Unity Friends with Flair - 2 cards - Giveaway - and spreading my wings...

Good morning! It is Friday and time for Unity Friends with Flair! I have two cards today - so it is a long post! Be warned! I also have a giveaway at the bottom if you make it all the way through!!!

I am using these cards to also put in for the Unity Design Team Call. I know I'm probably dreaming to think I have a chance of making it (what with all the amazing talent I see out there all the time!) - but that is kind of what Unity is about. Dreams. Wishes. Spreading your wings to fly. So...with a deep breath...here I go! And even if I don't make it, I will at least know that I gave it my best! And I will keep using and LOVING all my Unity stamps - and wish whoever makes the team the best of luck! 

I decided to do a card that I spent a lot of time on, and then do one that I put together on a quick whim. Just because, I like to do both! This first one I made for the recent Papercrafts Magazine Stamping publication call. It wasn't picked, so I decided to share it here. Because I love it! Seriously one of my favorite cards ever I think! Here it is: 

I used the Unity Stamp "Sweetest Day" itty bitty for the strawberry, and the sentiment was from the June 2011 KOTM. The pattern paper is from a couple of Basic Grey 6x6 paper pads. 

I paper-pieced the strawberry, cutting an extra layer of the stem portion, then only sticking the center of that one down, and curling up the ends slightly for dimension! Then put bling on all the "seeds" using my Jolee's heat set tool. Finally popped it off the background with foam adhesive. 

Inked the edges of the white cardstock with Time Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen (my FAV!), stamped the sentiment, tied some PTI twine and a PTI button across the top, and made some tabs with some October Afternoon trim from the Sidewalks wrap pack. Attached that with foam adhesive to the next layer.

The white ruffle along the sides is from some Tim Holtz trim. I cut it in half lengthwise, then glued it behind the second layer. The edges of that layer, and the base layer were inked with Tim Holtz distress ink in Vintage Photo.

That's it. A card I love and spent a lot of time on. 

My second card was put together quite quickly. I was mailing some Cricut cuts to someone as samples for a special order, and wanted to put it in something to protect it. An opportunity to make something beautiful? Yep...I was on it! So this is what I pulled together. Took me seriously like 30 minutes from start to finished (counting photographing and editing pictures!) - I usually find that I work better under pressure oddly enough! 

I used some Cosmo Cricket paper from one of their 6x6 paper pads, tucked a doily behind one layer, and stamped 3 images from the Unity February 2012 KOTM. Used some PTI inkpads for the green and blue ink. Then inked the edges of those strips with some more Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen. 

Finished off with a little white trim from my stash, and some Baker's Twine from the Twinery.  

Okay...now assuming you made it all the way through - I also have a giveaway!!! At the time I am writing this, I am at 499 followers - ALMOST 500!!! I was going to wait until I hit 500 - but I couldn't stand it any longer! The other thing I wanted to accomplish was completing building a second house for a widow and I recently got a special order that puts me over that amount (click on the "About Me" tab above to read more about that if you're interested!) So, I have this to giveaway to one person who leaves a comment for me today:

This is one of my favorite sets! It is so big and beautiful! I was seriously so amazed and excited when I first got this set, and I have had this extra set stashed for a special occasion like this. 

So, to win - just leave me a comment here! Anything you want to say at all! 

And thanks so much for being part of my life in this way!  I would love to giveaway something to each and everyone of you...but since I can't, I'll settle for one for now! Have a wonderful day!!!