Saturday, July 2, 2022

~ Friends of Unity July 2022 Blog Hop ~

  Hello there crafty friend!
It's one of my favorite times of the month... time for the Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Our cue this month is a really fun one that I think all of us have been excited to play with! I can't wait to see all the creations shared by our friends today! So let's get to the cue...


... Stencils!! Yes!! There are SO many possibilities when you create cards with stencils! It can actually be overwhelming if you think about it too hard. LOL! So I decided not to think and just play and see what happens.


My first card features the awesome recently released and it's Back in Stock... De Fleur Daisy {stamp & stencil}... and I'll be super honest here. I struggled with this combo. You may remember when this released I shared a DIY pattern paper that I made using the stencil and then I made 5 cards using the paper. Well, that's because everything I made with the combo just didn't turn out right. Of course, us cardmakers are notorious for being overly critical of our creations so they may not have been that bad, but I still threw them away! 


I didn't give up though!! I decided I'd give them another go and stamped the florals with Gina K. Design Black Amalgam ink on Stampers Select White card stock from Papertrey Ink. I then blended Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry, Kitsch Flamingo, Tumbled Glass, Wilted Violet, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, and Pine Needles Distress Oxide inks over the awesome stencils. I very nearly tossed this one too. LOL! If you look closely on the left side of the floral... I messed up those two teardrop flowers. It screams at me every time I look at it, but I know that it's not that bad. So I kept it... a good lesson to keep on keeping on with our creations! 


My only other complaint is that I should have left my stamp in my Stamp Platform so that I could re-stamp the florals again and make the black lines nicer. Some of the oxides went over the lines and lightened them... definitely something to remember for next time! I trimmed up the panel to 4-3/4 x 3-1/2". I die cut a card front of True Black card stock from Papertrey Ink with the largest die from the Loopy Rectangle dies from Gina Marie Designs. It's a lovely layer of texture... a shame it doesn't show in the pictures that well. I adhered the daisy panel to the die cut with my go-to liquid glue ~ Tombow Mono Multi liquid glue. I added a few black rhinestones from the Rainbow Bling rhinestones from Gina Marie Designs and a cute sentiment sticker from the Small Talk sentiment stickers from Tim Holtz / Idea-ology. I adhered the Loopy Rectangle panel to a True Black card front measuring 5-1/2 x 4-1/4" and then adhered my panel to a white A2 side fold card base measuring 11 x 4-1/4"; scored at 5-1/2".


For my second card, I had a fun idea for a different kind of background. I wanted to make a scene card using a stencil that wasn't really meant for a scene card. I chose the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media Stamps/Stencil combo {THMM103} from my stash and thought it would be super fun to pair it up with the adorable hot air balloon in the Sending Up Something Beautiful stamp kit from Unity. I think this turned out pretty cute BUT I may try another version where I lightly ink blend over the panel again after blending over the stencil so there's less white and it's more of a galaxy sky. And then add some white splatter for stars... I don't know. I do still love how this turned out!


I ink blended down my white card stock panel over the stencil with Kitsch Flamingo, Salvaged Patina, and Saltwater Taffy Distress Oxide inks because I had wanted to do a sunrise kind of background BUT the colors weren't right so I replaced the stencil and ink blended Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide inks over the Kitsch Flamingo on the flourishes near the top. I love the sunset vibe {or galaxy vibe} the colors give to the background!


Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Clouds ~ BG0000, BG000, BG10, RV10, RV21
Hot Air Balloon ~  Y11, Y06, Y15, BG10, BG11, BG15, RV10, RV21, E41, E43, E44

I trimmed the background panel to 4 x 5-1/2". I stamped the sentiment on white card stock with Black Amalgam ink. I trimmed it up and mat it on True Black card stock. I adhered it to the trimmed background panel and trimmed off the excess card stock from the sentiment. I then adhered it to a white A2 top fold card base. I fussy cut my copic colored images and cleaned up the edges by coloring them with my Memento Tuxedo black marker. I adhered the one cloud to the back of the hot air balloon and then popped up all the pieces on the card with foam tape. What do you think? I like it... I'm pretty sure I need to try ink blending over the white a bit though so it has more of a galaxy background vibe. We'll see if I can find some time for that though...


And my last card using the adorable new release from Unity called Friends Furever just may be my fave for this month!! I had some more fun... this time I layered two stencils together and ink blended through them both to get my sunset background. I layered the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Mini Stencil Set 43 stencil over the Oval Extraordinaire stencil from My Favorite Things and ink blended with Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide inks over top. I then removed the Tim Holtz stencil and lightly blended a tiny bit more yellow without adding more ink to my brush. This is where I got the idea to blend over the background on my second card. I really think it would change the whole vibe of the card.


Since I was having fun ink blending, I decided to ink blend some 'grass' for the cute pups... I used the negative oval stencil to protect my ink blended 'sunset' and carefully blended some Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide ink... BUT if I was to do this over again I would probably just use some copics to color a little grass underneath them. I think it would have been a cleaner way to ground the images and I could have added a few blades of grass.


Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used for the pups:

Big Dog ~ W00, W1, W3, W5
Handkerchief ~ R20, R14, R27
Little Dog ~ N0, N1, N3
Collar ~ B0000, B00, B02

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



... Sue D!! Congratulations, Sue!!
Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize. 
Prize must be claimed within two weeks. 

Well, that's it for me this time! Please hop along and enjoy some more inspiration from the Friends of Unity! I'm so excited to see all the creations from our friends this month! I will be doing another fun giveaway this month!! Be sure to hop along and comment for a chance to win! I'll announce the winner next month! 


Let's get to the hopping...


Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Amber










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

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,
Crystal


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41 comments:

  1. Very cute cards, Crystal! I think my favorite is Friends Furever! How adorable!

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    1. Thanks so much! {If you receive an email with my response, will you please reply to this comment with your name so I know who left this lovely comment.}

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    2. It was me! Linda Abel.

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  2. Your cards are all wonderful! For the life of me, I just can't see the mistake you mentioned. I think it looks amazing. I definitely have this on my wish list now. I love your idea of using the fancy stencil as a background on your second card, so pretty! the last card is so sweet. I love your technique of two stencils together. It is adorable!

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    1. Thanks so much, Rachel! The blue on the teardrop flower isn't quite as bright as the others. I used the wrong color and tried to cover it up... it's still fine, but you know how us cardmakers are!!

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  3. Great cards, Crystal. I did notice a mistake on the first one! Even after you pointed it out, looks fine!

    My favorite card is the sweet little pups. I love the yellow oval background and the pups are so cute!

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  4. I made my comment and forgot to include my name. I can comment using Anonymous.

    Linda Abel

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    1. Thank you for letting me know it was you, Linda!

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    2. I meant to say I did NOT notice a mistake. Oh dear, I should read before I post!

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  5. I just love all the cards!
    Your first card is so pretty and bold
    The second card is whimsy and the third card is my favorite..
    The patch of grass really made the pup card, for me!

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  6. An amazing set of cards Crystal, I can see I need to try stencilling a bit more!

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    1. Thanks so much, Glennis! Yes, you should play with stencils more... they are so fun!

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  7. What beautiful cards. I love the stencil with the adorable dogs!

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  8. I have to admit that I struggle to use my stencils! But I am determined to use them more now that I bought Pixie Spray to help me. lol Your cards are all fabulous as usual! Your 2nd card is my favorite - I just love that whole design & how you used a stencil not really made for a scene.

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    1. Thanks so much, Becca! Pixie spray is super handy for stencils!! I hope you share what you create with stencils in the Unity Show & Tell group! :)

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  9. Boy did you get inspired! I think my favorite is the one with the hot air balloon. I also don't see any mistakes in the floral, looks very natural to me.

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    1. Haha... yeah, I had fun with the cue!! Thanks so much for the sweet comment!

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  10. Great ways to use
    the stencils. I love
    your second card!
    Carla from Arizona

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  11. So many fun cards using stencils and stamps!
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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  12. Great cards! Love these stenci,l ideas! I forget to stack two stencils together and I love that look... will have to do that more often! I love the stamp and stencil combos. and would love to try a set of those!

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  13. Super cute cards, I missed your DIY patterned paper so sorry it went in the trash! It could of been used for something!! Maybe wrapping up a stamp set in a stamp swap!! : ) Love the balloon card! Such a creative way to use those stencils!

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    1. Ohhh... no the DIY pattern paper was fine it was everything else that I had tried to make prior to that! Sorry for the confusion! Thanks so much, Vannessa!

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  14. Thanks for selecting stencils to highlight this month. For some reason I don't think of them as much when I am creating. I absolutely love your dog card. Wow!

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  15. I really REALLY tried to find the "mistake" on the first card but couldn't! I agree that we are all overly critical of ourselves! That stencil on the second card...WOW! And I love the mixed stencils on the third! *off to dig through my stencils!

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    1. I hope you were able to play with your stencils!! Thanks so much for hopping with us!

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    2. If you receive an email with my response, will you please reply to this comment with your name so I know who left this lovely comment.

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  16. The daisy card is so pretty! I'm swooning over your hot air balloon card! Love, love, love the stencil background on it. Your last card is so adorbs! Cool stenciled background.

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  17. Amazing cards! I love how you used stencils differently in all 3 cards. And I think your floral card is beautiful, but we are our own worsts critics. The balloon card is my favorite, it's so creative, colorful, and different. And the lil dogs are darling too. Great job! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  18. Gorgeous cards! I don't see any "mistake" on the daisy card - love the colors on that one. I love working with stencils, this month's theme is right in my wheelhouse. This will be a great hop.

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  19. Looooove these cards. I'm learning stencils and screenshotted (tee hee is that a word) that GORGEOUS air balloon card. Thanks for your always wonderful inspiration. (The teardrops look fine).

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