DT Inspiration - Alcohol inks, stencils and Bold sentiments

Bonjour !

Izzy here ! This year I wanted to try alcohol inks and I'm just starting to discover all the possibilities they offer. So today I wanted to show you what I've done with my alcohol inks, texture paste, stencils and bold sentiments die cuts.

What I love with the AI is that their colours are very bright and used on Yupo paper (or similar), they give a beautiful bright and shiny look. I had to try a technique I saw on Jennifer McGuire blog to make great backgrounds.

Here are my cards...

For this card I used the Fun Flowers stencil together with the Fun Flowers stamp set. On a Yupo paper I popped texture paste through the stencil and let it dry. Meanwhile I stamped the Background blocks : pinstripe in black over the white card base, I die cut the Big & Bold : Happy sentiment in a black paper and I stamped in black the flowers of the Fun Flowers stamp set then fussy cut them.

Once the texture paste dry, on a felt applicator I put 3 alcohol inks, a bit of blending solution and I blended them onto the textured Yupo paper.

Then I adhered this Yupo paper strip over the white card base as well as the bold sentiment. I glued the flowers with Glue dots. To finish I stamped the other part of the sentiment.

For this card I used the Confetti stencil and the Big & Bold : Wish sentiment. I also used texture paste through the stencil and once dry I used my AI and blending solution together with a paint brush to make this sort of rainbow colours pattern. 

The sentiment is also done with AI on a paper similar to Yupo. Once dry I die cut the AI panel with a scalloped die and glued it on the white card stock. I also die cut an oval shape in a white card stock and I stamped the rest of the sentiment on it. To finish I die cut the bold sentiment and glued it onto the white oval cut.

I really love these bold sentiment dies, and I really hope that Bev will release some more for the other bold sentiments of the collection. 

So for my last card I had to create the die cut of the Big & Bold : Hugs stamp. It is long, tedious and much less beautiful than a real die cut. Here is how I did it...

For this card I again used texture paste through the Stylised Floral stencil, let it dry and then I randomly sponged the AI with a felt applicator. I cut this panel with a heart shape die and I glued it on the white card stock. Then I glued the bold sentiment on top of it.

To finish my card, I die cut an ampersand, I foam mounted it on the card and I stamped the rest of the sentiment from the Big & Bold : Hugs stamp set.

And that's it ! I still have a lot to learn with alcohol inks but in the end I will find a way to use all these trials on cards ! They are a fabulous background for the Big & Bold sentiments !

Thanks so much for popping by and have a great Sunday !

June 2019 Non-Release Design Team Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY!

Hey & Happy Weekend!

Welcome to the June 2019 Non-Release Design Team Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY!

For those of you who are new around these parts I will explain what this post is all about...

Here at Uniko HQ it is just myself behind the screen, blogging, designing, packaging stamps & orders through the Uniko online shop, customer service and all the things in between. I *usually* release new product every other month for a number of reasons, but mainly so I can keep up with everything!

On non - release months like this month I like to set myself and the Design Team a challenge to look back at a previously released product and give it some more love. 

With Father's Day just next weekend, I thought it would be useful for some masculine card inspiration! So I set the Design Team & myself the challenge to use the previously released Explosion! Explosion! Additions & Designer Dies Explosion Collection for this months revisited hop!

This collection of Uniko products are perfect for those hard to create masculine cards! The comic book and Pop Art trends are still going strong in the paper crafting world too ;)

As usual we have our GIVEAWAY, so be sure to comment along the hop for your chance to win a £25 eGift Certificate code to spend over on the Uniko website. You have until midnight BST Saturday 15th June 2019 to comment along the hop.

Bev

Carol 

Izzy 

Jane 

Julie

Linda

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah P





Wiebke 

What an inspirational hop, so many new ideas, I hope you all enjoyed it too :)

Thanks for joining in on the fun.

Hugs

DT Inspiration - Using Happy Succulents

Hi! It's Jane here today with an idea about putting those Uniko stamps to good use.

I have a bit of a fear of heat embossing and decided to try a technique I'd seen used around blogland to try to overcome this.  It's a fairly forgiving way to use heat embossing if you're like me and get powder everywhere it shouldn't be even after using one of those dusting bags!

The heat embossing is done in stages one stamp at a time and then inked over with colour before stamping another image and repeating. This means that some of the embossing powder sticks to where you've added the coloured ink. It gives a speckled effect between the stamps and disguises any mishaps beautifully!

I created two panels in this way and then chopped them up before adhering to a white card base. The sentiments were then stamped on top.

Supplies:

Stamps: Uniko, Happy Succulents 

Ink: Versamark clear + clear embossing powder; Ranger distress, wilted violet & mermaid lagoon, picked raspberry & cracked pistachio

Thanks so much for looking today.  And keep crafting!

Jane

Back In Stock!

Hey!

I thought I would pop by & let you know that a bunch of clear stamp restocks arrived in the studio  today - yay!

I know a lot of you have been anxiously awaiting the Mid Century Modern collection of stamps to arrive & thank you to everyone who has placed a lovely backorder. I am busy packing all the orders ready to ship! 

So, here is the line up of what is back in stock over on the website...

*LIMITED stock left of this clear stamp - be quick!*

That's a whole lot of stamps! I can't wait to get inky with these sets again, restocks always inspire me to dust them off and ink them up again ;)

Happy Shopping! 

Hugs

Uniko Challenge Reminder #53 - Anything Goes + Optional Twist Masculine

Hey!

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

We have an Anything Goes theme at the moment, but with Father's Day here in the UK coming up in June we've also added in the optional twist of Masculine just in case.

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 Radhika joining us again as our Guest Designer. She has created another fabulous masculine card to inspire you.

Loving all the moustaches ad the jaunty angle of the spectacles!

And of course the Uniko DT have also joined in the fun to help get your ideas flowing.

Bev

Jane 

Lindsey

Rahmat

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 21st June 2019 (7.00pm EDT).