Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party ~ Membership Wednesday ~ July 2025 KOM Feelin' Fall the Things ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I can't believe how fast the time is going by! We are nearing the end of the Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party! It's always so sad to reach the end, but I'm super happy to be adding so many cards to my stash! I hope you've been inspired to play along with us. My card today features the wonderful bear from this month's Kit of the Month called Feelin' Fall the Things AND a couple of stamps from the November 2023 Kit of the Month called Festive Flair from our amazing Sponsor Unity Stamp Co. It's Membership Wednesday... a fun day to share inspiration for the awesome memberships over at Unity!

I started with my background that I ink smooshed with Rustic Wilderness Distress Ink on my 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" card front of Kraft card stock. I focused the ink smooshing on the left side and bottom knowing that I was going to cover the right side with pattern paper. I stamped the wonderful distressed plaid stamp from the Festive Flair kit onto the ink smooshed background using the same ink. I trimmed and tore the pretty pattern paper from the Watercolor Tidings {paper pack} and distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I adhered it to the background.

 And then I stamped the beautiful tree on the sled from the November 2023 KOM and the beautiful bear from the July 2025 KOM using Black Amalgam ink from Sponsor Gina K. Designs. I colored up the images with Copic markers and fussy cut them. I distressed the tree on the sled a little bit to tone down the white. I adhered the bear to the tree on the sled and then added foam tape to the back and popped them up on the card for some dimension.

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

Tree: YG11, G24, G46, E23

Ornaments: R20, R14, R27, Y11, Y08, BG000, BG01

Star: Y11, Y08

Sled: E21, E23, E25

Presents: BG000, BG01, Y11, Y08, R20, R14, R27, YG11, G24

Bear: E11, E21, E23, E25, G24 {eye}

Bear Crown: R20, R14, R27, YG11, G24, G46

I wrapped the panel with Luxe Satin Ribbon from Papertrey Ink and added a cute little bow. I added a fun metal tag from Tim Holtz with a bit of burlap string to finish it off. 

Here's a peek at this month's Kit of the Month. 

The sweet bear from this kit is also available separately here... Wilder Still.

I hope you'll stop by the Christmas in July 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party to check out all the wonderful Holiday inspiration being shared! I've been inspired by so many of the cards! I sure hope you'll stop by and check it out! Have an ink-redible day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 ~ Christmas Cheer ~ Gina K. Designs

Hello there crafty friend!

I'm back with one last card for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 hosted in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group! Today I'm sharing a sweet mini slimline card featuring an adorable stamp set and coordinating die set from our amazing sponsor, Gina K. Designs, called Christmas Cheer! 

This adorable stamp comes as a bundle with the dies or separately just with the stamps. I just had to ink up the adorable car and the Christmas lights in this wonderful set of Christmas stamps. I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them up with my Copic markers.

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

Car: R20, R14, R27, R39

Windows: B000, B00

Tires: N0, N2, N4, C00, C1

Headlight: Y11, Y15

Tree: YG11, G24, G46

Christmas Lights / Tree Ornaments: R00, R20, R14, G00, G12, Y11, Y15, B000, B00

I paired up this adorable set with the Let it Snow paper pack from Carta Bella. I love the mix of colors in these papers. A little darker... more earthy. I tried to keep my coloring darker as well to coordinate.

I heat embossed the beautiful sentiment using my go to mix of products: TE Anti-Static Powder Tool, Sugar Cube Pigment Ink from Taylored Expressions, Alabaster White Embossing Powder from Brutus Monroe, and a Wagner Precision Heat Tool. 

TIP: When heat embossing on pattern paper be sure to warm up the heat tool well before starting to melt the powder and be careful not to direct the heat on the paper too long. I adhered all of the layers to the card using Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 for the month of December. 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! The design team, as always, rocked this sketch!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 ~ Joy of the Season ~ Gina K. Designs

Hello there crafty friend!

I'm back with a little inspiration for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 hosted in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group! Today I'm sharing a lovely Christmas card featuring a wonderful die and stamp set from our amazing sponsor, Gina K. Designs, called Joy of the Season! 

Unfortunately, the Joy of the Season stamp set was an exclusive set in collaboration with Simon Says Stamp for STAMPtember maybe a couple of years ago now, so it's no longer available. I sure do love it though! I stamped the gorgeous deer using Sea Glass and Tranquil Teal inks from Gina K. Designs. I fussy cut the deer leaving a white border.

I die cut Sea Glass card stock from Gina K. Designs using the gorgeous Snowflake Cover Plate die. I then trimmed a piece of white card stock to fit behind the cover plate die. I adhered a 1-3/4" wide piece of Sea Glass card stock across the front of a white A2 card base.

I heat embossed the beautiful sentiment using my go to mix of products: TE Anti-Static Powder Tool, Sugar Cube Pigment Ink, Alabaster White Embossing Powder and a Wagner Precision Heat Tool. I trimmed the sentiment and mat it with white card stock. I adhered all of the layers to the card using Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue and popped up the deer using Scrapbook Adhesive Crafty Foam Tape. And I finished off the card with pretty Frosty Rhinestones from Gina Marie Designs. 

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 for the month of December. I decided to do an A2 card instead of the mini slimline design in the sketch. If you're not a fan of mini slimline cards, feel free to alter the design for an A2 card like I did or even an A7 card. Whatever works for you. 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! The design team, as always, rocked this sketch!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 ~ Wishing You Mini ~ Gina K. 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 fun mini slimline Christmas card featuring my favorite little stamp set from our fab sponsor, Gina K. Designs! Gina K. Designs has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate as a prize for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 this month! Amazing!!

I've played with the Wishing You Mini stamp set from Gina K. Designs a few times now. I love the mix of sentiments and the snowflakes. I decided to do some gold heat embossing to coordinate with the gold glitter in the papers.

I paired up the pretty stamps with the Miss Mary Christmas paper pad from Hobby Lobby. I prepped the Garden Green card stock from Stampin' Up using the TE Anti Static Powder Tool from Taylored Expressions. The sentiments and snowflake are stamped with Wow Clear Embossing Ink. I used Antique Gold Embossing Powder from Simon Says Stamp to sprinkle over the wet ink. And then I melted the embossing powder with the Wagner Precision Heat Tool. 

I die cut the pretty snowflake using a circle die from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies} from Unity. I popped up the wishing you sentiment and the snowflake using foam tape. It was so fun to used colored card stock for this card. I don't use it often enough.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 52 for the month of December. It's been a long time since we've done a mini slimline design. If you're not a fan of mini slimline cards, feel free to alter the design for an A2 card or even an A7 card. Whatever works for you. 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! The design team, as always, rocked this sketch!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party ~ Nutcracker Dolls ~ Not 2 Shabby

 Hello there crafty friend!

It's day 3 of the Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party!! I'm excited to share another sweet card that I've made to add to my Christmas stash! This time I played with the adorable Nutcracker Dolls Stamp Set from our fabulous Sponsor Not 2 Shabby! {Sadly, this cute stamp set is no longer available} I've had this super cute stamp set in my collection for awhile and finally inked up one of the adorable dolls! Love it!

It was so much fun trying to color up this cutie with similar colors to the nutcrackers in the fun Christmas Time 6x6 Paper Pad from our lovely Sponsor Newton's Nook Designs. I love when I can use goodies from multiple crafty companies... it's a fab mashup and just SO much fun!

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

Skin: E000, E00, E11

Hair / Beard: C00, C2

Yellows: Y11, Y15, Y28

Teal: BG02, BG13, BG57, BG18

Black: N2, N4, N6

All of my layers are adhered using iCraft UltraBond Adhesive from Sponsor Therm O Web. I used True Black card stock from Papertrey Ink and Island Indigo card stock from Stampin' Up. All of my measurements are directly from one of our past {BYSHC} sketches {below}. I did change up the sketch a bit... I die cut a circle of Vellum card stock from Papertrey Ink using a die from the X Stitched Circle dies from Sponsor Gina Marie Designs. Unfortunately, these don't seem to be available anymore.

I went WAY BACK for my inspiration for today's card... I used {BYSHC} Sketch 7! Have you visited the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group? We host a fun sketch challenge each month to inspire our holiday cardmaking all year long. I love using sketches for my cards... it makes designing the cards so easy!

The sweet sentiment is from a cute stamp set from our fantastic Sponsor Gina K. Designs called Wishing You Mini. I paired up a couple of the sentiments and heat embossed them on black card stock. I prepped the card stock with the TE Anti-Static Powder Tool from our wonderful Sponsor Taylored Expressions. I stamped the sentiments using Sugar Cube Pigment Ink, also from Taylored Expressions. I sprinkled Alabaster White Embossing Powder from Brutus Monroe over the wet ink and then melted the powder with a Wagner Precision Heat Tool.

If you haven't already, stop by the Falling for the Holidays 2024 {BYSHC} Linky Party to check out all the wonderful Holiday inspiration being shared!! I have so many wonderful ideas for future cards! So inspiring! I hope you have an ink-redible day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Christmas in July 2021 {BYSHC} Hop ~ Joy of the Season ~ Gina K. Designs

 Hello there crafty friend!

We're well passed halfway through our Christmas in July 2021 {BYSHC} Hop and I am loving all the fabulous inspiration being shared! I hope you've checked out the hop even if you aren't able to play along with us. So many wonderful cards and tags being shared! Today I have a card featuring a wonderful exclusive stamp set that I was fortunate to get my hands on during the STAMPtember celebration in 2018 and sadly this is the first time that I've inked it up! Isn't it sad how that happens?!

This gorgeous tree silhouette is from the Joy of the Season STAMPtember stamp set from Simon Says Stamp and New Sponsor Gina K. Designs. I just HAD to do a beautiful galaxy like background for the trees... almost like a Northern Lights background too. I used Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot and Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide inks... I did a mix of ink smooshing and ink blending over the Alabaster White embossed trees and wiped the ink off the trees with an old t-shirt I use to clean off my blending brushes. I also blended the same three inks on a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" piece of white card stock.

I die cut the tree layer with a stitched rectangle die and then I placed the tree layer over the background layer and did some white acrylic paint splatter. I set the layers aside to dry and heat embossed the sentiment with Sponsor Brutus Monroe Alabaster White embossing powder on some vellum card stock. Once the layers were both dry, I added a bit of PLUS Vellum Tape to the back of the sentiment and then wrapped the vellum strip around the back of the tree layer. I then adhered the tree layer to a white mat measuring 4-5/8 x 3-3/8". I trimmed my back layer to 5-1/4 x 4" and adhered it to a white A2 card base. I adhered the tree layer to the background on the card base and added a couple white enamel dots from Sponsor Gina Marie Designs. I am so glad I finally inked up this amazing stamp set! I need to use more of the gorgeous stamps in the set!

I'm entering my card in the Monthly Mix Challenge over at Gina K Designs!! This month's challenge is a Christmas in July challenge... so fitting!! 

I'm having a giveaway during the hop... to enter you just need to comment on my blog posts each day during the hop! Each comment {one per blog post, please} will get your name in a hat and my daughter will pick a winner. The winner will be announced here on my blog Sunday, August 1st.

 To see the prize package I'm giving away, check out my blog post ---> here.

Be sure to check out the Christmas in July 2021 {BYSHC} Hop over on the {BYSH} Cardmakers blog... and come join us in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group on Facebook! So many lovely holiday cards being shared in our group, as well!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Slimline Glittery Snow Scene Card ~ Dec. 2020 Whit Kit Winter Shake Up ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I'm excited to share a fun slimline card today! I had so much fun creating another card using the fantastic December 2020 Whit Kit called Winter Shake Up! And it's hard not to make a slimline when the ideas for this style of card are really endless!

I stamped the top portion of the white slimline card front with the snow stamp included in the Winter Shake Up stamp set several times with Sea Glass ink from Gina K. Designs. I also used a Nuvo glue pen to add some of the chunky glitter included in the card kit. I die cut a piece of the Silver Glitterstock and trimmed it so the A2 sized sheet of glitter paper would fit on the slimline card base. You can kind of see the line in between the silver glitter hills, but in real life it's hard to see with all the shine.

I used my Stamp Platform to ink up the car stamp because I wanted to use different inks for the tree and the car. I used Grass Green ink and Charcoal Brown ink, both from Gina K. Designs, for the tree, trunk and stand, and then Memento Tuxedo black ink for the car. I colored up the cute car stamp with the following Copic markers ~ R000, R14, R27, N0, N3, N5, B0000, E55, G46.

You can check out my process video here... Slimline Glittery Snow Scene | DEC 2020 Whit Kit | Unity Stamp Co. or you can click the video below.

I just can't get enough of this adorable car!! It just may be a new favorite! I have one more card to share using this fantastic card kit... I hope you'll come back tomorrow and check it out!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Growing in Unity ~ Day 2 of My 5 Favorite Things

Hello there crafty friends!

I am back for Day 2 of My 5 Favorite Things for my Growing in Unity week and I am so excited to share the cards I created for you today! Now, be warned... there's a lot of pictures and even a super short video for this one... so please hang in there and I'll try to keep the chatter short.

So, another one of my favorite things is interactive cards... and Unity Stamp Company has so many fabulous stamps to make interactive cards with... it's awesome! I don't make many of these because, let's be honest, they are a lot of work and take some time and most of the time I just need a quick card. But interactive cards are really so much fun! So I just had to share a few today!

Since it's July, I thought a Christmas in July card would be fun!! I just adore this door die by Lawn Fawn called Shut the Front Door... it makes for a cute interactive card and there are so many possibilities!! Think of all the cute critter stamps from Unity that would just be awesome behind that door! I created the front of my card using die cuts and I also stamped the tree from Woodland Festivities using Gina K. Designs Key Lime and Fresh Asparagus inks. 

I adhered all of my layers to a kraft card base and then stamped the Winter Boy from the Winter Boy and Girl kit and the bulldog from the Woodland Festivities kit with Gina K. Designs Black Amalgam ink and colored them with the following Copic markers:

Winter Boy ~ E000, E00, E21 (skin), E42, E43, Y21 (hair), R11, R56, R59, R89 (hat/scarf), B95, B97, B99 (jeans), G19, G29 (shirt), N1, N4, N7 (belt/shoes).

Bulldog ~ E000, E11, E97, E9, R20 (fur), R14, R27, N0, N1 (hat), N1, N2, N4, N7 (collar).

I then fussy cut them and adhered them inside the door... tucking the bulldog in just slightly under the door frame.

All that remained was finding a sentiment that would fit... and I thought the 'Happy Christmas with Love' sentiment was perfect! This sentiment is from the Classic Christmas kit. I just love how this Christmas card turned out... and another card done for my Christmas card stash!! Woohoo!

My second interactive card uses the adorable bunny from the Hoppy & Hedgie kit along with a cool interactive die from Lawn Fawn called Slide On Over Semicircle. I just love this adorable bunny!! I started by blending my galaxy cloud background using the Mini Cloud Edges stencil by My Favorite Things. I couldn't help but splatter some water even though there wouldn't be stars in the clouds...lol... but I love the effect it gives. I then stamped the sweet bunny with Gina K.'s Black Amalgam ink and colored it with the following Copic markers:

Bunny ~ W0, W2, W4, R20

Bunny's Clothes ~ BG70, BG72

Balloons ~ Y13, Y35, RV32, RV34, G05, G12

I then fussy cut the bunny and balloons very carefully and used it to decide where to die cut the Slide On Over Semicircle. Once I had that figured out... I die cut the background with the interactive slider piece as well as a large stitched rectangle die. I popped up the galaxy cloud background using foam tape... being sure to leave room for the interactive piece behind the bunny to move back and forth. I, unfortunately, didn't take a picture of this process but all I did to attach the bunny was I punched out 3 small 3/4" circles and adhered them all together. I then used a mini stampin' dimensional and attached the little circle to the bunny through the slider... that easy! I then adhered the negative die cut piece to my scalloped rectangle of Lost Lagoon card stock and then adhered the popped up galaxy cloud background. I hope this all makes sense!

Here's a look at the bunny as the 'wind' pulls him across the card. The 'pull' stamp is from the new Interactive Verbiage kit... such a fun kit!

And here he is at the end of his ride. 

To finish off the card, I stamped and fussy cut the sentiment. I mat it on True Black card stock and then adhered it to the card and then I adhered the entire panel to a True Black card base.

Here's a short little video to show you the interactive slider in action. So much fun!

And here is my last interactive card to share with you all today... a shaker card using the new and fabulous Interactive Verbiage kit along with the equally fabulous #letterforhenry kit!! Other than the shaker element for this card... since I used patterned papers for my layers... this card was relatively quick to put together. Just how I like it!!

I paper pieced the frame and adhered it to a piece of white card stock so it would be a little more sturdy. I also stamped the frame on the lined patterned paper so I could easily line up the frame and also so I could easily stamp the sentiment for the card. I just love the 'Kindness Changes Everything' sentiment... it is so true! 

Now... a little funny... so me and shaker cards have a love hate relationship... always, seriously every single time I try to make one of these something goes wrong. I was doing great with this one though... even getting excited it was going so smoothly until I realized I forgot to adhere the clear card stock. I actually forgot about the clear card stock (or acetate) completely... lol... so I had to pull off the foam tape I used. Luckily, since I had paper pieced the frame on that extra piece of white card stock, it didn't tear into the pretty paper and I was able to use it. Anyhow... I thought I'd share that funny mishap... every time, I tell you!

If you have made it this far in my post, Thank You!! I tried to keep the chatter down... but I truly thank you for sticking around and checking out my blog today! I had a blast creating these cards to share with you all! I hope you like them!

Be sure to leave a comment on each of my GIU blog posts for a chance to win one of two fabulous grab bags of 25 stamps from Unity Stamp Company!!! If you missed Day 1, you can check it out ---> Day 1 of My 5 Favorite Things!

Come back tomorrow for Day 3 of My 5 Favorite Things!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ Pink & Main ~ Happy Camper with Galaxy Foil

Hey there crafty friends! 

Today I'm sharing an adorable card using the sweetest little camper set called Happy Camper from Pink & Main. I paired this sweet set with the beautiful Galaxy Foil papers also from Pink & Main... these two products were literally made for each other!!

I've been wanting to make a long card... one that will fit in a #10 envelope. I love to change things up sometimes and this size of card is fun to play with! I started with a 8-1/2 x 11" piece of kraft card stock. I trimmed it down to 8-1/2 x 8" and then on the 8" side, I scored it right in the middle at 4"... giving me a 8-1/2 x 4" card base. A #10 envelope is actually larger, measuring at 4-1/8 x 9-1/2" so you could actually make a larger card if you'd like. This was just the size I decided to go with.

I had my card base and I had picked out my Galaxy Foil paper... but then I realized my paper was only 6" so how do I make a long card with this short patterned paper. Well, I found that Gina K.'s Plum Punch card stock coordinated with the Galaxy Foil paper and that helped to fill in the rest of my background. And to finish off my scene, I die cut some Gina K. Grass Green card stock using the Grassy Border die from Lawn Fawn. I then adhered my grass layers to the plum card stock being sure to not glue down the top layer of grass blades so I could tuck in my car and camper.

Speaking of... how adorable is this car and camper!! They were so much fun to color!! I love all the scallops and swirls... so fun!! There are so many cute images in this set too! I just love that little backpack... it reminded me of a denim backpack that I had as a kid so I colored it to look like it, except mine was green. :) How cute is that sentiment 'Happy trails!'... I thought this would be a cute card to send to someone going out on an adventure maybe camping or taking an RV around the country seeing all the sights!

Oh my goodness... these adorable bears!! I love their cute faces! I had a blast coloring them too. They look ready to enjoy some camping fun. And that crown on the glamping girl bear... love!!!

I finished off the card with some kraft twine... it filled in that empty space in that top right corner... and I think it fits with the whole camping/outdoors theme. I used a bunch of Copic markers to color in the images... here they are:

Girl Bear ~ E21, E23, E25, R00, R20, R21, R43

Flashlight/Crown ~ V0000, V04, V12, Y06, Y35

Boy Bear ~ E21, E25, E27, R20, B95, B97, YG17, YG23

S'mores ~ E27, Y06, Y35, W0, W1

Lamp ~ N0, N2, N4, Y06, Y11, Y35, R27

Car/Camper ~ B0000, B000, B02, V0000, V04, V12, N0, N2, N4, N7, R14, R27, Y06, Y11

Backpack ~ R00, R21, R43, B95, B97, B99, E35, E37

I had so much fun creating this card... I sure hope you enjoy it!! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

~ Friends of Unity July Blog Hop ~

Hey there crafty peeps and fellow Unity addicts!!

Today is the day for the Friends of Unity July Blog Hop and I am excited to see all the creations my friends have come up with! Our cue this month is Vintage and let me tell you... vintage cards can be scary! If you've ever tried one, you might understand. 

It's really not my usual style... though I do enjoy to see them. Especially, when our very own friend, Joyce Verdon, makes one of her gorgeous vintage style cards... I'm so excited to have Joyce back and I can't wait to see what she has created to share with us all!! So let's get to it! 

My first card is a Vintage Christmas card... I know some of you may not be ready for Christmas, but I'm trying to make a serious effort to get ahead on my Christmas cards and I thought this cue would be perfect! I started by stamping the Yuletide {border backgrounds} stamp on white card stock with Gina K's Black Amalgam ink. I heat set it with my heat tool and colored the berries... oh my... so many berries! I went over each of those berries... 9 times I'm thinking with the copic markers. I was going a bit cross eyed, I swear!! Anywho, after the berries were done, I finished the rest of the pretty background. And it was really bright and beautiful... not vintage, at all! 

Copic's used for this card: R000, R14, R27, R89, G24, G94, G99

So... I pulled out the Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink and got to work blending. I also used a touch of Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink... I think the edges got a little dark and the Antique Linen lightened it up a little bit. I fussy cut the middle of the background because I wanted my sentiment to be a separate layer to add dimension to the card. I die cut the background with a large stitched rectangle die and then I started on the sentiment layer. 

I stamped the sentiment from the Vintage Christmas Kit on white card stock using Fired Brick Distress Oxide ink and heat embossed a fine clear embossing powder. I then stamped the Worn Music background stamp using Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink and also heat embossed it using the same clear ep. The white background was not going to work so I blended the Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink over the piece. I trimmed it down and adhered it to a 4-1/8 x 5-3/8" piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock. I then popped up the Yuletide background using foam squares... lots and lots of foam squares. I probably should have used the foam tape... :)

I wrapped the panel several times with jute twine and added the cute Christmas charm (Tim Holtz) and red jingle bell (SU!). I tied off a bow and adhered the charm to the card using Multi Medium Matte so it would stay stationary. {I'm just noticing that my second twine tail has flown the coop! LOL... totally missed that, but I assure you there is one!} I adhered the panel to a Mossy Meadow card base and called this one done!!! What do you think? I'm really liking it!

On to card two... now, I was totally stuck on this card until I saw the lovely Lisa Arana's YouTube video Vintage & Easy Farm Animal Card Design and bam!! Inspiration!! Thank you so much, Lisa!!

I had already chosen the stamps I wanted to use for this one... Grandma's Needlepoint kit by Susan Weckesser. Such an adorable kit.... I love the little girl, but honestly it was the stitching stamps that got me on this one... love love love!!! So to start my card, I went searching through my many patterned papers and decided to use the beautiful Romance Novel papers by Prima.

I stamped the little girl, the stitching and the sentiment with Gina K's Black Amalgam ink and then I die cut each of the papers using the Blueprints 5 dies by My Favorite Things (sadly, it's retired... but you could achieve the same look by trimming down the papers and using a corner rounder on each corner). I chose another paper for my very bottom layer from Love Nicole called Distressed Neutrals that worked really well with the other papers. Score!! Using my corner rounder punch I punched the bottom two corners on the Distressed Neutrals layer and then I did the same with the bottom corners on my Vintage Cream card base. All I needed to do now was adhere the layers. I used Tombow Mono Multi liquid glue to adhere all of the layers except the last one... 

...my focal image was popped up on the card with foam squares. Yup, lots and lots of foam squares. But before I placed it on the card, I wrapped the card with Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon and tied a pretty bow.... awww, I just love how this turned out! What do you think? I sure hope you let me know in the comments.

Now, before we get to hopping... a little business. Drum roll please...

the two winners of my 25 stamp grab bag giveaway are... 

... Arianna Barbara and Dorothy Green!!! Woohoo!!!

Ladies, please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize. 

Prize must be claimed within two weeks.

Thanks to 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. A few of my friends are having giveaways on their blog so be sure to hop and comment on each of our blogs!!

Let's get to hopping... 

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Kim

Eileen

Dawn

Joyce

Jeanie

Robyn

Thanks so much for checking out my blog post!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal