It's Time to Start Something New ~ Growing in Unity 2023 Day 1

This morning I'd like to welcome the new friends from Unity Stamps who will be following my Growing in Unity posts this week.  I am very honored to have been selected for 2023!  I have to admit, when the list came out on 12/12/22, my excitement of seeing my name quickly turned to 'What? Second week in January! Oh my!'  My husband had just had shoulder surgery five days before and I certainly wasn't even ready for Christmas!  Amazingly everything has fallen into place as he's doing great post surgery, Santa did arrive, and my cards were completed before the new year began. 

I think we all reflect a lot in January... about what we could've, would've, should've done last year... or all the goals for things we'd like to do for 2023. This week I'll be focusing on two things that brought me to Unity Stamps many years ago.  I've always been a fan and collector of 'Angie Girls' and the positive sentiments that encourage girls and women to believe in themselves.  I hope you'll stop in each day to enjoy what I've made for this week.  Don't forget to comment for your chance to be one of my two winners of the Unity $20 gift certificates. 

For Day 1 I've selected 'Start Something New' by Angie Blom. She's the perfect encouragement to many of us to push us past that first step of doing something different in our lives.  If it's time, you will know it and you will be amazed how much happier you will be!

I've used the girl image and the sentiment from this package.    After stamping them on Neenah 110# cardstock, I used Copic markers for coloring.   For the background, I used a bookshelf image from a coloring book.  I scanned it, sized it to fit my stamped images and also colored it with Copic markers after printing.

I used the Gina Marie Designs Label Six to die cut the completed girl image and also the sentiment.  On the bookcase, I trimmed the image leaving about 1/8" on the sides and top and about 3/4" on the bottom.

For the card base, I cut the dark blue cardstock 

in half at 4 1/4" on the short side, making the base 4 1/4" x 11".  I secured the girl image close to the edge on the right end. Then I fussy cut around the right half of the image.   Next I added the sentiment on the left side of the image.  Then I was able to make my fold line about 1/2" to the left of the sentiment.    This fold allows for the back to be longer so the inside image can be seen with the card folded.  It's easy then to place the bookshelf inside at whatever point 'looks right' behind the girl, and then secure it.  If you have excess to the right of the inside image, trim it away leaving about 1/4" to 1/2" border. 

Lastly I added the organza ribbon at the fold with a Heart charm tied in at the knot.   I also added a strip of white cardstock on the inside left (behind the girl) for writing.

Thank you for stopping by today to view my blog. I enjoy sharing my work with you and invite you to 'Follow' my blog and to visit my site - "Not Just Scraps' on Facebook - where you can purchase my cards. 

I will be entering this card in the following challenges: 

Beyond the Blue ~ Challenge BB77 ~ Something New 

Craft Rocket ~ Challenge 99 ~ Not a Square 

Little Red Wagon ~ New Beginnings 2023 

Word Art Wednesday ~ Week 57-578 

Crafty Friends ~ Challenge 163  

Unity Stamp Growing  in Unity

 

Pam's Pearls

 

Copics 

Inside: Books W3, Y02, YR23, YR27, N7, N4, E70, E73, Shelf: E25

Front: Jeans: B93, B95, B97, Shirt: BG45, BG49, YR02, Shoes: BG45, N3, Hair: B41, N3, N4, N6, N7, N0

 

Products 

Unity Stamps, Start Something New

Gina Marie Designs, Label Six

Coloring Page, Bookshelf