then "watercolored" with Wink of Stella clear.
Added Tonic Nuvo Crystal drops in Purple Rain, Silver Moon Dust, & Ebony.

Stamped with black ink and colored with Spectrum Noir Aqua Pencils
(Oh, and I've never had to say this to anyone ever!!!)

Hope you enjoy and have an awesome day!  Jude  :-)

PS  I forgot to mention that they also have hilarious sentiment stamps for those days when you just need a laugh to make you forget about anything negative going on in your life (told ya it was full on positivity!!!!) - AND, they even have a PG13 section for those days when you need an adult laugh because it's been an extra challenging type of day!!!  Ha ha ha  (Not that I have ever visited that section before - ever 😲!)

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Social Media Links: (Please visit me for more fun art therapy!)

YouTube - Click HERE!

Hey Jude Cards Instagram - Click HERE!

Jude U Personal Instagram - Click HERE!

Snapchat Username - judeunnone

See you there!  Thanks!

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LINKS:

For information on Unity Stamp Company - Click HERE!