Beautiful Blooms & a Winner!

Hello & Happy Thursday.

I'm finally getting round to announcing the winner of the October 2023 Release in Review, Brand Ambassador Blog Hop & Giveaway we had HERE. I know I am late, I have a terrible memory 🙈 but better late than never, right? 

Anyway, before I get to the winner I have a card to share...

I was inspired to make this card with the recent restocks of Background Blocks Nautical Stripes and Beautiful Blooms II. I can't think that I have combined Beautiful Blooms I flowers with many Background Blocks, but I am almost certain I've not combined it with this one. But I am super pleased how well they go together. 

Background Blocks Nautical Stripes is pretty easy to line up and fill a strip down the front of a card base. I did use my stamping tool to make it a bit easier. I then stamped the blooms and leaves, adding some colour shading using the Rock 'n' Roll technique. The images are die cut using the Designer Dies Beautiful Blooms I. 

I finished with the smile die from Uniko's Exclusive Picked Posies Collection, only available at CraftStash HERE. 

Okay, so now onto the winner of the £20 eGift Code. I used Random name generator to select the lucky comment and the lucky one is...

 Bev Karolak said...

Stunning cards! The Poppy stamp is so beautiful! Love your colouring. 🥰

Congratulations Bev! Please drop me an email at [email protected] and I will send you your code. A big thanks to the Uniko Brand Ambassadors for all their beautiful inspiration. AND a big thanks to everyone who took the time to hop and comment, plus all the lovely comments around social media.

Crafty Hugs 

When Life Gives You Lemons...Smile!

Happy Friday.

It's definitely a happy day when the sunshine finally makes a good appearance AND when a batch of Uniko Stencil Restocks arrive!

These beauties, along with the sell out Flower Power #4 from the recent release are now available on the website. All orders containing a stencil backorder were mailed out this morning. Thank you for your patience.

I was inspired to get inky this afternoon and decided to give the Layering Stencil - Zesty a fresh ink up to create this colourful card.

I used all four layers of the stencil for this card, inking up the sliced fruits first in shades of pink, orange, green and aqua. I angled the stencils slightly before inking to add a different look to the card.

Once I finished inking the fruit, I added the juice splatter using Nuvo Glimmer Moonstone Paste, absolutely love the sparkle of this stuff. 

My sentiment choice is partly from Organically Zesty, where I have masked part of the stamped sentiment. This was so I could add the Smile die cut which is from the Uniko Picked Posies Collection. This is available for purchase from CraftStash HERE.

That's all from me today, but I will be back tomorrow with more creative inspiration and a winner! 

Crafty Hugs 

Friday Focus - Floral Vines

 Happy Friday! 

It's been the longest shortest week for me, like the week has gone pretty quick, but I am feeling tired at the same time! 

Anyway, I managed to squeeze in some creative time yesterday and decided to create a couple of cards using Floral Vines.

I've my usual CAS style for these cards today and chose summery colours to shine through these Spring showers!

I started with simple design using the Floral Vine focal image along the side of my card with a simple 'smile' sentiment. I added trio of circles to emphasise the sentiment and add a little finishing touch.

This lead to my second simple card design...

This time I used a little masking and then used a border / building stamp from Background Builders Arts Decoratifs and the 'Just For You' sentiment. 

As you can see I kept the colours the same as my first card for ease and continuity. I really love how this simple duo turned out.

Thats all from me today, I hope you have enjoyed this little Friday Focus on Floral Vines today.

Crafty Hugs

 

May 2016 Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway!

Hey!

I'm SO happy you've stopped by the blog today as today is the May 2016 Design Team Blog Hop. Along with the hop we have a GIVEAWAY! So be sure to grab a drink, get comfy, relax and enjoy.

As we've quite a few new followers here, ("Hello & Thank you") I will explain what's going on! Here at Uniko I *USUALLY* only release new products every other month. This is for a number of reasons, firstly, being an avid paper crafter myself and knowing the current economic climate I know 'some' are on a limited budget when it comes to buying new stash, so this way you're not tempted to splurge too much every month.

The second reason is that it is just me here at Uniko HQ. I currently run this little business single handedly, designing, blogging, demoing, classes, packing. Alongside that I am a full time mum to 20 month old twin boys. So releasing every other month gives me chance to keep my head above water, well...just about!

So, on the in-between release months the Design Team & I take a look back at a previously released product, dust it off and give it some love.

This month I couldn't decide on just one stamp set to take a look back at, so I chose 3 instead ;) This month we are looking at the previously released All Occasion Sentiments #6, Flower Power #3 and Natures Treasures II clear stamp sets...

Another reason why I have chosen 3 sets to revisit is also to show how Uniko clear stamps can be mixed and matched. 

I'm still playing catch up post show at Port Sunlight, THANK YOU to everyone who came by to say 'Hi' and shop too :) it was lovely to meet so many faces. Also a BIG thank you to Sarah P and Lindsey from the Uniko DT and my friend Claire who came to help on the stand, I wouldn't have managed with out you all. Fingers crossed Uniko get offered a stand at the October show!

Anyway, as usual I like to show a couple of older favourite creations using these sets, this month I have added in a couple of past DT and Uniko customer creations . More examples can be found HERE over on Pinterest.

Card By Amber 

Card By Anita 

That's all from me (in a fashion) for now, I aim to share some new creations this evening. But how about some more inspiration using these sets from the FABulous DT...

CLICK HERE to see more from Deborah

CLICK HERE to see more from Jane

CLICK HERE to see more from Lindsey

CLICK HERE to see more from Nicki

CLICK HERE to see more from Sarah P

It wouldn't be a blog hop without a GIVEAWAY right? 

Simply comment along the hop to be in the chance of winning these 3 featured sets.  Or if you win and already own the sets an eGift certificate for £15 will be awarded. You have until midnight Wednesday 18th May 2016 to comment and the winner will be announced on Thursday 19th May 2016.

Thank you for stopping & hopping along with us today :)

CAS Colours & Sketches #156

Hey!

I'm back this afternoon with my card & post for CAS Colours & Sketches, this week is sketch week & this super CAS sketch had me stumped for a while as can you believe it, I dot actually own anything that punches or die cuts an oval?!

I then had an 'Ah Ha' moment, I remembered getting some speech bubble wood veneers and I have used that on my card...

You can see this weeks sketch & challenge HERE and below...

Using the wood veneer speech bubble kinda determined my colour choice for my card, kraft, red and white, a classic colour combination. 

The sentiment I have chosen is from All Occasion Sentiments #6, the flower is Flower Power #2 and the leaves are from Flower Power #6. After stamping and fussy cutting my flower and leaves, which incidentally hides the speech bubble tail I was able to stamp the sentiment. After adhering it all to my card, I added a trio of white enamel dots from SU! to finish it all off. 

Ok, that's all from me just now, but be sure to head on over to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog HERE to see the Design Team's fabulous samples & I hope to see you in the gallery! 

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Introducing... All Occasion Sentiments #6

Hey!

Yay! Now the real fun begins as today the DT and I get to introduce the first product being released on September 19th :)

Here is the sneak peek I shared earlier in case you missed it...

So the title of this set kinda gives it away really and you have an idea what's in store, more larger sized sentiments that will take pride of place on your cards and projects.

How about a card to show you a little of what this set has in store & a BIG peek at another set being released!

Like all the All Occasion Sentiment sets, the sentiments are large enough to take centre stage on your cards / creations but also leave scope for added detail. Even though here in the UK we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I went with an Autumnal colour scheme as there are quite a few challenges with this theme. Like the current challenge at AAA Cards HERE and as you can see below the colours are Autumn.

I started by stamping the large THANKS in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and flat coloured the letters in a selection of Copics. I then added some leaf detail to the panel using another set being introduced this week! 

I used the current (soon to be ending) CAS - Colours & Sketches sketch seen HERE and below for the layout of my card.

Like all crafters / stampers / card makers etc, I like to get the most out of my existing supplies, so when I designed the leaf stamps I designed them so they would work with a lot of previously released sets, as you will see later in the week. On this card I have used the smallest leaf from Flower Power #6 stamped in Memento Luxe Morocco ink. 

Now I know the DT have some FABulous projects to share with you so be sure to hop along to their blogs and leave some love...

CLICK HERE to see more from Deborah

CLICK HERE to see more from Jane

CLICK HERE to see more from Nicki

CLICK HERE to see more from Sarah G

CLICK HERE to see more from Sarah P

Release Schedule:

Sneak Peeks 14th & 15th Sept. These little teasers give you hints at what is in store!

Introducing... 16th - 18th Sept. Here you'll get to see the soon to be released products in action. The design team will be joining in on the introductions and you won't want to miss a second!

Release Day! Saturday 19th Sept you will get to see all the products in their entirety and purchase them HERE on the website! As tradition holds there will be  a Design Team Blog Hop with a chance for a lucky person to win the ENTIRE release & a little extra! 

Now, you won't want to miss out on any of the fun from the 14th-19th September as I will be drawing totally random winners for mystery prizes. I'm not giving any hints as to the prizes or their value, you'll just have to join in on the fun!

Places to join in on the fun & possibly win a prize are by commenting along the way on the Uniko Blog, Design Team Blogs, liking the Uniko Facebook Page, following on Twitter and Pinterest! 

Hope to see you tomorrow for more & thank you for stopping by today :)

Surprise Sweetie!

Hey & Happy Weekend!

I was hoping to have popped in before today, but I was hit with a head cold on Thursday night and I'm only just about recovered. The beans have been a little snotty and under the weather too, so it's been a bit blugh here!

Anyway, back to business, I was SUPER surprised and beyond HAPPY when I received an email from Nina from Designs By Nina D, inviting me to be a Surprise Sweetie over at the {Cupcake Inspirations} challenge. Of course I jumped at the chance, all be it a little nervous to do so to join in with the FABulous DT.

This weeks Challenge #327 HERE is a theme challenge & the theme is LACE. 

This theme scared me a little as it is so girly and pretty, something I seem to struggle with! This is what I created based on the inspiration above...

I used a Papertrey Ink Decorative Doily Die as my 'lace' and as I still had the Flower Power #6 clear stamps on my desk they were inked up again with Pretty Petunia and Spring Pansy VersaMagic. I then fussy cut them out to decorate the side of the lace doily. The leaves are stamped in Aloe Vera VersaMagic. 

I couldn't resist using a little bit of NBUS on my card ;) 'The You Make Me Smile' sentiment is from the upcoming Uniko Release next week! I stamped the 'You Make Me' directly onto the the doily and the 'Smile' is stamped and fussy cut out. 

There is still time to join in on Darnell's NBUS Challenge #5 HERE and don't forget Uniko is sponsoring the challenge and you still have time to comment on my post HERE to be in the chance of winning a stamp set from the upcoming Uniko Release.

Anyway, be sure to stop by the {Cupcake Inspirations} Challenge HERE to join in and also check out the amazing DT creations. 

I look forward to seeing what you come up with :) I hope you will stop by the blog tomorrow as I will be sharing a Sneak Peek for the September Release ;)

Until then, thank you for stopping by today.

Holes are trendy?

Hey!

Happy Wednesday! Happy half way to the weekend - whoop! 

Today, we're trending on the blog. Would you believe holes on your paper crafts are trendy?! Yep, good old paper piercing is back, so grab your sharp pokey tool and mat and get piercing! 

DT member Amber got me noticing this trend more when she did her February Release post HERE. It also just so happens that it is the current challenge over on Less Is More HERE, so I had to have a lil go myself and created this lil card...

It's those BRIGHT Butterflies again! Haha! I started out by using Ambers technique of paper piercing round a Sizzix Framelits Flower Die, I then stamped and fussy cut out the butterfly (SO can't wait for those dies to arrive!) I then popped it up using foam adhesive and stamped the sentiment and butterfly trail.

That's all from me today, kinda short & sweet! I'm out of the studio today doing some market research in York and also visiting my friend from Uni and while I am there I thought I'd pop into a few wedding dress shops to look at some dresses and book some fittings, time is ticking towards the BIG day and I haven't sorted my dress!!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hugs

Supplies:

Card Stock: PTI Berry Sorbet

Ink: PTI Hawaiian Shores, VersaFine Onyx Black

Stamps: Uniko Studio BRIGHT Butterflies, FONTiments - Birthday

Accessories: Piercing Tool, Foam Adhesive & Rhinestone