Summer Inspiration with Guest Designer Joanna Laverty

Hello, Happy Monday & Happy July! 

Here at Uniko we are not only kicking the month off with a new release landing in store this past weekend, (if you've not seen all the fun & newness check HERE and HERE). We are also starting it with an amazing Guest Brand Ambassador, please let me introduce and hand you over to Joanna Laverty.

My name is Jo, but also known as Have Faith In Cards, and I have been crafting for over 10 years now. What started out as a way to avoid buying a generic Birthday Card, has turned into such a beautiful journey of improving my creativity and trying out new styles and techniques. The crafty community is a beautiful community to be part of, and I have been inspired by so many crafters, and I hope that I have been able to inspire back.

For this first card, I used the Ink and Flip Geometric Butterfly stencil and the help of the Sarah Renae Clark Colour Cube to create this Butterfly filled design. The color scheme is not something I would have ever thought of to pull together but it works so well, especially with the flip design element of the stencil! 

I used a variety of Distress Oxide Inks to stencil in the butterflies over a square piece of white cardstock, and once complete, adhered the cardstock to a larger dark blue/grey square cardstock using foam tape. Next I took some burnt orange cardstock and using the 'Everyday Sentiments' stamp set, embossed 'Thinking of You' onto the card using a white embossing powder. I die cut the sentiment and placed it onto the centre of the design with some foam tape.

To finish off the design, I adhered some enamel dots to the front centre of each butterfly, choosing dots which matched the colour palette chosen for this design.

Taking the Ink and Flip Geometric Butterfly stencil, I first used the background stencil to start my design. Taking a white cardstock and side one of the background builder, I used Distress Oxides in Squeezed Lemonade and Ripe Persimmon, working yellow from the centre into the light orange red. Once complete,I cleaned side one of the stencil, flipped it over, and started to complete my background using side two. For side two I used the Distress Oxides in Festive Berries and Wild Honey, working the golden yellow from the centre into the gorgeous red.

Next I took the butterfly stencil and embossed two different powders for each side. For side one I utilised yellow and orange powder, and for side two I used a sparkly golden powder. Once complete, I die cut the layer using a stitched rectangle die cut and adhered the layer onto a card base.

Next I took some burnt orange cardstock and using the 'Everyday Sentiments' stamp set, embossed  'Congratulations' and 'Celebrate' onto the card using a purple/red embossing powder. I die cut the sentiments separately and adhered on the base layer using foam tape. To finish off the design, I applied some embellishments to the card in matching colours. 

For my last card I took some watercolour cardstock and some pink shimmer powder, I lightly covered the card with the powder and sprayed water over it to create this gorgeous background. Once dry, I took a rectangle die cut to create the base.

Next, using some paste and the MOD background builder stencil, I started to build on top of the base layer. Taking shimmer powders in blue, green and gold, I mixed some powder separately into some opaque white paste to create  3 unique colours, then with a small spatula, applied the paste over the stencil.

I don't use paste often, but when I do, I am always reminded of how much I enjoy the results. One the paste layer was dry, I took the  'Everyday Sentiments' stamp set, and stamped 'With Sympathy' to the top left using Pink ink. To finish off the design I adhered some rainbow bubbles randomly to the design. 

WOW! I think you will all agree with me how stunningly beautiful and eye catching these cards are by Jo, using these popular Uniko Stencils and clear stamp sentiments. The colours are simply wonderful and I am inspired to check out the colour cube! 

Thank you so much Jo for agreeing to Guest Design and give such wonderful creative treatment to these Uniko products. 

What a wonderful way to start of a new month, I am inspired to get creating.

Crafty Hugs