Uniko - Stencils: Party Confetti and Stylised Floral ....

... Hello! We've reached the midpoint of our Uniko Introductions. Today I'm introducing a couple of new stencils and they're fab! I do hope you've enjoyed what you've seen so far, and thanks for your lovely comments. I'm going to start with an elegant thank you card showcasing the Stylised Floral stencil (and a sneak of tomorrow's intro too):

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Blocks II, Flower Power #8
Inks: Distress - Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet; Gina K - Wild Lilac; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gold & Silver Vellum; Gold Embossing Powder; Gems

I got the colour scheme from the current Inkspirational - INK#160 challenge where they want us to use Shades of Purple and Gold, and as I've used vellum on the card, I'm going to submit it to The Flower Challenge - TFC#20 where they want us to use vellum/acetate.

I started by cutting the gold vellum mat and a white panel slightly smaller. I put the stencil over the card, taped it in placed and inked all over with pale lilac, I added some darker purple around the centres of each flower, but you can't really see it in the photo - it's better in real life!! I stamped the little flower in Versamark on silver vellum, heat set it with gold powder and fussy cut them all out. I attached them to the card and added a variety of different colour and shaped purple gems to the centre of each flower. I finished the front of the card by adding a simple block sentiment. On the inside, I cut another gold vellum mat and on the white panel, I stamped a greeting and a few of the outline flower in shades of purple.

I wasn't sure what to make with the next stencil, and then I saw the MUSE challenge - MUSE#265 and it was so easy:

Stamps: Uniko - Birthday Sentiments
Inks: Distress Oxides - Lucky Clover, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves; Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Onyx
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pistachio Pudding; Clear Embossing Powder

I made the base from pale green card. I cut a panel of white card smaller and put the stencil on top, taping it into position. I used the same three colours as the party banners on the Muse card and inked the stencil to match the pattern. I finished the front by embossing a bold sentiment in black. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card and stamped a birthday greeting using the three shade of ink and adding a very subtle hint of colour with the stencil.

That's all from me today, but it for more inspiration projects, do visit Bev's blog to check out more from the rest of the Design Team. The release schedule is:

Introductions: 5th - 11th May

RELEASE DAY: Saturday 12th May, 9.00am BST. Join in our Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway! You will also be able to buy the whole release at the Uniko online store. For prize details see Bev's blog.  See you again tomorrow!

TMR - Theme .....

... Hi! I know there's a saying that time flies as you get older, well this month has zipped by! It's the last day of the month and time for our new challenge at The Male Room - TMR#78. We have a really fun theme for the next two weeks. We want to see masculine projects and the theme is INSPIRED BY TELEVISION. So what about television inspires you? I like to watch the news on TV and there are so many stations to view. I've made a 'news flash' card:

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Boob Tubes; My Favourite Things - Typewriter Text BG
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx, Moonlit Fog; Versamark
Dies: Die-namics - Stitched Circle STAX #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Grey; SU DP - Moonlight; Copics; Glossy Accents; Nuvo Shimmer Brush; White Embossing Powder

I've used the sketch from The Paper Players - PP#378 for the layout of this card. I found some graphic design paper in my stash, stamped the typewriter font background in pale grey on top and attached it to the card. I stamped the TV on white card, cut it out with a die, coloured it with Copic markers and added glossy accents to the 'TV screen'. I stamped the sentiment on grey card, attached it to the card and then layered the die cut TV on top using dimensional tape. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of dark grey card and added a fun, punny sentiment! I think this is going to be for Jonathan 😊

I was on a bit of a roll with this theme. Another of my favourite genre on TV are hospital dramas - I just love Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Med and The Good Doctor. As so many people have colds or flu at the moment, I thought a get well card would be fun:

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Healthy Vibes
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx
Accessories: Copic Markers; Nuvo Shimmer Brush; SU Card - Bermuda Bay

This is a little card, measuring 3½" x 5" and is really cute! I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

• Less is More - LIM#363 - one layer card plus Cute
• MUSE - MUSE#251
• CAS on Friday - CASOF#125 to use markers and/or pencils

I stamped the jolly germs on the card, coloured them with Copics and added some sparkle with a clear Nuvo aqua shimmer brush - you can just about see the shimmer in the photo above! I finished with a simple sentiment. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of dark aqua card and on the white panel stamped a greeting and another little germ peeking in at the corner. I used the colours from last week's Just Us Girls - JUGS#424.

Do visit The Male Room blog to see more fun projects from the rest of the Design Team and also from our guest designer, Zvonka. You've got until midnight (GMT) Tuesday 13 February, that's 7.00pm EDT in the States. Have fun!

Uniko - Reach for the Stars ....

.... Hi! I'm back to introduce Reach for the Stars - the third new set from Uniko's September release. I have a confession to make - I think this is my favourite. So many lovely words and wonderful stars. Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Reach for the Stars
Inks: Distress - Shaded Lilac, Wiled Violet, Blueprint Sketch, Cracked Pistachio, Lucky Clover; Versamark; Gina K - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! - Basic Black; Embossing Powder - White, Clear and Silver Tinsel

I was lucky enough to get the actual stamps sets just before we left for our trip to Virgina last week, so I was able to make this card with the stamps!! Yea! I was able to use one of my favourite techniques on the card - resist embossing. I'm playing along with this week's MUSE - MUSE#232 challenge, Anita's card is just gorgeous. I masked off the card leaving a diagonal panel on which I stamped the stars in Versamark ink and heat embossed them with clear powder. Then the fun bit was adding colour to reveal the stars. I pretty much used the same colours, although mine are just a bit brighter. I stamped the words on black card with Versamark and used white and silver tinsel to heat emboss them. I used dimensional tape to adhere them to the card. On the inside I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped diagonal rows of stars using the distress inks. I finished by stamping a simple, but very heartfelt, sentiment.

Don't forget to visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the Design Team. The release schedule is:

Introductions: 6th - 8th August.

RELEASE DAY: Saturday 9th August, 9.00am BST. Our traditional DT Blog Hop and Giveway, and your chance to get these lovely stamps from the Uniko shop.

Bye for now - see you again soon.

Thanks ....

.... Hi! We've got another wonderful day here in Northville - the leaves that remain on the trees are positively glowing. I think that autumn is my favourite time of year. I've been playing in my craft room this morning and made a thank you card as you can never have too many!

Stamps: MFT - Geometric Grid Background, Geometric Greenery; Stampin' Up! - Fresh Fruit
Inks: SU - Sahara Sand; Kaleidacolor - Cappuccino Delight
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Cajun Craze; SU Canvas Trim; Raffia

I've actually used four challenges in the making of this card! The theme thanks from Paper Players - PP#320, a quote about thanks from TIME OUT Challenges - TOC#69, the colours from Sunday Stamps Challenge - SSC#139 and I've CASEd Estelle's lovely card at MUSE - MUSE#190.

I stamped a background grid using a soft sand colour and adhered a panel of rust card to the side. I cut a square of white card on which I stamped the sentiment Thank You and then added these fabulous geometric trees. They remind me of the die cut leaves on Estelle's card. I used a Kaleidacolor ink pad to get the ombre effect. I attached some canvas ribbon around the card and added a string of raffia to finish the panel. I used dimensional tape to attached the panel to the card. On the inside I cut a mat layer of rust card and on the white panel added a greeting and some more of the geometric trees.

I had a really fun day yesterday at craft class in Northville run by Valerie Brincheck. We made a lovely mixed media canvas and I hope to share that with you later this week as I've got a few finishing touches to do! That's all for now.

52CCT - Technique ....

... Morning! Can you believe it's the last Saturday in August? Me neither!! This month has simply flown by, but it does mean that it's time for our new challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT34-16. This week we have a technique challenge - we want you to use WATERCOLOURS on your Christmas/Winter cards. I had so much fun that I ended up making two cards:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Wonderland; Clearly Besotted - All Occasion Sentiments
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Kaleidacolour - Caribbean Sea, Desert Heat; Memento - London Fog; Versamark
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Ranger - Watercolour Card; Brusho; Clear and White Embossing Powders

I've had my Brushos for a while but not actually used them, so this week's challenge was the perfect opportunity to get them out and play. I LOVE them!! I got the idea for this card from this week's MUSE Challenge - MUSE#180 - I think Marilyn's card is so pretty. I die cut a panel of watercolour card, stamped the Christmas trees and sentiment and heat embossed them with clear powder. I sprinkled some yellow and red brusho powder on the panel and lightly spritzed it with water. Then the magic happened - I really like the way the watercolour powder reacts with water and gives pretty bursts of colour. Once the panel was dry I randomly stamped some snowflakes and heat embossed them with white powder. I enjoyed it so much that I made a second card, this time with shades of green, yellow and turquoise Brusho. On this card I stamped the sentiment on some vellum, heat embossed it with clear powder and wrapped it round the finished panel. I adhered both finished panels to black card and attached them to the front of a card blank. On the inside I cut a mat of black card and on the white panel stamped some more trees and a Christmas greeting - using ink to match the front of the cards.

As the Christmas trees are silhouettes, I'm going to enter the current Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#95 challenge. I'm not too sure whether they are CAS enough!! I'm also playing along with this week's Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#208 where the theme is Holiday.

Do visit our blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the team. I don't want to worry anyone, but there are only 17 more Saturdays until Christmas day!!! Have fun!

Uniko - Photo Inspiration ...

..... Morning! It's time for our new challenge at Uniko - USC#33 and this month we have a super fun photo inspiration challenge. Check out the image and use it to inspire you - but tell us how!  Here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko - The Hands of Time, Extra Time
Inks: Distress - Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio, Rusty Hinge; Versafine - Vintage Sepia; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card -Baked Brown Sugar; Clear and White Embossing Powder

The elements in the our inspiration photo range in size and are also quite graphic - so I did something similar using Uniko stamps. I started by masking a ½" border all round the card with masking tape. I stamped the white image using Versamark, heat embossed with clear powder and then added yellow ink which caused the white elements to pop. After ensuring that the Distress ink was dry, I stamped the spiky circle in Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder. After adding a layer of green ink the yellow circles appeared. I added some smaller circles to the panel, heat embossed and then added brown ink. At this point I decided to stamp a large doily in brown ink and realised that the ink wouldn't dry over the embossed elements. So I took off the embossing powder by pressing the card with a hot iron between several sheets of plain paper. This had the effect of removing the embossing powder as well as the stamped image, so making the large doily appear as it it was stamped behind! Result! After removing the masking tape, I edged the image with a brown marker and finished with a simple greeting. On the inside I cut a mat layer of brown card and on the white panel added some more circular elements and a greeting.

I got the idea for layering the stamps like this from the current Muse - MUSE#170 challenge, so I'm playing along with them this week. And the colours are from Colour Throwdown - CTD#397.

Do visit the Uniko blog to see more cards from the design team using our inspiration photo. Our guest designer this month is Anita of My Papercraft World, do visit her too. As always with our challenge, we have some prizes to encourage you play along. Here are the details:

THE PRIZES

• The DT will pick a winner who will get a £20 e-Gift Certificate to use in the shop.
• The DT will select a Top 3, who will each get 50 Loyalty Points added to their Uniko customer account.
• Finally, there's a random draw for all those using Uniko stamps - the winner will get 150 Loyalty Points added to their Uniko customer account.

There's plenty of time to play along with this month's challenge. Deadline for submission is midnight (BST) on Friday 8th July - that's 7.00pm EDT in the States.

It's been another quite week on my blog, but I've been busy in my craft room. I had some shelves put on the walls so that I can display some of my finished pieces and also to have some of crafting goodies close to my desk. I also covered my desk with craft sheet so that I can, more easily, do mixed media work. Here are a few photos:

I really like having the big border punches easily to hand. You can see the craft sheet on my desk top too. I've also got some Copic refill inks stored in the punch holder - it's the perfect size and place. You can just about see the two shelves to the left of my desk - I keep ink refills along with embossing powder, gems and a few other bits and pieces here.

Here's another view of the desk and you can see the shelves here.  The pictures above were made at my first workshop with Amy Flowers - I had so much fun making this triptych, and it's so nice to be able to display it properly.

The two photos above show the other shelves - each showing off more art projects that I've made since being in the States.

Edited to add: Thanks for all the comments about my "tidy" craft room. There's a reason I've taken photos of the walls - you should have seen the floor :)))

That's all for now. I've got to get back in my craft room and finish making my DT cards for some upcoming challenges.  See you soon.