Speed Test!

Happy April!

Oh my, this year seems to be flying by at the speed of light!

I've been busy here at Uniko HQ behind the scenes, working on new product designs, features and workshops. Plus all the day to day running of things, packing and posting lovely orders :)

Anyway, talking of speed, I saw the current challenge over at AAA Cards HERE and thought I would have a go and join in!

It looks as though I am a little rusty at speedy CAS cards and not as organised as I thought I was ;) Along with this challenge I'd seen the sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch! seen HERE and below and it sparked some creativity in me.

I knew I wanted to use the recently released Passiflora clear stamp set and coordinating Designer Dies, so I set them out on my desk along with Altenew inks. I chose Wisteria, Hydrangea & Ultraviolet for the Passion Flower and Olive & Moss for the leaves and I was set to start!

Here is the result...

AND here is how long it took me...

The longest part of this card was die cutting the flower, leaves and details of the flower. Plus as I like to use foam adhesive for dimension with this flower, it was pretty time consuming taking all the foam square backs off! I'd also not chosen a sentiment or my base card colour, so I think I wasted a few minutes deciding on those ;)

The quickest part was adding the embossed lines using my small Fiskars paper trimmer and embossing blade and adding the Nuvo Drops to add the finishing touch.

Anyway, it was still good fun and it definitely got my creative juices flowing. That's all I have to share with you here today, thanks for stopping by.

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #263 - Sketch

Hey!

This month our hostess is Fiona and she started things off with a fun colour combo last week and HERE this week has this super sketch to inspire your CAS card making...

So many wonderful ideas sprung to mind when I sat down to create my card, this sketch has so many options. However, this is how I decided to use it...

I decided to make a one layer card and I also wanted to join in on the current challenge over at AAA Cards HERE, who's current challenge is ombré. 

Life is a Song is one of the February 2018 Release clear stamp sets that I didn't give much inky love to, so I thought I would use it. I used my MISTI to stamp the ombré diagonal lines in opposing corners and also to stamp the ombré music sentiment.

Super simple from me today, but I hope I have inspired you to join in on the challenge?! If you need a little more inspiration, pop on over HERE to see what the CC&S Design Team have created.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #251 - Sketch

Hey!

Thank you to everyone who joined in on last weeks birthday celebration, we all enjoyed seeing your colourful creations in the gallery :)

I can't believe we are into the last week of November and December is just around the corner. I'm am SO behind on Christmas preparations amongst all my other 'things to do', I wish time would slow down a little - argh!

Anyway, Samantha is here THIS week with a sketch to inspire your creative card making...

This sketch is perfect for a quick Christmas card, which is the theme I decided upon quite quickly! Here's how I have used this weeks sketch...

I knew I wanted to use the recently release Festive Sentiments as I am just loving the larger brush lettering sentiments ;) Then I saw the current Inspired by All the Little Things challenge seen HERE and below and had my colour combo all done for me ;)

I die cut a Sizzix Framelits Star from a post it note to use as a stencil and applied Altenew Industrial Diamond ink to get my solid star. I then stamped the 'Merry Christmas' in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with gold EP. The sentiment panel is then die cut using a Lawn Fawn Small Dotted Rectangle and adhered this to a Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow card base using foam adhesive. A few sparkly gold star enamels finished my design off! 

As I've made a Christmas card, I am entering my card into the current challenge over at AAA Cards HERE. The current theme is Christmas AND Uniko is the sponsor this fortnight too ;)

That's all I have to share with you today, but be sure to head on over to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog post HERE to enter the challenge and to see more inspiration from the Design Team.

I look forward to seeing you in the gallery! 

Hugs

The 2017 Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

Hey & Happy Friday!

YAY! It's time for another Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, I'm super happy to be a little organised this time and have a project made to enter on day 1!

Uniko is honoured to have been invited again by the lovely Amy from Tsuruta Designs to sponsoring another fun blog hop and challenge, you can check out all the details over on the Uniko Website Blog HERE, I have blog candy there too ;) AND more details HERE over at the hop!

Anyway, onto my card...

At the moment Summer to me = Tropical! Hence my decision to pair I LOVE Coffee with Paradise clear stamp set.

I was inspired by a couple of challenges for the ink blended panel and layout of my card. Firstly the challenge over at AAA Cards HERE is the resist technique. 

I stamped the outline Hibiscus flower and solid leaves using VersaMark and heat embossed them with clear EP. I then blended two of my favourite distress inks over the top. 

The second challenge I was inspired by was the new CAS(E) this Sketch! layout seen HERE and below.

I continued the Hibiscus flower theme onto the Coffee cup, keeping it simple by stamping it in Lawn Fawn Merman ink and adding a touch of Stampin' Up! glitter for some Summer sparkle! 

The sentiment is a combination from Simply Said and I LOVE Coffee. I added a trio of Stampin' Up! Glitter Enamel Dots to finish the design off.

Ok, that's all I have to share with you today, but be sure to check out my post HERE with the Uniko Sponsor details, more inspiration and BLOG CANDY! 

CAS Colours & Sketches #218

Hey!

Oh my, these days & weeks are certainly flying by! I think I'm finding them to pass so quick as my days and evenings are filled to the brim ;)

My days are spent entertaining and occupying two crazy beans! They are proper little boys, loving playing outside and getting dirty now the days are getting warmer and dryer ;) Though they are pretty good the majority of the time and play well together, so I do get the 'odd' moment to get things done. You can guarantee that if I get any kind of 'work' out to do they want me for something! So, I have been 'trying' to get it done once they go to bed, which occasionally has been a challenge :(

Hence the time I do get has been spent on getting new products ready for release on 6th May, which is the day I will be at Happy Stampers Festival in the Wirral (Liverpool) - YAY! Are you planning on coming...? I'd love to see you if you are :)

Anyway, I did find a little creative time to make todays card using hostess sketch for this weeks CAS Colours & Sketches challenge HERE and seen below.

And this is how I decided to use it...

For some reason I *really* wanted to make a shaker card and in my head I had forgotten about the vertical strip on the sketch! So, I adapted my original idea of how I was going to make the shaker but still got to make one! 

I purposefully didn't include a sentiment on the sketch as sometimes cards just don't need one on the front. Though the little square on the sketch could easily be where a sentiment could go or be placed. I decided to make a Spring card inspired by the current AAA Cards challenge HERE. 

I chose the solid flower from Flower Power #2 which is a modern Blossom flower design and paired it with a couple of leaves from Natures Treasures. I stamped them in colours to match the pretty pastel sequins in the shaker, which are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I hope that I have inspired you to play along this week and if you need a little more inspiration, be sure to head on over to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog HERE to see what the amazing Design Team and Guest Designer have created using the colours.

I look forward to seeing you in the gallery & have fun!

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #215

Hey!

It's time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches and this month Patricia is our hostess and this week has another wonderful colour combination to inspire us all.

A fun combo don't you think? I'm not a huge fan of Rich Razzleberry so it daunted me a little, but this is what I came up with...

I was inspired by the new challenge over at AAA Cards HERE, which is to use die cuts and I was especially inspired by CC&S teamie and AAA Cards member Jane with THIS card created for the challenge.

Hopefully you can tell I was inspired by the die cut frame idea?! So, I used my Stampin' Up! Stitched Framelit dies to create the square frame and then dusted off Uniko Flower Power #7 to stamp the stem and flower. 

After assembling my card I decided the flower needed a little more interest and stamped it again and fussy cut it out. I adhered it using foam adhesive like the frame and added an enamel dot to finish it off. The sentiment is from Simply Said.

Anyway, thats all from me, but be sure to check out all the Design Team inspiration HERE on the CAS Colours & Sketches blog and I hope to see you in the gallery :) Challenge End Time: 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time/11:00 p.m. London U.K. time Monday, March 28th, 2017

Hugs

Supplies:

Uniko Clear Stamps Flower Power #7 and Simply Said

Ink: Stampin' Up! Old Olive and Pacific Point. VersaFine Onyx Black

Card: Stampin' Up! Thick Whisper White and Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Stampin' Up! Stitched Framelit Dies, Enamel Dots and Foam Adhesive.

Uniko Sponsors AAA Cards!

Hey!

I'm super duper pleased you have popped back today as again we have LOTS more fun to share with you! 

This post is simply awesome! As myself and Uniko are proud to be sponsoring the challenge  over at AAA Cards this fortnight. This fortnight the challenge HERE is Watercolour...

The Uniko Design Team and myself have joined in on the fun and created some watercolour inspiration for you...

CLICK HERE to see more from Beverley

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 Sarah G

CLICK HERE to see more from Sarah P

That's all from the Uniko DT and myself for now, but be sure to head on over HERE to see what the AAA Cards Design Team have created to inspire you and to join in on the fun too. I hope to see you in the gallery!

I'll be back AGAIN soon with Day 2 of the February & 5th Birthday Sneak Peeks ;)

Hugs

Hello Friend

Hey!

Today was a much needed bean free day! I took some time to myself this morning to catch up on a little sleep and a couple of my favourite TV shows. The beans are finally getting their last 4 back teeth and as much as they have not suffered with pain, it seems the norm for Josh to wake at least once during the night. Only mummy can sit with him until he falls back to sleep and then we get the 6 am wake up call! Overall they are really good, but boy I needed a rest this morning.

Anyway, this afternoon I have been catching up on work and designing and I decided I needed a little break and set to making this card...

I had been perusing Pinterest this week and was inspired by THIS card by Yana Smakula, I loved the ombre stripes and the bold black sentiment. So had ago using my Altenew inks, Mama Elephant die  and paired them with Beautiful Blooms III and a sentiment from Simply Said.

It's also been an age since I joined in with a card challenge, so decided on a 'Hello Friend' card so that I can join in over at AAA Cards HERE. Their current 'Hello' challenge ends on Saturday.

That's all from me tonight, I had better finish up a couple of things before bed. The design team and I will be back in the morning to inspire you with the first Uniko Challenge of 2017 - yay!

Ok, until then, thank you for stopping by :)

Hugs

Supplies:-

Uniko Clear Stamps: Beautiful Blooms III and Simply Said

Inks: Altenew

Card: Stampin' Up! Whisper White

Accessories: Mama Elephant Die, Clarity Stencil Brushes, Wink Of Stella, MISTI & Stampin' Up! Enamel Dots

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.