~ Friends of Unity September 2026 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for another Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! This year has just been flying by... I can't believe it's September already. Geez! Although I am anxious for some cooler weather. It's been SO hot! Anywho, our cue this month is lots of fun.

Today we are sharing inspiration for the Anything But a Card cue!! Oh my gosh... I had so many ideas it was actually paralyzing. Like it squashed my mojo. I started a project and it was terrible so I tossed it. I don't normally do that. I save it for another day but this was actually really terrible. It took some time but I finally got the creative juices flowing and I have 3 projects to share. I'll keep the chatter at a minimum so the post isn't too long.

First up is a cute bookmark featuring the adorable Santa from the Holiday Hide & Peek stamps. I stamped him on white card stock. Colored  him up with Copic markers and fussy cut him on the line except where there was hair or fuzzy parts... I left a white border around those areas.

I paired him up with some papers from the Minty Christmas {paper pack}. I used a bookmark die from Papertrey Ink.

Copic markers used:

Skin: E000, E00, E11

Hair / Fur Trim / Ground: C0, C2

Santa Suit: R20, R14, R27

Mittens / Boots: C2, C3, C5, C7

Wall: E21, E23, E25

Next up is a holiday tag featuring the gorgeous September 2026 Background of the Month called Christmas Made Beautiful. I used another bookmark tag from Papertrey Ink for this one but I'm going to use this as a tag.

Copic Markers used on Kraft card stock:

Poinsettias: R20, R14, R27, Y11, Y15, Y38, Y28

Pine Cones: E21, E23, E25

Pine Needles / Foliage: YG00, YG11, G24, G46

Berries: RV10, RV02, RV66, RV69

I trimmed the sentiment and distressed the edges with the residual ink on my brown blending brush. Die cut a piece of brown card stock using a die from the Scallops & Squares {nesting dies}. I didn't want to cover up the pretty poinsettia cluster so I die cut a couple more bookmarks. One in kraft for the back to cover up the ink that bled through the card stock. And another one from the brown card stock to extend the 'tag' so I could adhere the sentiment to the side a bit.

And my last project is actually two that I made using a cute bee from the Hive Got Your Back. The sentiment is from the March 2026 KOM called Rooted & Radiant. These are tea bag holders... a fun little gift idea for any occasion.

Copic markers used:

Bee: Y00, Y15, Y38

Eyes: C0, C2

Wings: G000, G00

I paired up the bee with papers from the Squeeze the Day {paper pack}. These tea bag holders are made from one full sheet of white card stock measuring 8-1/2 x 11". One tea bag holder measures 3-1/2 x 11" and it's scored at 4", 4-1/4", 4-1/2", and 8-1/2". So you can cut two from the full sheet.

I die cut the flap and the pattern paper on the flap with one of the border dies from the Edge Appeal {border die set}. The pattern paper on the front and back of the holder measures 3-1/4 x 3-3/4". The pattern paper on the flap measured 3-1/4 x 2-1/2" before I die cut the edge. I think I just cut off 1/8" with the die. I used the leftover scrap from the full sheet to help secure the tea bags in the holder. It measures 3/4 x 7-1/4" and it's scored at 1-7/8", 2", 5-1/4", and 5-3/8".

I used the Scalloped Tags dies for the little tag I made. I don't see these tags on the website... I think they might have been a steal item. I fussy cut the bee and the sentiment and adhered them directly to the tag. I added a bit of foam tape to the top of the tag avoiding the part that hangs over the flap to secure it to the holder. And then I wrapped the holder with some burlap string.

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...

... Jamie Y.!! Congratulations, Jamie!!

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

Please claim the prize before September 30th, 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 ---> Von Marie

Jenni

Rachel

Jane

Joyce

Doreen

Toni

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

~ Friends of Unity November 2021 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

Welcome to our November 2021 Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner?! I'm excited for our first Thanksgiving in our new home this month... and then, of course, our first Christmas next month. Our cue this month got me thinking about the holidays and handmade gifts...

...a Non-Card Project. I had several ideas come to mind and found a few online, but I decided to go with one of my favorite things to make for friends. A bookmark!

I've been itching to ink up this gorgeous holiday stamp from last month's Uniquely Unity stamp kit called Holiday Things. Every since this stamp was revealed I've wanted to stamp it on Kraft and color it up with my Copics. And to turn it into a bookmark was just a bonus! I used the Basic Bookmark 3 from Papertrey Ink to die cut the stamped background.

I wanted to go with a different sentiment... one that was smaller and wouldn't cover up too much of the background so I used one from the fabulous new November 2021 Sentiment Kit called Cherished Holly. The sentiments in this beautiful kit are so perfect for holiday makes. I blended a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Oxide over the sentiment to soften it.

I used a whole bunch of Copic markers to color up this bookmark. Here's my list:

Pinecone ~ E00, E11, E23, E25

Snowman ~ C00, C2, B00, B02, YR15, YR21, YR68

Bell & Bow ~ Y15, Y35, Y38, R14, R20, R27

Holly & Berries ~ G000, G24, G46, R14, R20, R27

Wreath ~ YG03, YG63, YG67

Rocking Deer ~ E00, E11, E23, E25, G000, G24, G46, R14, R27

Candy Cane ~ C00, C2, R14, R20, R27

Gnome ~ E000, E00, E11, R00, R20, RV21, V01, V04, R14, R20, R27, C00, C2 

Lollipop ~ C00, C2, R14, R20, YR15, YR21, Y15, Y35, G000, G24, B00, B02, BV00, BV11

Gingerbread Man ~ C00, C2, R14, R20, R27, E11, E23, E25

Ribbon & Bells ~ G24, G46, Y15, Y35, Y38

Stocking ~ C00, C2, V01, V04, V09, R20, RV21

Ornament ~ Y15, Y35, Y38, N0, N2, R14

Baubles ~ R14, R20, RV21, V01, V04, B00, B02, Y15, Y35, G000, G24, YR15, YR21

Bow ~ R14, R20, R27

I also had a fun idea for some festive tea bag holders that I made using my favorite holiday paper from Unity... the Farmhouse Christmas {paper pack}. My sweet friend, Robyn, sent me some wonderful tea last year that my daughter and I can't get enough of. I thought it would be fun to send some to friends this year and I just had to wrap them up all pretty.

The tea bag holder is made from a piece of Kraft card stock measuring 3-1/2 x 11" scored at 4", 4-1/4", 4-1/2", and 8-1/2". I die cut the flap with one of the border dies from the A2 Scalloped Borders One dies from Spellbinders.

The pattern paper on the front and back {yes, I put pretty paper on the back too} are 3-1/4 x 3-3/4". The pattern paper on the flap is 3-1/4 x 2-1/2" and then I die cut it with the same border die. I die cut the cute little tags with a die from my stash. I have no clue where it's from or what's it's called. But any little die would work or maybe a little tag. The sentiment is again from the November 2021 Sentiment Kit called Cherished Holly... love this kit!!

I wrapped the tea bag holder with some twine and tied a little bow to keep the tea bag holder closed. I slipped the tag through the twine.

I added a piece of Kraft card stock inside the tea bag holder measuring 1 x 7-1/4" and it's scored at 1-7/8", 2", 5-1/4", and 5-3/8". This piece of card stock inside holds the tea bags in the holder when it's closed.

I think these turned out pretty cute! Now, before we get to hopping... have you checked out the fabulous Brown Thursday sale?! If you're not familiar with this sale, it's the biggest sale of the year over at Unity Stamp Co!! They just released a whole bunch of amazing new stamps and their annual Advent Calendar!! Oh my gosh... you have to check it out, if you haven't yet!

Well, that's it for me this time! I hope you'll try your hand at some handmade gifts. I had so much fun! Please hop along and enjoy some more inspiration from the Friends of Unity... I can't wait to see all the different projects being shared! I'm sure that some of my friends are having a giveaway so be sure to comment as you hop along.

Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Eileen

April

Rachel

Dawn F.

Colleen

Kim

Alaine

Joyce

Robyn

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you!!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

{Please note that comment moderation is ON. Your comment will appear shortly.}