BA Inspiration - Mid Century Modern Baubles

Hi all, 

Steph here and this month I wanted to do a Christmas Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration post as even if you aren't Christmas crafting yet, you can always look back on these posts for some inspiration. I focused on the Uniko Mid Century Modern Baubles stamp set as I had so much fun playing with it for the Jul/Aug release and I liked the way some of the other BA's concentrated the smaller stamps.

First I went with a traditional bauble design but gave it a twist by using other Uniko stamp sets to 'decorate' my baubles. The yellow bauble uses Uniko Background Builders: Christmas 2018 to create the scandi pattern. The teal bauble uses Uniko Background Blocks Scandinavian Christmas to create the gorgeous Christmas pattern. The navy bauble uses Uniko Pattern Building Christmas Tree set to create the striped pattern and the sentiment is from the Uniko Christmas Sentiments set. 

For my next card I went with a similar colour set but used the smaller stamps from the set and a nifty tool called a Rotate Mate. This time I used the sentiments from the same set too.

My final card uses a different colour set and as I was adhering the Christmas sentiment I realised this could easily be a birthday card also. This card uses the one bauble to create a mandala or flower effect. I used orange, red and maroon to stamp the baubles.

That's it from me today but I hope you found something to inspire you to break out the Christmas stash! 

Much love

Steph x

Festive Friday - Winter Foliage

 Happy FriYAY! 

I think I am more ready for the weekend than The Beans - haha! It's been a long week getting used to an early start routine again and I didn't think them starting 10 mins earlier would make much of a difference. How wrong I was on that front! 

I shouldn't complain too much as I get a peaceful night off as they go to swimming lessons and then stay over with the grandparents till tomorrow. That means more crafty time for me - woohoo! 

I did however find some time earlier to make a little teeny tiny dent in my Christmas cards crafting and made a couple using my favourite Winter Foliage and sentiments from Christmas Wishes.

First up is this simple holly wreath I have created using the holly leaves from Winter Foliage. This clear stamp set does have Designer Dies to match, that hopefully will be back in stock soon. But today I quite enjoyed sitting and fussy cutting them out. 

I drew round a circle die so I could stamp and place the leaves in a fairly nice circle. I then stamped the sentiment from Christmas Wishes which is quite apt for this design.

My second card today I used all of the stamps from Winter Foliage to create another CAS design. Which had less fussy cutting and was a fairly quick card to put together. 

I rarely make the same card twice, but just in case I run out of time making different Christmas cards or loose the mojo, I have a design or two I can turn to and whip up a few. What about you, do you create batches of all the same designs or are all your Christmas cards different?

It's been a muggy, thundery, rainy day here in the North East, so not quite the Christmas card making weather, but I still had fun anyway!

Crafty Hugs

 

Countdown to Christmas Day 20 - Stencil Sunday

 Happy Sunday! 

Today was a much more relaxed day for me, it has been nice to go at a slower pace and enjoy some time with The Beans and my husband. 

I spent some time outside in the garage while The Beans had a play on their bikes. Our garage is a multi-function area. It is your usual storage of tools and bikes, but we have made it our home gym too. We have a treadmill, a cross-trainer and my husband has a weights bench in there and his pride and joy a full size pool (billiard) table!

Anyway, back at the end of Summer I spent an afternoon sorting and tidying a lovely workout area for my to do my home fitness programmes in and planned on getting some gym flooring to make it a little nicer and more appealing to do the floor work! 

Then my husbands boss passed away and my husband had the job of emptying (and storing) the works unit and it took up all the lovely space I had made. So today we spent time clearing and moving stuff into the loft area so that the flooring I have ordered has a space to be put down and a new piece of equipment mounted on the wall. 

As much as I find it easy to workout indoors, it is home fitness after all and I literally fall out of bed at 5:30, do a 5 min affirmation a bit of reading and then do my workout at 6am with an awesome group of ladies via zoom (my accountability / team), I keep the TV volume down and don't play music as to not to wake anyone! 

It's going to be pretty cold in the garage at 6am, but I am looking forward to being able to have the volume up a little, listen to music and not worry about waking anyone up! I am sure I will soon warm up as I do my workout.

As you might be able to tell and if you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed my sister account and how BIG a part of my life investing in my health & fitness has become. Not only have I seen a difference physically, it has helped me especially with my mental and emotional health post lockdown 1 and during lockdown 2. I'd hit a big time low in lockdown, being on furlough, not having time or being able to do Uniko, home schooling and all the rest took its toll on me and this came and has been my outlet of frustration which has led to enjoyment too!

Anyway, enough of my rambling, I didn't intend on 'sharing' so much! I even found some creative time this morning and it was lovely to find enjoyment in joining in on a challenge, something I haven't done for a while...

My card layout is from the current CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge HERE and seen below. It's been a while since I was inspired and had the time to look through some of my favourite challenge blogs. 

I decided to ink up the Christmas Folk Snowflake as I don't feel I have given it much love this festive season! 

It's another stencil that I am drawn to inking with red! And is it just me that uses WAY much more ribbon when making Christmas cards than any other time of year?! 

Another super simple & quick Christmas make from me today & I think I am almost done with Christmas cards, yay! I am just doing neighbour & local friends cards that I will deliver one evening this week. 

Okay, I best go and get these Beans to sleep! Their bedtime during the holidays gets later and later and this mummy is up early! 

I'll be back tomorrow with more to share. Until then, thank you for stopping by today.

Crafty Hugs Bev x

Countdown to Christmas Day 3 - Christmas Wishes

 Happy Thursday!

Welcome to Day 3 of Uniko's Countdown to Christmas! 

Today I am sharing some Christmas Wishes, with a little Throwback Thursday spin for good measure...

I love a good sentiment and I love a good font, mix them together and you have another sentiment stamp set to add to the collection! I think sentiment stamp sets are one thing you can't have too many of, that's probably why I keep designing them ;)

Anyway, this first card layout is a throwback favourite to when Background Builders: Christmas first came out in 2013! You can check the original card by Amy Wanford (Aimes) out HERE.

As you can see I have used the same holly stamp & style of ribbon but paired them with the 'Season's Greetings' sentiment from the NEW Christmas Wishes clear stamp set. This is definitely a last minute 'go to' design when I know I'll need more Christmas cards!

This lead me onto my second card for today...

Another throwback layout to 2013, with THIS card I made. I think I have used this card for other occasions too?! It's a lovely CAS layout for using background building stamps.

A super CAS design, fairly easily mass produceable and mailing friendly too. I opted to not add glitter to the outline holly leaves on this occasion, but it would be a lovely sparkly embellishment idea for next time!

That's all my Christmas Wishes for today, I hope I have given you some creative Christmas sentiment inspiration. This stamp set has been super popular this release (thank you), there are less than a handful left on the website, so be quick if it's on your Christmas Wishes list! 

Tomorrow is our Uniko Challenge #62 Reminder, I will be combining the Countdown to Christmas post with my challenge reminder card on the blog tomorrow.

OH, and before I go... Did you see yesterdays post, WIN IT WEDNESDAY?! You might just want to check it out HERE.

Until tomorrow, thank you for stopping by today! 

Crafty Hugs Bev x

CAS Colours & Sketches #296 - The Double!

* CLICK HERE for the Uniko October Reveal, DT Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY post *

Hey!

This week over at CAS Colour & Sketches is Timeless Tuesday, AKA The Double! It is a multiple hostess for October and Karen and Patricia came up with this sketch and colour combo seen HERE and below, to inspire your card making...

And this is how I have combined the two...

Still trying to get a stash of Christmas cards made, I opted to use Winter Foliage. This is one of my 'go to' clear stamp sets for Holiday and Winter themed cards. The Gumball Green and Raspberry Ripple colours seemed appropriate for the foliage and berries too. 

I then just needed to incorporate the Midnight Muse into my design and did this by using it as my focal panel mat. I added some plain white bakers twine and a sentiment from Simply Said II.

Anyway, the CC&S Design Team have created more awesome inspiration to share with you, so hop on over HERE to see and also find all the challenge details & link up!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #195

Hey!

It's a new month over at CAS Colours & Sketches and we have a new hostess Liz. Liz has some fabulous challenges for us too, didn't you enjoy those bright and cheery colours last week? This week Liz has come up with this lovely sketch HERE and seen below for you to try...

I had SO many ideas and SO many stamp set choices when I saw the sketch, that it was hard making my choice! I decided to give the NEW Uniko Winter Foliage clear stamp set some more inky love this week...

I've also had the SU! Designer Series Paper for a few weeks and it's been calling my name to be used instead of admired and stroked ;) So, I decided to use one of the gold foiled papers for the panel in the sketch.

The sentiment is from the NEW Uniko Simply Said II clear stamp set and after I had assembled my card I added some clear Wink Of Stella to the holly and berries.

Ok, that's all from me for now, I hope I have inspired you to give these colours a go and join in on the challenge this week. Be sure to stop on over HERE and check out what the rest of the CAS Colours & Sketches DT have done using the colours and I hope to see you in the gallery.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:

Stamps: Uniko Winter Foliage & Simply Said II

Ink: SU! Real Red and Old Olive. VersaFine Onyx Black

Card Stock: SU! Whisper White

Accessories: Foam Adhesive, Wink Of Stella

SaveSave

Uniko Sponsors TIME OUT Challenges!

Hey!

I'm only a week late to let you know that Uniko is sponsoring the current challenge over HERE at TIME OUT Challenges! It's a two week challenge, so you still have time to enter it ;)

This fortnight the challenge is a theme challenge and the theme is...

HOLIDAYS

with an optional twist of no stamping

(stamped sentiments allowed)

If you choose to 'twist' with the team over at TIME OUT you have the chance of winning a £15 eGift Certificate to spend over at the Uniko store HERE.

I've been seeing A LOT of Christmas cards around blog land and thought it was high time I got a wriggle on and made an effort to get into the Christmas spirit ;) Here's my attempt...

I decided to dust off Pure Florals: Poinsettia and do some partial stamping and cutting to create a focal panel across the bottom edge of the card. I decided to keep the stamping black, keeping the colour for the base card and gold berries.

I did add a little holiday sparkle with some clear Wink Of Stella over the whole poinsettia. I just couldn't resist! The panel is mounted to the card base using foam adhesive.

Be sure to check out all the TIME OUT Challenges Design Team inspiration HERE and HERE. I hope to see you in the gallery too ;)

I'll be back later with more to share, I have a flurry of posts today! Until then, thank you for stopping by :)

Supplies:

Uniko Clear Stamps: Pure Florals: Poinsettia

Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black

Card Stock: SU! Real Red & Whisper White

Accessories: Wink Of Stella and Foam Adhesive

Uniko Sponsors Crafthazelnut's Christmas Challenge!

Hey!

Apologies for it being so quiet around here this week, it's been a busy one here at Uniko HQ with restocks arriving, new packaging, lovely orders ;) busy mummy duties and lastly a leaky emergency in the house which took up most of my bean free afternoon on Thursday :( 

Anyway, enough chit chat! I'm here today to let you know that Uniko is proudly sponsoring Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge HERE.

This week it's an easy 'Anything Goes' Challenge but don't forget it needs to be Christmas!

As a prize for one lucky winner for joining in on the challenge Uniko is offering an unstuck stamp set of the winners choice from the Uniko website HERE. We have our February Release just around the corner too ;)

As I haven't been very creative this week, I made some time to sit and create. Oh and play with the February Release which has been waiting patiently for me. No spoilers here today I'm afraid, but if you keep an eye out on Instagram and Facebook this weekend you might spot a couple ;)

This is what I came up with for the challenge...

With hardly any creative time this week I had challenge withdrawal symptoms, so when I saw the new CAS(E) this Sketch! layout seen HERE and below, I knew I had to find the 'right' stamps to work with it. 

First I chose the sentiment from Simply Said Christmas, then the 4 step stamp poinsettia and the fern from Jingle Bells.

I started by stamping one of the poinsettias directly onto my card base and then stamped 2 more onto scraps of card to fussy cut out. I stamped the sentiment and then decided on the placement of the fussy cut poinsettias before stamping the ferns. Apart from the gold pearls it's a mail friendly Christmas card to start off 2016's Christmas card stash! 

Ok, that's all from me today, I hope you find some creative time this weekend and I look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery over HERE at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge. Until the next time, thanks for stopping by today.

Uniko Sponsors CASology!

* CLICK HERE for my first post today & CAS Colours & Sketches reminder *

Hey!

I am back again today to let you know that Uniko is proud to be sponsoring the new challenge over at CASology this week HERE - YAY!

This week at CASology the challenge cue word is...

And this is how I was inspired by the cue word...

I decided to use a 'pretty' Christmas flower on my card, the 4 step stamping poinsettia along with the holly & ribbon motif from the newly released Jingle Bells clear stamp set. I added some 'pretty' gold glitter to my ribbon tails for the added Christmas sparkle! 

I used the SU! Grunge Grid again for my BG, stamping it in VersaMagic Pixie Dust first onto my white CS layer, I then stamped the holly ribbon image in Tea Leaves VersaMagic, but then went over the ribbon lines with a black fine liner as I wanted them to show through the glitter and define them. 

The poinsettia is stamped with all 4 layers & fussy cut out, I will be sharing a little tutorial later in the week as to how I stamp the poinsettia & the order I stamp the layers. The sentiment is from Simply Said Christmas, the Stamp Of The Week this week HERE. I have masked the sentiment before stamping it as a cluster rather than the straight line stamp it comes as.

Again I used the CAS(E) this Sketch! layout seen HERE and below for my card, it is such a fun sketch ;)

Anyway, be sure to check out the CASology Challenge HERE & join in, there is a £15 eGift Certificate to spend in store over HERE at Uniko.

Ok, that is all from me today on this blog, I will be back tomorrow with more to share & over on the website blog later with another card using the Stamp Of The Week, Simply Said Christmas. Until next time, thank you for stopping by today.

More Modern Poinsettias!

Hey!

I'm back today with another card to share which I made on World Card Making Day & during my demo at The Paperlane...

On this card I have combined the solid flower from Flower Power #1 with a round label from Label Love: Thank you, which was heat embossed to help it stand out on the Kraft card stock. The Natures Treasures 1 leaves appear again to accompany the flowers & a sentiment from Label Love: Christmas. 

I'm really enjoying using the flower to create a clean & modern Poinsettia, can you tell? 

Another fairly mass produceable Christmas card, if you like a bit of fussy cutting! I've still a couple of cards to share from WCMD, but I will save them for another time. 

Short & sweet from me today, but I will be back tomorrow with more to share, until then thank you for stopping by today :)

Supplies

Card Stock: White from stash. SU! Crumb Cake & Poppy Parade

Ink: SU! Real Red, Old Olive & Lucky Limeade. Versamark & Versafine Onyx Black

Stamps: Uniko Studio Flower Power #1, Natures Treasures 1, Label Love: Christmas & Label Love: Thank you

Accessories: Cosmic Shimmer True White EP

Poinsettias & Floating Windows

Hey, Happy Monday!

It's a lovely Autumn day here in the North East of England :) Today I thought I'd share a couple more cards from the class at The Paperlane on World Card Making Day (Saturday)...

This first is a floating window card, where the aperture window has some acetate sandwiched in between, to give the look that the poinsettia & leaves appear to be floating! I didn't want them to be floating randomly so made the design flow diagonally across the card.

Keeping in with the theme of poinsettias, my next card uses Pure Florals: Poinsettia, well a section of the large poinsettia from the set...

A non traditional colour scheme mixed with the traditional flower seen at Christmas. To make the poinsettias pop, I stamped them in white pigment ink on the red CS and heat embossed them with some True White Cosmic Shimmer EP.

That's all from me today, I've a few more cards from the day which I will be sharing later in the week, but I will be back tomorrow with something freshly stamped to share.

Until then, thank you for stopping by & have a lovely day :)

Season's Greetings!

Hey!

I love many things about the Holiday season and one of them is catching up & getting in touch with friends that you don't see everyday. This week is one of those weeks where I have plans to meet up with friends nearly everyday. Today, I'm meeting up with a couple of good friends I used to work with at the hospital, I'm looking forward to a lovely chit chat & catch up.

So with seasonal greetings on the agenda how about this appropriate card...

I used the current Less is More challenge HERE of using Red & Green for my card, a lovely traditional colour scheme for holiday cards! I kept the colours & patterns to a minimum - it is 'Less is More' after all! I combined Uniko Studio Wonderful Washi, Wonderful Washi: Christmas & Label Love: Christmas on this card and I'm super pleased with how it's turned out.

That's all I have to share with you today, but I will be back again tomorrow with more to share. Until then thank you for stopping by.

Hugs

Supplies:

Card Stock: WPlus9 White

Ink: SU! Real Red & Old Olive. VersaFine Onyx Black

Stamps: Uniko Studio Wonderful Washi, Wonderful Washi: Christmas & Label Love: Christmas

Accessories: Hero Arts Prisma Glitter, Foam Adhesive.