KOM for the WIN-ter

Happy Friday! This is Julissa of Paper Gems by Jules and I'm still gushing over this past weekend with the beautiful souls of Unity Stamp Company! They are just all so much more than a company... they are literally a family. All they do is create with love, just like us. Know that each package you get from Unity, is put together with love.

Now, let's get inky! Today's blog is all about the September 2022 Kit of the Month: Fa La La La La. I started my subscription to the Kit of the Month back in April of 2017 as a gift to me for what I call "guaranteed happy mail" each month! And I chose the KOM over some of the other awesome monthly subscriptions because it was a FULL 8.5" x 11" SHEET of beautifully etched red rubber stamps! So let's explore just a few of the gazillion ways you can use each KOM!

Did you know? As a KOM member, you get access to ALL previous KOM kits at a discount!

So I created three cards using this KOM, and that's just the start of it! I paired all three cards with patterned paper from the White Winter Paper Pack. For this first card, I used the Scalloped & Stitched Rectangles Nesting dies to create the layers. For the top layer, I used white card stock and stamped the 5 different snowflakes using three oxide inks that matched the patterned paper: Iced Spruce, Pumice Stone and Hickory Smoke Distress Oxides.

I stamped the sentiment in VersaFine Clair Nocturne and added some gold studs to add a little sparkle. For a little dimension, I used some foam tape (and if you watched the Design Team Live, I didn't steal Whit's... but it's pretty big IRL!). Let's make another card!

Did you know? Each KOM comes with a little gift package of crafty goodness!

Using another 6"x6" sheet of patterned paper in the White Winter Paper Pack, I stamped three of the trees in this kit in layers on one side of the die cut paper. The sentiment was stamped with VersaFine Clair Nocturne. To compliment that delicate sentiment stamp, I paired this piece with the scalloped rectangle die in Black Licorice Luxury Card Stock and black organza ribbon.

This card is super easy to make and you can also use different colors for the trees. It also makes for a wonderful masculine holiday card. Don't you love when you have stamps that work for so many things? That's what the KOM is all about! Okay... one more. And it's my favorite!

Did you know? You get $6.95 off all your orders over $40.00, as long as your membership is active.

This poinsettia is as big and bold as you see it here. And some may feel that a solid stamp like this is "flat" because there are no layers, but you can still make layers. For this particular card, I used Karin Brushmaker Pros to color the different pieces of the flower. I started with the lightest color, yellow on the center of the flower. Then using an orange, I highlighted a few of those center circles; this second color adds depth.

Now for the petals. I first colored and stamped the petals in a bright red... flat. But, then using a darker red brush marker to create the shadows and add depth to the image. The key with this is to gently tap the edges to blend the ink if you don't want a harsh line, but you can always go back with the lighter red and blend... or if you're using water color paper, you can use a slightly web brush to blend the colors.

Here's a close up of the detail in the coloring and the stamp. Also, take note of the faux stitching across the paper. That is just a pattern from the White Winter Paper Pack. It's a subtle additional detail that just adds a little more in your card in a very easy way.

Yep, three easy, breezy cards with one kit... and there is so much more potential! Take a look at some of the the amazing samples on the website for even more inspiration!

Thank you so much for stopping by and HAPPY CRAFTING!