Uniko - DT Inspiration: Butterflies

Morning Friends, just a quick post to direct you to the Uniko blog HERE where I've a DT Inspiration post using one of the older sets; English Country Garden Butterflies. I haven't used this set very much in the past so decided to have a play and give it some love.

Here's a little collage of my cards but do head over to Uniko for more details on how these were created.

Thanks for calling by and catch up soon

Less is More #374

Hello my crafty friends, it's time to announce our latest challenge at Less is More but before that I have some news to share: this will be my last post for the Less is More design team; for a while anyway. 
I've decided it's time to take a break from the challenge - it's been 4 brilliant years and I've met lots of wonderful like-minded folk during that time, many of whom will remain life-long friends (I hope!). Unfortunately it's got to the point where I'm finding creating for the challenges more of a chore and less of the fun, hence my decision. 
I've been overwhelmed by the support from my fellow teamies and I'm delighted to hand the Less is More reins to Sharon, who has kindly agreed to stand in for as long as it takes. 

So let's get down to announcing this latest challenge, sponsored by Uniko and I'm using some their products in my cards below. It's our recipe challenge week and all the details you need are on the main challenge blog HERE
It's called 'Item from your 'bits' box and don't we all hoard loads of things in our bits boxes!!! Here's the cue card, which we'd love to see in your post, followed by my cards.

This was a great opportunity to have a good old sort out in my bits boxes. Yes I've more than one - they're little but some have sentiments, some have die-cut shapes, some have off-cuts of patterned paper and part made cards. Every now and again I like to go through them and chuck out some of it as I'll never use everything.
The other bonus in doing this was I found stuff I'd completely forgotten about so I hope you enjoy your adventure into your boxes of bits n pieces and I can't wait to see the results! 

The only thing NOT in my bits box on this card is the sentiment strip, only because I didn't have one already in a coordinating colour. I must have created this background some time ago when I was featuring this background block of doodle flowers from Uniko. It's heat embossed with a pearl embossing powder then blended over the top with Distress Inks. I found the balloons already coloured and miraculously they match the background, the pieces of twine were also in a bits box as well as the strip of purple patterned paper. I rather like this card and think I may have to play more often with items from my bits box!

Other than the sentiment and pearls everything else was in the bits box for this card. Uniko products again with a trio of rose buds, watercoloured with Distress Inks from the Pure Florals Rose set (left overs from release week), a doily which I'd completely forgotten about and was left over from a previous goody bag from the HISTK girls, a strip of design paper and the negative inner space of a die-cut scalloped circle, which is sitting on top of the doily! 

As always there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies  over on the Less is More blog HERE and do play along for a chance to win our sponsor prize this month, from Uniko

I hope you'll feel inspired to play along with us and have some crafty fun along the way.


Thanks for all your visits and although I'll be missing from the Less is More line-up from now on, I'll hopefully catch you around blogland in the weeks ahead.

Guest Designer Post - Inkspirational

Hi Friends,

I'm thrilled to be joining the ladies over at Inkspirational Challenges as Guest Designer for the latest challenge, Cue Card below!

I have to admit I racked my brains for ages trying to come up with something unique to use from my stash. I couldn't find any play-related stamp sets although, following some online research / window shopping, there's now plenty on my wish list! 

In the end I decided to go with a musical theme and some rather inky and not in my usual 'Clean and Simple' style backgrounds. Uniko recently released some music related stamps and I'd also purchased a few Visible Image sets at Christmas, which I was keen to ink up again so here goes:

Both cards use the 'Music Speaks' set by Visible Image with a 'You Rock' sentiment and musical notes from Uniko. The background on the first card is created by 'smooshing' Distress Inks, whereas the second one is a Brusho based creation! 

I hope you like what I've created for the challenge and you'll feel inspired to play along too. I don't doubt that there'll be some spectacular ideas from the regular design team HERE and I'd like to thank them for inviting me to join them today! 

Happy Crafting and thanks for your visit today!

Less is More #367

Hello my crafty friends, I think I've missed a fortnight somewhere as it certainly only seems a minute since announcing our previous challenge over at Less is More but my diary says it's right so here goes with that ONE layer one that we love to terrorise you with!!!
All the details are on the main challenge blog HERE but here's the cue card to get you started and I've 2 cards to share with you today.

First up using one of my all-time favourite stencils from our sponsor STAMPlorations called Bold Florals. I've only used part of the stencil to leave a reasonable area of 'white' space and using Distress Oxides in Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade and Twisted Citron I've inked through the stencil adding some pencil detail too for extra shading. The sentiment is by Clearly Besotted, Brushed Greetings.

My next card uses another stunning stencil from ex Less is More teamie and super buddy Sarah of Funky Fossils and if you fancy this stencil too you can purchase it from her Folksy store HERE 

For this one I used standard Distress Inks in rainbow colours with sentiments from Neat & Tangled; Everyday Circles

I'd like to link this one up over at Timeout Challenges where they are celebrating their 4th birthday - Congratulations ladies and here's to many more. I hope my cheery rainbow colours make for a sunshine fun birthday feeling!

As always there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies  over on the main blog HERE and as I mentioned earlier our sponsor for this challenge is STAMPlorations so do play along for a chance of a prize, which we'll announce at the start of next month. 


I hope you'll play along in our and have some fun with us.
Thanks for calling by today

Uniko - Introducing Pure Florals Chrysanthemum Stencil

Hi There,
I'm muscling in on the Stencil introductions today for Uniko because I couldn't resist bagging this stunner that coordinates with the gorgeous Pure Florals Chrysanthemum stamp set and dies.
I've three examples to share, each using Distress Inks through the stencil onto pearlised cardstock with sentiments from the new Birthday Sentiments set for the first two cards and one from the Spring Botanicals: Daffodil set on the third one.  

This week's challenge over at Simon Says Stamp -Wednesday Challenge is to 'Create your own background' so I'm heading across there to pop this one into the challenge.

Hopefully you'll join me again for some more introductions tomorrow and Tuesday before the BIG reveal, release and giveaway on Wednesday! 

The release schedule can be found over on the Uniko blog HERE as well as links and peeks at how my fellow teamies have worked their magic!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll be back tomorrow for the next introduction.

Uniko - Introducing Birthday Sentiments & Background Blocks Party Confetti

Hi There,
We've had 3 days of Sneaky Peeks from Uniko to tease you with this week and now let's get down to the serious business of Introductions as we get ready for this month's release of new stamps on 28th!
You may have noticed we introduced the new Stencil Design Team at the weekend so you'll find various new goodies showcased from the extended team. 
Today I'm sharing some introductions to the Birthday Sentiments, which is on a similar theme to the Festive Sentiments set released last year plus another one for the Background Blocks range; this one is Party Confetti!

First up let's go all out vivid and bold multi-colours using an old Kaleidoscope ink pad I found in my stash. As it's a pigment ink and stays wet for a little while I managed to throw some clear embossing powder over the top to give a glossy sheen. The sentiment is from the new sentiment set and the balloons are fuzzy cut from the older Balloon Bash set!

Who says it's got to be a birthday party celebration with this confetti set? So 2 baby cards where the confetti background was stamped with Versamark, heat embossed with white EP then Distress Inked in Salty Ocean (for the Boys) and Worn Lipstick (for the Girls)! I've teamed it with more sentiments from the new set plus a 'New Baby' one from the Simply Said range and that super cute teddy bear from Sweet Baby 

I hope this has whet your appetite for more!
The release schedule can be found over on the Uniko blog HERE as well as links and peeks at how my fellow teamies have worked their magic!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll be back tomorrow for the next introduction.

Less is More #365

Hi there friends, it's time to announce our second BIRTHDAY challenge over at Less is More to celebrate our 7th Birthay and we've got more delightful designs from some of our past Design Team members. 

We're also delighted to have Seven Hills Crafts kindly sponsoring the challenge and Tara (owner) is joining us as a Guest Designer too.
So let's get down to the latest Clean and Simple challenge for the next fortnight and here's the cue card  
There's often lots of debate in Blogland around the use of dry-embossing and how it can be used as a Clean and Simple element of a card so I can't wait to see what you come up with and I've 3 ideas to share with you today.
You'll find our guidelines and requirements for this technique over on the main Less is More blog HERE along with some superb ideas and inspiration from my talented teamies.

First up I've used a faux letterpress technique, as featured in an older video by Jennifer McGuire HERE which uses a detailed Tilda Flower die from Memory Box with a little ink to the edges then run through my Big Shot to 'emboss' the image onto watercolour card. 

Other Supplies Used:

Dies: Lil'Inkers: HI word die / Stamps: Avery Elle: Sentimental / Ink: Altenew

There's 2 challenges I'd like to pop this one into ... Addicted to Stamps and More, where they are looking for Clean and Simple Cards and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the requirement is to add a die-cut.

This card features a very subtle linear embossing technique where regular score lines have been marked using a folding board. I started out by inking up a beautiful stencil, which I received as a gift from my buddy and ex-DT member at Less is More, Sarah G of Funky Fossil Designs. Since stepping down from our challenge blog she's certainly not been sitting around but has set to work making various stencils, laser-cut MDF shapes and home decor/gifts. The stencil here, called Beautiful Mandala is available to purchase in Sarah's Folksy store HERE and she's also kindly offered 2 stencils as a gift to one of our birthday winners at Less is More this month. Why not head over HERE and look at what else is in store!

Other Supplies Used:

Dies: The Works: Stitched Square & Waffle Flower: Sentiment Strips

Stamps: Avery Elle: Sentimental / Ink: Distress Inks in Blueprint Sketch, Peacock Feathers and Cracked Pistachio 

 

Last but not least an underwater little scene using a circular die-cut piece of brusho-coloured card, which I then ran through a 'wave-effect' embossing folder from We R Memory Keepers. I've also used my 3 circular dies to create a de-bossed element to frame my focal image.

Other Supplies Used:

Dies: The Works: Stitched Squares & Sizzix Framelit Circles

Stamps: Paper Smooches: Briny Blue plus coordinating die & Create a Smile: Underwater Love

I'd like to pop this card in at Timeout Challenges where the theme is 'Hobbies' - Fishing is a popular hobby I believe although not one of mine!!! Hope it counts - sadly it's not twisted with a one layer.

I hope you've enjoyed my inspiration for this challenge and don't forget we've extra prizes this month with it being our Birthday. Our sponsor for the challenge is Seven Hills Crafts as well as a random mystery prize and Sarah's kind stencil for this month only so do play along for a chance, and we'll announce our winners at the start of next month. 


I hope you'll play along in our birthday challenges this month and have some fun with us.


Thanks for calling by today!

Less is More #364

Hello my crafty friends, it's birthday time over at Less is More as we celebrate our 7th Birthday! 
We've a whole bunch of Guest Designers, 2 sponsors this month and a couple of extra prizes thrown in too - all the details are on the main challenge blog HERE
So onto the challenge it's self and here's our cue card followed my cards. 

First up sharing a teeny sneaky peek of some new sentiments from the 'yet-to-be released Uniko birthday sets' let's have some music. Life is so much better with it and a rainbow of course! 

Fellow Less is More teamie, Sharon has recently joined the Visible Image Design Team and I couldn't resist buying a couple of their music inspired sets with some Christmas pennies so first up using 'Music Speaks' on a panel of brusho coloured card. 

Next up, Sharon had this stunning 'Sing' set, when we met at the Happy Little Stampers retreat in Manchester back in November - so I had to have this one too. I've a couple of special birthdays coming up where this collection of cards will be so appropriate! I've stamped and masked the images then used the MFT Concentric Circle grid stencil with Distress inks in different colours.

I'd like to drop this little trio in at Simon Says Stamp: Wednesday Challenge where it's Anything Goes

As always there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies plus our returning ex Design Team Members over on the main blog HERE and our sponsor for this challenge is Uniko so do play along for a chance of a prize, which we'll announce at the start of next month. Bev (Uniko) is also guest designing for this challenge and hopefully she'll be sneaking a little peek of the new sets too.

I hope you'll play along in our birthday challenges this month and have some fun with us.
Thanks for calling by today!

Uniko Challenge #45 - Reminder

Hi there, I'm back with a little reminder about our current challenge over at Uniko and here's the Cue card to show you what we're looking for
If you saw my initial post announcing the challenge you'll know I was drawn to both the rose and the heart in the image above although I skipped the heart in the first card.
This time I've teamed the Pure Florals Rose with the older 'Always and Forever' set which I've used as a delicate background to the rose cluster.

The rose/leaves are watercoloured using Distress Inks before popping up on 3d foam. The sentiments

are from the Flower Power range and Simply Said, using inks by Altenew.

Here's a couple of challenges I'd like to link up to:

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour: Anything Goes (optional twist Heart)

Addicted to Stamps & More - Make Your Mark

As always there's plenty of fantastic creations by my fellow teamies, so why not head over to the Uniko blog HERE to check out the links and pay them a visit! I'm sure they'd appreciate it!

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is my fellow craft buddie and teamie at Less is More! Big shout out please for Anita of Neet and Crafty, winner of our last Uniko Challenge. I'm delighted to see that she won our challenge with the Christmas card she sent me! So honoured Neets. Do pop along and visit her blog and leave a friendly word and some love, you won't be disappointed - I'm always envious of her stash and how she utilises it. 

You have until 23rd February to link up to the challenge and all the details you need about prizes and how to play can be found over at Uniko HERE

As always thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you feel inspired and will play along with us!

Less is More #360 & #361

Morning friends, I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. This is our final challenge of the year at Less is More and it'll be a 2-week challenge. We'd hate to have you rushing with cards over Christmas so this should give you a little longer to play - who knows you may even receive some new goodies from Santa that you'd like to use!

Anyway we have a delightful sketch for you, designed by fellow Less is More teamie Anita and I hope you enjoy! 

Here's my examples using my all time favourite set from our December sponsor, Happy Little Stampers so do play along for a chance of a prize, which we'll announce at the start of next month.

Both cards use the Butterfly Birthday set and for the first one I've stamped, masked, rotated my card panel in the misti to create a 'mirror' image (I hope) both top and bottom. The images are coloured with Promarkers and I die-cut the shape of the top panel before popping up on 3d foam. The sentiment is from the Mix Mash set also by Happy Little Stampers.

This time I did a heat-resist technique using the same Butterfly Birthday image, using Ranger Liquid Platinum EP. Once the image had cooled I inked over layers of Distress Inks in my favourite colours: Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed. The die-cut 'Happy' is from STAMPlorations and I used a scrap of card heat embossed in the same colour to create it. The 'birthday' is from the HLS Mix Mash set.

As always there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE and I do hope you'll pay them a quick visit. 
Thanks for calling by and have a fantastic festive period!

Uniko Reveal, Release & GIVEAWAY Blog Hop - December 2017

Hi there and thanks for visiting me again today!
In the last week you've had the Sneaky Peeks and Introductions and now we have the BIG Reveal, Release and GIVEAWAY of this month's new stamp and stencil sets from Uniko
Here's my cards showcasing these fabulous sets and they are now available in the shop HERE and waiting for you to buy!
First up using my favourite set of the release, Pure Florals: Rose and teamed with a sentiment from the Simply Said Blocks. The florals are stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured using Promarkers and for some extra detail I stamped the outline images as a contrasting background.

... and I think this has to be my favourite stencil of the release, which coordinates beautifully with the previously released Background Block: Doodle Flowers. I'm still hooked on those Distress Oxides in Spiced Marmalade, Peacock Feathers and Picked Raspberry and I've used a die-cut 'Hello' sentiment from Paper Smooches.

We're also introducing a FREEBIE set today which will be included in specific orders on release day (details on the Uniko blog)! It's really supposed to be 'Spring' themed but at this moment in time every card has to be Christmas related because I'm soooooo behind so here it is twisted! I first of all did a tone on tone effect using Versamark ink and clear embossing powder to the red background panel before heat embossing the image on gold. I die-cut the floral cluster, which I have to say will work a treat with all the Organics range, previously released, using a CUTplorations set and coloured the image with Promarkers. 

... and here we go with another 'Rose' card! I simply can't help myself and I'd coloured so many of the blooms it would be rude not to share them. I've included some of the sentiments from the FREEBIE set too as well as a strip of cardstock, inked with the Scattered Dots Background stamp, featured earlier in the week. 

All that's left for me to do is set you off on the traditional Design Team Blog Hop and wish you luck. Information about how to enter and the prizes you could win can be found on the Uniko blog HERE so if you get lost along the way just head back there.

Bev
Carol

Deborah
Izzy

Jane

Lindsey

Rahmat

Sarah - that's me!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like what you've seen these last few days and here's the FULL images of the sets we've been showcasing!
   
   


   

This mini clear stamp set will be added to all Release Day orders of £20* or more, while stocks last. The item will not show in your order basket and will be added to qualifying orders during packaging and prior to shipping.