Unity Lovers ATCs ~ Repeat Stamping ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

I just wanted to share the Repeat Stamping ATCs that I made for the Unity Lovers ATC swap this month. I used the fun colors from our Friends of Unity Color Challenge as my inspiration for the cards so I wanted to share these since the challenge ends today. Go whip up a pretty Fall card using the colors from the graphic {shared below in the blog post} and your Unity products and enter your card into the album in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group before midnight tonight! 

I ink smooshed the ATCs with Fossilized Amber, Carved Pumpkin, Fired Brick and Scorched Timber Distress Ink. I blended a bit more Fossilized Amber over the white areas. 

I repeat stamped one of the beautiful trees from Pines of Endearment on each card using Scorched Timber Distress Ink. And then I stamped the sentiment from Letting Go.

I finished up the ATCs with a little bit of Inkon3 Liquid Pixie Dust spatters.

Here's a look at the graphic for the challenge. The challenge ends tonight! I hope you can play along with us! That's it for me today. Have an ink-tastic day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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Unity Lovers ATC ~ Galentines ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Hello there crafty friend! 

I know that Galentines and Valentine's Day are well passed us but I just wanted to share the Galentines ATCs that I made for the Unity Lovers ATC swap. I used a whole bunch of Unity goodies to make these ATCs. It's always so much fun to turn on one of my audible e-books and get inky while I listen. Often times I can remember bits of the story that I listened to when I look at the projects I was working on. In fact, I remember I was listening to Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. I really enjoyed this book... a bit of romance, some fantasy and magic all during a time of war between gods. A really good read!

I started with two full sheets of Distress Watercolor Card Stock from Ranger measuring 8-1/2 x 11". I ink smooshed Lost Shadow, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Vintage Photo, and Speckled Egg Distress Oxide inks on each sheet. I dried the card stock completely with a heat tool. Stamped the cute hearts from Mousing Around: Hiya Pal all over the card stock using Speckled Egg, Ground Espresso, and Picked Raspberry. I wasn't thinking about the direction of the hearts and how I'd need to cut the card stock for the ATCs. So I ended up needing to ink smoosh another full sheet of card stock. Ooops! I splattered all three sheets using Tarnished Brass Mica Spray and Picket Fence Spray Stain and cut them up into ATCs. And then I distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink.

I stamped the distressed hearts from A Little Grunge Love using Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide ink and lightly blended some Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide ink over them. I also stamped the 'love' sentiment from Winter Cheer and Deer using the same Picked Raspberry ink. I fussy cut each of the hearts and the 'love' sentiments. Oy... that took some time! I think my eyes went a bit cross eyed once or twice! LOL!

And then I die cut Early Espresso card stock from Stampin' Up using the Unity {metal die}... I die cut 36 of those babies! {Sadly, I'm not seeing this die on the website right now... it must be out of stock}. Adhered two together using my new favorite Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue. I love this glue for die cut sentiments! The fine tip is amazing and I haven't had an issue with clogging. All that was left to do was adhere the sentiments to the ATCs and I popped up the hearts with foam tape. I did shift the placement of the popped up hearts depending on the ATC. I didn't want to cover up all the pretty hearts in the background. So the cards aren't quite identical but they are pretty close!

That's it for me today! Have an ink-tastic day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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Ink Smooshed Birthday Cards ~ Eiffel Grunge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

So glad you've stopped by! Today I'm sharing a couple quick ink smooshed birthday cards I created with a just a bit of stamping for a simple CAS grunge look. I'm featuring the recently released Eiffel Grunge stamps from Unity Stamp Co. 

I started off just making one card but I couldn't waste the ink so I ended up making two, but really two cards for my birthday card stash is great! My color choices were inspired by a fun color challenge to use Peach & Kraft is the combo and I love these colors together! So soft and romantic! They work well with this stamp set.

Card #1 - both of the cards are very similar. I used Dried Marigold, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Oxide inks for the ink smooshed backgrounds.

I stamped the Eiffel Towers with Black Amalgam ink from Gina K. Designs. And then I used a combination of the Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Oxides for my background stamping.

You may recognize the sentiment... it's one that I've been using lately on almost all of my birthday cards. It's from the So Kind, So Caring, So You {Front & Center Stamps} also from Unity. I stamped it with the Dried Marigold Distress Oxide ink. Trimmed it up and adhered it directly on the card.

To finish off the cards I used a bit of white prismacolor pencil on the flower petals. This lightened them up a bit so they weren't lost in the background. Both panels were trimmed down to 3-3/4 x 5" and adhered to a white A2 top fold card base. 

You can check out my process video here... Ink Smooshed Birthday Cards | Eiffel Grunge | Unity Stamp Co.

I'm also playing along with the Color Hues Challenge #61: Peach & Kraft

So excited to add two more birthday cards to my stash!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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Believe in Yourself Always ~ Joy in Your Dreams ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Before I even attempted to make a plaid background using the Plaid Builder {layering stencil} for the Winnie the Pooh Easter card I shared yesterday, I had actually used it for a fun striped background for the mini slimline card I'm sharing today.

My card features the gorgeous Joy in Your Dreams stamp that just released yesterday at Unity Stamp Co. along with the awesome Plaid Builder {layering stencil}. Of course, I was drawn to the mixed media vibe of this gorgeous daisy stamp!! I love it and I hope to play with it again soon.

I ink smooshed my background using Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Oxide inks. And then I stamped the beautiful daisy with Black Amalgam ink over the ink smooshed background. I die cut the panel with the second largest die from the Pleated Lace Mini Slimline dies from Gina Marie Designs.

I blended Mermaid Lagoon over the first stencil and Black Soot over the second stencil from the Plaid Builder {layering stencil} to create my striped background. I trimmed the panel to 2-7/8 x 5-7/8" and adhered it to a slimline card base measuring 6 x 6"; scored at 3". This lets a bit of the card base peek through and be a mat for the striped layer. The daisy panel was then popped up on the card with lots of foam tape. And I finished off the card by trimming up one of the cut apart sentiments from a past Whit Kit.

You can check out my process video for the card here... Mixed Media Daisy | Joy in Your Dreams | Unity Stamp Co.

Love this beautiful stamp! Well, that's it for me today! I sure hope you'll stop by Unity to check out all the new releases. There's a few new Winnie the Pooh stamps along with a bunch of other fun products!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Membership Monday ~ November 2022 Kit of the Month ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Crystal here from Tawny Owl Paperie sharing one more card for the November 2022 Kit of the Month. Today I have a mixed media style black & white card with just a touch of red.

Do you ever get a fun idea for a card but you're not sure how it's going to come together? Well, that was this card for me. Another mixed media style card but I wanted it simple in black and white.

A few snowflakes with the fun 'ho ho ho' sentiment gave some interest to the top of the card. A trio of trees in the bottom left corner and then Santa popped up on the card. Love all the subtle texture and dimension!

The sentiment was heat embossed on black card stock with white pigment ink and white embossing powder; trimmed and adhered to the card front.

You can check out my process video for this card here... Black & White Christmas Card | November 2022 Kit of the Month | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's a look at the whole KOM... this is definitely a new favorite for the holidays! Can you believe you get a full sheet of rubber for only $42. That includes shipping! You also get a $6.95 discount on every order from Unity over $40. You also can get any past kit for only $26 plus shipping. That is the best value around!

Click here to learn more about this membership!

I hope that you've been inspired to get inky with your Kit of the Month! If you missed the other cards I shared using this month's KOM, you can check them out here... Color Burst Cards. Echo will be back next Monday with inspiration for the new December 2022 KOM. I can't wait to see what she's created to share with us all! 

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Mixed Media Background ~ November Challenge ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

Today I'm sharing one last card for the November Build Your Holiday Stash Challenge in the Unity Show & Tell. A beautiful mixed media card featuring the wonderful Good Tidings to You stamp! 

Sometimes it just feels good to get inky... know what I mean?! The mixed media background for this card was so fun to create. A bit of heat embossing, some oxide ink smooshing and I finished it off with dry embossing with an embossing folder.

The background was also die cut with the largest dies from the Scallops & Rectangles {nesting dies}. And then adhered to a kraft A2 top fold card base.

The poinsettia was stamped with Black Amalgam ink and then colored with the following Copic markers:

Poinsettia ~ RV10, RV21, RV14, RV29, Y11, Y15, Y28

Leaves ~ YG11, YG23

Pine Needles ~ YG11, G24, G46

Tiny Leaves ~ YG11, G24

The beautiful sentiment is the recently released Greetings of the Season {die set}. I die cut it from green card stock three times and then once from pink card stock. The 'merry' is three layers of green card stock adhered together and then adhered to the kraft outline die cut. The 'christmas' is two bottom layers of green card stock and then a pink layer on top. Such a fun way to mix it up!

You can check out my video for this card here... Mixed Media Background | November Challenge | Unity Stamp Co.

Have you played along with this month's challenge? If you do be sure to share your cards in the Unity Show & Tell group and also add them to the November challenge album in the group to be entered for a prize!! See you back here next Thursday... I'll be sharing one last card for the Build Your Holiday Stash challenge!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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Spooktacular Halloween with the October 2022 Kit of the Month ~ Unity Stamp Co.

Happy Halloween crafty friend!

Wishing you and your family a spooktacular Halloween! Today I'm sharing a bit more inspiration for the October 2022 Kit of the Month. I've paired it up with a couple past KOMs from my stash to make a fun mixed media Halloween card.

I started by stamping one of the texture stamps from the October 2022 KOM on a full sheet of white card stock with embossing ink. I added some clear embossing powder to the ink and melted the powder with a heat tool.

I then ink smooshed the card front using Carved Pumpkin, Rusty Hinge, and Villainous Potion Distress Oxide inks. I added some water splatters by spritzing water in the palm of my hand and clapping over the card stock. I dabbed the extra water with a paper towel. And then dried the card stock with a heat tool.

I stamped the tree from the September 2013 Kit of the Month called Happiness Has No Limit. I then stamped the witch from the August 2013 Kit of the Month called Cozy Moments. I stamped the large texture stamp from the October 2022 KOM first with Rusty Hinge oxide ink and then with Black Soot oxide ink. I love the added texture this gives the card.

To finish off the card, I stamped the sentiment with white pigment ink on black card stock and heat embossed some white embossing powder. I trimmed it up and popped it up on the card. I cut the panel to 3-3/4 x 5" and mat it with orange and then purple card stock measuring 1/8" more each layer. I then adhered the layers to a black card front measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2". And adhered the card front to a white A2 top fold card base measuring 4-1/4 x 11"; scored at 5-1/2". You can check out my process video here... Spooktacular Halloween with the October 2022 Kit of the Month | Unity Stamp Co.

Here's a look at the whole Kit of the Month for October!! So amazing! I love when the Kit of the Month comes to my house each month!

Hope you've been inspired to get inky with your October Kit of the Month and mix it up a bit with some of the other KOMs in your stash! Have a safe and fun Halloween friends!

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

Membership Monday ~ September 2022 WK Vintage Naturalist ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I've been anxious to get to play with my September 2022 Whit Kit from Unity... it came just before we left for our family vacation and I didn't even get a chance to open it up and give it a good look. But now I have and oooohhhh... it's so beautiful! I made a few different cards with the kit but today I'm just sharing two cards. I had a fun idea to use the Deckle Edge Ruler die that was included in the kit and die cut six different papers and use those for a fun pattern paper background.

I just love how it turned out!! I also made a practice card and that's the second card you can check out further down in my blog post. I didn't add the distressing with Vintage Photo Distress ink to the practice card and I think that really added a certain touch to the design of the card.

I wrapped the pattern paper background with {Naturals} May Arts Burlap string and popped up the wood slice, sentiment and even the butterfly!

Such a pretty card! I hope you like it too. If you're interested you can check out my process video for this card here... Pattern Paper Background | September 2022 Whit Kit | Unity Stamp Co.

And here's a look at my practice card... what do you think? It's okay but I think the added distress ink on the edges of the die cut papers really makes the card so much prettier!!

I just love that sentiment... so true!

Here's a look at the beautiful card kit for the month of September! Be sure to check out the Whit Kit membership at Unity... there's still time to sign up for this kit!! If you already have the kit, I hope you share your creations in the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group! I'd love to see what you create! I'll be back on Wednesday with one more card using this fantastic kit.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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CAS Mixed Media Cards ~ August 2022 WK Grow Untamed ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I got inky with the latest Whit Kit for August 2022 from Unity Stamp Co. and boy was it fun! Have you played with the Distress Archival inks before? I haven't really. I've just stamped with them. But I wanted to try something different so I watched Tim Holtz's video when he introduced the latest Distress Archival inks and it inspired me to make a couple of fun cards. I probably would have gotten a different result on a glossy paper but I used the paper that came in this months kit just to see what it would do and I do love the CAS mixed media design I came up with.

I masked the card fronts with some iCraft Pixie Tape and stamped a few of the Grow Untamed stamps in the space with all four of the Distress Archival inks included in this months kit. And then I lightly ink blended Vintage Photo Distress ink over the stamped area.

On the Kraft card stock it's a little hard to see the flowers in the background. I did a bit of water splatters and then blended some more ink along the edge of my masks. I did have a bit of a heavier hand with my Vintage Photo Distress Ink blending for this card. 

I do love the rich brown ink on this Kraft card stock! The water splatters are very striking in person too. Definitely a fun technique to try again!

On the white card stock you can see more of the stamps in the background. They didn't quite resist like they would on the glossy paper so I'm eager to give that technique a try but I do love how these turned out.

I stamped the one wildflower for my focal piece with the Evergreen Bough Distress Archival ink and die cut it with a Wonky Stitched Oval die from Gina Marie Designs. I kinda wish I'd stamped it on vellum or maybe used a smaller die and not cover up as much of the background, but it is what it is now. 

I popped up the ovals with foam tape. Stamped the sentiments with the same ink on the scrap card stock. Trimmed them up and distressed the edges a bit with the Vintage Photo Distress ink. 

What do you think? I definitely like the white one better... but I think this technique is fun and I encourage you to check out Tim's video. It's a long one... lol... but the part about the Distress Archival inks is very interesting. And I'm excited to try this technique again with a different paper.

Here's a look at the August 2022 Whit Kit... I may have another card to share later this afternoon. I didn't quite get it finished and then life got in the way. But it's a card showcasing some of the gorgeous papers in this kit. Be sure to check out this fab kit over at Unity! I love getting this wonderful kit each month... the stamps and papers are always beautiful and I love trying out the new products that are included with it like the Archival inks this time. Anywho, have a wonderful day!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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