Christmas Cheer ~ A Wink From Santa ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

I saw the Jingle Belles blog had a fun Tic Tac Toe challenge going on so I pulled out the brand new Christmas stamp from Unity's Kit of the Month. I inked up the adorable new Santa stamp also available separately in the A Wink From Santa stamps.

I stamped Santa from A Wink From Santa with Black Amalgam ink and colored him up with Copic markers. Isn't he just the cutest?! I love him! And that adorable little bird is just too much! 

Copic Markers used:

Skin: E000, E00, E11, R00, R20

Fur / Hair: C0, C2

Eye: B00

Hat: R20, R14, R27

Holly / Berry: YG11, G24, G46, R20, R14, R27

Bird: E00, E21, E23, YR15

As I mentioned at the start of my blog post, I'm playing along with the fun Tic Tac Toe challenge over at the Jingle Belles blog. I went straight down the middle with Glitter + Red or Green + Santa. When I originally read that I read Red AND Green... haha... so I used both. But I don't think it matters too much. 

I die cut Santa using one of the BRAND NEW Scallops & Ovals {nesting dies}!! Yay! I'm tickled pink that these are finally here. I've been bugging Angela for them for quite awhile! LOL! I also die cut a green mat just to add a bit more green to the card and add some interest. The background layer is a gorgeous paper from Watercolor Tidings {paper pack}. I die cut it using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. I mat the rectangle with a 4-1/8 x 5-3/8" piece of red card stock and then adhered those layers to a kraft A2 top fold card base.

I added some touches of glitter to Santa's hat and the snowflakes using Bearly Art glue and my super old Dazzling Diamonds glitter from Stampin' Up.

I adhered the sentiment to the oval focal image and then popped them up with foam tape. Hindsight being as it is... I think if I was to do this one again I would distress the edges of the white oval and sentiment with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Give the whole card more of a vintage vibe. I hope you like it. Have a fabulous day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch 45 ~ Hooting Owl ~ Angie Blom Digital Designs

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing more inspiration for the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 45 in the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook group. I am so ready for everything Fall... especially the cooler weather! It has been way too hot!

I printed off the adorable Hooting Owl Digital Stamp from Angie Blom Digital Designs. Looks like this one is retired but there's another sweet owl called Love Owl. If you love owls like I do, it's another must have digi stamp! I die cut the sweet owl using a die from Waffle Flower called Nesting Circles Dies. I colored the owl with Copic markers.

Copic markers used:

Owl: C0, C1, C2, C3, C5

Beak / Legs / Feet: YR21, YR15, YR14

Eyes: YG11, YG63, C0, C2

Scarf: W0, W3, Y11, Y15, E21, E23, E25, YR21, YR15, R05, YR68

Branch: E21, E25, E57

Leaves: Y11, Y15, YR21, YR15, E21, E23, E25, YG11, YG63

I paired up the fun owl with the Fall Breeze 6x6 Paper Pad from Photoplay. I've had these papers in my stash for quite some time. It was fun to look through them again. I used the measurements from the sketch for my background layers. The scallop mat was die cut using a die from Spellbinders called Fancy Scallop Edge Circles. No idea if this one is still available anywhere. It's been in my stash for a long time and I think this is the first time I've used it. 

Here's a look at the fun sketch for Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 45. 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 really like the large circle for the focal image. It keeps the design kind of simple.

I love all the fun layers on this card. I adhered the sentiment to the focal circle and then popped them up with foam tape. 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

~ Friends of Unity August 2026 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for another Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Woohoo! I've been looking forward to this month's cue for awhile now!

Today we are sharing inspiration for the Grunge cue!! The possibilities are seriously endless with this one... I had several ideas and only time to make a couple. 

First up is a fun Halloween card featuring I Bite Pissy Kitty. But I think the star of the card is actually the Ghastly Gourds background stamp. Oh how I love these pumpkins!! 

I did a bit of ink smooshing first with Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin and Black Soot Distress Inks.

And then I swiped the panel with my Carved Pumpkin Distress Ink. I love the streaks of ink this technique creates!

I then stamped the panel with the Ghastly Gourds using Black Soot Distress Ink. And then I inked up just the top portion of the Smell My Feet background stamp and stamped it crooked on the top and bottom corners of the panel. I think the stamp was actually upside down... but that's okay. LOL

I Copic colored the fun kitty and fussy cut it leaving a white border. But then it was too bright so I distressed around the edges using the residual ink on my black blending brush. I added some black string to the panel and popped up the kitty using foam tape. And then I heat embossed the sentiment and popped it up on the card to finish it off.

Copic markers used:

Cat: C0, C3, C5

Eyes: YG11, YG06, YG67

Nose:RV02

Wings: C2, C5, 100

Bow: V12, V15

Pumpkin: YR20, YR15, YR68, Y15, Y08, E21, E25

I went a very different direction with my second card. I wanted to use Seraphim Wings but instead I ended up using the coordinating Seraphim Wings die (unfortunately I don't see this on the website currently). I didn't take photos of my ink smooshing for this one. I used Speckled Egg, Evergreen Bough and Vintage Photo Distress Inks for my ink smooshing.

And then I stamped the gorgeous What's Old is New background stamp with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. I die cut the panel with the Seraphim Wings die. And then I ink smooshed another panel with the same colors. I inked up the background stamp again this time with Vintage Photo but only in random spots. I didn't cover it completely with ink. And then I lightly placed the stamp on top of the ink smooshed panel and pressed gently. I still had a puddle of brown ink (I think it was Ground Espresso) so I used it to spatter the panel.

I used a die from the Notebook Borders Die Set  to cut that left edge on my background panel. Distressed the edges of the die cut butterfly with residual ink on my brown blending brush. Stamped the sentiment with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. And then I ink smooshed another white panel with just Speckled Egg and Evergreen Bough distress inks for my bottom panel. I adhered all my layers onto a white A2 top fold card base. I feel like it needs something... maybe I'll add enamel dots. What do you think?

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...

... Wilma DeG!! Congratulations, Wilma!!

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

Please claim the prize before August 26th, 2026. 

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 ---> Jane

Von Marie

Toni

Jenni

Joyce

Rachel

Dawn

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 72 ~ Winter Skies ~ Lawn Fawn

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 sweet stamp and fab papers from our wonderful Sponsor Lawn Fawn! One lucky winner will win a $25 gift card to Lawn Fawn!! Woohoo!

I stamped the fun snowflakes from the Winter Skies stamp set with second generation stamping of Worn Lipstick Distress Ink for a lighter pink that coordinated with the papers just a tad more. Second Generation Stamping is a paper crafting technique where you ink a stamp, make a first impression on scrap paper and then stamp a second time without re-inking to create a softer, lighter shade of the exact same color. 

I also stamped the sweet bears on a scrap of white card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the bears with Copic markers {listed below}. I die cut the cute bears using the coordinating dies from the Winter Skies Dies. The stamp and dies are also available in a bundle... Winter Skies Bundle. I popped up the bears with foam tape.

Bears: C0, C2

Scarf: R00, RV10, R12, R32

I used a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" piece of pattern paper from the Knit Picky Winter 6x6 Petite Paper Pack for my background on a white card base. And I die cut a piece of the knit paper from the same pattern papers using the Stitched Hillside Borders Dies. Once I adhered all the layers together I stamped the sentiment using my mini misti to finish it off.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 72 for the month of August. 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