Count Your Blessings

Happy Friday!  It's Jules of Paper Gems by Jules, here on the blog today sharing not one, but three cards using the new August 2020 Kit of the Month:  Count Your Blessings.  I was chatting with a crafty friend the other day who was deciding on which kit to order and they all have so much to offer.  The KOTM speaks to me because I'm mainly a card maker and getting this huge batch of stamps to play with is just amazing.  I recently received the new KOTM and wanted to share the first 3 of MANY cards that will be made from this set!

For my first card, I took out the little itty bitty birds in the set.  They were so cute and simple.  I was thinking of making a colorful background, but opted to put each bird on a string.  I found a subtle patterned paper that could be stamped on.

I stamped the sentiment first.  Next, I ran each piece of brown twine through glue and stretched it out onto the paper and held it down for 20 seconds and taped the ends on the back.  Once the strings were on, I stamped the birds with the same brown ink.  A little distress ink on the edges, some foam tape and a few subtle sparkles and the first one is done.

For card number 2, I used the beautiful wheat stalks on a smaller piece of white card stock. Next, I colored it in using Copics:  Y00, Y11, E41, G82, G21. Using the same stamp, I made a few masks using post-its.  I also tore removable labeling tape in half and put the rough edges toward the wheat.  Using Dried Marigold & Old Paper Distress inks, I blended some color from top and bottom, never letting them meet.

Stamped the sentiment and did a little splatter and coloring is done.  I backed the image on brown card stock and found a hoothshound patterned paper that kept with the fall theme.  And card number 2 is done.

For the last card, I found inspiration in Whit's recent Facebook Live.  She stamped this super detailed leaf and Nic embossed it using Brutus Monroe Ultra fine embossing powder in Penny.  This stamp is incredibly beautiful and detailed!

I stamped the image several times on black card stock and used the penny embossing powder over it all.  Next, I used black burlap string and wrapped it a few times on the upper 1/3 of the card.  I stamped "thinking of you" from the Whit's Words stamp set on ivory paper.  Using that same ivory paper, I die cut leaves and colored some of them with Rusty Hinge Distress ink.  Tucking the leaves behind the sentiment, card number 3 is complete.

I just can't get over the detail in this one stamp.  So many ideas that come with this whole kit.  And if you're still on the fence about what Kit is for you, check out the Kit of the Month/S.M.A.K./ Uniquely Unity/ Whit Kit- By UNITY STAMP CO. Facebook page for more inspiration.

Thank you so much for following along and I truly hope you find inspiration within some of these cards.  I'd love to hear what inspires you when card making.

Until next time... Happy Crafting!

Jules