Happy Mother's Day

Hello!

It's Lindsey here with some DT inspiration for you on Mother's Day.

A bright cheery card for you using the Flower Power set and co-ordinating dies.

You can see them all in the Uniko shop HERE. 

The flower I've used is from set #1; the first to be released and still my favourite!

There are 8 different stamp sets in the range - which one is your fave?

The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that the flower stem isn't from set #1.

That's the beauty of the sets - they are all interchangeable!

So you've got oodles of possible combinations to play with.

Off to enjoy a roast dinner now with my Mom.

For those of you in the UK, I hope you're enjoying Mother's Day!

Uniko Challenge #52 Reminder - Spring, optional twist Easter

Hey!

The Design Team and our Guest Designer are here today to remind you about the March/April 2019 Uniko challenge.

We have a very seasonal theme at the moment - Spring with the optional twist of Easter.

Challenge Guidelines:

* You can use any products/stamps to enter the challenge, but we do LOVE to see you use your Uniko products. Plus, there is an extra chance to win a prize if you do ;)

* Email entries welcome, just email a photo of your card to bev@uniko.co.uk and I will add it to the Uniko Flickr gallery and link up!

* Share the challenge graphic in your post and link back to the challenge if possible ;)

We have the very talented Monika joining us again as our Guest Designer for this challenge and she has made the most gorgeous card using the Uniko daffodil stamp. Definitely a sign of Spring!

And of course the Uniko DT have also been busy creating some Spring cards to encourage you to play along.

Jane
 

Lindsey

Rahmat
 

Sarah G

Sarah P
 

Wiebke
 

Now, if you need more incentive to play along with the challenge here are the details of the prizes.  

THE PRIZES

• Main Winner Chosen By the DT - £25 eGift Certificate
• Random Twist Winner - £5 In Stock Clear Stamp Set of Winners Choosing
• Random Uniko Stamps Winner - £5 In Stock Clear Stamp Set of Winners Choosing
• Top 3 Chosen By DT - 150 Loyalty Reward Points

You've got plenty of time to play along with this month's challenge. The deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) on Friday 19th April 2019 (7.00pm EDT).

DT Inspiration - Mad about Happy!

Hello there friends it's Sarah P here with a little DT Inspiration post.

Since the last release from Uniko I've been 'slightly' obsessed with the Happy die that coordinates with the BIG & BOLD 'Happy' stamp set. Here's a few of my examples using it and hope you like my creations

As ever I can't resist a blended rainbow, using Distress Oxides ...

... and from bold and vibrant to cool and subtle also adding some additional sets here; Passiflora (stamps and dies) and Large Background Block: Scattered Polka Hearts

... last up I actually made a set of 6 of these in various colours. Here's 2 of my favourites and I've teamed the 'happy' die with Background Block Doodle Flower which is heat embossed in white on coloured cardstock.

I hope you like my creations and thanks for calling by the blog today!

Stencil Ghosting

Hello!

It is Sarah G on the Uniko blog today sharing a few cards that I have made with the ghosting technique.  It is very simple but a lovely way to add subtle layers to your design.

I blended Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet distress oxides on to a piece of cardstock before placing Uniko's lattice stencil over the top and removing some of the colour with a wet wipe.  This creates a faded look.  I added some water splatters to create a mottled look.  I then went back in with Chipped Sapphire to add slightly darker elements.

I then stamped the dandelions from Make a Wish in black ink and white embossed the sentiment.  Finally I added some white splatters to the design.

On my second card I used Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss and Peeled Paint Distress Oxides with the In to the Forest stencil using the same technique.

This technique works well with lots of stencil designs and is a good way of creating layers whilst keeping the design flat.

Thanks for stopping by,

Sarah x

March 2019 Non Release Design Team Blog Hop WINNER!!

Hey!

Just a quick post from me this evening to announce the WINNER of the March 2019 Non Release Design Team Blog Hop!

I used random.org to help me...

And the lucky comment winner is...

Kirsty Vittetoe9 March 2019 at 22:57

Great cards - the colors and designs are so inspirational!

Congratulations Kirsty! Please email me at bev@uniko.co.uk along with your postal address and I will get your prize on its way to you!

Thank you so much to everyone who commented and hopped along with myself and the design team, we really appreciate your lovely comments. 

Thank you also for being patient with me in announcing the winner, I have been poorly (again) with a horrible cold and sinusitis (The Beans are so generous in sharing their germs - lol!) and today I had a Bean free day to catch up on all my work! 

Hugs

DT Inspiration ...... Spring is in the air, finally

Happy Wednesday .....

Good morning ...... it's the first day of Spring!
It's Linda here, with a little bit of inspiration for you, using one of my favourite Uniko clear stamp sets ..... Natures Treasures II, along with the co-ordinating stencil.  The smaller of the leaves on the stencil fit perfectly with the two leaf sprays from the stamp set.  Great for adding extra detail ..... use the stamps just with coloured inks to add shading to your stenciled leaves, or try heat embossing over them as I've done on my card below .......

The idea for this was inspired by the very talented Kristina Werner who did a blog post recently about using Distress Oxides and Distress Inks together ....... this lady works wonders with the Distress range and has some great videos.  If you get the chance check them out.
Anyway ...... I loved the design of her finished card so here's my version. 

I started out by inking a piece of smooth watercolour card using various colours of Distress Oxides and the smooshing technique ....... swiping ink directly onto a craft mat, spritzing with water and then smooshing the card through the ink to pick up the colour .... easy. 
I started with a yellow (Scattered Straw), then added a couple of green shades (Shabby Shutters/Mowed Lawn), and finished with a touch of Squeezed Lemonade ...... perfect colours for Spring!
I added one colour at a time, and dried the card in between so that the inks layered rather than mixed together.

I die cut a circle from the coloured card and then used the stencil to add the leaf design using Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide ink

Once the ink was dry, I used the Natures Treasures II stamps to add the extra detail to the leaves ......

Versamark ink and white embossing powder.

I stamped the sentiment onto a piece of vellum and heat embossed that in white ....

To attach it to the die cut circle I ran the vellum through a Xyron machine (now there's something I haven't used in a long time!!!)  This is a great way to attach vellum .... it applies a fine layer of adhesive to the back, and because it's all over it doesn't show through ..... clever eh!

To finish the card I added a few sparkly gems .....

And stamped anogther sentiment on the bottom .....

All the sentiments are from Uniko's Birthday Wishes ...... a great set to have in your collection. 
The fonts look fab, and all the sentiments work together, on the front of your cards or ..... on the inside too!

Thanks for popping by ....... have a great day.

Cheerio until next time ....

Uniko Studio DT Showcase...So Kind of You

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Carol here once again, with a Uniko Studio DT showcase, where I bring out a few of my Uniko Studio products to give them some extra love! This time, my card was inspired by ultra-talented Kay Miller, with here oh so pretty card here.  Given her's was for a 'case' challenge, I've decided to do precisely that, using some oldies mixed with newbies stamps and dies!

My 'imitation is the greatest form of flattery' creation uses: Flower Power 1, Flower Power 3, Flower Power 8 (sentiment) and Passiflora stamps and dies.

*Casing*...I LOVE it...especially as doing so inspires me to look at my collection with fresh eyes! 

Wishing you a most wonderful week!

Uniko Challenge #52 - Spring, optional twist Easter

Hey! 

Welcome to the March/April 2019 Uniko Challenge. 

Well the days are getting longer here in the UK and we look forward to warmer weather and more sunshine so our theme for this new challenge reflects that. We'd like your cards to be themed around Spring and if you celebrate Easter why not add our twist to your creations?

 

We have the very talented Monika from Tinker Cards joining us as our Guest Designer for this challenge. Her card is just amazing, so fresh and clean and beautiful!

Awesome isn't it? Be sure to go visit her blog and tell her!

The Uniko DT have also made cards to inspire you to join in and play along.

Bev

Carol

Izzy 

Jane


Linda

Rahmat

Are you ready to play?

Well, just in case you need some more incentive to play along with the challenge here are the details of the prizes.

  

THE PRIZES

• Main Winner Chosen By the DT - £25 eGift Certificate
• Random Twist Winner - £5 In Stock Clear Stamp Set of Winners Choosing
• Random Uniko Stamps Winner - £5 In Stock Clear Stamp Set of Winners Choosing
• Top 3 Chosen By DT - 150 Loyalty Reward Points

You've got plenty of time to play along with this challenge. 
The deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) on Friday 19th April 2019 (7.00pm EDT).

Hugs,

DT Inspiration - Stencils and patterned papers

Hello, Wiebke here with a brand new stencil-project for you!

 

Like most of us, I have kind of a "comfort zone" when I create my cards. I use similar materials - most of the time I'm crafting with stamps and stencils, inks and markers and some embellishments.
And sometimes I almost forget there are also other ways to craft...!

A while ago, I recieved a card, made with a mix of patterned papers combined with punched elements, embossing paste, stamping and sewing! Not my own usual style of crafting - but so beautiful! 

So this other card inspired me for my current card!
I tried this new-to-me technique mix and show you the result!

 

I grabbed some patterned papers, cut them in pieces, adhered them onto a thin paper and went to my sewing machine to sew them all together with two different stitching-lines.
The next step was to add three different embossing pastes on the paper. One is an opaque white glossy paste, one a less opaque matte white paste and one a mix of a golden colour and the matte paste. 

I moved both stencils - the Party Confetti Stencil and the Bright Butterflies Stencil - around to get exact the shapes I planned on the different areas. I wanted many of the small hearts! 💕
So it was important to let one paste dry before moving the stencil and start adding the next one to avoid smearing them around!

In the center I kept a free area to add the sentiment "You are Amazing" of the new You are, yes you Stamp Set with white embossing powder (fitting to the glossy white paste).

After everything was finished, I cut the layer down to my card size and adhered it with a strong adhesive tape.
Cause there are so many different materials which give enough interest, I think it's not necessary to add some extra embellishments to a card like this one.

The full list of all supplies you can see on my Blog.

Hope you can give some "new-to-you" techniques a try one day too.
Thanks for stopping by today, have a great day and lots of fun with all your art supplies!

Kind greetings from Wiebke

Watercoloring on Photo Paper - DT Rahmat

Hello friends, Rahmat here.

I am up with an inspiration, which was actually an experiment for me, but it was a great success, so thought of sharing with you guys here. I have another card and a video on this technique on my blog, so feel free to hop over there to see it.

Below are the inks I had used for stamping and watercoloring the rose and the leaves.  The colors are quite permanent. From my experiment you don't need to seal the paper.

The photo paper I have used is of high quality and bit pricey from Canon. I am not sure how well the technique will be on other photo papers.

The colors dry up in minutes, and if there is any excess water on the paper it floats on the top as clear water, you can wipe it with a dry tissue, the colors wont come off at all.

Do watch my full video on this technique to see everything I am saying to see in action.

Here is the link  to the YouTube video for this technique :
 https://youtu.be/_-wG5Mlm8Yw

I had finished the card with the sentiment from the recently released set - birthday wishes. I also added a few leaf like jewels.

These pictures below shows the beautiful gloss from the photo paper.

I hope you like my inspiration, do let me know in the comments, if you are going to plan the technique.

         Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!