Uniko Challenge - It's more friendly with two .....

.... Hi! My second post this week - I'm on something of a roll 😄 I'm here this morning with my card for the new Uniko Challenge - USC#48. We have a super fun quote from A A Milne to inspire you

"It's so much more friendly with two." - A A Milne

How you interpret the quote is up to you, and we have an optional twist to make your card suitable for a child. I skipped the option and concentrated on friends and two. Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - I Love Coffee, Birthday Sentiments
Inks: Ranger - Alcohol-Lift Ink; Gina K - Black Onyx; Versamark; Ranger Alcohol Inks - Sunshine Yellow, Crimson, Limeade, Flamingo
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Yupo; Black Card; White Embossing Powder

I created a striped background on Yupo with four shades of alcohol ink. Once dry, I used the new Alcohol-Lift ink pad to randomly stamp some flowers and coffee beans over the background - you can check out the video below to see Tim's demo. I stamped the lift-off images on some scrap white card and stamped the coffee mug label over the coffee bean images, and cut them out. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark on black card, embossed with white powder and adhered to the front of the card with dimensional pads. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel added a simple sentiment along with one of the stamped off flower images. I'm submitting this card to House of Cards - HOC#07 as I used their colours.

Don't forget to visit the Uniko blog to see more projects from the design team and also from our guest designer, Trinia P. Have fun!!

TMR - Include an unexpected item ....

... Hi! I can't quite believe just how busy I've been since getting back from the UK; I've had no time to play in my craft room as we've been doing family stuff!! I'm here today with my card for our new challenge at The Male Room - TMR#90. We have a super fun challenge - we want you to include AN UNEXPECTED ITEM on your masculine project. The possibilities are endless. I went for something silly and fun for a boy's birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Balloon Bash, Simply Said Birthday, Birthday Sentiments; MFT - Pretty Pocket
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Blueberry Bushel; Gina K - Lucky Clover; Versamark
Dies: Die-namics - Pocket
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Blueberry Bushel; White Embossing Powder; White Gel Pen; Black Micron Pen

I made a clean, simple card. I made the base from dark blue card and cut a panel of white card slightly smaller. I die cut the blue card to make a pocket on which I stamped a stitched edge and a simple birthday greeting, embossing them both with white powder. On the white card, I stamped balloons and added details with white and black pens. I stamped some stars in blue and green on the panel and then used dimensional tape at the edges of the pocket to attach it to the card front. I finished the card by putting a green balloon - my unexpected item - inside the pocket. On the inside of the card, I cut another panel of white card on which I added a greeting and some more stars. I'm submitting this card to Inkspirational - INK#165 where the word prompt is birthday.

Here's a photo of the card next to a blown up balloon:

I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome Wei and Lise Mariann to The Male Room DT - so glad to have you on board. Don't forget to check out The Male Room blog to see more inspiring projects from the rest of the design team and also from our guest designer, Ana.  You've got plenty of time to join the fun - deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Tuesday 31st July - that's 7.00pm here in the States. See you soon.

TMR - Theme - Fishing ....

..... Hello! I'm back from our trip to the UK - it was so much fun and so nice to catch up with family members who I've not seen in years!!! It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room - TMR#89. For the next two weeks, you should make masculine projects based on the theme of FISH/FISHING. I've never quite understood the fascination for fishing, but I do know that it is very popular both here in the States and in the UK. I took a slightly warped view of fishing:

Stamps: There She Goes - Taglines; MFT - Marble Background; Lawn Fawn - Blue Skies
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Blue Breeze; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - London Fog
Dies: Spellbinders - Wonky Rectangles (S4-306) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Tempting Turquoise; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Clear Embossing Powder

I have no fishing stamps in my collection, but going through my stamp directory I came across this image from There She Goes Stamps (now discontinued) and it really made me laugh, so I created my card based around the image. I stamped the card base with the marble background using a Kaleidacolor ink pad to suggest a lake. I die cut a panel for the centre of the card and stamped the image, coloured it with Copic markers, put it back in the MISTI, restamped in Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder to make the image pop. I stamped a couple of clouds in the sky in pale grey and added more colour to create the sky and the lake beneath the boat. I also added some birds flying in the sky. I finished the front by adding some sparkle to the clouds and also to the beer can. I decided not to add anything further to the front of the card. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of turquoise card, and on the white panel, I stamped the message - which made me laugh!! I also stamped the boat again.

Do visit The Male Room to see more inspiration from the rest of the design team. You have plenty of time to join in the fun - the deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Tuesday 17th July - that's 7.00pm EDT in the States.

Today is Independence Day in the States. All over the country, there are going to be parades and firework displays and Northville is no exception. Normally, I'm in the UK at this time, but this year, I'm taking my mum into downtown Northville to see the Independence Day parade - it should be quite a spectacle!