Saturday, January 4, 2020

~ Friends of Unity January 2020 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friends!!
It's my favorite time of the month... time for the Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!


This month we are creating with our Favorite Unity Stamp of 2019!! I was so excited to have this as our cue, but it was very hard to narrow down the choices... there's really so many that I consider to be my favorites from the last year.


Now, coffee stamps are my jam... I love them!! AND the border backgrounds stamps are one of my most favorite stamp lines that Unity offers. So naturally I had to use my most favorite border backgrounds stamp called Hot Mess {border backgrounds}, but I wanted to use a metallic embossing powder. I chose the fun Penny Ultra Fine Embossing Powder from Brutus Monroe... love this stuff!!!


And then using the backside of a piece of Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor paper, I smooshed some watered down Peacock Feathers, Vintage Photo, and Ground Espresso Distress Oxide inks. I dried the paper in between layers... I really love the dimension the different layers of colors gives to the panel. I dried the panel with my Ranger heat tool to ensure that it was completely dry before adhering it to a piece of Really Rust card stock that I cut just slightly larger than the panel. I then mat it with a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" piece of Taken with Teal card stock and then adhered the entire panel to a white card base.


Another favorite stamp set from 2019 is the A Little Warmth kit... this kit has a beautiful Angie Girl along with a bunch of sentiments. I originally wanted to use the girl from the kit, but I decided not to cover up the background. So, I went with one of the sentiments from the kit instead. I stamped it on a scrap piece of Really Rust card stock with VersaMark watermark ink and heat embossed it with the same Penny metallic embossing powder that I used on the background. I trimmed the sentiment and cut it to fit within the Really Rust card stock layer on the card. I just love how this turned out!


While I was working on the background for my first card, I happened to notice the fabulous colors resembled a rusty kind of color and thought that they would be fantastic with one of my new favorite truck stamps in the kit by Tierra Jackson called Ol' Fashion Holiday Love. So for this card I've decided to use some of my new favorite kits that I haven't had a chance to ink up yet... lol! I have just been itching to get these kits inked up... so glad I finally did!


I considered paper piecing the truck to make it look slightly more realistic but I just couldn't cut into it. I really love how it turned out. I made a very similar background to the last one using the same distress oxides only this time I used the textured side of the distress watercolor paper. I love the texture it gives this truck!! A total happy accident because my plan was to copy the other background as much as possible! I fussy cut the truck and added some glossy accents and then set it aside to dry. The background was easy peasy and I absolutely love how it turned out! I stamped the gorgeous Alpine Wonderland stamp onto a card front of kraft card stock measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" with VersaMark watermark ink and then heat embossed Alabaster embossing powder by Brutus Monroe that is available at Unity! I love Brutus Monroe embossing powders!! So glad that Unity carries them in their shop! Once the background was heat set, I decided to add a bit of color to the background... the clean kraft just wasn't quite right. I added a bit of Pine Needles distress ink to the ground and the trees, and Stormy Sky distress ink to the sky. I wiped off the white embossed background with a paper towel to get the colored inks off. It buffed the embossed background a bit too much so I reheated the background to get the pretty glossy shine back. 


You can see some of the discoloration in the white embossed background in this picture, but in person it's really not as visible. I trimmed the background and distressed the edges. I adhered it to a 4-1/8 x 5-3/8" piece of Lost Lagoon card stock and then adhered it to a white card base that I trimmed just tiny bit to fit the slightly smaller card front.


To finish off the card, I stamped the fun sentiment from the November 2019 KOM called Wonder. It took me a bit of searching to find just the right sentiment, but I think this one really works with the design of my card. That's it for me this month! I can't wait to see what my friends have made to share with us this month!! 

Before we get to the hop list, I'm having another giveaway this month... I have a fabulous brand new Say It Big May 2019 Sentiment Kit to share with one lucky winner!! I'll announce the winner during next month's hop. A few of my friends are also having giveaways so be sure to check out all the fabulous creations along the hop and comment on each blog for a chance to win!! 

Thank you all so much for your continued support of our little hop... and for all of your lovely comments! I really, truly do appreciate each and every one of your sweet comments. 


Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Kim










Thanks so much for checking out my blog post!
See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,
Crystal





44 comments:

  1. That is some amazing background color in your faves this month, Crystal! And that truck is a beauty!

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  2. Great cards. The ink smooshed colors are fabulous

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  3. So super cool truck colors. Love that copper embossing powder too! Great choices.

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  4. I love the background on the coffee card. The truck is so cool! Love both cards.

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  5. wow the way that truck turned out is incredible...you just get better and better...wow your cards are amazing.

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  6. The coffee border stamp card is so cool. I have this on my list! The colors are great that you used. Your second card is amazing too. Wow!

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  7. These are stunning!!! Love the colors!!

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  8. Love both your amazing cards! When I get home to my embossing tools I want to case your cards... love the effect of the copper embossing powder and ink!

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  9. Amazing cards Crystal, I especially like the truck one

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  10. If I had to choose a favorite between these two cards...I couldn't! The colour combination is just stunning, and really suits both cards. Beautiful!

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  11. I am a sucker for coffee cards and love your smooshed ink and the rusty truck is terrific. I have a 1938 (or so) rusty red toy truck that I love, reminds me of the stamp. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. These are remarkable cards!each one a piece of art! Wow.

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  13. Hi Crystal 😊 I ♥️♥️♥️ the mixed media style of your cards.... That truck has my ♥️ especially this time!!! Thanks for inspiring me 😊

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  14. Wow! Both cards are amazing, but that coffee background is over the top!!! I love the awesome colors in your truck one as well -- especially the rusty truck!

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  15. Fabulous cards!!
    Trucks are your Jam too my friend!!
    Loving both of these

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  16. Your coffee card is fab with that awesome background but your truck card blew me away. The truck is fab and the background is fab and such lovely dimension. It Rocks!! Hugz

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  17. I'm not even a coffee drinker but that card with the copper ep and those turquoise and brown layers of yumminess make me happy! Fabulous Crystal!

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  18. Oh my, these
    cards are amazing!
    Love the truck.
    Carla from Utah

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  19. I really love your first card- the colors are fabulous, and then on to card # 2. Wow- love the colors, and the accent colors on the front of that truck are amazing!!! Fun cards- love your eye for color too!

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  20. Glad you didnt cut into the truck. You totally didnt need to and it turned out perfect. I need to get a truck stamp! I've got an old real truck sitting in my back yard as a lawn ornament but I stamp would be better. Lol

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  21. Loved the first card, and saw your 2nd; goodness what great cards.

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  22. Crystal, I love both cards, really stunning. You featured stamps high on my wishlist. That detail on the truck is amazing!! Happy New Year. Happy Friends of Unity Hop!

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  23. The coffee background stamp is so cool. Your card using it is fab. Love ❤️ it

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  24. OMG, I love both of these. I am so going to have to try this out. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  25. Oh I love the look on the background and truck that is so cool. I need to play more with making backgrounds like that. The trees look awesome as well! Great set of cards!

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  26. Great creations! I really love the coffee card background!

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  27. Fabulous cards. Love the background on the first and how you took this idea to make the truck.

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  28. Wow, gorgeous cards, Crystal! Love the technique you used and those colors! I may need to try embossing a background stamp like you have and add colors. And that truck is gorgeous!

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  29. Don't know how you ever select one or even two. Beautiful work as always.

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  30. Oh My! Coffee and trucks. Two favorites for sure. Amazing cards

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  31. Both of these cards are absolutely gorgeous!! Love the colors!!

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  32. I am a smooshaholic myself so your technique and colors speak to me. Both cards are absolutely beautiful and very artistic in appearance. Well done!

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  33. Love both card, thank you for sharing your creative ideas.

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  34. Love it, still am crazy about the coffee card, I have the truck and think I will attempt a rusty look.

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  35. Wow, these cards are gorgeous and I love the one with the truck. I've never seen a truck paper pieced with a background like that and it's such a cool, artsy look

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  36. Great minds think alike :) I love the background stamps and ink smooshing too! Your backgrounds are amazing! Love that peacock color and the rust you created on the truck is genius. And love all the embossing. Just beautiful cards, my friend. Thanks for the inspiration. Happy New Year!

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  37. Great color combos! Love the images! Awesome coffee designs and love the truck!

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  38. Wow! Two stunning backgrounds make for two beautiful cards! Love the metallic embossing on the first card and I love how you combined the truck with the tree background. Just fabulous!

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  39. LOVE the way you used that Distress Oxide background to stamp and fussy cut the truck too. Now I need to pull out my DO inks and give it a try. The colors on your cards are so rustic and beautiful

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  40. Very pretty and yes very hard to pick. It would likely take as long to pick as it does to make the card.

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  41. Love the truck and the rusty look. I’m so going to try this!!

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  42. Both cards are wonderful! Thinking I need to ink up the coffee one again!!

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  43. Such beautiful cards...I LOVE that truck! The coffee card is awesome too. TFS

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