~ Friends of Unity July 2026 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend & Happy 4th of July!!!

It's time for another Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Woohoo! This month's cue is lots of fun because it's a challenge that we are hosting in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I sure hope that you can find some time to play along with us! 

Today we are sharing inspiration for a fun Color Challenge!! A nod to America's 250th!! But it's not a 4th of July themed challenge - if that's how you are inspired though, go for it! We're just looking for fun and creative cards using the red, white & blue color combo. There are 4 fabulous prizes up for grabs for 3 lucky winners!! All you have to do is enter a card into the Color Challenge album in the Unity Show & Tell FB group.

I was inspired to use the new Sweet Bee Blooms stamp that's available separately or in the July 2026 Kit of the Month called Ahead of the Holiday Herd. Isn't it amazing?!!

Other than my addition of neutral black, I kept strictly to the color combo. A little out of my comfort zone giving the bees a little shading to keep them white and also keeping the centers of the flowers white with a little shading, but I think it turned out pretty.

Copic markers used:

Red: R20, R14, R27

Shadows for White: C0, C2

Blue: B000, B02, B24

I tore the edges of my layers and adhered them to a white A2 top fold card base. And finished it off with the sentiment that I popped up with foam tape. Kept it easy peasy and only made one card this time. My back is getting better but I'm still being careful not to sit too long and doing my stretches and exercises. Thanks to all those who are praying for me. I appreciate the get well wishes, too.

Now before we get to the hopping, random dot org chose a lucky winner from the comments on last month's hop to win a fun prize and the lucky winner is...

... Carla from Arizona!! Congratulations, Carla!!

Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize. 

Please claim the prize before July 29th, 2026. 

I'm also sharing the winners for our friend Dawn. She wasn't able to participate this month but wanted to share her winners so I'm sharing them here. The lucky winners are... Meghan K. and Vannessa Osbourn. Please reach out to Dawn at lovepaperetc@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Well, that's it for me this time! I'm so excited to see how our friends were inspired for this month's hop! I will be doing another fun giveaway this month. Be sure to hop along and comment for a chance to win. {When you comment please leave your name just in case it posts as anonymous.} I'll announce the winner next month! 

Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Von Marie

Jenni

Rachel

Toni

Joyce

Doreen

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Hive Had Enough ~ This Stings ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

It was so fun to get back in the studio and get inky. I just couldn't resist this new bee stamp from Unity. I had to ink him up! He's currently a Spotlight Steal on the website!!

I colored up the bee from This Stings with some Copic markers and fussy cut him leaving a white border. If fussy cutting isn't your thing, there's a This Stings digital cut file available that's compatible with some electronic die cutting machines.

Copic Markers used:

Yellow: Y11, Y15, Y38

Antennae / Legs: N1, N3, N5

Wings / Eyes: B000, B02

Green: YG11, YG03

I ink smooshed a background with Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, and Wild Honey Distress Inks. Die cut it with the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. The grey spatters were supposed to be black spatters. My black acrylic paint is very watery. I guess I need to mix it more. 

I used the Stitched Hexagon Nesting Dies {I don't see this on the website anymore, sorry} for the black hexagons and the one behind the bee that I ink smooshed with just Wild Honey Distress Ink. And for the strip diagonally across the card I used the HoneyComb Chaos Die. I think it was a Spotlight Steal at one point. I don't see it on the website either. To finish off the card I popped up the bee and the sentiment with foam tape. So fun to make. I hope you like it.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 71 ~ Christmas Postmark ~ A Colorful Life Designs

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for a new sketch challenge over in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group! Today I'm sharing a sweet Christmas card featuring a few fun stencils from our wonderful Sponsor A Colorful Life Designs! One lucky winner will win a $25 gift code to A Colorful Life Designs!! Woohoo!

I started with my background and just couldn't resist the cuteness of the Layered Gingerbread Men Stencil. I blended over the gingerbread men with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. And then I blended Candied Apple Distress Ink for the buttons and faces. I wanted to add a postage vibe to the card so I pulled out the Marvelous Masks Postage Stamp Stencils and blended around the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  I blended a bit of Vintage Photo around the edges to give it a vintage look.

I blended over the Christmas Postmark Stencil with the Candied Apple Distress Ink again. I was a little heavy handed with this one so it's much darker than the gingies. I blended over the mask from the Marvelous Masks Postage Stamp Stencils again with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to keep the vintage vibe going. And then I adhered the layers to a red A2 card base.

I did absolutely no stamping for this card. I found a cut apart sentiment in my stash that I thought would work nicely with the stencils I had used. There was a lot of empty space under the Christmas Postmark Stencil so I moved the sentiment to the other side. I popped it up with foam tape to finish off this card.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 71 for the month of July. If you're interested in seeing a bunch more inspiration for this sketch, check out the amazing inspiration from the design team over on the {BYSH} Cardmakers blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch 44 ~ Daisy Boo-Ho ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing my first card for the new Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 44 in the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook group. Apparently, summer-ween is a thing... I had no idea, but if it includes Halloween, I'm in!!

I inked up the adorable ghost from Daisy Boo-Ho. So cute and I especially love the ladybug and daisies. Daisies are my favorite flower! I die cut the ghost using a die from the Scallops & Squares {nesting dies}. I colored it up with the following Copic markers.

Ghost: C0, C2

Daisies: RV10, RV02, Y11, Y21

Leaves / Grass: YG00, YG11

Ladybug: RV10, R22

Sky: B0000

I paired up the cute ghost with the Pink-A-Boo {paper pack}. Pink for Halloween? YES!! I love these papers and I think this is the first time I've actually used them. For shame! I cut my ghost papers a little wider than the sketch called for... I think it's 1" wide. And then the pretty heart accent was die cut using a die from the Dashes and Frills Hearts {die set}. I considered die cutting a mat but instead I just colored the edges of the heart with a black marker. It helps give definition to the edge with out making it any bigger.

Here's a look at the fun sketch for Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 44. The sketch, as always, is meant to inspire not require. So let the sketch lead in your design, but don't feel limited by it. I love all of the elements to this sketch... lots of options for the background. And then a cluster for the focal with a sentiment and circle {or any shape} accent. I can't wait to see what everyone does with this sketch! Yay!

I adhered the sentiment and heart to the square focal image and then popped up the whole cluster with foam tape to finish it off. I sure hope you can find time to play along with the sketch challenge. Have an INKriffic week!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 70 ~ Cold Weather Penguins ~ Crafty Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

I'm sharing one last card for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 70 hosted in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group!

I inked up one of the adorable penguins from the Cold Weather Penguins 4x6 Stamp Set and fussy cut it leaving a white border. I also stamped the sentiment and trimmed it.

I paired up the penguin with the Merry Latte 6x6 Paper Pad. I used the measurements from the sketch for the two bottom layers. I die cut the red paper with a banner die from my stash. I also die cut a circle from the bottom green layer before I adhered the layers. A trick I like to do to stretch my stash of papers. I also die cut a scrap of white card stock and just trimmed off the top to look like a snowy hill. The penguin looked thirsty so I cut a coffee cup from behind the red banner {before adhering the layers, of course} and trimmed it on the black line.

I adhered all of my layers. Adhered the card front to a white A2 card base. And then popped up the circle and sentiment with foam tape finishing it off.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 70 for the month of June. There's still time to enter the challenge! If you're interested in seeing a bit more inspiration for this sketch, check out the amazing inspiration from the design team over on the {BYSH} Cardmakers blog! I'm always blown away by the creations from the DT... they are amazingly talented cardmakers!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch 43 ~ Leave Me Alone ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I got inky again and I'm sharing more inspiration for the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 43 in the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook group. 

I inked up the new pissy kitty from the Leave Me Alone stamps. This cozy kitty is so cute even though it's looking so grumpy! LOL! I love it! I colored it up with some Copic markers and fussy cut it leaving a white border. I added some detail to the blanket with Sakura White Gelly Roll pen that's similar to the pattern in the pink papers in the background.

Copic markers used:

Kitty: N1, N3, N5, R00, R20, C0

Eyes: YG11, G05, C0, C2

Mug: B000, B95, B97

Blanket: RV10, RV02

Tissue Box: Y21, E11

Tissues: C0, C2

I paired up this grumpy kitty stamp with the Cozy Textiles {paper pack}. I used a bunch of scraps for my sun ray strips. I cut each of them diagonally and adhered them to a white A2 top fold card base. The kitty needed something behind it but I didn't want to cover the papers so I used vellum card stock again. I love this stuff! I die cut it using a die from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies}.

Here's a look at the fun sketch for Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 43. The sketch, as always, is meant to inspire not require. So let the sketch lead in your design, but don't feel limited by it. I love that I'm using up scraps for this sketch! More room for new papers!

The kitty is popped up on the card with foam tape and I adhered the vellum by placing glue just behind the kitty. I sure hope you can find time to play along with the sketch challenge. Have an INKriffic day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Membership Wednesday ~ June 2026 KOM The Art of Summering ~ Time for a Pause ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

Happy Membership Wednesday! It's been over a week since I've had any inky time. *GASP* I know! I hurt my back a couple weeks ago and it's being very temperamental when I sit for too long. So crafting hasn't been viable. But today I just HAD to get some crafty time in and I kept my card simple so I wouldn't be sitting for long.

I stamped the adorable pup on Kraft card stock using Black Amalgam ink from Gina K. Designs. I die cut the pup using a die from the Scallops & Squares {nesting dies}. And then I did some coloring with my Copic markers. I also added touches of white using a Prismacolor white pencil.

Copic markers used:

Tree Trunks: E11, E23, E25

Hammock: R20, R14, Y11, Y21

Pup: E11, E23, E57, C0, C2, N1, N3, N5

Sky: BG000, BG10

Grass: G00, G02

My color choices were actually inspired by the Timeworn Paws Anthology {paper pack}. I had every intention of using the papers on the card but decided for more of a CAS design. I actually had the die cut heart background in my scraps... seemed perfect for this card. I die cut it using the Fall Out Hearts Background Die. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing that die on the Unity website. 

I stamped the sentiment. Die cut it using a die from the Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies and then adhered it directly to the A2 card. I popped up the puppy layer with foam tape finishing it off.

Here's a look at the Kit of the Month membership stamps. 

This cute stamp is also available separately in the Time for a Pause stamps.

That's it for me today! I hope you've been INKspired to play with your membership stamps! 

Have a fabulous day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal