Uniko - May Release, Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway ...

.... Hi! We made it. It's Release Day for the new Uniko stamps, stencils and dies. Thank you so much for being with me over the past week. I've got a few new cards to share with you today. I'm going to start with the last card I made - I finished it at 1.00am EDT (that's 6.00am UK time):

Stamps: Uniko - Just Because, Large Background French Script, Simply Said Blocks II
Inks: Distress Oxides - Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, Blueprint Sketch; Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Moonlit Fog
Accessories: Gina K Card - Black Onyx; Tim Holtz Watercolour Card; Sheer Shimmer - Sparkle; Clear Embossing Powder; White Lustre Card

The reason I'm so late working on this post is that I spent most of yesterday at Mega Meet in Novi. It's a big stamping/scrapbook show. I was watching Tim Holtz play with his inks, sprays, stamps and stuff, and that's where I got the idea for this card. I cut a panel of watercolour card slightly smaller than the card base and created the background using Tim's Distress Oxides. I really like the way the colours layer. I added another layer to the background by inking up the large French script background in a dark grey and randomly stamped it over the card. I put the panel into the MISTI, dusted it off with an anti-static bag, and stamped the greeting and flower in Versafine black ink. I had to stamp the images a couple of times to fill all the texture on the watercolour card. I used clear powder to heat emboss the images. On the inside of the card, I cut a panel of white card onto which I stamped the floral silhouette in two shades of green and added a greeting. I'm submitting this card to Your Next Stamp - YNS#89 where I've used their colours.

Next up is a card for Kat - just because:

Stamps: Uniko - Bee Happy, Originally Organic Additions; Large Background French Script
Inks: Distress - Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters, Lucky Clover, Tumbled Glass, Blueprint Sketch; Gina K - Christmas Pine, Black Onyx; Memento - London Fog
Dies: Spellbinders Edgeabilities - Classic Triple Scallop (E8-003)
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gina K Card - Christmas Pine; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder; Uniko Stencil - Stylised Floral

I think this is my favourite stencil of this release and it works so well with the little bees from Bee Happy. I used distress inks to create an ombre pattern diagonally across the stencil. I attached the panel to the front of a card. I used an edge die to cut the pattern on dark green card. On the white panel, I stamped the French script vertically just for some subtle pattern and then stamped the greeting. I stamped three bees on vellum, heat embossed with clear powder, and fussy cut them out. I adhered the bees to the card and then stamped some more bees at the centre of each flower, they were stamped very lightly. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of dark green card and on the white panel, I stamped the heart and lots of little encouragement words and another little bee. I'm submitting this card to Fab Friday - FABF#137 where I've used their sketch for the layout of this card.

My last card is a birthday card for our nephew - it'll be in the post today:

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Blocks II, Birthday Sentiments, Background Blocks Party Confetti
Inks: Distress - Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon; Gina K - Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Uniko - Explosion! Collection Dies
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Sheer Shimmer - Frost; Clear Embossing Powder; Uniko Stencil - Party Confetti

I used the party confetti stencil and distress inks to colour several pieces of card and then used the Explosion! dies to cut out several shapes. I cut out a number of plain white pieces in order to layer the die cuts and make them thicker. I spritzed the background with frost Sheer Shimmer, attached the explosions bursts and a simple sentiment. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card onto which I stamped the party confetti background block using several shades of distress ink. I finished by adding a bold birthday greeting. I'm submitting this card to CAS-ual Fridays Challenge - CFC#199 where I used their sketch for the layout, and also to Seize the Birthday - STB#1005 for their Anything Goes Birthday. As you can see I've used the same shades of blues and greens as in both my previous cards.

Well, that's all the cards I was able to make this time - I really should leave it so late. Please do join our traditional Design Team Blog Hop and Giveaway (prize details can be found on Bev's blog). Here are the links:

Bev
Carol 

Deborah 
Izzy 

Jane 
Julie
Linda

Lindsey

Rahmat
Sarah G

Sarah P
Wiebke 

Before I go, here a final look at all the new products available today. I've had such fun playing with them.

Bee Happy

Flower Power #8

Just Because

Large Background French Script

Simply Said Blocks II

Honeycomb Pattern Stencil

Natures Treasures II Stencil

Party Confetti Stencil

Stylised Floral Stencil

Explosion! Collection Dies

Originally Organic Additions Dies

Wow! That was a long post but I think you'll agree that it was worth it. These stamps, dies and stencils are just fabulous. You can purchase them at the Uniko on-line store.

That's all for now - enjoy the Blog Hop! See you again soon.

Uniko - Just Because and Lg French Script Background ....

.... Morning! Welcome back to my blog. Today I'm introducing two more new stamps sets from Uniko. One is a large background script - which I think will be very useful, and the second is a smaller set featuring a lovely floral silhouette and lots of words that can be put together to make many phrases. Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Just Because, Large French Script Background
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Onyx, Innocent Pink, Dusty Rose
Dies: Memory Box - Cross Stitch Frames #1 and #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Shimmer Spritz - Frost; Clear Embossing Powder; Perfect Pearls - Forever Red, Interference Red; Black Marker

I got the inspiration for this card from the photo over at Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#290. I stamped the large script background in Versamark directly on to the card. Then I added a couple of colours of Perfect Pearls and brushed them and gradually the image was revealed. I used a Swiffer pad to dust off as much excess powder as I could. There is still a slight haze of colour, but I like that. I stamped the floral silhouette and word 'because' in Versafine and heat embossed them with clear powder.  I stamped the silhouette image again on scrap white card, heat embossed it, and then very carefully cut it out with a scalpel. I covered all the white edges with a black marker pen. I spritzed a panel of white card with frost Shimmer Spritz, dried it and then cut out two faux stitched frames. I added the larger frame flat to the card and used dimensional pads to add the smaller frame. I glued the bottom of the fussy cut floral silhouette flat to the card and used dimensional pads on the top flower. On the inside, I simply stamped the floral image in shades of pink and added some more words to complete the phrase. I also added a few dots using a black marker.

This card is for my Mum - just because!! It's already in the post and she should get it by the end of next week. It's great timing, as here in the States, next Sunday is Mother's Day.

Don't forget to visit Bev's blog to see more inspiring projects from Anna, our Guest Designer, and from the Design Team. Our release schedule is:

Introductions: 5th - 11th May

RELEASE DAY: Saturday 12th May, 9.00am BST. You'll be able to purchase the new release at the Uniko online store and also join in with our Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway!  Details of the prizes can be found on Bev's blog here.

That's all for today - see you again tomorrow.