~ Friends of Unity December 2025 Blog Hop ~ Unity 2025 Advent Calendar Day 6

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! AND I'm sharing inspiration for the Unity 2025 Advent Calendar for Day 6! I had a lot of fun using the Day 6 stamp for this month's fun cue for our blog hop. But before we get to the cue and my cards... we're celebrating 8 fabulous years of blog hopping with you all!! First of all, how has it been 8 years already?! That's just bizarre to me! I've really enjoyed sharing inspiration with you all the last 8 years. I hope that you'll stick around for the next however many years we keep hopping around!! Thank you for supporting our hop and sharing your love on our blog posts!! We appreciate you all SOOO very much!

This month's cue is a Mood Board!! Yay! I had so much fun putting this mood board together. I'm super excited because once again we are hosting a challenge in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group. I sure hope that you can play along. If you're not familiar with how a mood board works, it's basically just a board of inspiration. There's different textures or images that may inspire you. There's also a lovely color combo. Maybe that gets the creative juices flowing. Or there's a sketch to inspire... whatever part of the mood board catches your interest, I hope you'll join us in the group and play along with the challenge. 

My first card features the beautiful cake slice for Day 6 of the Unity 2025 Advent Calendar. The detail in this small stamp is amazing! I really enjoyed coloring it with my Copic markers.

You can check out my video revealing the Advent Calendar Day 6 stamp and my process in making this card here... Unity Advent Calendar 2025 Day 6 | Unity Stamp Co.

I was inspired by the colors and the sketch for my card design. I used two fun paper packs for this card... the Cozy Christmas {paper pack} and the Where Winter Lingers {paper pack}. The pretty cake and Kraft mat are both die cut using dies from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies}.

Copic markers used:

Cake: E21, E23, E25

Plate: R20, R14, R29

Frosting: C0, C3, G24, G46

Candles: Y11, Y15

Ground: C0, C1

The sentiment is from the Extended Celebration {front & center stamps}. I heat embossed it with Sugar Cube White Pigment ink from Taylored Expressions along with Alabaster White Embossing Powder from Unity.

For my second card I added some knit texture using an old embossing folder from Stampin' Up. It's trimmed to 4 x 5-1/4" and adhered to a Kraft A2 top fold card base. 

My inspiration for both cards not only came from the colors and a couple of the textures in the mood board, but also from the sketch. This simple sketch makes it so easy to make a card and I think my cards show a bit of variety with this design.

 I stamped the gorgeous floral stamp from the December 2025 Kit Of The Month called Peace, Paws & Possibility and it's also available on it's own in the Winter's Gentle Heart stamp set. I colored it up with Copic markers and then fussy cut it and popped it up on the card with foam tape.

Copic markers used:

Berries / Red Flower: R20, R14, R29

Pine Needles / Greenery: YG11, G24, G46

Pinecone: E21, E23, E25

White Flowers: C0, C2, Y15, Y35

The festive paper strip across the card is a scrap from the Yuletide Memories {paper pack}. Rather than cut strips I decided to just use this scrap to represent the strips in the sketch. I trimmed the heartfelt sentiment and adhered it directly to the card. I chose not to use foam tape because the embossed background has a good amount of texture and I didn't want it to be too much. I finished off the card with a few enamel dots. 

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...

... Sue D.!! Congratulations, Sue!!

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

Please claim the prize before December 31st, 2025. 

Well, that's it for me this time! It's a short hop this month with just seven 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 ---> Doreen

Joyce

Toni

Jenni

Rachel

Dawn

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Snow Day ~ Mini-Remix Winter ~ The Greeting Farm

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I 'm sharing a sweet snow day card. A fun no layer card using stencils from my stash and cuties from a sweet Mini-Remix stamp set.

I'm continuing to use some of my TGF stash that has yet to see ink and these two cuties from the Mini-Remix Winter stamp set caught my eye. So I thought I'd make a fun wintry card for them. Unfortunately, these cuties aren't currently on the website. But if you'd like to add this sweet stamp set 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. Fingers crossed!

First I created a fun background using Christmas Tree Edger stencil and a fun Heartflakes stencil from A Colorful Life Designs for my scene that were both placed over a fun Watercolor Wash Rectangle stencil from My Favorite Things. I just used residual ink on my brushes for the blue of the sky and green for the trees. I went around the edge of the watercolor wash stencil with a tiny bit of Hickory Smoke distress ink. Once the background was dry, I spattered some white acrylic paint for my snow. 

I inked up this sweet couple with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them up with Copic markers. I fussy cut them on the line and then I used a Memento Tuxedo Black marker to color the edges of my fussy cutting. This makes the fussy cutting look nice and neat. I adhered both of them directly to the card and then I added a bit of a shadow underneath them with the C2 Copic marker.

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

Skin: E000, E00, E21, R00, R20

Anya's Hair: E70, E71, E77

Anya's Hair Barrette: RV10, RV02, RV14

Anya's Scarf / Boots: BV00, BV02, BV17

Anya's Sweater: RV10, RV02, RV14

Anya's Skirt: N2, N4, BV00, BV17

Ian's Hair: Y21, E43, E44

Ian's Coat: BG10, BG34, C0, C2

Ian's Shirt: B000, B00

Ian's Jeans: B93, B95, B97

Ian's Shoes: N2, N4

I stamped the sentiment from the Snow Day stamp set. I thought it worked well for my snowy scene. I trimmed it and adhered it directly to the card. I sure hope I've inspired you to get inky! Have a wonderful day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

~ Friends of Unity November 2025 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

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! 

Let's get to the hopping...

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Doreen

Amber

Jane

Dawn

Toni

Rachel

Jenni

Joyce

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

I Love Winter ~ Frosty Kisses Anya ~ The Greeting Farm

 Hello there crafty friend!

I am super excited and honored to be joining The Greeting Farm Design Team!! Woohoo! I can't wait to share my projects with you all. 

Today I'm sharing a sweet winter card featuring the adorable Frosty Kisses Anya. I just adore her sweet face and her cute snowman friend.

I stamped the adorable Anya with Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored her up with Copic Markers. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find Frosty Kisses Anya on the website. But if you'd like to have her you can check out the Farmers Market and submit a request via email... maybe she'll be available for the next Farmers Market. 

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

Skin: E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20

Hair: E43, E44, E47

Hat: C00, C2, Y11, Y15, Y38, R00, R20

Coat: C00, C2, Y11, Y15, Y38

Buttons: N0, N2, N4, N6

Gloves: C00, C2

Boots: N0, N2, N4, N6

Dress / Leggings / Bows: V000, V12, V15

Snowman: B000, B00, YR21, YR15

I ink smooshed the background with a bit of Tumbled Glass and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide inks. And then I heat embossed several snowflakes using the cute snowflake in the stamp set. I also heat embossed the sentiment on black card stock.

I fussy cut the snowman and Anya and colored the edges of my fussy cutting with a Memento Tuxedo Black marker so it looks nice and neat. Added a bunch of foam tape to the back of Anya and popped her up on the card. Love the dimension it gives to the card! I hope I've inspired you to get inky!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Membership Wednesday ~ December 2024 WK Joyous Village ~ Unity Stamp Co.

  Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing a sweet holiday card featuring the adorable little houses and church stamps from the December 2024 Whit Kit membership from Unity called Joyous Village. 

These adorable little houses and church are just TOO cute! I stamped them with Black Amalgam ink from Gina K. Designs and colored them very simply with Copic markers. I fussy cut the buildings on the line and cut the trees and bushes leaving a bit of a white border around them.  

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

House Top Right: E0000, E31

Church Mid Left: C00, C1

House Bottom Right: E40, E31

I ink smooshed a fun background over the A Little Christmas Carol Background stamp that I had stamped on Canson XL watercolor paper with Black Amalgam ink and dry set with a Wagner Precision Heat Tool. I ink smooshed with Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet and Salty Ocean Distress Inks.

I die cut the ink smooshed background using the largest die from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. I also die cut a piece of white card stock. I tore the white layer in half and then stacked those pieces on the bottom to create my snowy hills. All the layers are adhered to a Kraft A2 top fold card base.

Here's a quick look at this month's Whit Kit membership! Isn't is glorious!

Well, that's it for me today! I hope you've been inspired to play with your membership stamps! 

Hope you have an inkcredible day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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~ Friends of Unity December 2024 Blog Hop ~

Hello there crafty friend!

It's time for our Friends of Unity Blog Hop!! This month's cue is super fun! I hope you'll hop along with us and enjoy some wonderful inspiration from our friends! But today is not just a regular monthly blog hop... it's our 7th Anniversary of hopping!! How amazing is that?! 7 years has gone by in a flash!! The FOU has shared so many wonderful cards and projects over the last 7 years and we've added and sadly, said goodbye to some of our friends. I'm so very grateful to my friends that help make this hop amazing each month and I'm also very grateful to the friends that come and hop along with us each month. All your love and comments each month means so much to us. Thank you all so much! We appreciate each of you!

This month's cue is Winter Wonderland! 

For me winter wonderland means snowflakes. I love snowflake stamps! And one of my first snowflake stamps from Unity was the Magical {bliss and wonder} Layers of Life stamps. Still a favorite of mine!

I ink smooshed the Kraft card stock using Stormy Sky, Chipped Sapphire and Picket Fence Distress Inks. I dried the background completely with a Wagner Precision Heat Tool. And then I prepped the card stock for heat embossing with the TE Anti-Static Powder Tool. I stamped the snowflakes and sentiment using Picket Fence Distress Ink and then I sprinkled the wet ink with Alabaster White Embossing Powder. I melted the powder with the heat tool.  

I die cut the background and a piece of Kraft card stock using dies from the BIG Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. I adhered all my layers onto a white A2 top fold card base that I turned on the side for a landscape card. I finished off the card with some confetti from the White Glossy Card Bling from A Colorful Life Designs.

I love the magic and wonder of snow! It's so beautiful and I love to watch it when it just starts snowing. I tried to bring that magic and wonder through my second card. Not sure if I succeeded, but I definitely like how it turned out. To start I traced the inner circle of the Moon {layering stencil} on a piece of {Easy Peel} Masking Paper from Unity with a pencil. I cut out the circle mask, pulled off the backing and placed it on my white card front.

 Commence the inky fun... heehee... I ink smooshed the panel with Stormy Sky, Pine Needles, and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks. I then blended some Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky Distress Inks over the white areas of the panel. I distressed the edges of the panel with Black Soot Distress Ink and I ink smooshed just a little Picket Fence Distress Ink too to finish it off. It was a whole bunch of inky fun!

I dried the background completely with a heat tool. And then I added some white acrylic paint spatters. I removed the mask from the 'moon' and blended very lightly over the crater shadows stencil from the Moon {layering stencil} with my black blending brush. I didn't add any ink to the brush though and I kept it very light. In fact, I cleaned off my brush by wiping it off on a microfiber cloth to make sure it wasn't saturated with ink. I used the moon stencil to add just a tiny bit of yellow around the edges of the moon. Again, not adding any ink to my yellow brush. 

Once I was happy with the moon, I stamped the beautiful trees and the sentiment from the Search for those Moments stamps. This is another lovely Layers of Life stamp. I love it! I stamped both of these with VersaFine Onyx Black Ink. Love how this turned out!

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...

... Laurie Black!! Congratulations, Laurie!!

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

Please claim the prize before January 1st, 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 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 ---> Amber

Kari

Toni

Jenni

Rachel

Joyce

Dawn

Thanks so very much for supporting our little hop!

We appreciate you so much!!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Membership Wednesday ~ November 2024 KOM Every Step of the Way ~ Unity Stamp Co.

  Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing a sweet holiday card featuring the adorable bird stamp from the November 2024 Kit of the Month membership from Unity called Every Step of the Way. 

I stamped the bird with Black Amalgam ink from Gina K. Designs and colored her up with my Copic markers. I fussy cut the bird leaving a bit of a white border around it.  

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

Bird: E41, E21, E23, E25, C3

Hat: C00, C1, BV31, BV02, BV13

I ink smooshed a fun iCraft Deco Foil Toner Card Front Winter Sparkle using Spun Sugar and Wilted Violet Distress Inks. And then I blended over the white areas with Shaded Lilac and Kitsch Flamingo Distress Inks using blending brushes until I was happy with the background. I wiped off the excess ink and ran the toner card front through my laminator in a Deco Foil Carrier Sheet with iCraft Deco Foil Transfer Foils Blizzard on top. I wish you could see more of the pretty shine in the photos.

I trimmed the background and adhered it to a white A2 top fold card that I turned on the side for a landscape card. I die cut a large banner from Stampers Select White Card Stock from Papertrey Ink using a die from the Scallops & Banners {nesting dies}. I also die cut a circle from Vellum Card Stock also from Papertrey Ink using a die from the Scallops & Circles {nesting dies}. The lovely sentiment is also from this month's KOM.

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

Well, that's it for me today! I hope you've been inspired to play with your membership stamps! 

Hope you have an inktastic day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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