Uniko - Introducing I LOVE Coffee

Morning friends, I don't know about you but I certainly love my coffee  especially for elevenses with a tasty cake if I'm feeling extra mischievous!
So back to the job in hand and that's to introduce you to the next set in the latest release from Uniko - I Love Coffee

this set comes with a gorgeous mini Uniko Logo which inspired me

to go with some turquoise on my card alongside the coffee colours.

As soon as I saw this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches I wanted to play 

along and Bev (Uniko) has been 'rocking' that challenge too so here's my version!

I masked a circle on the card and stamped the coffee beans in multiple coffee 

coloured inks. then fuzzy cut the coffee cup, used one of the sentiments

from the set and some decorative leaves. To finish a little bit of bling and pearls.

Once again some adorable images, not particularly festive but there's  nothing to stop you adding some Christmas elements to your coffee cups! 
OK off to pop the kettle on but before you do the same please head across to the main Uniko Blog HERE where my teamies have been working their magic too plus you'll find all the details you  need including hops and prizes this week!    Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back tomorrow when we'll be introducing the next set in the release. Hope to catch you then!

Uniko Challenge #26 - Reminder

Hi friends it's time for a gentle little 'nudge' as there's still one more week to play along in our challenge over at
Uniko where the theme is Geometric  using circles or squares if you'd like to try the optional twist
Here's my card and as we've zapped the fall cards and Halloween is in full swing  I've gone for another major holiday we've still to celebrate this year  ... yep you guessed!

Using masking paper and a Sizzix Framelit triangle die I've used the

negative die-cut to mask my card panel before inking with distress inks

in Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire. With the mask

still in place I've stamped rows of one of the border stamps from 

Background Builders Circles in Versamark ink before embossing with WOW

Metallic silver sparkle. The same treatment for the sentiment which is from the

Simply Said - Christmas set and the little trunk, also 'triangular' is from the tip

of an arrow from the Accent Essentials - Arrows set.

I hope you feel inspired to play along and as well as my fellow teamies

cards over on the Uniko blog HERE we've got two fabulous guest designers

helping us out this month. I'm simply speechless at being in a line-up with them!

Rahmat; Cards and Cooking Corner and Julia; Just One More Card.com

I do hope you'll pop along to check out their amazing talent and leave some

friendly feedback ... we all love a comment don't we!

I'd like to pop this one in at Freshly Made Sketches as I've 

literally gone straight with this week's sketch!

Oh! Before I forget details of the prizes up for grabs if you are one of our lucky 

winners in this challenge are explained over at Uniko HERE 

so don't delay ... get crafting and have some fun!

Thanks for calling in today and I'll be back tomorrow with the latest challenge details for Less is More ... best get my act together!

Less is More #239

 Morning friends ... it's that time again!

Less is More Challenge

and this week we'd like you to use sprays and / or mists

... so roll your sleeves up, have fun and get messy!

Here's my first card and I literally did get messy!

I've watched all these videos where crafters use a box for spraying

but I just flew straight into it and ended up with pink dots 

absolutely EVERYWHERE! - I've found a box now!!!

I started out by embossing my 'sprayed' panel with a honeycomb embossing folder before spritzing with a mix of Distress Ink re-inker in Picked Raspberry and Perfect Pearls which adds a great shimmer. The black frame is die-cut using MFT Die-namics Pierced Rectangles and the horizontal strip with Mama Elephant Landscape Trio dies. The flower head and sentiment are from a new (to me) set from Uniko:  Pure Florals - Chrysanthemum. The flower is heat embossed then water-coloured using Zig Clear Brush pens and to finish a few pink shimmery sequins.
I've used the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches so I'm heading  over there with my card plus Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge where it's an Anything Goes week! 
   

So you might like to see what I created with the pebble-dashing of pink spray  dots that were all over my desk and craft mat! Oh and up the walls!!!!  I decided to make use of this precious spritzer by collecting it on some acetate  and smooshing it onto a piece of water-colour card to create this card ...


Using my MFT Die-Namics stitched square dies I die-cut my smooshed panel then sliced the centre out to make space for the 'thanks' word die from WPlus9 with a mini sentiment along the bottom from WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers. In true Jennifer McGuire style I even die-cut some hearts with the left overs using a Wise Die (mini hearts) from Paper Smooches. I drizzled these with  Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.
I've certainly gone to town on snippety bits for this card even down to the  teeny black strips which I cut from above and below the 'thanks' negative! So what more can I do but head over to Pixies Snippet Playground! Having followed the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch I'm also  going to link my card up there too.


And in view of Anne's terrible sad news this week  here's one for her with sincere condolences.

Using WPlus9 Sending Sunshine and Clearly Besotted April Showers stamp sets  I've created a mini scene, masking each image before stamping the next one.  Before removing the masks I've spritzed a mixture of Distress Ink re-inker in  Peacock Feathers and Perfect Pearls. Having removed the masks I decided a little silver  misting was in order too with glossy accents for added detail to some elements.
Ok it's over to you now and I hope you enjoy the messy challenge! Have loads of fun and can't wait to see your cards.
Thanks for calling by and if you check out my post with the latest challenge details  for ATCAS HERE you might even manage a challenge combo opportunity!

Freshly Made Sketches 200th Sketch Celebration

Hello crafty friends, I'm here on behalf of Uniko, which is sponsoring a very special event over at 
Freshly Made Sketches as they celebrate their 200th sketch
That's a fabulous achievement and I'm delighted to design a card using Uniko products to mark the occasion.
Huge congratulations and well done to the FMS AWESOME DT! Here's to the next 200 sketches!

Card Recipe:

Uniko: Pure Florals - Chrysanthemum, stamped using

Ranger Archival Black ink then coloured using Zig Clear brush Pens

and All Occasion Sentiments #3

Here's sketch number 200! and I do hope you'll find some

time to play along and don't forget to check out all the 

wonderful creations over at Freshly Made Sketches.

I'm guessing there could be some prizes too!

Sunday Catch Up

Morning All I'm on catch up today as I've spent the last 2 days visiting universities with our daughter. We've had some pretty long and full on days so not been in my usual commenting and creating routine!
Here in the UK it's Father's Day today so we have the  in-laws visiting shortly but I wanted to post these cards to enter a few challenges first.
First up is my entry for this week's Muse Card Challenge. I love the balloon style Marion has used and I've kept quite close to her card style and colour this week. It's Marion's last week at Muse so I simply had to play along. She's been an awesome source of inspiration to me with her cards since I started playing along. I love her use of colours and brilliant designs.

Card Recipe: Paper Smooches: Balloon Dies Clearly Besotted: Mini Basic Banner sentiments & matching die Glossy Accents and Embroidery thread for added detail

I'd also like to link this card up at Freshly Made Sketches and CASology: Kids - I mean kids always love balloons don't they!
  
    



Next up is to enter at Addicted to CAS where the codeword is 'SPLASH' along with Happy Little Stampers where it's 'sprays and mists' this month.

I started out by using a Memory Box butterfly Stencil, inking through it with blue/green shades of distress inks then removing the stencil and 'spritzing/misting' using a home-made spray of water and perfect pearls to add some shimmer. Once dry I've added splashes of water to the butterflies to re-activate the inks and form splashes and sprays of colour. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted: it's your birthday and I've added a strip of DP from Doodlebug in a coordinating colour.

   

Thanks as always for stopping by and hope you have a good day

Less is More #226

Morning all, hope you're ready to be challenged at Less is More! It's a 5-Saturday month which means we have a  'Lucky Dip' Challenge - Two or Four legs
...what's more we've a guest designer too this week Rebecca (MellyMoo) so I do hope you'll pop across  to her blog and check out her wonderful creations.
Here's my cards and first up I'm using the Eiffel Tower AGAIN -  The die was still on my desk from last week and I looked  around for something with 2 or 4 legs ... and there it was!!! 

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Je T'aime, Basic Numbers & Superstar

Artplorations: Bubble Stencil inked with Tumbled Glass DI

MFT Die-Namics: Stitched border and rectangle dies

I'd like to link this card up at the STAMPlorations - Anything Goes challenge

Edit: thanks to Julie B air suggesting I also link up at

STAMPlorations flash stencil Linky party with this card!

Next up a very obvious 4 legged animal and I'd also

like to link this card up at Freshly Made Sketches and Addicted To CAS,

where Animals is the codeword this week.

Card Recipe:

Paper Smooches: Chubby Chumbs

Hero Arts: Happy stamp & die set

Clearly Besotted: Grass die

MFT Die-Namics: Stitched Square Dies & Sentiment strip

Tumbled Glass distress ink over a home-made stencil for the sky

using Mama Elephant stitched landscape die

   

And the last one is to link up at Muse Christmas Visions although I'm not sure

 if I've taken this Muse a step too far this time; turning Tracey's card upside down and 

using penguins instead of trees - will see whether it's deleted from the gallery.

Truth is I was late to the Arctic penguin party and can't miss an opportunity to use them!!!

Card Recipe:

Sheena Douglas: Falling Snow Embossing folder

Mama Elephant: Arctic Penguins

Clearly Besotted: Signature Christmas

Distress inks in Tumbled Glass & Broken China

Here's Tracey's gorgeous Christmas card

I'd also like to link up at 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - where it's Anything Goes

Ok I'm handing over to you now and looking forward to 

some super clever ideas this week as always. 

Have some crafty fun and don't forget to check out the fabulous cards 

from my LIM teamies over on the main blog here

Thanks for stopping by and catch up with you again soon.

Less is More #225

Hi there ... yippee it's the weekend! Yippee 2 it's a Bank Holiday one in the UK Yippee 3 ... I'm off work this week!!!
Let's hope I get lots of crafty time in!  But first let's introduce this week's Recipe challenge at
Less is More Use some Metal
So here's what I did and it should come with a warning ...  Too much fizzy drink isn't good for you & Take extreme care: cutting up fizzy drink cans could cause injury!
I did manage several die-cut shapes and an embossed panel from one  'red' can of a popular fizzy drink using my Big Shot.  Incidentally my fingers are still in one piece!

Card Recipe: Tin Can die-cut butterfly using Clearly Besotted Butterfly standalone duo I've coloured the non-red side with some permanent markers  Uniko Studio: Sentiment from Simply Said birthday (heat-embossed with WOW metallic silver sparkle EP) Vellum die-cut leaves, silver glitter card strip with gems & silver pearls for a bit of glam

I've used the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge so I'll be popping my card in there too.

 My metal items here are the red hearts which I've had in my stash

for so long that there was a thick layer of dust on them!!!!

I guess they are Papermania and are secured in place with red metal brads. 

I stencilled some silver ink through a My Favourite Things 'Grid' stencil

before embossing with Hero Arts clear EP to add some texture.

The sentiment is from Stamplorations: Forever After set, heat-embossed

with the WOW metallic silver sparkle EP and for a bit of bling some gems from my stash.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

CASology: Wedding

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge: Stencil It

   

Using some more of the tin can I've die-cut the Eiffel Tower

using MFT Die-Namics and heat embossed a Clearly Besotted

sentiment from the Sunburst set with WOW metallic silver sparkle EP

The sky is created using distress inks in Dusty Concord & Seedless Preserves

with the city skyline die-cut with Paper Smooches die and mounted in layers.

Ok I'm handing over to you and looking forward as always to what

ingenious creations you come up with. 

Don't forget to check out the superb cards by my other 

teamies at Less is More plus we've some exciting news this week!

Have a fun weekend and catch up with you soon.

A Muse or Two and More

Morning Friends I'm trying my bestest to keep to my  New Years Resolution of entering the Merry Monday challenge every week to stock up my Christmas box ... THEN another Christmas challenge enters blogland and I'm literally FORCED to make 2 this week! Happy Days!
I'll have my feet up sipping mulled wine come 30th November!!!! Ha Ha ... we'll see about that eh!

So here goes with my Muse Christmas Visions entry

Card Recipe: Uniko Studio: Decorative Doilies & 'Christmas' sentiment from Peace on Earth both heat embossed in WOW metallic silver sparkle Clearly Besotted: 'Merry' word die ... looks like I'll have look out for a JOY die cut! So hope this will count. A strip of vellum plus some gems and pearls from my stash to accent
Here's Chriss's card and just as I'm adding this gorgeous Muse card I think I may have dropped a 'clanger' - classic mistake on a one layer card - adding a layer! Grrr!  The thought was there ladies just got carried away with the excitement!


Next up is my entry to Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge where we've been asked to use a stencil.

So a while ago I was lucky to win a blog hop stash giveaway

by Lisa 'I'm in Haven' and this gorgeous Christmas scene stencil

with pull-outs for trees and landscape, from Simon Says Stamp, was included.

It's a first outing for it, for me, so I've sponged the trees using the stencil 

with Distress Ink in Mowed Lawn.

I've 'very' loosely followed the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches 

using a snow drift die from MFT Die-Namics to create the 

'ski slope' effect with a sentiment from Clearly Besotted curved

to match (as best I could). To finish I've added some shading in 

Tumbled Glass DI and some glamour dust.

 

Last one is the 'other' Muse challenge and I have to say that 

once again Michele freaked me out with her classy style using muted colours

Here's my take ....

Card Recipe:

Dovecrafts Textured card panel die-cut using Mama Elephant stitched index card

Clearly Besotted: Flower Blocks - heat embossed in WOW brass metallic EP

and 'Congrats' word die which looking at my photo is rather too camouflaged!

Uniko Studio: Flower Power #3 sentiment

A few sparkly gems to finish. 

When I made this card I had in mind 2 superb guys who are getting 

married in a couple of weeks time - my sister is 'chief bridesmaid' 

if that's a role at a gay wedding and my brother-in-law is 'best man'

If any of you watched the Graham Norton show on Friday night 

they were in the audience and featured - having seen the show I'm not 

sure whether the card is 'camp' enough so your feedback would be most welcome!

Here's Michele's amazing card that I've tried to Muse!

Thanks as always for stopping by and catch you again soon.

Less is More #221

Morning all. Are you ready for the latest challenge from  Less is More
It's recipe week and we'd like to see you incorporate a  TAG on your project.
My Dad will be 70 this summer so here's a card for him. Although having put it together I'm not sure it'll fit  Dad or Grandad!!! Crumbs!
He doesn't check my blog so I should be safe posting this now.  There'll no doubt be a few additions before he receives it.

Card Recipe:

Avery Elle: Count On It dies

Paper Smooches: Stitched Tag die

Hero Arts: Happy word die & birthday sentiment

A strip of design paper from Echo Park, plus twine and sprinkles from Doodlebug

My Dad's favourite pastime is watercolour painting of scenery mainly and 

I'm hopeless at it but wanted to show my take on water-colouring!

I'd like to enter this over at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge

where it's Clean and Simple

Next up it's a vertical tag

This adorable set (Lawn Fawn: Gleeful Gardens)

was one of my sneaky goodies I purchased at the NEC 

and I think this is the first time I've inked it up.

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Rounded Tag

Uniko Studio: A Gift for You sentiment

Mama Elephant: Stitched Landscape Trio dies 

Images coloured with Stabilo pens and glossy accents for added dimension

Last one ... I've used an almost camouflage embossed

tag to sit the flower on then a mini tag too  

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Fresh Flowers (water-coloured with distress inks)

then die-cut with matching dies & sentiment from the same set

MFT Die-namics: Stitched border dies & Sentiment strips

I'd also like to enter this card at 

Freshly Made Sketches and ColourQ

      

        

Ok let's see what you come up with and remember to keep it

Clean and Simple with that lovely white space.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting.

I'll be back tomorrow with the latest challenge

from AAA Cards so hope to catch you then.