TMR - Theme ...

... Hi! Are you watching the Winter Olympics? I am! I really enjoy watching it all - particularly the ice-skating, but the skiing is fun too. I have to admit that I only watch - I fall over if I try to go out in the snow and ice 😉 This is all leading up to our theme for The Male Room - TMR#79. For the next couple of weeks, we'd like to see your masculine projects with a Sport/Winter Olympics theme. I actually got a bit carried away - I made three cards, here's the first:

Stamps: Uniko - All Occasion Sentiments #2, Background Builders Seeing Stars, Extra Time
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Blue Denim
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kanban Toppers - Extreme Sports; Stampin' Up! Card - Night of Navy; Clear Embossing Powder

I knew exactly what I was going to use to make my cards for the Sports/Winter Olympics theme. I've had some Kanban toppers in my stash for about 8 years. I got them from QVC and they come out everytime I need something masculine. I clipped out this skiing photo (this works for the Olympic Sports theme) to use on a square card. I didn't want to hide the photo, so I stamped the greeting directly on the image and heat embossed it with clear powder. I adhered the panel to the card using dimensional foam. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of dark blue card and on the white panel, I added a greeting and some stars stamped in the same colours as the ski suit. This was so quick and easy to make. I'm submitting it to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#19 where Anything Goes!

My next two cards are not based on the Winter Olympics but on more regular sports of football (or soccer to my American friends) and rugby. Here's the football version:

Stamps: Uniko - Background Builders Seeing Stars, Time
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Red Velvet, Blue Denim
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kanban Toppers - Football; Stampin' Up! Card - Night of Navy

This time I clipped out three of the smaller images featuring football. I stamped the stars on the card using colours from the photos and finished the front by adding a fun sentiment. I attached the two images on the side flat to the card and used dimensional pads to add the image in the middle. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of navy card and on the white panel added a simple message along with some red stars top and bottom. I used the sketch from Reverse Confetti Sketch for you To Try - SFYTT#57 for the layout. This was another quick and easy card to make.

And the last card features rugby images, which is sort of appropriate as the NatWest Six Nations Championship is running at the moment:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Gorgeous Grunge, Greatest Greetings; Uniko - All Occasion Sentiments # 2, Fontiments Birthday
Inks: SU - Island Indigo; Gina K - Blue Lagoon
Dies: Die-namics - Circles Set 2 #4 and #6, Stitched Circles #4 and #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kanban Toppers - Rugby; Stampin' Up! Card/DP - Island Indigo

I used the same sketch as before but changed out the shapes for circles. I used dies to cut out the images and card for matting. I stamped the spatter and sentiment directly on the card and adhered the circle images on top. On the inside, I cut a layer of teal design paper for the mat layer, and on the white panel, I kept it very simple with a bold birthday greeting. I'm submitting this card to Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#129 where they want us to use the colour teal!

Don't forget to visit The Male Room blog to see more from the Design Team and also from our guest designer, Laurie. Do have fun with this theme, I can't wait to see what you create. You have plenty of time to join in, the deadline for submission is midnight GMT on Tuesday 27th February (that's 7.00pm EDT in the States).

That's all from me for now - I'm off to watch the ice-skating. I have my DVR set up to record the programmes and I watch them while I iron!! See you soon.

Uniko - Pure Florals Rose .....

....  Hello! I can't quite believe how quickly this week has gone by. Today is the last of the Uniko Introductions. We are showcasing Pure Florals Rose - a wonderful addition to the series. I've made a couple of cards for today, here's the first:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Rose, Simply Said, Fontiments
Inks: Gina K - Kraft, Black Onyx, Red Velvet, Jelly Bean Green; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 2 #9
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Clear Embossing Powder; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Nuvo Aqua Shimmer - Clear; Uniko Stencil - Lattice; Tim Holtz Watercolour Card

So glad my parcel arrived on Wednesday, I was able to use the Lattice stencil to make this lovely background. I taped the stencil to the white panel and lightly sponged on some kraft ink, keeping it darker in the corner and fading out towards the top of the card. I adhered the panel to a kraft card base. I stamped the small rose and leaves on watercolour card with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder, this gives a line which makes it so easy to colour. I used my zig clean colour brushes to lay down some colour which I blended out with a clear glitter brush - sadly you can't see the sparkle in the picture above!! I stamped the little birthday sentiment on the white panel and then used dimensional pads to adhered the rose and leaves. On the inside, I cut a white panel on to which I stamped a simple sentiment and the outline images.

I used the colours from this week's challenge at Global Design Project - GDP#117.

My next card is relatively CAS - well I think it is!!

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Rose, Pure Florals Lily
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx; Stampin' Up! - Smoky Slate; Distress - Hickory Smoke; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Uniko Stencil - Broken Lines

This is a one-layer card. I used my MISTI to stamp the outline rose towards the top centre of the card and masked the rose. I taped the stencil to the card and sponged on dark grey ink, then I shifted the card slightly to the left and sponged on light grey ink. I removed the mask and put the card back into the MISTI. Then I stamped the solid rose in silver ink. I finished the front with a sentiment. I picked sympathy because Kat said that the grey rose made a lovely sympathy card! I agree. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of pale grey card and added a sentiment and another rose to the white panel.

I'm submitting this to CASology - CAS#279 where they want to see GREY and this is much more CAS than the other one!

Don't forget to visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the Design Team. And come back tomorrow - it's RELEASE DAY!!!

Yesterday was a snow day for Kat - she had a much-needed lie-in and spent the day working on a physics project. I was in my craft room making cards, but I did take the opportunity to get out my camera and take a photo of all the snow and the bright blue skies we had. I've hung large baubles from one of the trees in my front garden and it looks so pretty:

If you look closely at the ornament you can see my reflection!!!  That's all for now - see you soon.

Uniko - Pure Florals Lily ....

.... Morning! It's the last day of our Uniko Introductions today. This is going to be a very popular set - Bev has added another wonderful flower to the Pure Florals range - the Lily. I have to say right up front that the Stargazer lily is one of my all time favourite flowers - so much so, that I had them in my wedding bouquet. So I'm absolutely thrilled to have this set to play with. Here's the card I made:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Lily (Digi), All Occasion Sentiments #1, Simply Said II, Fontiments Birthday
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Cherry Cobbler; Copic Markers; Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Clear

Once again, this is a digital image and I've approximated the size of the flower. I printed the large lily on white card, coloured it with Copic markers and then carefully cut it out. I based the colours on Stargazer lilies - the petals on these flowers range from almost totally white with just a hint of pink down the centre, through to totally pink petals with very dark centres of the petals. I cut a mat layer of dark red card on to which I layered a panel of white card. I stamped the large congrats across the centre and added the little words in matching ink. Before attaching the lily, I added some glitter to the flower and then used dimensional gel to adhere it. On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark red card and on the white panel I stamped a simple sentiment. I also printed a smaller lily which I coloured pale pink and attached that to the the white panel. I'm submitting this card to the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge where thye want a hint of pink. I'm also playing along with a challenge that's new to me - Creative with Stamps - CWS#14 where they want to see flowers.

There are some wonderful sentiments in this set, but I mixed the image with some older sentiments to make a wedding card. Do visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the team.

Remember I said that I had this flower in my wedding bouquet - well, here's a picture of me taken just over 16 years ago! Where has all that time gone?

Me and my gorgeous bouquet in the back garden before our wedding.

Jonathan and me in the grounds of the hotel where we had our wedding. It was a wonderful day!

Now - just a quick reminder that tomorrow is RELEASE DAY!! You will be able to get all the new stamps sets from the Uniko store from 9.00am BST. And, as usual, there will be a DESIGN TEAM BLOG HOP AND GIVEAWAY. See you soon!

Butterfly Blues ....

... Hi! It's a really dull, wet, grey Thursday here in Northville, so I've had the perfect excuse to play indoors! I've a very quick, clean and simple birthday card to share with you today:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Swallowtail; Uniko - Fontiments Birthday
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Blue Breeze; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Grey Flannel
Accessories: White Lustre Card

As soon as I saw the inspiration photo from this week's Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#235 I knew what stamp I wanted to use. This is one of my favourite butterfly stamps, but I've only used once or twice before!! I took the colours from the inspiration photo and simply inked up the image with my blue Kaleidacolor pad and stamped it. I added a simple birthday greeting and on the inside I stamped the butterfly again in grey and added another message. As this is a birthday card, I'm also submitting to this week's Seize The Birthday - STB3003 challenge.

That's all for now. Do drop by tomorrow to see my reminder card for the current Uniko challenge. See you!

Uniko - Sponsors Less is More .....

For my Christmas Card Throwdown reminder - click here

.. Hello again! I've got a busy day for you here today. Above is a link for my CCT post. Today Uniko is sponsoring Less is More - LIM#317 who are also celebrating - it's their 6th birthday. They have a super sketch for us to use and here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Valentine Freebie Hearts, Simply Said Birthday, Background Builders Vines, Beautiful Blooms II, Fontiments Birthday
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pistachio Pudding, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pistachio Pudding; Copics; Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Clear

I decided to use one of the lovely hearts for this card. I printed the heart on white card, colour it with Copics, cut it out and then added lots of sparkle to the flowers. I stamped the background vines on my MISTI and then adhered the heart flat to the card. I finished the front with a simple banner greeting, mounted with dimensional tape. On the inside I cut a mat layer of pale green card and on the white panel I stamped another flowers and a simple birthday greeting. As this is a birthday card, I'm submitting to the current Seize the Birthday - STB1602 challenge.

Do visit Uniko and Less is More to check out more inspiration cards from both DTs. I'll be back soon with lots more for you to see. Bye for now!

UC - Easter/Spring theme ....

.....  Good Morning!  Spring officially starts on Sunday 20th March, and Easter is the following week, so our theme for this month's Uniko Challenge is SPRING/EASTER. I've made a fun Easter card, I like Mr Bunny hoarding his eggs!!:

Stamps: Uniko - Some Bunny, Background Builders Round in Circles, Fontiments Birthday
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Kaleidacolor - Pastel
Dies: Spellbinders - Nested Eggs (S4-264) #1, #2 and #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Wisteria Wonder; Copics; Cuttlebug EF - Kitchen Weave

I used lilac card to make the base. I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller and embossed a check pattern. I created the Easter eggs by stamping the circles on white card using a Kaleidacolor pad - love the variation in colour. I die cut several eggs. Next I stamped the bunny on white card, coloured him with Copics and fussy cut him out. I adhered the three eggs behind the bunny directly to the card. I put some dimensional tape behind the bunny's head, ears and arms and attached him. I finished by adding the smallest egg and sentiment with dimensional gel. On the inside I simply stamped the circles on the white panel and left a large space for my message.

I'm submitting this card to Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#228 and also to AAA Cards - AAA#60. For more inspiration do visit our blog to see more from the Design Team along with a card from our Guest Designer, Cornelia.

Aren't these just super!  Now, if you need more incentive to play along with the challenge here are the details of the prizes.

THE PRIZES

• The DT will choose a winner who will get a £20 gift voucher.
• The DT choose a Top 3 who will each get 50 Loyalty Rewards Points added to their customer account.
• We will do a random draw for all those who use A UNIKO stamp, and this winner will get 150 Loyalty Reward Points added to their customer account

You've got plenty of time to play along with this month's challenge.  The deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) on Friday 8th April (7.00pm EDT).

I've been really busy this week doing some decorating at our new house. I've painted Kat's bedroom and my craft room. Today I'm finishing off the painting with the office. Next week we move in, so apart from scheduled posts, I'm not going to be around much!  See you soon.