I had some inky time with a brand new Halloween stamp from Unity's latest release. I just had to ink up the kitties with the ghosts... so cute!!
I inked up the Scaredy Cats Club stamp with Black Amalgam ink and colored it up with my Copic markers. I blended some Black Soot Distress ink around the edges of the die cut image to finish it off. I used a die from the Scallops & Squares {nesting dies} to die cut the cats and ghosts.
Copic Markers used:
Cats: N1, N3, N5, R20
Cats Eyes / Ghosts: C0, C2
Stems / Grass / Sentiment: YG00
Purple Background: V000, V12, V15, V17
I ink smooshed my background panel with Wilted Violet, and Villainous Potion Distress Inks. Once I was happy with my ink smooshing, I blended some Black Soot Distress Ink all over the panel. I die cut the panel using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}.
I adhered the sentiment to the square focal image and then popped them both up with foam tape. So fun to make a Halloween card. I hope you like it.
It was so fun to get back in the studio and get inky. I just couldn't resist this new bee stamp from Unity. I had to ink him up! He's currently a Spotlight Steal on the website!!
I colored up the bee from This Stings with some Copic markers and fussy cut him leaving a white border. If fussy cutting isn't your thing, there's a This Stings digital cut file available that's compatible with some electronic die cutting machines.
Copic Markers used:
Yellow: Y11, Y15, Y38
Antennae / Legs: N1, N3, N5
Wings / Eyes: B000, B02
Green: YG11, YG03
I ink smooshed a background with Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, and Wild Honey Distress Inks. Die cut it with the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. The grey spatters were supposed to be black spatters. My black acrylic paint is very watery. I guess I need to mix it more.
I used the Stitched Hexagon Nesting Dies {I don't see this on the website anymore, sorry} for the black hexagons and the one behind the bee that I ink smooshed with just Wild Honey Distress Ink. And for the strip diagonally across the card I used the HoneyComb Chaos Die. I think it was a Spotlight Steal at one point. I don't see it on the website either. To finish off the card I popped up the bee and the sentiment with foam tape. So fun to make. I hope you like it.
Some days it just feels so good to get inky... I had a blast making this card. A little ink smooshing and ink blending and some white acrylic paint spatters can make for a good day in my book!
I inked up all of the stamps in the Buzzy Blooms kit. I used the honeycomb and script for my background. The blooms for my focal and then those beautiful bees for accents. I am smitten, y'all!! I made this beauty for a friend that is moving away. A little reminder for her that she is wonderful. The sentiment is from The Softest Thoughts stamps.
I ink smooshed and blended the background using Antique Linen, Evergreen Bough, Mermaid Lagoon, and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.
Copic markers used:
Flowers: Y21, YR21, YR02, R22
Centers: Y15, Y38, Y28
Leaves / Stems: YG00, YG95, YG67
Background: BG000, B000
Bees: Y11, Y38
I die cut the background panel using a die from the Zig-Zag Rectangles {nesting dies}. I wrapped the two corners with May Arts Natural Burlap String and secured them on the back with scotch tape. I tied a bow with two pieces of the string and adhered it using a mini glue dot. The sentiment is adhered to the flowers and then I popped it and the flowers up on the card with foam tape. I glued the left bee directly to the card and popped up the right bee to give it a little dimension. Love how this turned out!
I tore the edge on the pocket paper leaving it white to compliment the white in the background of the flowers and the sentiment. TIP: when tearing paper be sure to tear towards you... holding paper in your left hand and tearing with your right hand. For left handed makers, holding paper in your right hand and tearing with your left hand.
The background of the flowers is ink smooshed with some Abandoned Coral Distress Ink. The edges of the tag are distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I finished off the tag with some white lace ribbon I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby tied off with May Arts Natural Burlap String.
Copic markers used:
Flowers: R00, R11, R22, Y15, Y38
Blue Buds: BG70, BG01, BG72
Yellow Buds: Y15, Y38
Stems / Leaves: YG91, YG95, YG97
Background: BG70, BG01, BG72
Here's a quick look at this month's Kit of the Month membership!
This gorgeous stamp is also available separately in the Slow Bloom Society stamps.
That's it for me today! I hope you've been INKspired to play with your membership stamps!
It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!This month's cue is another fun one!
Our cue this time is Creating a Background! So fun! And even more fun because we're hosting another fun challenge in the Unity {Show & Tell} Facebook group! Be sure to hop along with us to see inspiration for the challenge. I sure hope that you can play along with us. Three lucky winners will each win a $25 gift card to Unity! Yippee!!
For my first card I created a fun wintry background for the new deer stamps from the November 2025 KOM called Tinsel, Toasts & Truth (the website should be updated with the new KOM on Monday). It's also available separately in the Where Treetops Listen stamps.
I started the background by ink smooshing Salty Ocean Distress Ink. And then I swiped the ink pad down the card front leaving fun streaks of ink. I dried the panel with a heat tool. And then I heat embossed the Grit & Glint Snowflake background stamp using white pigment ink and white embossing powder. Such a fun background! It was hard to cover any of it up.
I had used this technique back in August with the fun Ghastly Gourds stamp. It's a really quick way to add color to your background. You can check out the details for this card here... Have a Spooky Day card. You can see more of the ink smooshed background in this one.
I cut a simple hill from white card stock to ground the scene. I fussy cut the trees and deer leaving a white border around them and adhered them to the card. And then trimmed the sentiment and adhered it too. Love how this turned out!
My second card also has some ink smooshing. Ink smooshing is my go-to technique for backgrounds! This time I used Candied Apple and Lumberjack Plaid Distress Inks. Once I was happy with the ink smooshing, I blended some more Candied Apple over the panel to cover all the white spots. I did a bit of water spatters by spritzing some water in the palm of my hand and clapping over the panel. I dried the panel completely with a heat tool.
And then I did some stamping! I stamped the ink smooshed background with the Linen background stamp using Candied Apple Distress Ink. Can you see the texture in the background? I love it! I then stamped the background with the Buffalo Plaid background stamp using Black Soot Distress ink. I love the technique of using two background stamps together. I've shared some fun cards with this technique in the past. You can check them out here... Fun with Background Stamps {there's also a video}. I die cut the background using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies} and adhered it to a black A2 card base.
I stamped the cute Santa from The List Guy stamps and colored him up with Copic markers. I fussy cut him on the line {except around the fur trim and pom pom where I left a white border}. I adhered Santa to the card covering up the edge of the scallops on the bottom right corner. To finish off this card, I heat embossed the sentiment, trimmed it and adhered it to the card.
Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used for Santa:
Skin: E000, E00, E11
Beard / Mustache / Fur Trim / Pom Pom: C0, C2
Hat / Coat: R20, R14, R37
Belt: N0, N2, N4
Buckle: Y11, Y15, Y28
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 and the lucky winner is...
... Meghan Kennihan!! Congratulations, Meghan!!
Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Please claim the prize before November 26th, 2025.
Well, that's it for me this time! Be sure to hop along and enjoy some more inspiration from our friends! I can't wait to see how they all were inspired by this month's cue. 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!
It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!This month's cue is SO MUCH FUN because you're all invited to play along with us!
The Friends of Unity are hosting a fun Fall themed Color Challenge in the Unity {Show & Tell} Facebook group!! Yay! I sure hope that you can play along with us! One lucky winner will win a $50 Store Credit to Unity!! Wow! What an awesome prize!
I went a little crazy making cards, but I'm only sharing two today. I didn't want to have the worlds longest blog post today! LOL! Anywho, I created a fun background using the Geometric Leaves stencil from A Colorful Life Designs. I blended Carved Pumpkin, Candied Apple and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink over a Kraft card front measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2". I trimmed it to 4 x 5-1/4" and wrapped it with three pieces of natural May Arts burlap string. And then I adhered it to a Kraft A2 top fold card base.
I stamped the super sassy chicken from the October 2025 Uniquely Unity membership called Don't Cluck with My Coffee! I'm just tickled with this stamp. I showed Angela a fun meme and asked for this stamp and voila! Love it! I couldn't wait to ink her up! I die cut the sassy chicken using a die from the Make a Tag {die set}. I chose to do it at an angle since the stencil I used had a geometric theme. I also die cut a mat from Kraft card stock using the largest die from the set.
Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:
Chicken: E21, E23, E25
Eyes: C0, C2
Waddle: R00, R14, R27
Beak / Feet: YR21, YR15, YR27
Curlers / Tail Feathers: Y11, Y15, YR15,
Cup: Y11, Y15, Y28, E23, E25
Glasses: Gold Uni-ball Gel Pen
This sassy chick is also available as a one-time purchase if you're not interested in signing up for the membership. I once again couldn't decide on a sentiment so I ended up using two. Both of them are die cut using dies from the Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies. The chicken panel and the sentiments are all popped up on the card with foam tape.
For my second card I did some ink smooshing and blending. I used Carved Pumpkin, Candied Apple, and Gathered Twigs on Kraft card stock. I blended a bit more of the orange and red here and there until I was happy with the background. And then I dried it completely with a heat tool.
I prepped the card stock with anti-static powder and then inked up the beautiful Array of Fall stamps with clear embossing ink. I sprinkled the wet ink with my really old gold embossing powder from Stampin' Up. It worked really well. It's SO shiny! I love the gold on these background colors! I also heat embossed the sentiment.
I couldn't find any gold card stock in my stash so I had to make my own mat by embossing the edges of a 4 x 5-1/4" piece of Kraft card stock. It's not perfect but I like the texture in it.
I smooshed my Candied Apple and Carved Pumpkin Distress inks on acrylic blocks and added some more color to the flowers using a water pen. I think it helps the flowers pop just a bit more. I adhered my layers onto a dark brown A2 card base. What do you think of the heat embossed gold on this one? Too much? I'm kinda liking it.
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 and the lucky winner is...
... Denise Bryant!! Congratulations, Denise!!
Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Please claim the prize before October 29th, 2025.
Well, that's it for me this time! Be sure to hop along and enjoy some more inspiration! I can't wait to see our friends makes for the Color Challenge! I'm 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! AND there's an additional giveaway on Dawn and Amber's blogs so be sure to hop all the way through to the end to see all the details on their blogs.
It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!This month's cue is SO much fun!
It took me a while to get started. I was really stuck for ideas. But once I got started I couldn't stop. So with that said. There's a lot of content on this blog post. I made three projects and the last one was very involved. There's lots of photos and I'll try to keep the chatter to a minimum so the post isn't too terribly long. I hope you enjoy my projects and if you're inspired by my makes, I'd love to see what you make.
First up is a cute accordion tag book that was inspired by our sweet crafty friend, Jenni Shamblin. She's sharing one today that is SO beautiful. Be sure you stop by her blog {down below in the hop}.
Here's the tag book opened. I used small pieces of white card stock to attach the tags together. I didn't cover the back. I still might but I couldn't find a paper I liked to do it so for now it's just blank. I used four Fall themed tags that I received from Unity. Not sure if it was a gift or if I ordered it, but they sure made this project come together quickly.
Next up is a cute tag that could also be a bookmark. I was inspired by my favorite bookmark that I made eons ago. I thought I'd case it and maybe send it to a friend. I just realized I didn't write down the Copics I used for this one. Sorry about that.
Inks used: Peacock Feathers and Vintage Photo Distress Inks, Black Amalgam Ink, Memento Tuxedo Black marker.
Here's a quick photo of my original bookmark and my cased bookmark. Original used the same book stamps, but the girl is from Part of the Story {retired}. Not sure about the other background stamps on that one. They might be Stampin' Up.
I wanted to share one more photo for this one. Once I had my background done on the bookmark I stamped the girl so that when I fussy cut off all the dots and hearts around her it would still be a part of her on the bookmark. I love those little details.
And my last project... a Mixed Media Mini File Folder. I had just received this awesome file folder die in an order and I was inspired to make something for the hop. It's the Floral Slots File Folder from Elizabeth Craft Designs. Once I got started with this project it took off so please bare with me. There's lots of photos and I recorded a quick video that I share at the end just sharing the finished project. The cover features a bunch of stamps but the big new pumpkin is the star. This pumpkin is in the September 2025 KOM Harvest to Holiday. It's also available separately here... Pumpkin Hearth. I ink smooshed the pumpkin with Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin and Abandoned Coral Distress inks. I blended some Vintage Photo Distress ink around the edges and colored the stem with Copics {E21, E25, E57}. In the background you'll find the big leaf from Beautiful Change, the stitch stamps from Time to be Happy Again, and a couple stamps from Love Who You Are.
The inside of the mini file folder. I inked smooshed the whole thing with Salvaged Patina, Peacock Feathers, Vintage Photo and Carved Pumpkin Distress Inks. The big tree is from the July 2021 KOM Special Spot in My Heart and the fun pumpkins are from Beautiful Change. The 'fall feels' sentiment on the tab is from the August 2025 KOM Season of Soft & Spooky. I masked it so that it would fit in the little spot.
Here's a look at the tag fronts. I ink smooshed the manila tags with Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, and Abandoned Coral Distress inks. I blended a bit of Vintage Photo Distress ink to soften the white and then I distressed the edges with some too. I used the Tree of Gratitude stamps for these. All four of them are heat embossed with Penny EP from Brutus Monroe. The spatters are Ground Espresso Distress ink that I diluted with a tiny bit of water.
The other side of the tags. I distressed the edges on this side too but didn't do the spatter. I used a leaf from the Tree of Gratitude, another leaf from the August 2025 KOM Season of Soft & Spooky, and then trees also from that KOM. The three sentiments on the left are also from the KOM. And then the last one on the right is from Beautiful Change.
I just had to keep on going but I kept the back simple with just a few trees and a sentiment from the August 2025 KOM Season of Soft & Spooky. They are also available separately here... Long Rooted Truths. I tried to keep my chatter to a minimum. If you have a question about anything I made, please ask away in the comments.
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 and the lucky winner is...
... Dee in N.H.!! Congratulations, Dee!!
Send me an email at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Please claim the prize before October 1st, 2025.
Well, that's it for me this time! We have a full hop this month with lots of inspiration so I hope you'll grab a cup of coffee or tea or water... what have you, and keep on hopping! 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!
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