Saturday, January 2, 2021

~ Friends of Unity January 2021 Blog Hop ~

 Hello there crafty friend!

Happy New Year to you!!! Welcome to our January 2021 Blog Hop!! 

Our cue this month is a fun one it's... 



Black & White!!

This fabulous cue was so fun to play with! 

I had several ideas but only enough time to make two cards.



I absolutely love the Bohemian Backgrounds stamp set and I've just been itching to use it! I started with a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" True Black card front. I used my anti static pouch to prepare the card front for heat embossing. I then stamped the bohemian doodle stamp five times on the card front with Wow Clear Embossing ink. I dusted the card front with Alabaster White embossing powder from Brutus Monroe and then melted the embossing powder with my Wagner mini heat gun. 


I then splattered the card front with white acrylic paint that I spritzed with just a tiny bit of water to thin it out. I set that aside and stamped the beautiful sentiment with the same embossing ink and melted the same white embossing powder. I trimmed the card front to 4-1/8 x 5-3/8" and adhered it to a white A2 top-fold card base. I trimmed the sentiment into a strip and popped it up on the card with foam tape.
I love how the clean sentiment strip pops on the card! So pretty!


My next card uses the same gorgeous stamp from the Bohemian Backgrounds stamp set. This time I stamped the bohemian doodle three times with Black Soot Distress Oxide ink. I used the 'birthday wishes' sentiment from the July 2020 Sentiment kit called Aging Gorgeously. I splattered a little black acrylic paint that I thinned out with a spritz of water.


Once it was dry, I die cut it with a stitched rectangle die from the Blueprints 22 dies from My Favorite Things. I adhered it to a white A2 top-fold card base. Done! Very quick and I think it turned out really pretty in black and white!


Here's a look at both cards together.
I sure love how both of these turned out! I don't think I could pick a favorite... how about you? Do you prefer one over the other?

Well... in celebration of our 3 year anniversary of hopping I did a giveaway last month and the winner chosen by random.org is...




It's a Card Knock Life... aka Melinda Stearns!!!
Congratulations Melinda!! Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize. Prize must be claimed within two weeks.


I believe a few of my friends are 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!!


Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Kim









Thanks so much for supporting our little hop!
We appreciate you so very much!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,
Crystal


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71 comments:

  1. Wow!, just wow. They are both so beautiful.

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  2. Replies
    1. It really is! I should use it more often! Thank you sweet friend!

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  3. Love them both, if I had to pick then I would select the black background! Happy New Year!

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  4. Beautiful cards, Crystal. The black background is my favorite!

    Linda Abel

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  5. There is something about black and white that is so elegant!
    Yours are wonderful Crystal

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  6. I love the backgrounds! I just became a new follower. Happy New Year!

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  7. I think both are so beautiful; no favorite for me. lol The black & white is so elegant.

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  8. Very pretty cards Crystal! I have never stamped with Black Soot Distress Oxide ink! I guess it never entered my brain as something to try! Now I have stamped with DO colors! You have inspired me to try it! Thanks for three fabulous years of such a wonderful blog hop!!
    Vannessa Osbourn

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    1. Ohhh... you should try inking up your Distress Oxide inks! Lots of fun! Thanks so much for hopping with us, Vannessa!

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  9. These cards look
    amazing and I love
    the simple look of
    the second one.
    Happy New Year.
    Carla from Utah

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  10. Pretty designs in b&w! Love your cards!

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  11. Love both cards. Great cue this month - can't wait to try myself!

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    1. Thanks so much, NeeterN! I hope you share what you create in the Unity Show & Share Facebook group!

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  12. Both gorgeous, great to see the same stamp with the switched palette. The black background would be my fave is I had to choose!

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  13. Wow, these are awesome cards and the black and white designs just pop. I love them both, but the black background definitely has a more serious feel than the white. Beautiful all the way!

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  14. Your cards are gorgeous! It's amazing what a dramatic difference is made by reversing the black and white!

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  15. Oh, my, these are gorgeous! I can't decide if I like the black or white card...they are both just fabulous...and with the same stamp!

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  16. Your cards are beautiful! I love how we both used one stamp in different ways. And per your comment on my blog, I guess I am bit of a rebel. Lol

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  17. Beautiful black and white card designs!

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  18. Wow! These are both so beautiful and even though it's the same stamp, they look so different! Love them both - I couldn't pick a favorite!

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  19. It is such a pretty stamp! Both beautiful cards. I prefer the white background.

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  20. I can't decide which card I love most. I love how they take on a completely different look depending which ink is used to stamp this beautiful image. The fine details are just stunning and I am excited to try creating a card like this. I forget that repeating an image makes a great card design!

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    1. Thanks so much, Rachel! I hope that you share in the Unity Show & Share Facebook group if you do get inky!

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  21. Wow, these are beauties! I love black and white cards.

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  22. Absolutely gorgeous cards! I love the black and white idea too! I am going to have to check that stamp out!

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  23. One of my favorite stamps too! Gorgeous cards! Love them! Thanks for the inspiration! Happy New Year, sweet friend!

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  24. Embossing powder always gives that extra jooj, I'll bet it's beautiful in person! Although both are lovely I think I like the black one jooj better. Happy New Year!!

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    1. Thanks so much, Carol! Yes, it really is more beautiful in person!

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  25. Love these cards! Same stamp creates such unique results. These are great!

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  26. I love your cards! I love seeing the same stamp used this way, one in white and one in black. Again , I love that you explained your technique. I also love the stamp you used. I will have to add this to my wish list. Cannot choose a favorite here! I absolutely love both!!

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  27. I love these so much! Love both the black and white cards! This stamp set is AMAZING too!

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    1. Thank you so much, Natasha! It's definitely a favorite of mine!

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  28. What a great theme this month! I love that stamp set, but haven't used it in awhile. You have inspired me to pull it back out again. Beautiful cards!!

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  29. Your cards are gorgeous! Black and grey are my favorite colors - why have I not really played with that idea? I especially love your black on white card.

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  30. These are absolutely gorgeous but that black one with the white embossing is especially dramatic. LOVE the black and white designs!

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