Good morning! I'm on the MarkerPOP blog today sharing a clean and simple fall card.

This card features Concord & 9th stamps and dies, and a Tim Holtz Mini Stencil. Have you seen the new C&9th Layering Leaves dies??? They are so amazing!! There are so many possibilities with these dies, and I've seen some really beautiful cards using them on Instagram.

I started with a Neenah Solar White card stock base. Using Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, and Twisted Citron, I blended the ink with a foam blending tool for a soft look. Once that was completed, I taped the Mini Stencil to the card base with removable tape. Then, using the same distress ink colors I mentioned above, I blended more ink over the stencil and it created a tone on tone effect! LOVE that look! I made sure to overlap each of the colors slightly to make it a smooth blend.

The leaves were die cut 4 times from Neenah Solar White card stock, and glued together in two stacks to give them some thickness and dimension. Finally, the sentiment from the Give Thanks set was white heat embossed on Black Card Stock.



Thanks for stopping in today! I hope I've left you with some Autumn inspiration. Enjoy your day ;)

Nicki

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We Flamin-go Together!

Hello crafty friends! I'm over on the MarkerPOP blog today sharing this super cute CAS flamingo card! I made this for my husband since our anniversary is coming up!

To start off, I used a Neenah Solar White card stock base. The Avery Elle "celebrate" die cuts also are Neenah Solar White, as well as the Lawn Fawn Flamingo Together palm trees and MFT banner die cut that "flamin-go" is on. The green part of the palm trees are stamped in Altenew's Forest Glades, and the brown pieces are stamped with Dark Chocolate.

The flamingos were stamped on watercolor card stock with VersaMark embossing ink, then heat embossed with black embossing powder. Using ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Markers in 028 Pale Pink & 021 Light Carmine, I colored in the flamingos lightly, and then used a water brush to blend the colors together. The beaks use ZIG CCRB 095 Dark Gray. Then they were die cut using Lawn Fawn's Flamingo Together die set. The heart was colored in using ZIG CCRB 024 Wine Red, then finished with a coat of Clear Wink of Stella.

Underneath the two groups of palm trees, I used ZIG CCRB 091 Light Gray to quickly color a shadow under them to ground them. The palm trees were adhered directly to the card base. The sentiment was stamped using black ink. The celebrate die cuts were adhered directly to the card base for some added texture, and a fun way to include another sentiment without taking away too much from the main sentiment. Since the card is being used as an anniversary card, I thought "celebrate" was perfect to include on it ;)

The flamingos were attached to the card base using foam tape, and the heart was glued directly to them.

I hope I've inspired you today! Thanks for stopping by!

Nicki
my instagram

Honey Bee Stamps - Congrats

Hey there! So I was looking through my blogger posts and realized that this post that I posted on the Honey Bee Stamps blog awhile ago was never published on my own blog! So....here you go, LOL!

So, do you ever get really frustrated and just sit at your craft desk and go ’round and ’round and you just can’t get the right placement or color scheme for your project?! Well, that’s exactly what happened to me here. I had an idea for the basic layout, and had a few flowers stamped and fussy cut, but it was just NOT working. I figured out that I wasn’t using a color combo that is typical for me, and it was really throwing me off! Once I decided on the blue, pink, and purple flowers you see below, the layout came together so nicely! I am LOVING this card!

The polka dots are a patterned paper, and the black and white card stock panels are both die cut using a borderline die. The “congrats” sentiment was created using the Brush Grunge Alpha set…such a versatile set!! Before adhering the fussy cut flowers, I stamped three large leaves on the white panel. Using the tiny solid heart from the Cherish stamp set, I stamped a few around the cluster of flowers and leaves. I love that added detail! A few Pretty Pink Posh sequins add a bit of shine!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Nicki
my instagram

Honey Bee Stamps - Let's Snuggle!

Good morning! Today I have a totally cool CAS card to share with you. I'm loving working with Honey Bee stamps....such fun stuff! ;)  I started with the sentiment. Isn't the word "Baby" just fabulous?! Love it. Underneath that, I stamped the scarf, and then the "let's snuggle up". It's from the Flakey Sentiments set, but I had to get creative and put the "let" in front of "snuggle up", then ink up just the "s" in "snuggle" to add it at the end of "let". Then I just drew in the apostrophe. I think it's such a cute sentiment! The scarf was colored in using some ink and a waterbrush.

Using several hearts from different stamp sets, I randomly stamped them, using both blue and red inks. A few snowflakes were added as well. For some finishing touches, I added Glossy Accents to the red hearts, and some Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins! The main panel is mounted to the base with foam tape.

I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch! Love it!

I hope you have enjoyed my creation today, and thanks for popping in to see me!

Nicki

Honey Bee Stamps Love You Card

Good morning! I'm thrilled to be sharing a Valentine's card with you using Honey Bee Stamps! This upcoming holiday is my favorite holiday to create cards for. Hearts always make me happy. They are so fun to work with!

I started by using a circle stencil and blending a light pink ink over it on watercolor paper. Then I flicked some water over the whole panel and let sit for a few minutes. Then, using a paper towel, I blotted the water droplets. Finally, the stamping happens! I used several different hearts from a few sets: Brush Grunge Alpha, Wonderland, and Flakey Friends. I stamped inside each circle with a heart or two using the same ink color for the blended background. To add some shimmer, I used Heidi Swapp's gold shimmer mist.

A strip of black and cream striped paper and gold foil card stock was layered and attached to the left side. I die cut the tag twice, once with watercolor paper, and once in the gold foil card stock. "Love you" was heat embossed using black embossing powder. The tags are adhered using foam tape.

I hope you LOVE my card and are inspired today! Happy crafting!

Nicki

Top Dog Dies May Release!!

Hi crafty friends! Top Dog Dies has released 7 new exclusive dies and they are available for purchase NOW! I really enjoyed playing with them, and can't wait for you to see what I've created (see below, after you check out the new products)!

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (sentiment) - Modern Basics
Dies: Top Dog Dies - Pretty Petals #2, Pretty Petals #3, Banners #1 Die Set, Mini Coffee Die Set (heart)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Basic Black and various colors; PTI - White
Other: Foam Tape

Supplies:
Dies: Top Dog Dies - Antique Mat Die Set, Signature Antique Die, Wedding Die Set, Pennant Banner, Elephants Die Set (heart), Typewriter Lowercase Die
Patterned Paper: The Paper Studio
Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Basic Black; PTI -White; DCWV - Purple shiny paper

I'm very happy with how these cards turned out, and I can only hope that you do too and that I brought some inspiration to you today!

If you are looking for even more inspiration, make sure to check out the Idea Gallery on the TDD website!

Top Dog Dies Wedding Card

Welcome back to another Top Dog Dies project! I have a romantic card to share with you.

I made this for a wedding. I think the TDD Heart Doily Die is sooooo pretty and intricate. I die cut it several times and layered them together.

After gluing all the layers together, I stamped the sentiment in the middle of the heart, and then stamped small, open hearts around it to accent it.

The awesome heart foiled vellum is loosely layered over the goldish colored cardstock. A very simple but elegant wedding card!


Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio - Pure Florals: Chrysanthemum; Flower Power #3
Dies: Top Dog Dies - Heart Doily Die
Patterned Paper: DCWV - Foiled Vellum Stack

Top Dog Dies Love Bird Card

Welcome back to another Top Dog Dies weekly post! I have an awesome Valentine's card to share with you.

This card uses a lot of different dies (see supplies list below for names/links)! The bird is from the brand new TDD release last week, Little Birds die set. The love banner and note is being 'carried' by the bird with the silver cord. The bird and envelope is popped up with foam tape for dimension. Hope you enjoy!!

Supplies:
Dies: Top Dog Dies - Little Birds, Signature Emerson Die, Vintage Alphabet Die, Heart Mini Album Finishers Die Set
Patterned Paper: Amy Tangerine - Plus One; Lawn Fawn - Let's Polka; Echo Park - Be Mine collection

Top Dog Dies January Release!

Hi crafty friends! I'm popping in for an exciting post. Top Dog Dies has released 6 new exclusive dies! I've been having fun playing with the new goodies over the past week, and you can see what I've created down below, after I introduce the new dies to you!

 Dotted Tags

Elephants

 

 Dotted Borders

 Feathers

Little Birds

 

Corset Background

Aren't they just awesome?!?! I'm loving the little details of the pierced holes around the edges of a lot of these dies. It gives them such character!

I hope you enjoy my cards using the new stuff! I've included the supply list at the end of the post for each card. If you are looking for even more inspiration, make sure to check out the Idea Gallery on the TDD website!

Supplies:

Happy Birthday card:
Dies: TDD - Feathers, Dotted Tags  
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Sketched Shapes (sentiment)
Cardstock: PTI - White
Patterned Papers: Amy Tangerine - Plus One; MME - Moments
Other: Twine, Washi Tape, Foam Tape

You and Moi card:
Dies: TDD - Corset, Corset Background, Dotted Borders, Elephants (small hearts) 
Cardstock: PTI - Rustic White, True Black; Stampin' Up! - Lavender Lace
Other: Patterned Paper: Pebbles

Thanks card:
Dies: TDD - Little Birds, Dotted Borders 
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Mini Blooms (sentiment)
Cardstock: PTI - Rustic Cream; Stampin' Up! - Kraft
Other: Patterned Paper: Poteeka Souflee - The Paper Studio; Sequins; Rainstones (PTI)

Baby Elephant card: 
Dies: TDD - Elephants, Dotted Tags
Cardstock: PTI - White, True Black
Patterned Papers: Lawn Fawn - Let's Polka; Pebbles
Other: SU Corner Rounder Punch, Sizzix Embossing Folder - Stripes, Foam Tape

Uniko Studio Challenge #17

Hi! Welcome to the first Uniko Studio Challenge of 2015!! To start our year, we've revamped the challenges to bring more variety and make it possible for everyone to participate. Yay! Here's the deets:

• Challenges will run for 2 weeks only and will begin on the 3rd Friday of each month
• You can use ANY stamps in the challenges
• You can enter as many times as you want and enter as many other challenges as you want combined with ours!

We are happy that we have some very creative Guest Designers joining us for this challenge! Just click on their names to take a browse around their amazing blogs.

Lynn
Lucy
Kitty

So this month our theme is Love and Friendship

Isn't is fun to create Valentine's Day cards?! I just can't get enough of hearts, hearts, hearts! I created the background pattern with the hollow heart and randomly stamped inside some of them with a smaller solid heart. Then, all the sentiments are embossed using black EP.

You have until Friday, January 30th, 2:00am CST, to link your card up on the Uniko Blog. 

How to WIN some Uniko gift vouchers!!

• The DT will choose a winner who will get a £20 Gift Voucher for Uniko Studio plus be invited to be a Guest Designer for our next challenge
• Our DT will also choose a top 3 and they will each get a £5 Gift Voucher
• If you do use a Uniko product we will do a random selected prize to win a £10 gift voucher

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio - All Occasions Sentiments #5, Always & Forever, Flower Power #3
Cardstock: PTI - White
Ink: PTI - Hibiscus Burst
Other: Black Embossing Powder

Top Dog Dies Love You Card

Hey there! I've got a giant-sized card to share today, LOL! (it measures 7.5" x 5.25")

As part of my DT duties for Top Dog Dies, I will be posting a card/project every Thursday here on my blog! I know it's Saturday today, but let's just say it slipped my mind! I hope you will stop by for a visit every week and let me know what you think!

I used the Top Dog Dies Lace Heart Border die and die cut it three times using different shades of pink. Next, I mounted them to a dark grey card stock base.

The large heart was die cut twice using vellum. I stamped the "Love You" sentiment on one of them, adhered dark grey sequins around it, then attached the piece to the other vellum piece. The panel was adhered to the base using foam tape.

Thanks for stopping by! Are you creating any fun things for the upcoming Valentine's holiday??

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio - Always & Forever
Cardstock: PTI - Smokey Shadow; Stampin' Up - Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red; Vellum.
Dies: Top Dog Dies - Heart Border Die, Heart Doily Die
Miscellaneous: Sequins, Foam Tape

Top Dog Dies Tutorial - Valentine's Day Banner

So for all these years that I've been blogging about my cards, I've never done a tutorial. I love watching video tutorials and reading other people's tutorials, but I thought I could never do that! Well, now that I'm on the Top Dog Dies design team, I am required to do one tutorial a month! So, my first one was posted the other day on the TDD blog. Be sure to check it out! I'm very proud of the project and the photos. Thanks to my hubby and his awesome camera for helping me out! ;)

Top Dog Dies V-day Banner Tutorial

Here's a few shots!!

 

PTI Anniversary

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I've been spending lots of time during the last week or so checking out all the new products that Papertrey Ink will be releasing tomorrow for their 7th Anniversary!! It's been so fun reading and seeing all the new stuff along with awesome samples by Nichole and the Design Team!

I'm playing along with the Day 1 Challenge, where you choose one of the 7 color combos provided, and one of the 7 sketches provided, and then create your card using those. The first sketch caught my eye right away and there was no turning back :) I thought it was perfect for my clean and simple style.

Here is the color combo...

I used the Live Love Life set my Maile Belles. It's the first time I used it, and I know it's gonna get a lot more inky time! I felt it needed a little more something since it's a one layer card, so I picked out some coordinating sequins and placed them randomly.

I would love to know what you think. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies: 
Stamps: PTI - Live Love Life
Cardstock: PTI - White
Ink: SU - Cranberry Crisp, Basic Black, So Saffron, Cool Caribbean, Pink Passion
Other: Sequins (Joanns)

Uniko Studio Revisited Blog Hop

Hi and welcome to the Uniko Studio Revisited blog hop using Accent Essentials: Arrows. See the image below for the full stamp set.

I'm so glad you came by for this awesome hop! I've been having a blast stamping some Valentine cards using the Accent Essentials: Arrows set, combined with the December release stamps!

This first card is actually pretty simple to make. The background is sprayed with Glimmer Mist. Once that was dry, I stamped the arrows in a pattern using black ink. The heart is also stamped in black, and popped up with foam tape. I absolutely LOVE how this turned out! I wish you could see the detail of the glimmer mist...it has such a pretty shimmer to it when the light hits it just the right way. Couldn't capture that with the camera unfortunately.

My second card has lots going on, LOL! This is totally not my usual style, and I'm really not too crazy about it, but thought I would share it with you anyway.

The pattern on the right side was created using the solid arrow shape from the set. The tiny hearts are from the Flower Power #3 set. Valentine and the arrows are heat embossed with white powder. I colored on top of the arrows with pink colored pencils. The vertical strip is silver glitter tape.

I hope I inspired you in some way today! Enjoy hopping along! Your next stop is Ren-Yi. Be sure to comment on each stop because one lucky winner will receive the Accent Essentials: Arrows stamp set, AND a £5 gift certificate to Uniko Studio!! You have until midnight Tues, Jan 14th to enter for a chance to win.

BLOG HOP LIST:

Beverley (Uniko Studio)
Amber

Erika

Gayatri
Nicki - THAT'S ME!!
Ren-Yi

Stacey

Taheerah

Supplies: 
Love You card:
Stamps: Uniko Studio - Accent Essentials: Arrows, Always & Forever
Cardstock: PTI - Soft Stone
Ink: Staz-on - Black
Other: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Scarlet; Foam Dimensionals

Valentine card:
Stamps: Uniko Studio - Accent Essentials: Arrows, All Occasion Sentiments #5, Always & Forever, Flower Power #3
Cardstock: PTI - White; SU - grey from my stash!
Ink: PTI - Smokey Shadow; SU - Pretty in Pink, Rose Red
Other: Sweet Stamps - white embossing powder; Glitter Ribbon - Recollections; Colored Pencils

Uniko Studio December Release!!

The day is HERE! It's the Uniko Studio December Release & Reveal. Are you ready to see the NEW products that are NOW available to purchase on the Uniko website?!?!

All Occasion Sentiments #5 £4.95

Copyright Uniko Studio 2013

www.unikostudio.co.uk

First up is All Occasion Sentiments #5. This series has been very popular and so it would have been rude not to have a LOVE themed set in the series! As you can see from the image above it features 8 stamps in lovely trendy & modern fonts. It is also suitable for other occasions such as weddings, engagements & anniversary cards as well as Valentine's Day. The size of the sentiments are perfectly sized to work with sentiments contained in the 4 preceding All Occasion Sentiment sets in the series.

Next we have another mini set called Always & Forever...

Always & Forever £4.95

Copyright Uniko Studio 2013

www.unikostudio.co.uk

As you can see the set features two focal image hearts AND one of the hearts coordinates with the flower from the previously released & VERY popular Beautiful Blooms 1 clear stamp set. The set also contains an accent heart & variety of Love themed sentiments.

So what do you think?! Aren't they just FANTASTIC!! :D

Hearts, Hearts, Hearts.....I LOVE THEM! I've always been drawn to hearts, and I never get tired of using them on cards. So, I took full advantage of Uniko's awesome set, Always & Forever. I stamped both large heart images twice, in two different colors, fussy cut them, and popped them up with foam tape. The sentiment is stamped on white cardstock, cut out, silver Stickles added to the edge, and popped up. Finally, the bottom corners are rounded with a punch. That's it!

Couple more things you don't want to miss:

Don't forget to comment along the hop as one lucky commenter will win the entire release along with a little Christmas surprise! You have until midnight Friday, Dec 13th to comment for a chance to win & Beverley at Uniko Studio will announce the winner on the blog & the Facebook page.

One last little thing for all you Release Day Uniko Studio Fans:
 

BLOG HOP LIST:

Beverley (Uniko Studio)

Aimes

Gayatri
Nicki - THAT'S ME!!

Stacey

Taheerah

Gillian

Supplies: 
Stamps: Uniko Studio - All Occasion Sentiments #5, Always & Forever
Cardstock: PTI - White
Ink: SU - Almost Amethyst; PTI - Royal Velvet
Other: Stickles - Silver, Foam Tape