Happy Birthday ....

... I had a fun time at our craft group this morning, but when I left it was snowing!!!  Fortunately, it's not hung around, but it's very cold and grey.  So, after lunch I came up to my craft room and I've made a birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Happy Succulents, Birthday Wishes
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Onyx, Dusty Rose
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Night of Navy; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers

I'm playing along with The Colour Throwdown Challenge - CTD#579, such pretty colours, The Flower Challenge - TFC#41 to add leaves, and with Uniko Studio Birthday Linky Party - US8BDLP.

I stamped the succulents on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, put the image back in the MISTI and restamped in Versafine and then heat embossed the image.  I finished the front of the panel by adding a simple birthday greeting.  I layered the panel on some navy card and attached the whole lot to the front of the top folded card.  On the inside I cut another mat of navy card and on the white panel added a lovely birthday wish along with a tiny flower.

I'm so pleased that I've been able to join in with Uniko's 8th Birthday Linky Party.  I had the great privilege of being on Bev's design team for 4 years.  Sadly I had to step down at the end of 2018 as I just didn't have the time to create.  So it's wonderful getting out my Uniko stamps and making this simple birthday card.

That's it for now - see you again soon.

Uniko Challenge - Colours ....

.... Hello! Can you believe that we're halfway through March already? No, neither can I! Only a few more days until it's officially spring and then it'll be Easter before you know it. That sort of leads into today post - I'm sharing my card for the new Uniko Challenge - USC#46 where we want you to use some or all of the colours in the graphic photo and we have the option of making an Easter card. Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Some Bunny, Happy Succulents, Birthday Sentiments
Inks: Distress - Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! DP - Daffodil Delight; Uniko Stencil - Scattered Polka Dots; Copic Markers; Spectrum Noir - Sparkle Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

As you can see, I used all the colours and made an Easter card too. I stencilled the polka dot background on the card using distress inks. I stamped the bunny on white card and coloured it with Copic markers. I put it back in the MISTI and restamped in Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder - I really like that you get a super crisp line using this method. I carefully cut out the bunny and adhered him flat to the card. I added lots of sparkle to his feet, chest, inner ear and bow tie. I finished the front by stamping a bold and simple greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of yellow design paper and on the white panel added more polka dots and finished with a bold greeting. I'm submitting this card to Creative with Stamps - CWS#24 where they want us to use a bunny, and also to City Crafter Challenge Blog - CCCB#403 - they want bunnies too!

Don't forget to visit the main Uniko blog to see more inspiration from the Design Team (well, some of us!!) and also from our Guest Designer Michele. You'll see more from the rest of the DT when we do our reminder post in a couple of weeks.

Do you feel inspired? Well have fun, you've got plenty of time to join in, the deadline for submission is midnight (BST) on Friday 20th April, that's 7.00pm EDT in the States. And we have prizes too:

PRIZES

• Main winner chosen by the Design Team - £25 eGift Certificate
• Random twist winner - £4 in stock clear stamp set of winner's choosing
• Randon Uniko stamps winner - £4 in stock clear stamp set of winner's choosing
• Top 3 chosen by the Design Team - 150 Loyalty Reward Points

That's all for now - see you again soon.

Uniko - DT Inspiration - Paper Piecing ...

... Hello again! I'll bet this comes as a bit of a surprise - two days in a row!!! I'm sharing some fun cards made using the paper piecing technique, details can be found over at Uniko.

My first card is for The Flower Challenge - TFC#17, which is where I got the idea to make cards with the paper piecing technique:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Cosmos, Happy Succulents
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Passionate Pink
Dies: Die-namics - Stitched Fishtail Flags Stax #1
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Fly Free; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Aqua shimmer brush

On the inside, I cut a mat layer of pink design paper and on the white panel, I added a greeting and some more flowers. I'm also submitting this to CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#258.

Next, I have a card for our son - he moved house recently and we wanted to send him something to wish him well:

Stamps: Uniko - Home Sweet Home
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress - Aged Mahogany
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Attitude!; Copics; Nuvo - Aqua shimmer brush

I had fun making this cute little house. I like the grungy effect on the design papers. I added a touch of colour to the curtains and the front door. On the inside, I used some design paper for a mat layer and finished the message. I'm submitting this to Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#279 where they want to see clean and simple cards.

I'm making a start on my Easter cards and have a cute little one to share here:

Stamps: Uniko - Some Bunny, Happy Succulents
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Dusty Pink, Kraft; Distress - Cracked Pistachio
Dies: Die-namics - Stitched Fishtail Flags Stax #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - All That Glitters; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Aqua shimmer brush

I used the sketch from MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge - MFTWSC#372 for the layout of this card. I used the Stitched Fishtail die to cut the white panel, I simply cut off the fishtail as I only wanted the stitched edges. On the inside, I the leftover bit of green design paper for the mat layer and on the white panel I stamped the bunny.

Finally, I have two more cards for my Christmas stash. One has a contemporary feel and the other is more traditional, but they use the same poinsettia flower stamp:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Poinsettia, Most Wonderful
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Cherry Red, Kraft
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Home for Christmas; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Aqua shimmer brush

I'm submitting the top gold and neutral card to Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#324, although I have turned the sketch to make a landscape style card. Here's the inside of each card:

That's all for now - see you again soon.

Uniko - Blog Hop and Revisit ....

.... Hello!! I'm so sorry not to have been around much, but I've had a stinking cold since we got back to the States and it's taken nearly two weeks for me to start to feel like me again!!! I had big plans to play in my craft room, but I only managed to get in there yesterday afternoon to make my card for the Uniko Revisit. Bev, owner and creator at Uniko, tends to release new stamps every other month and in the "off-month" we usually revisit a previously released stamp set. However, this month, Bev has given us the choice of any of the new stamp sets and stencils released in 2017 - such fun and so many possibilities. This is the card I made:

Stamps: Uniko - Happy Succulents, Simply Said Blocks
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Lovely Lavender
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copics; Uniko Stencil - Lattice; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Aquashimmer Brush

I used the colours from Colour Throwdown - CTD#475 and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#319 on this card. I've just realised that I totally CASEd Bev's gorgeous ultraviolet succulents!! Thanks Bev for the inspiration 😊

I cut two panels of white card, on the smaller panel I stamped the large succulent bouquet using my MISTI. I masked off the image laid over the lattice stencil and lightly sponged on some pale lavender ink, darker in the corner and fading out to the edges. I removed the mask and coloured the image with Copic markers. I put the finished image back in the MISTI and restamped it in Versafine and embossed with clear powder to give a really crisp image. I used the blue Copic marker to add colour to the edge of the other white panel and then layered on the image panel and adhered the whole lot to the card base. I added some shimmer to the image with a clear shimmer brush. I stamped the sentiment on white card, embossed it with clear powder and cut it out. I used the lilac marker to colour some white card and then layered on the sentiment panel. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card and once again used the blue Copic marker to edge the panel. On the other white panel, I added a greeting and another succulent image.

Don't forget to visit the rest of the Design Team and comment along the Blog Hop for your chance to win a £15 eGift Certificate to spend in the online store. You have until midnight (GMT) Sunday 21st January to comment. Here's the Blog Hop list:

Bev

Carol

Deborah - that's me!

Izzy

Jane

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah

I'm sorry the pictures are so dark, but it's late here and I have to do the best I can. I hope to get a little light studio this year to help make my photos better!! That's all for now - thanks for stopping by - see you again soon.

Uniko - December Release, DT Blog Hop & Giveaway ...

... Hello! I do hope you've enjoyed my introductions. Today Uniko releases five new stamps sets and some fun stencils too! This is going to be a long post, so grab a coffee, put your feet up and enjoy!

All the snow that has been falling around here gave me the inspiration for this card:

Stamps: Uniko - Big & Bold Hugs, Scattered Polka Dots Lg Bg, Rustic Christmas, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Versamark; Gina K - Black Onyx; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Vellum; Kaleidoscope & Silver Embossing Powders

I stamped the large polka dot background directly onto the card base in Versamark and heat embossed with Kaleidoscope powder for a lovely iridescent sparkle - snow!!! I stamped the tree on white card, embossed it in silver and then carefully cut it out and adhered it to the card. The large 'hugs' sentiment was stamped on vellum, heat embossed in silver and carefully cut out. I used dimensional pads to attach it to the card. I finished the front with the little ampersand in black - the sentiment continues inside the card. I layered the white panel on pale grey card and finished the sentiment with 'Christmas Wishes' and added some sparkly silver snowflakes. I'm submitting this card to CASology - CAS#279, and also to CAS-ual Fridays Challenge - CFC#189 where they want to see a White Christmas.

Next up a soft, delicate spring card:

Stamps: Uniko - Spring Botanicals Snowdrop
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx; Distress - Shabby Shutters, Tumbled Glass
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Uniko Stencil - Doodle Flower; Nuvo Aqua Shimmer - Clear

This is a very simple one-layer card. I stamped the snowdrop onto the front of the card and then masked it off. I taped the stencil to the front of the card and then lightly sponged on pale green and pale blue inks. I removed the mask, stamped the sentiment and added a touch of sparkle to the snowdrop flowers. On the inside I stamped one of the greetings from this set. I'm submitting this card to Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#272 where they want to see us make our mark.

Next I have two cards made using a single stamped panel - I got the idea from Jennifer McGuire:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Rose, Happy Succulents,
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx, Kraft; Distress Oxide - Wild Honey; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles Stax Set2 #9
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Shimmer Spritz - Frost; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder

I cut a panel of kraft card 5½" x 4¼" and stamped the small solid rose randomly over the card. I then lightly spritzed the panel with a frost shimmer spray and dried it. I used a stitch edge die to cut out a corner of the panel. I adhered the bottom part of the panel to a white card base. I used the stitch edge die to cut a white rectangle and made the top part of the card on the left. Before adhering it to the card, I stamped the words 'mother's day' in the bottom corner. I stamped the outline rose on white card, cut it out and attached it to the panel. I stamped the word 'happy' on vellum, cut it out and adhered it flat to the card. I used craft foam behind the white die cut panel to give some dimension. On the inside I cut a mat layer of kraft card, and on the white panel I stamped a greeting and little rose bud.

I made the card on the right with the top portion of the cut out panel which I attached flat to a white card base. I finished the front by adding a simple greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of kraft card and added a greeting to the white panel.

My last card is a thank you card - always needed in my stash:

Stamps: Uniko - So Much (Free with qualifying orders while stocks last)
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx, Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - Inside & Outside Stitched Square Stax #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Crumb Cake; Copics; Clear Embossing Powder

I used the colours from Colour Throwdown - CTD#473 and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#317. I die cut the square and stamped the floral image, coloured it with Copics, restamped with Versafine and then heat embossed with clear powder. I cut a thin strip of kraft design paper and adhered it to the card front. Next I added the stamped panel and finished with a bold thank you. I've not done the inside of this card yet.

As usual, we have our Design Team Blog Hop and a chance for you to win the ENTIRE release - simply comment along as you visit our blogs. Deadline for comments is midnight GMT Saturday 23rd December.

Bev
Carol

Deborah - that's me
Izzy

Jane

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah

And now, before I go, here's a chance for you to see all the new stamps and stencils:

Spring Botanicals Snowdrop

Big & Bold Hugs

Large Background Scattered Polka Dots

Large Background Scattered Polka Hearts

Pure Florals Rose 

Stencil - Broken Lines

Stencil - Doodle Flower

Stencil - Lattice

Thanks so much for sticking with me - it's a long post. That's all for now.