It's so cold ....

....  Morning!  We've got another bitterly cold day here in Northville - it's the end of February at the temperature here at the moment is -21°C (-5°F).  This is all wrong, it's March tomorrow and we should be having warmer weather, not breaking winter cold records!!!

I am grateful for a warm roof over our heads and plenty of heat.  And today I'm off out to Scrappy Chic, a local craft shop for craft lessons with the wonderful Dyan Reaveley - a whole weekend of classes getting messy.  Must go off and get ready to head out.  Bye for now.

52CCT - Stash ....

.....  Hello, good morning!  Can you believe it's the last day of February?  No, neither can I!  This month has flown by.  It does bring us to the last challenge of the month here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  This week we have a stash challenge - something that many of you have in at least one (if not more) forms - MARKERS!  Here's my card:

Stamps: Woodware - Christmas Date
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copics and Promakers; Glitter

This is an ultra clean and simple card.  I've used the colours from this week's Colour Throwdown Challenge - CTD#331.  I stamped the image several times onto white card.  I coloured each section with markers (used a mixture of Copics and Promarkers), then fussy cut out the numbers, holly leaves and berries as well as the background.  I adhered the numbers and leaves to the background and then used dimensional tape to attach the finished image to the card base.  I finished by adding a touch of glitter to the snow!  I've not had time to do the inside - but I'll do that in the week and add details later.

For more inspiration using markers - check the blog to see what the rest of the team have made.  See you soon.

USC - Birthdays part II ....

... Hello and Good Morning!!  It's time for a quick reminder about out challenge at Uniko Studio - USC#18.  We want you to make birthday cards and continue the birthday celebration theme - you've got plenty of time to join in.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko Stuido - The Hands of Time, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Peach Parfait, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Certainly Celery; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pool Party; Sequins

I made a clean, simple and pretty birthday card.  The colours are from this week's Colour Q - cQc#281 challenge and I'm also submitting to a new challenge that I've recently found, ShowCASe Your Style - SYSC#9 where they have a birthday theme.  I stamped a number of the images from The Hands of Time set around the edge of the card, added a sentiment at the top and finished the front by adding some sequins which echo the stamped colours.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of aqua card and on the white panel stamped a greeting and some more doilies.

Check out the Uniko Studio blog to see some more inspiration cards from the team.  You've got until Friday 6th March to join in.  Don't forget you don't have to use Uniko Studio stamps on your card, although we do like it if you do!  There are prizes too - the DT will choose a winner who will get a £20 gift voucher for Uniko Studios plus be invited to be a Guest Designer for our next challenge.  We also pick at Top 3 and all will get a £5 gift voucher for the Uniko Studio shop. 

That's all for now - have fun!!  See you soon.

SNG - Hello Friend ....

..... Good morning!  First post of the week!  It's been a rough week - with hubby having a cold and being off work, and me catching up with admin stuff.  But I do have a pretty card for you this morning:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - 1914 Russian Style Hat; Kaisercraft - Shine On; Stamp free with Craft Stamper Magazine
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Ovals #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Storyteller; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear and Gold

Here's another of the wonderful Hat lady images that Rick has at his Zibbet shop.  This elegant lady has a Russian feel - love that gorgeous hat and those furs (fake of course!!)  I printed her on white card, coloured her with Copic markers and cut her out with a stitched die - love the faux stitch effect.  I added some sparkle to her furs, hat and jewellery with Wink of Stella; clear over most of the image, but gold on the fur and hat trim.  I've used the layout from the current CAS(E) this Sketch - CTS#111 challenge, but I have made it portrait rather than landscape.  I covered the card with some dotty peach design paper and a coordinating strip for the centre of the card.  I cut out the centre oval with the same die and then inlaid the image - I like the effect of a double stitched frame.  I finished the front with a bold sentiment stamped directly on the card.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of matching design paper and added a panel of white card which I decorated with some flowers.

If you want to see more of my Hat Lady cards - click on this link - they are all so elegant!!  That's all for now.

52CCT - Theme ....

...  Good morning!!!  I think you found our colour challenge last week a bit tough.  Hopefully, this week's theme challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - to use sequins and pearls will be easier!  I certainly had fun with it, here's my card:

Stamps: Woodware - Christmas Bauble Tree; Uniko Studio - Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Raspberry Ripple; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Raspberry Ripple; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Sequins and Pearls; Gold Marker pen

I've used the colours from Colour Q - cQc#280 for my card.  I die cut the white panel (love the faux stitching effect from these dies) and then stamped the bauble tree and sentiment.  I used Copic markers to colour some of the baubles and the rest were filled with sequins and pearls.  I coloured the pearls with my Copic markers so they would match.  I layered the finished panel on to some raspberry card.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of raspberry card and on the white panel added a greeting and a tiny tree too!  I've included a close up of the sequin and pearl so that you can see them more clearly, also you can see the shimmer on the coloured baubles.

For more inspiration using our sequins and pearls theme, check out the blog to see what my team mates have made for you.  That's all for now!  Have fun and see you soon.

USC - Birthdays ...

...  Good morning!  It's time for our new challenge at Uniko Studio - USC#18.  This month our theme is

BIRTHDAYS

You can make any kind of birthday card you like - fun, silly, layered, CAS, masculine, feminine - whatever takes your fancy!!  Here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Background Builders Lattice, Flower Power #2
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Blackberry Bliss, Raspberry Ripple, Wisteria Wonder
Dies: Memory Box - Cross Stitched Frames Borders #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Wisteria Wonder; Gem; Gold Marker Pen

I've made a pretty, feminine card - I need to build up my stash of feminine styled cards.  I decided to use some stamps that I've had for a while, but not actually used much (at all!!).  I've used the colours from this week's Colour Q - cQc#280 which are all shades of purple.  That works out really well as the cue word at CASology - CAS#134 is monochrome.  I'm also submitting this to Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#57 as this week's cue word is mask, and I've used masking on my card.

I masked off the rectangle and bottom corner of the card and then stamped this pretty lattice pattern to create a background.  I removed the masking tape and embossed the cross stitch frame - for some reason in the photo above it looks debossed, but it is in fact embossed!!  I stamped the flower in the centre of the rectangle and added a touch of bling.  I used a ruler to add a thin gold border to the background stamping and finished the front with a simple sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of lilac design paper and on the white panel added a single flower.

For more inspiration with our Birthdays theme, check out the blog to see what the rest of the team have made.  Our Guest Designer this month is Tracey McNeely, do check out her card too. 

The challenge runs for the next two weeks.  You can use any stamps in our challenge, although we do love to see designs with Uniko Studio stamps!!   You can enter as many times as you want and can combine with other challenges too.  You have until Friday 6th March to play along with the challenge.  Have fun!!

Uniko Studio - Feb Release, Mini Hop & Farewell to Nath ...

.... Morning all!  Last week Uniko Studio launched four mini-sets of stamps - all just fabulous.  Unfortunately, a couple of the team didn't get their stamps in time to join in with the launch, but they've got them now, so we're having a mini-hop.  I've got a light, bright birthday card to share with you:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Beautiful Blooms II, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red, So Saffron, Pool Party
Dies: Spellbinders - Crown Circles (S4-302) #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - So Saffron, Pool Party; SU Card - So Saffron; SU Markers - Real Red, Pool Party

I'm using the lovely bright, spring-like colours from this week's Colour Me Card Challenge - CMCC#59 and the layout from this week's Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#174.  I cut a panel of design paper in pale yellow, adhered a strip of white card and then attached it to the card base.  I stamped the birthday sentiment in red at the bottom of the white strip.  I stamped three of the three-step flowers onto white card and then cut them out.  I also stamped a number of leaves.  I used a die to cut an ornate circle in pale aqua to frame the flowers.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of pale yellow card and on the white panel added a birthday greeting and another flower.

Sadly, Nath is leaving the design team, so this mini-hop is also our way of saying thank you and good luck with your future endeavours. 

Uniko Studio/Bev

Nath

Ericka

Sarah

Deborah - that's me!

That's all for now!  See you soon.

TMR - Create Background Paper ....

....  Good morning! It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room and for the next couple of weeks, we'd like to see your masculine style projects featuring the following technique:

MAKE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND PAPER

Here's my project:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Background Builders Squared, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Baked Brown Sugar, Pumpkin Pie, Bermuda Bay
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Bermuda Bay; SU DP - Chocolate Chip

I used the colours from the current Fusion - FUSION#28 challenge - the colours work really well on a masculine themed card.  The layout is based on the sketch at this week's Retro Sketches - RS#153 challenge.  I had lots of fun creating my own background paper and I had the perfect stamps for it too!  I stamped the grid of small squares in four shades of brown covering one side of the card.  I added a strip of teal card with a narrow strip of brown striped paper.  I finished the front with three geometric square patterns and a simple birthday greeting stamped on the teal panel.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of brown striped paper and on the white panel added a greeting and some more little squares at the bottom. 

This is second time I've used these lovely warm, rich colours.  I think it's because I'm fed up of the cold, cold weather - these colours make me think hot!  And yes, it is still snowing here!  And still stupid cold!  That's all for now - don't forget to check out the projects from my team mates!  See you soon.

ASM - Make Your Mark ...

...  Hello!   Good evening.  I hope that everyone is keeping well.  We're are still in the grip of an arctic blast - Monday morning we had temperatures of -25°C in the morning - it did warm up to -13°C by lunchtime, but it was so cold that the only thing to do was stay inside.  That was the perfect excuse to play in my craft room and colour this image.

It's time for the new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  And this week it's Make Your Mark - use any colouring medium to make your project.  I've used Copic markers on my card:

Stamps: QKR Digi - Patchwork Sun; Uniko Studio - Simply Said Birthday; Stampin' Up! - Endless Birthday Wishes
Inks: SU - Early Espresso, Bermuda Bay, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Bermuda Bay; Copic Markers

Our sponsor this week is QKR Stampede and I used their wonderfully cheerful Patchwork Sun on my card.  The winner of this week's challenge will get 3 digi images from QKR.  I've used the colours and layout from this week's Fusion - FUSION#28 challenge.  The colours are so warm and rich, a lovely contrast to all the white snow outside our house!!! 

I cut two strips of aqua card.  On one I stamped a birthday sentiment in aqua and the other was embossed.  I stamped the birthday greeting on white card, fussy cut it out and adhered it to the card with dimensional tape.  The sun was also attached with tape.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of aqua card and on the white panel added a simple greeting and a birthday cake!!

For more inspiration in "Making Your Mark" check out the blog to see what my team mates have made.  That's all for now - see you soon.