Introducing... Background Blocks Falling Snowflakes

YAY!

I'm SO happy that you have stopped by today, as here at Uniko preparations for the October 2017 product release are well underway. We have had all the sneak peeks and we are now onto day 3 of the product introductions. You can catch up HERE and HERE with day 1 and 2.

Today the Design Team and I are introducing the next stamp in the Background Blocks series, called Falling  Snowflakes.

How about a little festive scene to show off these falling snowflakes...

I love white embossing on kraft card and it seemed the perfect opportunity when I was putting this little scene together. I've combined a couple of previously released Uniko clear stamp sets on this card. Firstly the tree and little bird is from Rustic Christmas and the sentiment is from Most Wonderful. 

That's all from me here, but be sure to hop along all the Design Team blogs and leave a comment along the way, as you never know you might just win a random prize! I know for sure that you won't be disappointed the Design Team have created a bountiful wealth of inspiration :)

CLICK HERE to see more from Beverley

CLICK HERE to see more from Izzy

CLICK HERE to see more from Jane

CLICK HERE to see more from Lindsey

CLICK HERE to see more from Rahmat

CLICK HERE to see more from Sarah P

I do hope you have enjoyed the hop and seeing the possibilities this clear stamp set has? This set along with the four others we are introducing this week will be available HERE for you to purchase on Monday 16th October at 9am GMT.

Release Schedule...

Sneak Peeks 7th - 10th October, these little teasers give you hints at what is in store!

Introducing 11th - 15th October, here you will see a closer look at the products being released with a daily blog hop with the Uniko DT.

Release Day! Monday 16th October 9am BST you will get to see the products in their entirety and purchase them HERE on the website! As usual there will be a Design Team Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY!

Thank you for stopping by today and I'd LOVE to hear your initial thoughts on this new clear stamp :)

Hugs

Uniko Sponsors Less is More & Guest Designer!

Hey & Happy Weekend!

Uniko is super happy to be sponsoring the challenges over at "Less is More" this month - YAY! I was also asked to join as a Guest Designer for todays challenge - double YAY!!

This is colour week and they would like to see Clean and Simple (CAS) Cards using ONE or More Primary Colours.

This is what I came up with...

I'm totally in Christmas mode now and it is full steam ahead on the Christmas Card making train! So I opted to mix a newly released Uniko Christmas sentiment from a clear stamp set called Most Wonderful and paired it with an older Uniko clear stamp set Stunning Snowflakes.

Who doesn't LOVE blue snowflakes?! If you are a regular follower of Uniko, you will already know that this is my favourite trio of snowflakes ;) I simply stamped them in Stampin' Up! retired Ballet Blue ink, added a little clear Wink of Stella and a rhinestone to each centre. 

Be sure to head on over to "Less is More" HERE for more inspiration from the LIM Design Team and link up you creations in the gallery. I hope to see you there ;)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hugs

SaveSave

Winner & a card...

Hey!

Happy Monday! I do hope your week has got off to a good start? Mine has been a little crazy today, with the beans running wild at playgroup and then leaving a whirlwind of destruction in the front room, as the weather has been too miserable to play outside. Apart from that it's been good!

Anyway, I'm here this evening to announce the winner of the Sept/Oct Release Blog Hop - YAY! Thank you SO much to everyone who hopped and commented along the way, they are all appreciated.

Random.org has helped me pick a lucky comment and that lucky commenter is...

Michelle1 October 2016 at 11:29

Wow! Beautiful cards! I especially love your monochromatic beauty!

Congratulations Michelle! Please send me an email to bev@uniko.co.uk along with your postal address no later than Monday 24th October and I will get your winning goodies on their way to you!

Before I go, how about a card...

I saw the new challenge over at AAA Cards seen HERE and below last night and I was inspired by the pinwheel and rainbow of bright colours. It reminded me of the large mandala from Marvellous Mehndi, so I began colouring it using my bright SU! markers. The colouring was quite time consuming, so it meant I didn't finish up the card till tonight. 

Too late to enter it into the Freshly Made Sketch gallery HERE, it was such a fun layout and so versatile, Oh well! 

I have been keeping up with my card a day challenge, but I can't share all the cards just yet, as they are for my last class at The Paperlane on Saturday. 

Yep, you've read it correctly, it'll be my last class. I have taken the tough decision to stop them, even though I love doing them to concentrate my time on other areas of Uniko and bring new exciting opportunities for a wider customer base. 

I'd like to thank everyone who has come to one of my classes over the 4 years of doing them, I have enjoyed showing you new techniques and ways to use your Uniko goodies, as well as getting to know you and call you my friends. I hope that you will all stay in touch and(fingers crossed) will enjoy what I have planned ;)

Ok, that's all from me today, I must get a wriggle on and get a bit more work done before my eyes say it's time to call it a night! 

Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:

Uniko Clear Stamps: Marvellous Mehndi and Simply Said II

Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black

Card: SU! Whisper White. Black from stash.

Accessories: SU! Markers, Mama Elephant Die and Foam Adhesive.

CAS Colours & Sketches - The Double!

Hey!

This is the last week in June and my final hostess week for this month over HERE at CAS Colours & Sketches. I will be back hosting again later in the year ;) I have really enjoyed hosting the challenges this month and popping by all those who have joined in each week.

Anyway, as this is week no.5 it is the dreaded double week! Though I have an easy one for you and it uses my FAVE colour combo of ALL time...

What do you think? Fun right...? This is how I went with the sketch and colours...

I amorally getting into the swing of these Clarity Stencil Brushes that I have been using HERE and HERE. I still need a lot of practice especially with this SU! stripe stencil.

I think I should have temporarily adhered in-between the stencil lines to keep them down better and for the ink and brush bristles not to sneak behind them! Practice makes perfect though :)

All the supplies are listed at the end of the post and as I have used stencilling again on my card I thought I would enter my card into the "Less is More" challenge HERE. 

Ok, that is all from me just now. I have so much I want to "squeeze" into a few bean free hours that I know time is just going to fly by! 

Be sure to hop on over HERE to see what the other CAS Colours & Sketches girls have made using this weeks challenge. I assure you that you won't be disappointed ;) Plus all the info on joining in on the challenge and link up can be found there too. I hope to see you in the gallery! 

S:upplies

Stamps: Uniko All Occasion Sentiments #3, Simply Said

Ink: Tim Holtz Mini Distress Inks, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers. VersaFine Onyx Black

Card Stock: SU! Whisper White

Accessories: Clarity Stencil Brushes, SU! Stripes Stencil and Wink Of Stella.

Colour Makes Me Happy!

Hey!

Happy Monday to you all, I do hope your week has got off to a good start?

My Monday has been the usual, playgroups and fun with the beans. Though they are currently playing up in their cots instead of going to sleep and they know mummy isn't happy and so are doing it all the more. Always happens when daddy out too, to watch the football, England are playing tonight and as it stands are currently loosing!

Anyway, you don't come by for the waffle, it certainly helps me to get things off my chest so thank you for putting up with it! How about a little colour creation...

Colour sure makes me happy and making this card tonight helped me keep calm (a little). I recently splurged on some new Clarity Stencils Brushes as I have heard and read so many great reviews and things about them. They are quite pricey at £20 for 4 brushes, but so far I am impressed with their ease of use and ink application.

I used a trio of Mini Distress Inks (listed below in supplies used) to create a ink blended panel, on which I then stamped and heat embossed the butterfly from English Country Garden - Butterflies. The background circle of distress polka dots was created using a die cut circle mask, Hero Arts ombre ink and a SU! stamp. 

The layout of my card was based on THIS challenge sketch by Freshly Made Sketches, which I am too late to link up to this week. 

As I have used a rainbow of colours I am linking my card up to Virgina's View Challenge HERE and inspiration seen below. I think this is my first time entering a challenge here even though I have wanted to in which seems like forever! 

That's all from me tonight, I have a few jobs in the studio to catch up on! I will be back again tomorrow (fingers crossed) and with this weeks Stamp Of The Week over HERE on the website blog. Until then, thank you so much for coming by today.

Supplies:

Stamps: Uniko English Country Garden Butterflies, Background Builders: Round In Circles and Simply Said

Ink: Tim Holtz Mini Distress Inks Mustard Seed, Peacock Feathers and Picked Raspberry. Hero Arts Ombre Ink Butter - Orange. VersaFine Onyx Black. VersaMark. SU! Going Grey.

Cardstock: SU! Thick Whisper White. 

Accessories: SU! It's My Party Candy Dots, Detail White Embossing Powder. Wink Of Stella

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 #163

Hey!

Welcome to another challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches, a new month and a new hostess. This month Jane is our hostess and she is kicking the month off with a FAB colour challenge...

I'm not a lover of greens, they scare me a little! So, I took the easier route and went with floral for my card...

I'm not quite back up to full on mojo crafting after being ill and the result isn't quite what I had planned but it is growing on me! 

I hadn't planned on a watercolour wash type background behind the flowers it just kinda happened after I wiped the excess ink from the embossed flower. My baby wipe was wetter than I thought and spread the colour from the flower, so I just went with it and swiped some more!

I've used the Cucumber Crush green in the stems and the sequins (not quite the same shade but as close as I have). and the Mint Macaron is layered behind the stamped panel. The sentiment is from the new Simply Said clear stamp set and the flowers are from Pure Florals: Cosmos.

That's all from me today, be sure to check out the challenge and DT samples HERE and I look forward to seeing you in the gallery.

Bunny in a Teacup!

Hey!

I'm back today with another bunny card and another one that I was planning on sharing during the release...

Yep, bunny in a teacup! Isn't he cute sat in there?

I paper pieced the tea cup from I LOVE Tea with a small left over of Papertrey Ink Bitty Dot DP in Aqua Mist. I then used my craft knife to make a slit for the fussy cut bunny to slide into. I kept bunny simple with just a little Copic marker to his ears, face & tummy. The sentiment is from the new Simply Said clear stamp set.

I'm having so much fun with Some Bunny that I have another card to share with you tomorrow using him and paring him with more previously released Uniko sets :)

Until then, thank you for stopping by today.
Hugs

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.