Uniko Challenge - Something Old, Something New ....

.... Morning! It's time for our first challenge of the year over at Uniko - USC#45. Our challenge this month is SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW with the optional twist of LOVE. If you carry the verse on, it goes 'something borrowed and something blue' and is very much associated with a wedding. While I've included blue on my card, it is not a wedding card, it's a birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Decorative Doilies, Today Tomorrow & Always Time
Inks: Gina K - Powder Blue, Kraft, Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Sahara Sand; Uniko Stencil - Lattice; Stampendous - Kaleidoscope Embossing Powder; Vellum

I interpreted the challenge to mean an old Uniko stamp set and something from the new range. I used Decorative Doilies, probably my favourite stamp set, along with Today Tomorrow and Always Time for the words, along with the new lattice stencil. I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch - CTS#255, the colours are from Colour Throwdown - CTD#476, and I'm also playing along with CASology - CAS#283 where the cue word is GLIMMER.

I sponged on some pale blue ink through the stencil fading it out at the edge. I stamped the doily on kraft card in Versmark and embossed with a shimmery embossing powder, and then I fussy cut it out. I stamped the birthday greeting on vellum and adhered it to the centre of the doily. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of kraft card and on the white panel, I added a greeting, along with a clock and another doily. This card is going in my stash as I've got quite a lot of birthdays in the next few months.

Here's a close up of the shimmery doily - love the iridescent colours:

Don't forget to visit the Uniko blog to see more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and from our Guest Designer - Anita.  We have prizes too, and they are as follows:

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

You have plenty of time to join in with the challenge, deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 23rd February - that's 7.00pm EDT in the States. Have fun!

Uniko - Photo Inspiration ...

..... Morning! It's time for our new challenge at Uniko - USC#33 and this month we have a super fun photo inspiration challenge. Check out the image and use it to inspire you - but tell us how!  Here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko - The Hands of Time, Extra Time
Inks: Distress - Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio, Rusty Hinge; Versafine - Vintage Sepia; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card -Baked Brown Sugar; Clear and White Embossing Powder

The elements in the our inspiration photo range in size and are also quite graphic - so I did something similar using Uniko stamps. I started by masking a ½" border all round the card with masking tape. I stamped the white image using Versamark, heat embossed with clear powder and then added yellow ink which caused the white elements to pop. After ensuring that the Distress ink was dry, I stamped the spiky circle in Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder. After adding a layer of green ink the yellow circles appeared. I added some smaller circles to the panel, heat embossed and then added brown ink. At this point I decided to stamp a large doily in brown ink and realised that the ink wouldn't dry over the embossed elements. So I took off the embossing powder by pressing the card with a hot iron between several sheets of plain paper. This had the effect of removing the embossing powder as well as the stamped image, so making the large doily appear as it it was stamped behind! Result! After removing the masking tape, I edged the image with a brown marker and finished with a simple greeting. On the inside I cut a mat layer of brown card and on the white panel added some more circular elements and a greeting.

I got the idea for layering the stamps like this from the current Muse - MUSE#170 challenge, so I'm playing along with them this week. And the colours are from Colour Throwdown - CTD#397.

Do visit the Uniko blog to see more cards from the design team using our inspiration photo. Our guest designer this month is Anita of My Papercraft World, do visit her too. As always with our challenge, we have some prizes to encourage you play along. Here are the details:

THE PRIZES

• The DT will pick a winner who will get a £20 e-Gift Certificate to use in the shop.
• The DT will select a Top 3, who will each get 50 Loyalty Points added to their Uniko customer account.
• Finally, there's a random draw for all those using Uniko stamps - the winner will get 150 Loyalty Points added to their Uniko customer account.

There's plenty of time to play along with this month's challenge. Deadline for submission is midnight (BST) on Friday 8th July - that's 7.00pm EDT in the States.

It's been another quite week on my blog, but I've been busy in my craft room. I had some shelves put on the walls so that I can display some of my finished pieces and also to have some of crafting goodies close to my desk. I also covered my desk with craft sheet so that I can, more easily, do mixed media work. Here are a few photos:

I really like having the big border punches easily to hand. You can see the craft sheet on my desk top too. I've also got some Copic refill inks stored in the punch holder - it's the perfect size and place. You can just about see the two shelves to the left of my desk - I keep ink refills along with embossing powder, gems and a few other bits and pieces here.

Here's another view of the desk and you can see the shelves here.  The pictures above were made at my first workshop with Amy Flowers - I had so much fun making this triptych, and it's so nice to be able to display it properly.

The two photos above show the other shelves - each showing off more art projects that I've made since being in the States.

Edited to add: Thanks for all the comments about my "tidy" craft room. There's a reason I've taken photos of the walls - you should have seen the floor :)))

That's all for now. I've got to get back in my craft room and finish making my DT cards for some upcoming challenges.  See you soon.

UC - Anything Goes reminder ....

....  Morning!  Have you joined in with our challenge at Uniko yet?  This month we have a super simple theme of ANYTHING GOES, you can of course play with our option of Love!  Once again I decided to skip the option and made a note card:

Stamps: Uniko - The Hands of Time, All Occasion Sentiments #1
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! - Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, So Saffron
Dies: Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Rectangle Stax #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; SU DP - So Saffron; Promarkers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I used a couple of challenges in this card.  The layout is based on the sketch at MFT Wednesday Sketch Club - MFTWSC#264 and the colours come from the current Colour Q challenge - cQc#325.

I started by using crumb cake card to make the card base.  I die cut a panel of white card and adhered that to the card.  I stamped my favourite doily from The Hands of Time set on white card, coloured it with Promarkers, cut it out and added sparkle to the hands with a clear Wink of Stella brush.  I cut a strip of pale yellow design paper which I cut to size with the die and stamped a simple sentiment on it.  It's such a shame you can't see the sparkle!  On the inside I cut another panel of white card with the die and added more of the little doilies from the stamp set.  A clean, simple note card for my stash.

Do visit our blog to see more inspiration from the team - you've plenty of time to join in with challenge.  Deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 12th February (7.00pm EDT).  Full details of the prizes can be found on the Uniko Blog.  Have fun!!

USC - Birthdays part II ....

... Hello and Good Morning!!  It's time for a quick reminder about out challenge at Uniko Studio - USC#18.  We want you to make birthday cards and continue the birthday celebration theme - you've got plenty of time to join in.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko Stuido - The Hands of Time, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Peach Parfait, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Certainly Celery; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Pool Party; Sequins

I made a clean, simple and pretty birthday card.  The colours are from this week's Colour Q - cQc#281 challenge and I'm also submitting to a new challenge that I've recently found, ShowCASe Your Style - SYSC#9 where they have a birthday theme.  I stamped a number of the images from The Hands of Time set around the edge of the card, added a sentiment at the top and finished the front by adding some sequins which echo the stamped colours.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of aqua card and on the white panel stamped a greeting and some more doilies.

Check out the Uniko Studio blog to see some more inspiration cards from the team.  You've got until Friday 6th March to join in.  Don't forget you don't have to use Uniko Studio stamps on your card, although we do like it if you do!  There are prizes too - the DT will choose a winner who will get a £20 gift voucher for Uniko Studios plus be invited to be a Guest Designer for our next challenge.  We also pick at Top 3 and all will get a £5 gift voucher for the Uniko Studio shop. 

That's all for now - have fun!!  See you soon.

Do you want to hear a secret?

...  You do!  Great!  I've been keeping a secret, and for me that's really hard.  A few weeks ago I got an email from Sandie (she coordinates all the Uniko Studio challenges) inviting me to join the fabulous Uniko Studio Design Team.  I was (and still am) so excited - my husband was really surprised by my sequel of delight!  I love Beverley's stamps and dies and use them quite a lot.  So here I am with my first post as part of the Design Team.

Stamps: Uniko Studio - The Hands of Time, All Occasion Sentiments #4; Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Bermuda Bay, Soft Sky
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Bermuda Bay; Wink of Stella - Clear; Promarkers; Gem

I used the colours from this week's Less is More challenge - LIM#201.  These gorgeous cool colours made me think of snowflakes. So I decided to make a Christmas card with my favourite set - The Hands of Time.  I love this set, it really is so versatile and so pretty.  I stamped the large hands image onto white card, coloured it with Promarkers and the fussy cut it out.  Once cut out I used my clear Wink of Stella brush to add sparkle to the hands.  On a panel of white card I stamped a bold sentiment, added a couple more images from the set and then adhered the large image on top.  I finished the front with a little aqua gem.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark aqua.  On the white panel I stamped a border of snowflakes and added a sweet greeting.

 

 

 

It's not just me joining Bev's team today - Sarah of Sazzle Dazzle Cards is also joining the team.  I'm absolutely thrilled to be a member of this team. 

We were out last night at Kathryn's school.  It was the annual Choir Concert.  Kathryn has been in the choir for several years now.  Kathryn has a super voice (yes, I know I'm biased) and I'm sure I could hear her clearly.  She looks so grown up too in her long dress.  It was a good show - the kids did themselves proud.  Anyway, that's all for now!

Snowflake Blues ...

... Good morning from a bitterly cold, but bright, Northville.  The arctic blast has really arrived in Michigan now - my friend in Kalamazoo has a snow day, sadly we don't have that here and Kathryn had to go to school!  Still the cold has put me in the mood to make another Christmas card:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - The Hands of Time; Stampin' Up! - Sassy Salutations; Waltzingmouse - Elf Made
Inks: SU - Brocade Blue; Distress - Shaded Lilac; Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Uniko Studio - Snowflakes
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Blue Glitter Paper; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this to the new Uniko Studio Challenge - USC#16, they've changed the rules a bit - you don't have to use Uniko Studio stamps anymore (although they'd love it if you do) on your project.  The theme for the new challenge is Anything Goes or Anything Goes with their sketch.  I used the sketch.  I stamped the large stamp in Versmark, heat embossed with clear powder and then inked over with lilac.  I then stamped a selection of smaller snowflakes over the card, added a greeting stamped on vellum and finished with a large blue glitter die cut snowflake.  I layered the white panel on blue glitter paper.  On the inside is a mat layer of blue glitter and on the white panel a Christmas greeting and more snowflakes.

I have to say that this came together really quickly!  While we have the sun shining at the moment and no snow, the forecast is for snowy squalls blowing in this afternoon.

A quick screen shot from the weather forecast earlier this morning.  I'm not really complaining, we haven't got it half as bad as many in the States - some areas have had over 3 feet of snow overnight, and we're no where near that.

I think Ben and Sophie are finding the temperatures something of a shock.  I took them out yesterday and the walk between car and shop was a shock every time we did it!  Both the kids smoke and have to go outside if they want a cigarette, I have to say that if I were them, I'd definitely be thinking of giving up!!  Not sure what our plans are for today - maybe a quick trip to Northville before the snow arrives.  That's it for now - see you soon.