Uniko - Rustic Wreath ...

... Hello again! I'm back to introduce the last of this mini release at Uniko. Today I'm sharing a card made with Rustic Wreath. This is a fun clean and simple card, with lots of Christmas sparkle:

Stamps: Uniko - Rustic Wreath
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Fresh Greens; Stampin' Up! - Real Red, Early Espresso
Dies: Winnie & Walter Cutaways - Joy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Red Glitter Paper; SU Card - Emerald Envy

Once again the inspiration for this card comes from the Fusion Challenge - FUSION#62. I created the word by stamped the Rustic Wreath in shades of green in the middle of the card. I added some pine cones and berries to the wreath. I die cut the word JOY from red glitter paper and then separated the letters using only the J and Y on this card. I added the centre of the O in the middle of the wreath. On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark green card and on the white panel stamped another simple wreath and added a greeting in red.

I'm also submitting this to TIME OUT Challenges - TOC#71 as it's Christmas and there's sparkle too!

Now, don't forget to visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration from the rest of the team. Here's a reminder of the release scheudle:

INTRODUCING: 25th and 26th November - the DT will give you a closer look at the new sets being released with a daily blog hop.

RELEASE DAY: Sunday 27th November 9.00am GMT - you get to see the products in their entirety and purchase them from the Uniko website. As usual there is a Design Team Blog Hop and a Giveaway.

As this is the last release of 2016 - Bev is giving away some random prizes throughout the release countdown. To be in with a chance of winning a random prize, be sure to join in commenting along the Introducing Hops and joining in via social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Winners of the random prizes will be announced on Bev's blog on Sunday 27th November at 8.00am GMT.

That's all for now - have a great weekend and do come back tomorrow to see the entire release and lots more inspiration from the team!

52CCT - Stash .....

.... Morning! It's been a while since my blog was so busy!! We come to the last Saturday on November and that means it's time for our new challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT47-16. Gill has been our host this month, and she has picked a Stash challenge for us. She wants to see GLITTER on your Christmas cards. I had so much fun with this one:

Stamps: Uniko - Background Builders Christmas, Pure Florals Poinsettia, Winter Foliage
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Fresh Greens; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Dies: Winnie & Walter Cutaway - Joy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Red Glitter Paper; Stick It; SU DP - Real Red; Wink of Stella - Clear

This is a really clean and simple card and I know that CAS is normally lots of crisp, clean white space, but here it's lots of sparkly red space!! I cut a panel of red glitter paper slightly smaller than the card and placed it on some Stick It adhesive. I like the glitter paper as the glitter doesn't come off! I placed the large word JOY die cut towards the bottom right of the card. I removed the word and attached the panel to the card and put the centre of the "o" back in place. I added a spring of holly and some berries to the top left corner. I stamped them on plain white card, cut them out and added sparkle with a clear Wink of Stella brush. On the inside I cut a mat layer of red design paper and on the white panel I stamped a line of holly and berries and a clean, crisp greeting.

I got the inspiration for this card from the graphic photo at Fusion Card Challenge - FUSION#62 - the die cut word is simple white, as in the picture. I'm also playing along with TIME OUT challenge - TOC#71 where the theme is CHRISTMAS with the optional twist of GLITTER - oh yes, there's glitter!!

As you've probably realised, removing the die cut word from the red glitter panel above meant that I was able to make another card:

Stamps: Uniko - Winter Foliage, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: SU - Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Tip Top Taupe, Chocolate Chip
Dies: Winnie & Walter Cutaways - Joy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Always Artichoke; Kaisercraft 12" x 12" DP - Silent Night; Gold Pen; Red Glitter Paper

This is one of the design papers that I got for last week's Old Fashioned Christmas challenge. The card was so quick and easy to make. I ran a gold pen around the edge of the paper panel and adhered it to the card. Then I attached the JOY die cut word. Simples!! On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark green card and on the white panel stamped a pine branch and cone along with a crisp greeting.

The challenge at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - SSWC is to use a die cut on your card, so I'm submitting this card. And I'm also playing along with Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#221 where it is the ANYTHING GOES week.

Do visit our blog to see more sparkling inspiration from the rest of the Design Team. You've got plenty of time to join us - deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 2nd December (that's 7.00pm EST).

Do come back later this morning when I'll be introducing another of the new Uniko release - Rustic Wreath. See you later!

My Heart ....

..... Hi again!  I've been thinking about the inspiration card at TIME OUT challenges and suddenly had an idea:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - My Heart
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Summer Starfruit, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Summer Starfruit; BARC Wood - Cherry; Mulberry Paper

I really like the woodgrain finish on Shery's card and that heart is fab too!  I used the layout from Retro Sketches - RS#102 and the colours are (sort of) from Colour Q - cQC#229.  I adapted the colours a bit - the card is covered with real wood!  It comes as a 12" × 12" sheet and this is cherry wood, sort of like peach parfait.  The surface is really smooth and it takes a stamp beautifully! I don't have apricot card so I used some mulberry paper that is similar.  I stamped the outside of the woodgrain heart in green and added an inner heart in Summer Starfruit.  On the inside I cut a mat of Summer Starfruit and stamped the heart.

That's all for now - I'm off back to the ice-skating!

Coffee and friends ....

....  Morning all!  A nice way to spend a morning is catching up with friends over coffee and cake!  Here's a card I've made for a friend of mine in the UK:

Stamps: Reverse Confetti - Be A Barista; Paper Smooches - Cyber Cafe
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Night of Navy, Crumb Cake, Old Olive
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Old Olive; SU DP - Old Olive; Promarkers; Glitter

I used the sketch from Retro Sketches - RS#102 for the layout, the colours from Colour Throwdown - CTD#280 and the theme of coffee from Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#32. 



This one came together really quickly.  I stamped the coffee cup onto white card and coloured it with Promarkers, cut it out and, after adhering it to the front of the card, added some sparkle, which you can't see in the photo above, but you can in the detail shot!  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green and on the cream panel stamped some coffee rings and a greeting.

There's a new challenge starting soon at TIME OUT Challenges, but at the moment they are having a Design Team call, so I'm going to throw my name in the hat!  You can see the little glitter hearts in the coffee foam!


After the beautiful blue skies yesterday, I'm looking out the office window at snow falling again!  It's not going to stay snow for long though, the temperature is going up fast and it'll be rain before you know it!  It's really gloomy out there.  Good thing I can stay indoors and watch the Olympics - the Ladies Free Dance is on as I type.  So, I'm off to make coffee and then sit down and watch what should be a fantastic competition.  See you soon!