Music Birthday .....

... Morning! I had planned to put up a project yesterday but I got busy sorting through paper work. I did have some time in the afternoon to make another, much needed, birthday card for my stash:

Stamps: Visible Image - Rock Out, Music Speaks; Uniko - A Gift for You
Inks: Distress - Dried Marmalade; Gina K - Turquoise Sea; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gina K Card - Turquoise Sea; Clear Embossing Powder; Tim Holtz Stencil - Concerto (THS067); Turquoise Fountain Pen

I got the theme from Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#225 where they want to see music related cards. The colours are from Less is More - LIM#401. CAS on Friday - CASOF#162 want us to use a stencil on our cards. And finally, this is a masculine birthday card, so I'm submitting it to The Male Room - TMR#117 for the birthday theme and also to AAA Birthday - AAAB#04 where they want cards for boys.

After masking the right side of the card, I stencilled the musical background using tangerine distress ink to form an ombre from dark to light. I used a turquoise fountain pen to ink in an aqua border. I stamped the grunge guitarist using Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I finished the front with a simple birthday greeting in aqua. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of aqua card. I stamped an oscillogram image at the bottom of the white panel. I left the rest blank for my own message.

That's all for now. We have a weather warning for high winds in North Wales, so I don't plan on going out. Perfect excuse to spend more time in my craft room - it's so nice to be back!!!

Uniko - Block Party Birthday .....

..... Hello! I'm here this morning to introduce the Block Party Birthday from Uniko. This is a fabulous stamp - it's large enough to cover an A2 card - so perfect for making quick and easy cards. I had such fun that I made three! Here's the first:

Stamps: Uniko - Block Party Birthday, A Gift for You
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up - Smoky Slate, Whisper White Craft
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; White Embossing Powder; Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Clear

The challenge over at Cupcake Inspirations - CIC#395 is to use the Chalkboard technique - the timing couldn't be better as this is what I did on this card. I made a top folding A2 card from black card. I carefully rubbed my antistatic buddy all over the card and then stamped the image in Versamark and heat embossed it with white powder. I added white pigment ink around the edges of the card and randomly over the image - giving the impression of a chalkboard after you've wiped off the old stuff and drawn on new! As this is a birthday card I filled in the open birthday word with clear sparkle. On the inside I added more "chalk" around the edge of the card. On the white panel I stamped a birthday gift and simple greeting.

I decided to use the other half of black card to make another card. This time I used Perfect Pearls - such a pretty effect:

Stamps: Uniko - Block Party Birthday, A Gift for You
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Kaleidacolor - Caribbean Sea
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black

After stamping with Versamark ink, I used Perfect Pearls on the card - two green,s blue, and silver. I love the subtle shimmer this gives. On the inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped the gift and greetings, this time in colours to match the perfect pearls.

My last card has a white base and I used bold, bright colours. This is a side opening A2 card:

Stamps: Uniko - Block Party Birthday, A Gift for You
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Kaleidacolor - Spectrum
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pumpkin Pie

I love the Kaleidacolor ink pads, they make these rainbow cards so easy. I simply inked up the stamp and stamped it. On the inside I cut a mat layer of orange card and on the white panel stamped the gift and greeting. I'm going to submit this one to Seize the Birthday - STS1602 where the theme is anything goes.

Now that you've seen the Sneak Peeks, here's a quick reminder of the release schedule:

Introductions: 20th - 24th February - the team have some fab inspiration for you

RELEASE DAY! Saturday 25th February - lots more inspiration from the Design Team, your chance to buy the stamps from Uniko's shop and, as always, a Design Team Blog Hop and Giveaway!

That's all for now! Don't forget to come back tomorrow and see another of our introductions!

Uniko - sponsor CASology ....

... Hello and good morning! Uniko is sponsoring this week's challenge at CASology - CAS#236 where the cue word is ROMANCE. I am so happy to join in this week and have made an anniversary card:

Stamps: Uniko - Always & Forever, Flower Power #3, Flower Power #4, Flower Power #7, A Gift for You
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Smoky Slate, Pretty in Pink, Real Red; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz - Scibbles & Splat
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Vellum; Embossing Powder - Clear & Iridescent

I used the sketch from the current Fusion Challenge - FUSION#166 for the layout, and the colours are from CAS-ual Fridays Challenge - CFC#167 to use red, pink and white. I created my own text background with my MISTI. I placed all the sentiments in a line, and alternated grey and pink to stamp the text. I was able to ensure precise stamping using the grid paper which made moving the panel so easy. I adhered the finished panel direct to the card. I die cut the scribble heart from red card and embossed it with iridescent powder - love the subtle shimmer. I created the pink tag from vellum. I lightly inked the reverse with red ink. Once completely dry, I die cut the flag and then stamped the greeting in black and heat embossed with clear powder. I finished the tag by stamped a couple of hearts at the top in red. On the inside I cut a mat layer of red card. I kept the white panel really simple with a stamped heart and greeting.

That's all for now!

Coffee Just for You ....

.... Hi!  I know, third post this morning!  It's a busy one today. :)))   It's time for the Winter/Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and Bev, at Uniko, is one of the sponsors.  I've made a winter themed coffee card to share here:

Stamps: Uniko - I Love Coffee, Pure Florals Cosmos, A Gift for You
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Sahara Sand
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Stax #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Sahara Sand; Silver Mirri Card; Vellum; Cuttlebug EF - Dots 'n Spots; Silver Embossing Powder; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Signo - White Pen

I've used the sketch from The Challenge - TC#54 for the layout and the colours are from Colour Throwdown - CTD#372, so pretty.

I think this coffee set from Bev is just fab.  I stamped the cup on kraft card and cut it out.  I coloured the lid with a white pigment pen.  I added a little cup holder by stamping the flower on some scrap card and then cutting to fit the cup.  I used kraft card to make the base and adhered a strip of silver mirri card at the bottom.  I cut a panel of white card, smaller then the card which I embossed with dots and spots.  I added sparkle to some of the dots, but sadly you can't really see it in the photo!  I stamped the little flowers in Versamark on vellum, heat embossed them with silver powder and then cut them out.  I coloured the reverse with Copic markers and added lots of sparkle to the front of the flowers with a clear Wink of Stella brush.  I finished the front with a simple greeting.  On the inside I cut a mat of silver mirri card and on the white panel added some coffee beans, a greeting and a small flower.

That's the last post today - promise!  If you stuck with my through all the posts today - thank you. See you tomorrow.

USC - Anything Goes ....

....  Hello!  I'm here to remind you that there's still plenty of time to join in with our Uniko Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes, but with the optional twist of going masculine.  I think you all know that I enjoy making masculine themed cards, so here's my reminder card:

Stamps: Uniko - Nautical Treasures, A Gift For You
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Bravo Burgundy
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Teresa Collins DP - Far & Away

This card came together really quickly.  I found this fabulous paper in my stash and covered the card.  I stamped the boat on white card and, using my scalpel, carefully cut out the white card between the sail lines.  I stamped the sails onto some papers from the same set, cut them out and adhered them to the boat.  I finished the front with a simple birthday greeting.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of the burgundy DP and stamped a few images on the white panel.

I really like the boat in Nautical Treasures - it is so easy to paper piece - each time giving a totally different look.  Do visit the blog to see more inspiration cards from our Guest Designers Melissa and Anita, as well as from the rest of the team.

Don't forget that we have prizes too!  Our DT will choose a winner who will get a £10 gift voucher. Our DT will choose a top 3 who will get 50 Loyalty Reward Points added to their customer account.  And we will do a random draw for those who used a Uniko stamp and this winner will get 150 Loyalty Reward Points added to their customer account.  If you've gone with the optional twist of a masculine card, then we will do a random draw and they will receive 100 Loyalty Reward Points added to their customer account. You've got until Friday 3rd July, 8.00am BST (3.00am EDT) to submit your entry.  Have fun!

AC - Happy Birthday ....

.....  Morning!  I hope you've all had a super weekend.  Mine was mostly okay - I'll explain later.  In the meantime, it's my turn to host a post at Airless Chambers where we share Rick St Dennis's darker, more alternative images - zombies, horror, monsters, steampunk, and other things that go bump in the dark.  My birthday card features a monster:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Snailian Digi; Uniko Studio - Label Love Birthday, Balloon Bash,  A Gift for You; Stampin' Up! - I Think You're Great
Inks: SU - Tangerine Tango, Hello Honey, Island Indigo; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Stitched Rectangles #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; String; SU Marker - Basic Black

I actually think this monster is kinda cute!!  I used the colours from this week's Colour Q - cQc#293.  I printed the digi on white card, coloured with Copic markers and cut it out with a scalpel. Love the Snailian's mad eyes!  After I cut him out I added sparkle - he's an alien monster, so he should sparkle!  I stamped a number of balloons on white card and cut them out.  I stamped the round yellow balloon on a patterned stamp from SU and used the stamped oof image for my balloon.  I added a birthday greeting to the balloon.  I attached some string to the balloons and attached them to the card with dimensional gel.  I hide the strings behind the snailian.  I used Lil Inkers dies to cut the black mat.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of black and added a birthday present to the white panel.

Here's a close up of the cute monster Snailian - he really does shimmer and sparkle, especially as I took the photo in bright sunshine!

If you like this little monster - Snailian Digi, you can find him and several of his friends at Rick's Zibbet shop.

Now, the reason that my weekend was only mostly okay is that I had to weed the garden.  Last Friday I had a visit from the Northville Ordinance Police - someone had reported my garden as having too many weeds (they're not wrong), but I was rather taken aback!  While I love a pretty garden, I actually hate gardening!  So I spent three hours on Saturday morning pulling out the weeds on the front and sides of the house.  I've still got the back to do, but that's a job for later today.  The rest of the weekend has been great.  I did manage to get into my craft room on Saturday and had lots of fun.  Then yesterday Kathryn and I went to a photo shoot in Pontiac with one of our favourite models, Rachel!  Such a beautiful women - inside and out!

 
Jonathan is away for a few days at a photography course in Illinois.  And this is Kathryn's last week at Meads Mill Middle School - she's got some finals this week, but finishes on Thursday and then is on holiday for 3 months!!!

That's all for now - got to go and finish the weeding.  Do come back tomorrow!  See you!!