Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch 45 Continued ~ Heirloom Mum ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing another fun card for the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Sketch Challenge 45 in the Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook group. This time I inked up the gorgeous mum from the September 2026 Whit Kit, also available separately as the Heirloom Mum stamp.

I die cut the gorgeous mum using the largest die from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies} and then I got to coloring with my Copic markers. I'm including the markers I used for the leaf even though it's basically covered up with the sentiment.

Copic markers used:

Mum: Y11, Y15, YR20, YR02, YR15, YR68

Leaf: YG91, YG63, YG67

Background: G000, YG91

I used a fun embossing folder from my stash called Gridlock. I believe it's a Tim Holtz EF. I love the texture it adds to the background.

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 omitted the background layer and just used my card base for my background.

I die cut the sentiment using a die from the Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies. Just like the last few cards, I adhered the sentiment to the circle and then popped up both the circle and the sentiment with foam tape. And then I added some spatter using Tea Dye Distress Ink spritzed with a bit of water. 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

Hive Had Enough ~ This Stings ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

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.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Pretty Wonderful ~ Buzzy Blooms ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

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!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 66 ~ Tender Thoughts ~ Creative Worship Stamps

Hello there crafty friend!

I'm back with a little inspiration for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 66 hosted in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group! Today I'm sharing a lovely Christmas card featuring a beautiful stamp set from our amazing Sponsor Creative Worship Stamps! This month's prize is a $20 gift code to Creative Worship Stamps! Woohoo!

I started by ink smooshing my backgrounds for this one onto a card front {4-1/4 x 5-1/2"} and a scrap of white card stock that was just large enough for the tree stamp from the Tender Thoughts Stamp and Die Bundle. I ink smooshed the panels with Stormy Sky, Seedless Preserves, and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks. Once I was happy with the ink smooshing, I blended more Chipped Sapphire over the whole panel.

I dried the backgrounds completely with a Wagner Precision Heat Tool. I applied some anti static powder to the scrap panel. I stamped the beautiful trees from the Tender Thoughts Stamp and Die Bundle on my scrap panel using Sugar Cube Pigment Ink from Taylored Expressions and then I dusted the wet ink with Alabaster White Embossing Powder from Unity and melted it with a heat tool. I die cut the panel using a stitched circle die from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies} from Unity. I also die cut a scrap of white card stock just to get the snowy ground piece for the deer. I fussy cut the wavy hill with EK Success Cutter Bee Scissors.

I die cut the background panel using a stitched rectangle die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies} from Unity. I adhered the circle to the panel and then trimmed off the edge. And then I spattered the whole panel using Apple Barrel White Acrylic Paint. I stamped the deer with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and I started fussy cutting it on the line and then remembered too late that I had a die and could have used that to cut it out. I stamped the sentiment from the Holly Jolly Stamp & Die Bundle and die cut it out with the coordinating die. I popped up the sentiment on the card with foam tape. I finished the card off with a few pieces of White Glossy Card Bling from A Colorful Life Designs.

Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 66 for the month of February. 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

Light Still Lives Here ~ Hope in the Heavy with Cottage Lane ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

Sometimes life is hard and the darkness seems to take over... I pray you look to the light in the moment because it's there. Today I'm sharing sweet reminder that the light still lives here using two new releases from Unity. 

I stamped the gorgeous Cottage Lane background stamp on Kraft card stock and colored it with Copic markers and a white Prismacolor pencil. And then I die cut it using the largest die from the Deckle & Stitches Nesting Dies. Once the background was dry, I added some white acrylic paint spatters. I adhered the dried panel to a white A2 top fold card base.

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

Browns: E21, E25

Greens: YG63

Chimney: N2

Shadows for the White Areas: C0, C2

Have you played along with our Creating a Background Challenge happening right now in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group? Background stamps are a great way to create a background for a card. I sure hope you'll join us. There's (3) $25 gift cards up for grabs... all you've got to do is enter a card where you've created a background for a chance to win one of the prizes.

I stamped the lovely sentiment from the Hope in the Heavy stamps. I trimmed it and popped it up on the card with foam tape. Hope you've been inspired to play along with the Creating a Background Challenge. We'd love to have you join in the fun! And I hope my encouraging card has brought some light to you if your feeling like you're in the darkness. Hugs.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Making a Fun Background ~ That's a Wrap ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

Today I'm sharing a fun holiday card I made with the awesome new That's a Wrap stamp from Unity. 

I love this new ribbon stamp! It would be great with pattern papers, too! I thought I'd make a fun background since we have the Creating a Background Challenge going in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group... why not play along with a fun holiday card!

You can check out my process video here... Making a Fun Background | That's a Wrap | Unity Stamp Co. or click on the video below.

A little ink smooshing, ink blending, ink swiping, water spatters, and water stamping, plus regular stamping all happening to create this background. SO fun to  make! I used the beautiful Linen background stamp and Christmas Over Again background stamp. And I used Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid and Barn Door Distress Inks.

I stamped the beautiful That's a Wrap ribbon and sentiment on white card stock. I colored the shaded parts of the ribbon with a little Copic marker {C0 and C2}. I die cut the sentiment using a tag die from the Scalloped Tags die set. I fussy cut the ribbon leaving a white border. I share a fun trick for cutting inside the loops on my video.

It's like the card is a gift! I just love how this whole card turned out. Hope you've been inspired to play along with the Creating a Background challenge. We'd love to have you join in the fun! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

Membership Wednesday ~ October 2025 KOM Frost & Folklore Snowman ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend!

Happy Membership Wednesday! Today I'm sharing a sweet wintry card I made using a cute stamp from the October 2025 Kit of the Month membership from Unity. 

I played with my Copic markers and white Prismacolor pencil and colored up this cute duo on some Kraft card stock. SO fun! 

Copic markers used:

Snowman: B000, B00, R20

Nose: YR20, YR15, YR68

Arms: E21, E25

Buttons: N0, N2, N4

Scarf: R20, R14, R29

Bird: Y11, Y15, Y35, B000, B00, B02

Heart: R14

I decided to keep the card simple with just some torn edges and a white layer peeking through the Kraft layers.

But I couldn't help adding some spatters to the card. Did I go a little overboard with the spatters? Maybe... but I love how it turned out! What do you think?

Here's a quick look at this month's Kit of the Month membership!

This adorable duo stamp is also available separately in the Frost & Feathers stamps.

That's it for me today! I hope you've been INKspired to play with your membership stamps! 

Have a wonderful day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Healing Takes Time ~ Drift & Remember ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

So glad you've stopped by my blog! Today I'm sharing a couple of quick cards I made using the gorgeous new Drift & Remember stamps from Unity.

This gorgeous new dragonfly stamp is huge! I love it!

I stamped the dragonfly on two card fronts measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" and die cut them using the stitched die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. I then colored them up very simply with a couple of Copic markers. For my first card I used: BG000, BG01, BG72, Y11, C0, C2.

I added a touch of Sakura white gelly roll pen to the eyes. I stamped the sentiments and die cut them using a die from the Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies.

For my second card I used the following Copic markers: RV10, RV02, Y11, C0, C2. I ink smooshed the colored dragonflies with a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Ink and added a bit of spatters too.

I adhered my layers to two Kraft A2 top fold card bases. Super quick cards and ready to mail out to two friends that recently had surgery.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky hugs,

Crystal

~ Friends of Unity July 2025 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! This month's cue is a lot of fun! 

I love getting inky with a fun mixed media card. I did struggle a bit getting going with these but once I did some ink smooshing I was on a roll! I can't be the only one who finds ink smooshing so relaxing. I love it! It makes a bad day so much better.

I ink smooshed my background for this one using Twisted Citron and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink leaving a good amount of white space. I added a little bit of Squeezed Lemonade but it's really not noticeable. I partially inked up A Faithful Letter background stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

The pretty little butterflies are from the retired {...With Her Own Wings}. I just inked up a handful of the butterflies for the corners. I die cut the background using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies} and then I adhered it to a white A2 top fold card base. I finished off the background with some black acrylic paint spatters.   

The butterflies are from the Paper Wings stamps. I colored them with Copic markers and fussy cut them on the line except around the antennae where I left a white border. The butterflies are adhered to the card on their bodies and antennae. I folded up the wings for some dimension. The sentiment is from the Extended Celebration stamps. I trimmed it and adhered it to the card. I finished off the card with a few pearl embellishments I think I got from a Unity order.

My second card also has some ink smooshing. Ink smooshing is my go-to mixed media technique. This time I used Twisted Citron and Wild Honey Distress Inks. I wanted to use colors that I normally wouldn't put together. For some reason these colors made me want to work with a chicken stamp so I grabbed the fun new Still Peckin' Fabulous. 

 And then I stamped the fun Chicken Wire background stamp.... which is retired. Bummer! Maybe you have it in your stash. I stamped it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I also stamped the squiggly lines from the stamps called Never with the same ink. I heat embossed the circle trio with clear embossing ink and Penny embossing powder from Brutus Monroe. I love the texture and shine it gives the card.

I stamped the fun chicken and colored it up with Copic markers. I heat embossed the sentiment with a white pigment ink and white embossing powder on a dark brown card stock. I fussy cut the chicken and adhered it to the sentiment and then I added foam tape to the back of both and popped them up on the card. Voila!

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

Chicken / Eyes: C0, C2, C3

Beak: Y11, YR20, YR15, YR27

Waddle: R20, R14, R27

Hat: YG11, YG03, YG63, B00, B02

Present: YR20, YR15, YR68, B00, B02

Balloon: Y11, YR20, YR15, YR68

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...

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

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

Please claim the prize before July 30th, 2025. 

Well, that's it for me this time! It's a short hop this month with just six of us sharing our makes. Be sure to hop along and enjoy some more inspiration! I can't wait to see how our friends 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! 

Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Jenni

Toni

Rachel

Doreen

Joyce

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal