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!

Uniko - Challenge reminder ....

.... Good morning! I'm here this morning to remind you about our challenge at Uniko - USC#39. This month our theme is ANYTHING GOES, however, there is the optional twist of LOVE. I was late for the original post, so I absolutely had to get a card made for today. I decided go with the option of love:

Stamps: Uniko - Always & Forever
Inks: Distress - Blueprint Sketch; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Pool Party
Dies: Die-namics - Ampersand
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pool Party, Smoky Slate; SU DP - Smoky Slate, Island Indigo; SU Punch - Heart Lg, Heart Sm; White Embossing Powder

I used a couple of challenges making this card. I used the colours from MFT Colour Challenge - MFTCC#62 and the layout is based on the sketch over at The Paper Players - PP#329.  As I've got some polka dots on my card, I'm also submitting it to Inkspirational - INK#127 where they want to see polka dots. I used some grey design paper and card to cover the card base and covered the join with a strip of silver peeloff. I stamped the large heart in my MISTI, this was so that I could ink up the stamp a couple of times to get good coverage and depth of colour. I carefully cut it out. To make some card to match this heart I used the direct to card technique to colour a scrap of white card. I used my heart punches to punch the smaller hearts. I stamped the sentiment on the edge of two hearts, one in black and one in Versamark which was heat embossed with white powder. I used dimensional gel to attach the hearts, the smaller ones are flatter to the card, but the large one has quite a bit of dimension. I finished off by adding a grey ampersand die cut. On the inside I cut a mat layer of grey card and on the white panel stamped a sentiment and a tiny open heart.

Don't forget to visit our blog to see more inspiration from the Design Team and from our Guest Designer, Izzy of Izzy Scrap. We've changed the format of the challenges a bit. The challenges are now FIVE weeks long - giving you lots of time to play along, and we'll have six challenges this year. Not only that, we have prizes if you join in the fun.

THE PRIZES

• Main Winner chosen by the DT - £25 eGift Certificate
• Random Twist Winner - £4 in stock clear stamp set of winners choosing
• Random Uniko Stamps Winner - £4 in stock clear stamp set of winners choosing
• Top 3 chosen by DT - 150 Loyalty Reward Points

You still have plenty of time to join in - deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) on Friday 24th February (7.00pm EDT). Have fun!!

Uniko - Revisit & Blog Hop ....

.... Good morning!  So pleased you stopped by today as it's time for the first Uniko Design Team Blog Hop of the year.  If this is the first time you've come across Uniko - here's some information for you.  Bev "normally" releases new stamps every other month, and in the "off" month we revisit one of Bev's older sets - and have a play.   It's not long until Valentine's Day, so Bev decided we'd all revisit - Always and Forever.  Before we get to my card, we also have a new member to the Design Team - Lindsey from Doodlings is joining us, so please do say hi.  And now, here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Always and Forever, Beautiful Blooms 1, Background Builders Lattice, Time
Inks: Versamark; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I had so much fun creating this card.  I combined several of Bev's sets with the wonderful flower heart being the focal image.  The colours are from this week's Colour Q - cQc#323 challenge.  I started by making a base from Crumb Cake card and stamping  the smaller flower from Beautiful Blooms in Versamark to create a tone-on-tone look.  In the small gaps I stamps one of the sentiments from Always and Forever.  I cut a panel of white card and stamped this pretty lattice border on a diagonal and coloured it with Copic markers.  I stamped a birthday sentiment above the lattice and then carefully cut along the border.  I stmaped the flower heart in bright pink - I used my MISTI so was able to stamp the image twice to give really good definition to the image.  I then carefully cut it out and adhered it to the card with dimensional tape.  Prior to adding the heart to the card I used my clear Wink of Stella brush to add some sparkle to the coloured parts of the lattice and also to the white flower in the heart, sadly you can't see it in the photo!  On the inside I cut another white panel and added another flower along with a simple greeting.

Now, I mentioned earlier that this is a Design Team Blog Hop.  You should have come here from Bev's blog and the next stop is Jane, but you can follow along by clicking on the links below:

Bev - Uniko

Deborah (that's me!)

Jane

Lindsey

Sarah P

Here's a quick look at the stamps in Always and Forever:

Before I go I should mention that we have a wonderful GIVEAWAY too.  Simply comment along the Hop to be in with a chance of winning this featured set along with an eGift certificate for £10 to spend in store.  Or, if you win and already own this set, an eGift certificate for £15 will be awarded. You have until midnight (GMT) Sunday 17th Janaury to comment, and the winner will be announced on Monday 18th January.  That's all for now!

ASM - Anything Goes ....

.... Good evening - it's time for our Anything Goes challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week we do have an optional twist of Love/Wedding - why?  Our team mate Marina is getting married at the end of the month and we thought we'd surprise her.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - All Occasion Sentiments #5, Always & Forever
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Dies: Die-namics - Ampersand
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Silver Embossing Powder; SU Marker - Real Red; Sequins

First, I do apologise for the photo, it was really dark when I too, the photo and I just couldn't get a decent photo - too late now as it should get to Marina for the wedding (I hope).  I decided to go for a clean, simple and reasonably flat card.  I stamped this beautiful heart on white card, embossed with silver powder, coloured it with a marker and then cut it out - I can't think why I didn't just stamp it on red card!!!  I stamped the words Mr and Mrs in Versamark and heat embossed with silver powder.  I die cut this fancy ampersand in red and put it between the words, added some sequins and that was it done.  On the inside I cut a mat in red and on the white panel stamped another heart and a simple sentiment.

 Our sponsor for this week's challenge is QKR Stampede and the winner will get 3 free digi images.  Kylie is offering an additional prize of a watermark and blog signature for those who use the optional twist of love/wedding; the winner will be drawn at random.  Now, for more inspiration, go visit the blog and see what my team mates have made!  Bye for now.

RSD's December Showcase ....

.... Good morning!  It's time for the December showcase of Rick St Dennis's fabulous digi images.  Each month Rick gives us a theme and the team (sometimes all, sometimes a few) is free to pick an image from his extensive collection to showcase.  The theme this month is Valentine - a nice change of pace from all the Christmas and Creepmas cards I've been sharing recently.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Valentine Turtle; Waltzingmouse - Compact Sentiments; Uniko Studio - Always & Forever
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Classic Scalloped Heart (S4-137) #5, Classic Heart (S4-136) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; My Mind's Eye DP - Kiss and Tell; Copic Markers

I've a fondness for Rick's turtles (you've seen his Halloween and Christmas ones here before) and I think this Valentine Turtle (available at Rick's Zibbet shop) is so cute.  I printed her on white card, coloured her with Copic markers and then fussy cut her out.  I edged the image with black marker.  I cut a couple of mat layers in red and this pretty pink design paper.  I used my heart dies to cut a red scalloped mat for the white panel.  I adhered the turtle with some dimensional tape under the feet and then glued it flat to the heart.  I finished the front with this fun sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer in pink design paper and on the white panel added some hearts.  I left the middle blank for my message.

Do check out our Sparkle and Glitter blog to see some more Valentine showcase pieces from the team.  Bye for now.