BA Inspiration Pure Florals - Peony

 Good afternoon, Julie here with a little bit of floral watercolour inspiration. Over at Color Hues the colours for the latest challenge are Coral and Green, so I thought I would ink up my large Pure Florals Peony and do some watercolouring with inks. Here is the result.

I used Altenew's Limestone ink stamped onto Mixed Media paper, to create a no line look, then I smooshed some of their other inks onto an acrylic sheet to use for the technique. I used Coral Berry, Grapevine and Coral Bliss for the petals and Olive, Moss and Evergreen for the stem and leaves.

Each petal was painted separately, first with plain water then with the paler Coral Bliss and darker Coral Berry, allowing the water to blend the colours. It's best to paint sections that don't touch one another to reduce the risk of colour bleeding until each section has dried. Some of the lightest areas had virtually no colour and the off white paper showed through to suggest hilights. I repeated the technique for the leaves, using first Olive then Moss.

To create an even greater sense of depth, I went back into the bloom, first with a damp brush, I wet the areas that needed to be in shadow before going in with the Grapevine ink. For the green shading I used the Evergreen ink. Once dry, I fussy cut it out and concentrated on my background. 

I used a Mama Elephant die to cut Eyelet panel from white card, then removed the center with a rectangle die to create a frame. Using the magnets in my Misti, I held the frame and bloom down whilst I placed the greeting from Originally Organic. Once happy with the placement, I removed the frame and bloom and stamped it in Memento London Fog. The frame and bloom were then glued to my A6 white base card.

That's all from me for today, but why not take a moment to try the technique. You don't need watercolour paints, just some dye inks and a paintbrush! You can get really lost in the process, well I know I do!

Keep crafting! 

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Retro Autumn

Good morning from Steph! 

Retro Autumn?! What do I mean by that? Well simply that I have combined the Uniko Layering Retro Lines stencil with a few Uniko autumnal sets. 

I stencilled three panels with the same green shades using part of the Uniko Layering Retro Lines stencil. To all three I added a sentiment from the Uniko Butterfly Serenade stamp set. 

 

For this first card I used a grey ink and added a floral outline from the Uniko Originally Organic stamp set.

Next I added some colour using the Uniko Autumn Serenade stamp set, both the large stamp and some of the smaller elements in the set also. 

Finally I went super simple with just one leaf stem stamped in green from the Uniko Originally Organic Flower Garden stamp set, and added a few dots of colour with Nuvo drops. 

The change in weather in the UK is definitely influencing my crafting this year. I can't remember it doing so in previous years other than I do like to switch over to festive crafting in autumn because they are my favourite cards to make! Do the seasons influence your crafting style?

Much love

Steph x

BA Inspiration, Watercolour Garden and a FB VIP Challenge reminder

Good morning Julie here on a Bank Holiday weekend and unlike most others recently, it may well be a good one weather wise. However we could really use the rain, our large pond that our flock of sheep use to get water is now nothing less than a trickle through a muddy hollow! 

Anyway here is a little scene I created to remind you all that there is a challenge over on Uniko's VIP Facebook page The theme is ANYTHING GOES, so long as it's using Uniko products, so a chance to use those newly acquired goodies or an old fave and a chance to win a £10 voucher too.

I've used some older sentiments together from Originally Organic, with the fun flowers from Originally Organic Flower Garden. 

After stamping the little group from the set with Versamark and heat embossing with white EP, I masked the leaves and flowers with liquid masking, let it dry before adding more blooms either side with a pale ink, Altenew's Limestone, then masking again.

Once the masking was fully dry, I washed in some Mowed Lawn DI across the bottom and Salty Ocean across the top getting paler towards the center where the two colours met. Once the background was dry I removed the masking and painted the flowers and leaves with Zig watercolour markers. To give the grass more interest, I added flicks of darker green with my Zig marker pen. Dots of white were added to the background with some white acrylic paint.

I neatened up my finished panel by die cutting it with a stitched rectangle die and mounting it onto a side fold note card from my stash. The sentiment was added using black ink.

Hope I've inspired you to join in our challenge.

Introducing... Originally Organic Flower Garden

Happy FriYAY!

Welcome to day 4 of the April 2025 product introductions. Be sure to check back if you've missed any of the introductions so far, they are definitely not to be missed! 

Today I am delighted to be adding to the Originally Organic series, one of my signature design styles, with Originally Organic Flower Garden. 

This clear stamp set features pretty flowers, stems and a flower garden border style image along with some sentiments in a different font style to my 'usual' Originally Organic clear stamps. A change is as good as a rest, so they say! 

Let's get to the good stuff and see this set in action...

Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie

Steph

Vinita

All these pretty flowers really make me happy, so many different colouring styles and techniques. I think you can really make this stamp set your own. Plus, you can get different looks by mix and matching with elements and sentiments from the other stamp sets in the series. 

Again, be sure to hop along to see the inspiration from the team and leave some comment love.

This stamp set, along with all the products being introduced this week are available at 9am BST Sunday 27th April on the website. I will also have them with me at Crafterama Lincoln. 

Happy Hopping & Crafty Hugs

March Meet The Maker - My Style

Hello & Happy Wednesday.

The theme today with March Meet The Maker is all about style. So I thought a YouTube video would help me show my style and make it a little more interesting. 

You can watch my video HERE. 

As you will see on the video I feel that the Originally Organic and Originally Organic Additions clear stamp sets are the stamps I feel that represent my style or designing. And here are the finished cards I promised I would share from the video.

I started with this swirly organic foliage, pairing it with the Stencil - Mid Century Modern Shapes. I chose this stencil because I feel that the Mid Century Modern Collection is also one of my recognisable styles. Using stencils like this to add colour to then stamp over an image is one of my favourites too.

Next up is how I decided to use the stem & leaves with the flowers I stamped in the video.

I decided to fussy cut the image out once I had coloured with alcohol markers and adhered it to my card using foam adhesive for some dimension and interest. I chose the sentiment from the new Organic Blooms set.

Next is the heart wreath from Originally Organic Additions.

Again I decided to fussy cut the heart wreath out after I had coloured with alcohol markers and added a sentiment from Everyday Spring Sentiments.

A bit of dimension using foam tape to adhere to my card base and I left my card as that. I felt it didn't need anything else.

And I also have a bonus card.

I talked about in my video how you could possibly combine the smaller bloom from the new Organic Blooms with this stem and leaves. So I gave it a go! 

My colouring of the flowers isn't my best! But otherwise I love how it turned out. I fussy cut the blooms adhering the orange/red flower with double sided tape and the yellow using foam adhesive.

What do you think?

Also, would you have chosen these clear stamps to showcase my style? I'd love to know if there was something else you would have said.

Crafty Hugs

Saturday Showcase - Originally Organic

Happy Weekend 😃

Earlier in the week, I think it was during my latest video I talked briefly about the Originally Organic collection and it got me to thinking how I've not inked it up for quite sometime 😢 So today I corrected it and inked up the first in the collection, Originally Organic for a little showcase. 

For my first card today I decided to go for a one layer card adding my favourite trio of colours through a simple circle die cut window. I then stamped the leaves and added the bell style flowers over the top in black ink. 

The friends are flowers sentiment is from the set, but the trio of dots I added around the sentiment and up in between the pink and blue circles are from Floral Vines. 

For my second and last card for today I used the other main image from the set, this beautiful swirling organic leafy sprig.

This time I went for a little dimension and fussy cut detail. After stamping and fussy cutting I coloured the image with alcohol markers. I also decided to add the Stencil - MOD Background Builder to the Avocado base card.

Lastly I added a sentiment from Floral Vines, along with the trio of dots again before finally adhering the panel to the card base using foam tape. 

It's been fun to revisit this older and much loved set, I hope you find some inspiration from todays cards. 

Crafty Hugs

Two For Tuesday - Originally Organic

Hello & Happy Tuesday.

I hope your week has begun well. It was back to school for The Beans yesterday and back to routine for me in the studio. It's a week of show prep for me this week as on Friday I will be heading over to Port Sunlight for The Stamping Together show.

Even though it's a busy week, I am still squeezing in a bit of creative time and I was inspired to dust off my Originally Organic stamps for my Two For Tuesday.

Originally Organic debuted in September 2016 and to me it was one of the first sets that defines my style of design and way I prefer to draw. So it has a special place in my design loving, paper crafting, card making heart. It was about time I gave it some fresh inky love and I couldn't resist paring it with some of my favourite stencils.

Uniko's first stencils, Scattered Polka Dots and Wonky Stripes didn't debut until October 2017 and I can't think off the top of my head of many cards where I have combined stencils with Originally Organic. 

For my first card I chose one of my most recent stencils, MOD Background Builder. I masked off the edges of my card to create a rectangle before using a trio of yellow inks through the stencil. I then simply added my favourite image in black and one of the sentiments for a one layer card. 

For my second card I chose the stencil, Cloud 9. And unusually for me I decided to create an oval window. Ovals are not a shape I lean towards very often.

This time I opted for Grapefruit and Sorbet inks to create this fluffy background. I then used the stem and one of the flower options. Again opting for a one layer card.

There is another reason why this month Originally Organic was restocked. If you saw the reveal of the Papercraft Society Box 51 HERE on YouTube you might connect the styles 😉 I can't wait to show you more!

Crafty Hugs 

Featured In... Die Cutting Essentials

Hey!

Happy Friday & HAPPY long Bank Holiday weekend to all in the UK, you've got to love an extra day to the weekend! 

Today I am back to share a little more about the Uniko feature in Die Cutting Essentials, which I shared on social media yesterday. 

I am always truly honoured to be approached by editors to work to a brief and have my cards featured :)

For this feature Kirstie the editor of DCE chose Originally Organic & Originally Organic Additions clear stamps & designer dies to be featured. I had a gorgeous colour scheme perfect for them and here is a couple of the cards I made for the feature...

This is probably my favourite stamp from Originally Organic, I just love the swirly features. On this card I have stamped & embossed the image in white onto a grey card base & coloured using Prismacolor Pencils. I've then used a negative die cut panel to add interest and dimension. Such a fun technique to do with coordinating dies. 

I stepped right out of my comfort zone for this next card and created a shaped card! I hardly ever choose to make a shaped card, but the curved floral stem was screaming to be layered around a curved edge. 

More details about these cards and more can be found in the magazine AND there is a bonus card over on the Die Cutting Essential blog HERE.

AND if that's not enough, both of the Originally Organic & Originally Organic Additions are available as stamp & die bundles HERE and HERE on the website. Saving you 15% if you bought the stamps and dies separately.

That's all from me today, but the DT will be back tomorrow with more inspiration to share with you :)

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #270 - Colours

Hello May!

A new month means a new hostess over at CAS Colours & Sketches and Cathy is our hostess for May. As usual we are starting things off HERE with a colour combo...

I admit that this colour combo threw me a little ;) However, I scouted through my supplies and landed upon using Originally Organic & Originally Organic Additions to create my card. 

I also turned to CAS(E) this Sketch! for the layout of my card, seen HERE and below. I had to do a tiny bit of stamping and masking in the lower left corner, but the fussy cutting was worth it! 

I decided to use the Sahara Sand (Crumb Cake was my closest match) and the Berry Burst as my main colours and the Soft Sky as an accent as I only have that colour in card. I also kept the design to just stamping and didn't add any extra embellishments.

That's all from me today, I hope thatI 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

The Saturday Show Returns!

Hey & Happy Weekend!

Do you remember the feature I used to do called The Saturday Show? I used to have a lot more time on my hands to peruse the internet and blogland to find and comment on all the wonderful Uniko customer projects. I also liked to choose a few and share them here on the Uniko blog.

Now that I am 'slowly' getting some time back and the beauty of places like Facebook and Instagram especially, I am able to find and see Uniko customer projects more easily :) So I thought it would be nice to kick start this feature again once a month.

So without further ado it's over to YOU...

First up is this beautiful Happy Succulents card by Julia, which I spotted over on Instagram. Those beautiful purple hues are so striking. Thank you so much for tagging #uniko over on IG Julia.

Next are two cards also spotted on Instagram by Julie, a wonderful customer at Uniko for many years  (thank you)...

First this pretty Originally Organic card. The designer paper Julie has paired with the swirly foliage image from the clear stamp set is just perfect. The colours are just so happy and summery too.

This next card by Julie really packs a punch with the bold colours and awesome CAS design...

Here Julie has combined the SUPER popular Background Blocks Halftone with the Explosion! clear stamp set. What a super masculine card, don't you think? 

Thank you so much Julie for sharing and tagging #uniko on Instagram.

Next I have some more floral designs to share from Elaine who has also been a loyal customer at Uniko for many years. Elaine never ceases to amaze me with how she uses Uniko's floral stamps...

On this first card Elaine has used Background Blocks Doodle Flower and the emboss resist technique, which is the current game over at AAA Cards. Just look at those happy summery sunshine colours :)

On this next card Elaine has used Pure Florals: Lily paired with a sentiment from Originally Organic...

A beautiful CAS design. The layout, gold embossing and beautiful watercoloring really made this card stand out. Which lastly leads me onto to this stunner...

Just a quirky die cut technique really adds interest and pizzaz to this already beautiful coloured Lily. Be sure to pop by Elaine's blog Craft-E-Place and checkout all the beautiful and inspiring projects.

Continuing the floral beauties is Sharon...

Sharon created this Neapolitan coloured shaker card using Background Blocks Doodle Flower, aren't those colours just scrumptious? A huge congratulations to Sharon for her Top 5 placing for this card over at Passion for Promarkers too :)

Continuing the theme of flowers, Sharon also used the Pure Florals: Lily to make this shimmery beauty...

Just look at the beautiful pink Lily and overall stunning design. Lastly, I have one more card by Sharon I wanted to share...

The die cut curves of this card design really draws focus to the floral heart wreath from Originally Organic Additions. Such a beautiful CAS showcase of this clear stamp set. Thank you for sharing your Uniko creations Sharon and be sure to head on over to From My Craft Desk to be inspired even more.

There seems to be a floral theme occurring, as I share this next card...

This card is by Nonni from Nonni's Handmade Cards and features the popular Pure Florals: Chrysanthemum. This design is beautifully stamped, masked and coloured. The added die cut technique really keeps the focus on the flower but gets the sentiment across. Thank you for sharing this beautiful showcase Nonni.

Lastly and by no means least I have a two cards to share by Izzy from Izzy scrap. Again, I couldn't help but continue this floral theme...

So many of you are enjoying the recently release Pure Florals: Lily and the array of designs show how versatile this set is. Keeping the leaves and buds as black and white outlines really makes the embossed watercolored Lilly POP from the card. The added sentiment helps highlight the warmth from the design too. LOVE this split layout too.

Next up is this Beautiful Blooms III beauty...

Yellow and Grey is a wonderful combintion and I love how Izzy used the colours. The subtle splattering and mirrored stamping of the floral frames the 'happy' sentiment. Thank you for these beautiful showcase's Izzy.

I hope you have enjoyed this months The Saturday Show and I really could have shared so many more wonderful customer designs. It was so hard choosing what to share here on the blog today. I will continue to keep a look out for your wonderful designs using Uniko products and don't forget to #hashtag me using the following, so I can find you! 

#uniko

#unikoltd

#unikostamps

Don't do social media or blog? Why not drop me an email (bev@uniko.co.uk) with a photo of what you create using your Uniko goodies. I'd LOVE to see them and be able to share them here on the blog :) 

THANK YOU to everyone that has purchased Uniko clear stamps and designer dies, you make me so happy and you keep this little business and dream of mine alive. I appreciate YOU more than you will ever know.

Hugs