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.
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.
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!
It's time for a new sketch challenge over in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group! Today I'm sharing a fun Christmas card featuring one of my all-time favorite stencils from our amazing Sponsor, A Colorful Life Designs! A Colorful Life Designs has generously offered up a $25 gift code as a prize for the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 58 this month! So fantastic!
The fabulous Christmas Tree Deer Stencil is the very first stencil I purchased at A Colorful Life Designs. It's my most favorite and I just had to use it! I secured it to my Kraft card stock panel using iCraft Removable Pixie Tape. I also ran a strip of the tape diagonally across the panel and then I blended Mowed Lawn Distress Ink over the bottom portion of the stencil.
I removed the tape and cleaned the stencil. I like to clean the stencil with just a touch of hand soap and then I rinse it thoroughly. I replaced the tape and blended Sugar Cube White Pigment ink from Taylored Expressions over the top portion of the stencil. I cleaned the stencil once again and placed it back on the panel. I masked around the deer and blended Vintage Photo Distress Ink with just a touch of Walnut Stain Distress Ink on the top.
I spattered the panel with White Acrylic paint spatters that I spritzed with just a drop of water to thin it out. I die cut two pieces of ric rac using the retired Ric Rac die from My Favorite Things. I also die cut two snowflakes using the Small Snowflake die from Gina Marie Designs. I adhered those together and then adhered it over the spot where the two ric rac pieces meet. I heat embossed a quick sentiment using the Simple Little Wishes from Unity. And then I finished off the card with a few confetti pieces from the White Glossy Card Bling from A Colorful Life Designs.
Here's a look at {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 58 for the month of June. I flipped the sketch for my card today! 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!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
See ya next time.
Inky hugs,
Crystal
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It's the first day of previews at The Greeting Farm for the May release! This month's release is fantastic!! It's filled with OHHHs and AHHHs! Be sure to check out The Greeting Farm blog each day this week!
I stamped all of the adorable images and the sentiment from the Space Kitties with Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored the images up with Copic Markers. I fussy cut them all on the line and colored the edges of the fussy cutting with a Memento Tuxedo Black marker. There was one exception with the ring around the green planet. I fussy cut a white border around the ring so the ring wouldn't get lost in the background.
I had a blast ink smooshing and blending a fun galaxy background for today's card. I started by ink smooshing Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks. I then blended Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink over the background with a blending brush. I covered most of the pink and yellow in the background so there were just a few 'bursts' of color. I blended around the edges and through the middle with Black Soot Distress Ink.
Once the background was dry {or nearly dry... I'm an impatient cardmaker! LOL!}, I spattered the background with white acrylic paint that I thinned out with a spritz of water. I let the background dry overnight. When I came back to it the next day, I trimmed the galaxy background to 4 x 5-1/4" and adhered it to a black top fold card base measuring 4-1/4 x 11"; scored at 5-1/2".
I played around a bit with placement for all the fun images and once I was happy with them, I adhered them to the card. I just love how this turned out! Release goes live in the store on the 15th at 12am EST.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
See ya next time.
Inky Hugs,
Crystal
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Today I'm excited to share a super sweet and fun Easter card with you all!
I created a fun partial background using the adorable bunny peep from the Happy Easter stamp set. The adorable girl is also from the same stamp set. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the Happy Easter stamp set on the website. But if you'd like to add it to your collection, you can check out the Farmers Market and submit a request via email... maybe it'll be available for the next Farmers Market.
I stamped the girl and bunnies with Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored them up with Copic Markers. I also spattered the partial background with Mustard Seed, Tumbled Glass, and Kitsch Flamingo Distress Ink.
Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:
Girl Skin: E000, E00, E51, R00, R20
Girl Hair: Y21, E43, E44
Dress: V000, V12
Green Bunnies: YG11, YG23
Yellow Bunnies: Y11, Y15
Pink Bunnies: RV10, RV02
Purple Bunnies: V000, V12
Orange Bunnies: YR21, YR15
Blue Bunnies: B0000, B00
Ground: C00, C2
I added a 1/8" strip of black card stock to break up the partial background. And I mat the cute focal image with a black circle mat.
I’m super
excited to be guest designing for the month of February for the Coffee Loving Papercrafters!
Today I'm sharing a fun mixed media card featuring digi stamps from Angie Blom Digital Designs. I combined and resized the frame and coffee cup from the Vintage Frames and Coffee is Better Digital Stamp Sets in a Word Document.
Printed them off on white card stock and colored them up with my Copic markers.
I ink smooshed a fun background panel using Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Inks leaving some white space on the panel. I also spattered some Ground Espresso Distress Ink from the leftover ink on my desk. I adhered the panel to an A2 card base of dark brown card stock.
I popped up the sentiment, cup and the vintage frame using foam tape. Lots of fun dimension for this card. So much fun to make! I hope you've been inspired to get inky with your coffee stamps!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
See ya next time.
Inky hugs,
Crystal
{Please note that comment moderation is on. Your lovely comment will appear once approved.}
It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!This month's cue is super fun!
It's Monochromatic. I love this cue!
We've done it once or twice now and I love seeing the variation in creations.
First up, I'm sharing the ATCs that I made for last month's Unity Lovers ATC swap. I ink smooshed 14 ATC panels of Stampers Select White card stock from Papertrey Ink measuring 2-1/2 x 3-1/2" using Black Soot Distress Ink leaving some white space. I then spattered the panel with Apple Barrel Black Acrylic Paint thinned with just a spritz or two of water. Once the panels were all dry, I die cut them using a fun ATC Layers die from Waffle Flower.
I stamped the adorable owl from the Cozy Vibes Owl stamps multiple times in my Stamp Platform with Black Amalgam ink. I didn't color them at all, just left them black and white. These stamps have so much detail you really don't need to color them. I fussy cut them leaving a tiny border around the edges. I adhered all of my layers to a 2-1/2 x 3-1/2" ATC panel of True Black card stock from Papertrey Ink. These took some time because of how many there were to make, but I really love how they turned out.
You may have seen the cards I shared last Wednesday for Membership Wednesday using the Damask Grunge Background of the Month stamp from January 2025 along with the December 2024 Faded Roses BOM. I was on a roll and couldn't stop so I also stamped the background using Lost Shadow Distress Ink with the Damask Grunge BOM and Black Soot Distress Ink with the Faded Roses BOM. The sentiment is from the Extended Celebration {Front & Center Stamps}. I heat embossed it with white pigment ink, white embossing powder, and melted it with a heat tool. The background panels were die cut using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}.
For my last card I ink smooshed the right side of a Stampers Select White card front panel measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink. The left side of the card is white {though in the photo it has a blue tinge - no clue}.
I dried the panel completely with my heat tool. And then I stamped the gorgeous butterfly from the February 2024 Kit of the Month called Grace and More Grace using Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks. I stamped it twice with Mermaid Lagoon for nice coverage and then one time with Peacock Feathers to give it a bit of that teal look more than a dark blue.
I did the same thing with the fun sentiment from the January 2025 Kit of the Month called Kinda Made for Each Other. I trimmed the panel cutting 1/16" off each side so the butterfly would stay center so now it measures 4-1/8 x 5-3/8". I adhered it to a white A2 top fold card base. I finished off the card with a few raindrop embellishments from my stash. I love how this one turned out! I'm determined to send out more cards this year. I always have good intentions but time seems to slip by and I forget about it. No more! I'm going to send out those paper hugs! And this will be one of them. It was such a super quick card too!
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...
... Linda Abel!! Congratulations, Linda!!
Please email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Please claim the prize before February 26th, 2025.
Well, that's it for me this time! Please hop along and enjoy some more inspiration from the Friends of Unity! I can't wait to see how our friends were inspired by this month's cue. I wonder how many went with black & white or if we'll see more colors! 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 the final day of previews at The Greeting Farm! Today we have a super cute couple with a coffee theme. So excited for this set!
Need Coffee? YES! Always should be the answer! LOL! I thought it would be fun to create a background with the sentiment so I stamped it several times. And then I ink smooshed the panel with Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Ink. I was pleasantly surprised that the sentiments didn't bleed. Phew. I'm thinking it was because the sentiments had set overnight to dry, but it could also be that I didn't use a lot of water to thin out the ink. Either way... I'm happy with how it turned out. The coffee rings in the background are from my mug that actually had tea in it at the time. Heehee... I just placed my mug in the inky puddle of Ground Espresso ink and then 'stamped' the panel with it. I added a few spatters to the inky background using the rest of the Ground Espresso ink on my table.
I stamped the adorable Ian with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored him up with Copic markers. I'm pushing myself to use other markers. I tend to grab the same ones over and over. Not for this card!
Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:
Skin: E000, E00, E21, E04
Hair: Y21, E42, E43, E44
Jacket: B91, B95, B97, B99
Hoodie: G82, G17, G29
Yellow T-shirt: Y11, Y15, Y17
Khakis: E30, E33
Shoes: N0, N2, N4
Cup: C00, C2, RV10, RV11, RV04, YR21, YR15
I trimmed the panel and adhered it to a dark brown card base. Fussy cut Ian and colored the edges of the fussy cutting with a Memento Tuxedo Black marker. I added a bit of white gel pen to the eyes. And then I added foam tape to the back of Ian and to the extra sentiment that I had stamped and trimmed.
I popped them up on the card and finished it off with a few brown enamel dots. So fun! The release goes live in the store on the 15th at 12am EST... that's tomorrow! Woohoo!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
See ya next time.
Inky Hugs,
Crystal
{Please note that comment moderation is on. Your lovely comment will appear once approved.}
It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!!This month's cue is really fun! But before we get to that we have a new friend joining us... please stop by Doreen Guilfoyle's blog and be sure to give her a great big welcome! I am super excited to have Doreen join our team! Woohoo!!
This month's cue is Use Old Stuff from Your Stash! I have to admit that after 26 years of cardmaking I have quite the stash. Sometimes I wish I could go back to simpler days when my set up was just a tiny nook off of our kitchen.
I actually found a photo! Here's the left side of the nook.
And the right side of the nook. I had two desks and it was so easy to keep this space clean. Now I'm in a bedroom and it's unorganized and a disaster. Not complaining about my space, at all! I'm blessed beyond... but I sure wish it was finally organized and neat. I think this year my goal is to do just that. I'll try to keep you all updated as I go. Maybe I'll even do a blog post and/or video. That would help me be accountable for sure. We'll see! Anywho... I've gone way off track here. Back to your regular broadcasting... :)
I remember why I went off on that tangent. All the stuff I have!! I went looking through my paper. I have a lot of old Stampin' Up papers that I never touch anymore. I thought I'd pick out a paper and make a card. Somehow it turned into 5 cards! LOL!
I absolutely love butterflies so I was immediately drawn to the Botanical Butterfly DSP. I used both sides of the papers for these 3 cards. The butterfly papers are die cut using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. And then I got to looking through my SMAK and KOM kits. I saw this cute ticket in the November 2012 Kit of the Month called So Into You. I thought it would be fun to add a sentiment to it. Of course, then I had to go looking for a sentiment. I found the Happy stamps and boom! That was that. The sentiment was stamped with Wilted Violet Distress Ink. I colored the edges of the tickets and the hearts with Copic markers: R00, R20, R43.
Same story for these... once I got started I thought I'd make a couple more. So many fun butterfly papers in that pack. I used the same Wilted Violet Distress ink for the sentiments. I colored the edge and hearts of the tickets with V000, V12, V15 Copic markers. I didn't pop anything up or add any bling. Keeping them flat and light for easy mailing! These were easy peasy and fun.
Using old stuff for me also means those panels you started and set aside for a later time. Well, I got to looking through mine and found this fun panel I've made over time. I ink smooshed the background when I made a couple rainbow ink smooshing cards.
I found the video. If you watch the first few minutes, you can see I make the two panels for the birthday cards but I also make a third panel with the leftover ink. That third panel I used for my birthday snail card. So I used Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide inks for the ink smooshed background.
And then in September I was experimenting with Transfer Gel DUO and tried out some spatters on this panel before I made the card I shared on my blog and YouTube. I used some Transfer Gel DUO to spatter and then foiled with Silver Shattered Glass Deco Foil. I die cut the panel using the largest die from the Deckle & Stitches Nesting Dies.
Here's the video of my other card if you're interested in seeing how I made the spatters. It's a SUPER fun and easy technique with awesome results!
This fun background needed a great stamp and I had been wanting to ink up the sweet snail and mushroom from the May 2017 Sentiment Kit Happy Snail Mail. Darn it! It's retired! Such a shame. Hopefully you have it in your stash. It has so many great sentiments and, of course, the adorable snail and mushroom. Anywho, I stamped it with Black Amalgam ink, Copic colored it and then fussy cut it on the line. I colored the edge of the fussy cutting to make it all nice and neat and then I stamped the sentiments. I trimmed them up and adhered the one to the mushroom and then I added a bunch of foam tape to the back of both sentiment and the mushroom/snail and popped them up on the black card base.
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... {we had internet issues while I was picking and I wasn't able to save the random dot org number but it was #23}.
... Becca Yahrling!! Congratulations, Becca!!
Email me at crystalominkler@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Please claim the prize before January 29th, 2025.
Well, that's it for me this time! Please hop along and enjoy some more inspiration from the Friends of Unity! I can't wait to see what kind of old stuff our friends played with 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!
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