Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Background Blocks Layered Modern Floral

Good afternoon, Julie here with a little bit of Brand Ambassador inspiration. 

Over at Color Hues there's a new colour combination so I thought I would combine my DT card with a BA post!

Here's my card for the Purple and Green challenge using Background Blocks Modern Layered Floral stamp set. I was also inspired by the current challenge at The Flower Challenge where their theme is to focus on the background.

To start, I chose an A4 panel of thick card, I used a faux watercolour technique and needs to hold up to the amount of water used. Using the floral element of the set, I inked up with Altenew's Wisteria, spritzed with water before stamping. I then added some darker Hydrangea ink to the center and pushed it around the stamp with a wet brush to get rid of any harsh edges, before stamping again. This was repeated until the panel was covered. As the ink dries it separates a little to give the soft effect. The same technique was repeated with the leaf stamp using Altenew's Bamboo ink and a darker green Zig watercolour brush marker this time. When dry I added the dark centers to the flowers with the detail stamp and Altenew's Andromeda ink as during the stamping some of the detail was lost.

On a die cut panel of matching card, I stamped the sentiment from Doodle Flowers, attached it to some torn vellum and placed some silver thread behind before adding onto my stamped panel with foam pads. A few silver sequins complete. My stamped panel was trimmed to leave a narrow frame when added to an A6 note card.

That's about it for today but there's plenty going on here at Uniko over the next few days, so don't go too far away!

Happy crafting.

Stencil Sunday, Brand Ambassador Inspiration, Don't forget the small elements!

Morning all, Julie here with a little bit of inspiration using just one of the small elements from the new MOD Background Builders Circle stencil. I had so many different ideas that I didn't get around to making for the release.

First off is this card that was inspired by an abstract poster I found online, using just the largest  semi circle from the stencil.

To start, I took a panel of white card and drew around the inside of the semicircle with a black fine liner. Once I was happy with the pattern, I went back to add the stencilled elements in shades of blue. The panel was trimmed down to neaten it up and a simple sentiment, stamped in black on a scrap and trimmed down, was added. When I look at it now, I realise that the central mid blue semi circle should have been the other way around, but it's too late to alter it now!!

You could change up the design quite simply by including the quarter circle into the pattern or use the smallest semicircle for a more compact pattern. Play around on some scrap before you commit to your final design. Just have fun!!

This second card uses the same element but in a regular repeat pattern.

I chose to use a rainbow of colours this time and the last one of my square sentiments I made awhile ago using Doodle Flowers.

On a panel of white card, I inked the semicircle using rainbow colours, to create this repeating pattern. Trimmed down it was added to a base card and the sentiment added, then a white frame created using stacking square dies.

So two cards using just one small element, but two totally different looks. The small elements in sets are often forgotten but they are quite useful to create patterns. Play around, look at geometric posters on Google or Pinterest for ideas, but again have fun playing, it's only paper and ink after all!

That's all for today from me. Keep safe and keep crafting!

BA Inspiration, Combining sentiments from more than one set

Good morning all, Julie here with some Brand Ambassador inspiration. 

Do you find masculine cards difficult? I love making cards for blokes just as much as for the girls, until recently the boys outnumbered the girls in our family! My go to style for masculine cards is CAS and the choice of colours also plays a part, bold bright colours work well for masculine cards. So here's a simple idea that you can use over again, just change the sentiment!

Over at Cardz4Guyz their new challenge theme is something beginning with D, so I chose Die Cuts and used some Uniko sentiments to create my card focal point. As I made quite a few extra die cut shapes, I decided to make a few more cards with them and share them with you here.

Here are the first two, the bright one on black I used for the challenge at Cardz4Guyz and the other I made with the more pastel tones on white for a feminine take. The layout of the die cuts is slightly different but the sentiment is the same.

To begin, I selected a few different sentiment stamp sets which I could combine to make my sentiment phrase. For these two cards I selected Everyday Sentiments, Doodle Flowers and Happy Days. Using a speech bubble die set, I cut a load of colourful shapes from card scraps, waste not want not.

On the long speech bubble, I arranged the sentiment then stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with white EP. I find it easiest to use a jig for stamping on small items, so for this I cut the shape from a piece of scrap card which I placed in my MISTI and arranged the sentiment stamps in the opening. Try test stamping on some scrap to ensure you don't waste the die cut!

Using this stamped bubble as the start, I arranged the die cuts over my A6 base cards, trimming off anything that was overhanging. You don't need to make up your own sentiment phrases, there are lots of ready made ones that Bev has released, but I thought it would allow me to fill the long thin speech bubble.

As I had a few leftover die cuts, I went with a different sentiment phrase and layout, this time using a mix of Doodle Flowers and Floral Vines.

It was the same process as for the other two cards, except that the sentiment was in a different place.

This card could be for a male or female recipient really. If you don't have speech bubble dies, you could use other die cut shapes to get the same effect, balloon dies would work well.

OK,  that's all from me for the moment, but I hope I've given you some ideas to create masculine cards and get more use from your sentiment stamps.

Stay safe 'til next time and keep crafting!

BA Inspiration, Spring Botanicals - Tulips Three ways

 Good afternoon folks, Julie here with a little bit of Spring BA inspiration.

It's the 1st of the month, so there's a new colour combination over at Color Hues and as soon as I saw that it was pink and green I knew I had to use the Spring Botanicals -Tulip set. These cards all use the same stamp but I've used a different method of colouring in each.

My first idea uses a slimline card base and watercolour. On a panel of white card, I stamped a row of tulips in black and embossed with a clear EP before washing in some pink DI over the petals and green over the stems and leaves. Detail was added with matching pink and green Zig watercolour markers. 

Taking the slimline card base, I added a strip of black and white DP to the open edge before adding my watercolour panel and a strip of silver mirror card. The sentiment from Pure Florals Cosmos was stamped on a strip of black card and heat embossed with white EP.

The second card started with an A6 panel of Copic friendly card, on which I stamped all over with the tulip flowers in Altenew's Limestone ink for a no line effect.

Using pinks, RV00, 10, 13,14 and 17, I coloured the blooms, the leaves were similarly coloured, this time using YG17, 21 and 25. For added dimension I added a bit of shadow with a dark grey Copic.

The sentiment, from Doodle Flowers, was stamped onto a square panel of grey card and heat embossed with white. I realised that if I double mounted the sentiment as I had intended, then the central bloom would be totally lost, so instead I added a separate white frame, allowing a peek of the bloom behind. The completed panel was added to a panel of the same grey card and then on pads to a 5 x 7inch white base card.

Finally, I did a loose watercolour version to go with the snowdrop one from my January BA post.

To get the look of no line, I first stamped my tulips onto a panel of scrap copy paper then scribbled the back with graphite pencil and traced through with a sharp pencil onto an A6 panel of MM paper, you could try a pale ink and simply stamp but you run the risk of it bleeding into the paint unless it's a waterproof ink!

I then painted over the tulips with masking fluid.

Once the masking fluid was dry, I washed clear water over the panel and dropped a variety of greens into the background, darkening areas around the blooms.

When dry, the masking fluid was removed and I started work on the blooms.

I worked on each petal in turn before starting on the leaves and stems. Lots of water is the key to the loose watercolour effect and patience!! Find something else to do while the different layers dry.

When I was happy with the painted panel, I mounted it behind a die cut mount and added a simple sentiment on pads.

When I chose the tulip image for these cards my own in a pot on the patio were just showing signs of life but hopefully they will soon burst forth into bloom.

That's all from me for today, hope I've inspired you to get out those stamps and paints out and have a play, it is only paper at the end of the day! If you don't like your attempts leave it a few days and come back to it, it's amazing how different it will look, you may surprise yourself.

Until next time, stay safe and keep crafting!

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Cards for Ukraine

 Good afternoon, Julie here hoping to encourage you to spread a little bit of sunshine and support the people of the Ukraine at this sad time. The lovely Nancy of Color Hues and Seize the Birthday, has had the wonderful idea that Color Hues offer card makers, the chance to flood the internet with a show of solidarity with the Ukranian people with a mass of blue and yellow themed cards. 

Nancy first saw the original idea on the Share Handmade Kindness FB group on Saturday by card maker Linda Eterno. After seeing the post, Nancy then contacted the Color Hues team as well as the ladies over at Seize the Birthday to ask if we would join in. So for their latest challenge they are doing something slightly different, a yellow and blue challenge running alongside their regular colour combo challenge.

When Nancy first voiced the idea of a blue and yellow theme, the flag colours of Ukraine, I thought of this card I saw last year and combined with this card by fellow Color Hues and Uniko team member Hannelie, being fresh in my mind, I came up with this.

I made my pocket from a really ancient piece of denim DP, it says 2002 on the back, scoring to create the pocket shape and as the DP was quite thin, I strengthened it with a panel of white card, which I slipped inside. A few freehand dashes with a blue fine liner create the faux stitching.

I had a couple of these yellow daisy style flowers left over in my bits box from last summer's Uniko's release, so just stamped a few more using Doodle Flowers and BB Doodle Flowers, colouring with Copics and fussy cutting them out. A few lines of white gel penadds extra life.

The tag sentiment from Sentiment Blocks, was stamped with Unicorn White then Faded Jeans DOx over yellow card. Although the white and DOx are opaque it still lets some of the yellow show through the blue, casting a greenish hue, but I didn't know how else to do it to get the effect.

I arranged the flowers over the top of the pocket and glued them in place, adding my sentiment strip down one side.

On an A6 off white note card, I embossed the stitched detail using a stitched rectangle die and then added my pocket, foam pads in the middle and tape along the edges to give a bit of dimension.

That's all from me for the moment but if you would like to join in with your yellow and blue cards, just link up over at Color Hues. The challenge runs for 2 weeks until 9am PST on March 14th.

Keep safe out there

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Background Blocks Mid Century Modern

Good morning all, 

I hope this blog post finds you well? Steph here with my first Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration post of 2022! 

I am starting the year off with Uniko Background Blocks Mid Century Modern stamp. I love the Mid Century Modern sets and this one is particularly good for masculine cards, however I have applied a mix of styles here.

My first card teams the background block with a mix of sentiments from Uniko Simply Said Blocks and Simply Said Blocks II stamp sets. The sentiments are heat embossed onto black card using blue embossing powder while the background block was stamped and heat embossed in yellow powder. I used the stamp twice, slightly overlapping, to give a longer edge to the card and I trimmed it before adhering to the card base.

For my second card I wanted a softer and more feminine feel so I teamed the background block with florals from the Uniko Originally Organic Additions stamp set. The elements of this card are all stamped in dye ink which gives a softer look than the heat embossing above. 

Possibly my favourite of the three cards, here I have heat embossed the background block in black onto yellow card. I have used the block twice to show how nicely the background blocks fit into a slimline card. I have added some enamel dots over some of the 'terminals' (I often think of this stamp as an underground map!!). The sentiment is from the Uniko Doodle Flowers stamp set and is white heat embossed onto a black card strip before being adhered with foam pads. 

Hopefully there's something here to kickstart your New Year crafting. I know I found it hard getting back into it after a very lazy break between Christmas and New Year! 

Take care and keep crafting!

Much love

Steph x

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Creative Christmas

Good Morning all, 

Steph here today. For my Uniko Brand Ambassador post I thought it would be quite nice to showcase a different way to use some Uniko non Christmas stamps mixed with the traditional Christmas sets for creative Christmas projects. 

My first card uses Uniko Background Blocks Doodle Flower stamp teamed with the more recently released Uniko Doodle Flowers stamp set. I have used red and green for the petals to resemble a Poinsettia. The sentiment is from Uniko Simply Said Blocks Christmas stamp set. 

My second card uses the foliage silhouette from the Uniko Just Because stamp set and I have teamed it with some white berries to create a hanging stem of mistletoe. I have used chalk ink over the black card in order for it to show up. The sentiment is a mixture of Uniko Christmas Sentiments stamp set, Uniko Most Wonderful stamp set and Uniko Big & Bold Hugs stamp set.

My final card for today uses Uniko Flower Power #3 stamp set. I have stamped the solid floral in two shades of green before fussy cutting and turning upside down to build my Christmas tree. The decorative elements have all come from the recently released Uniko Pattern Building Christmas Tree stamp set teamed with a sentiment from the Uniko Simply Said Blocks Christmas stamp set.

I hope you like my three cards today and that I have got you thinking about different ways in which to use your stamps. 

Much love

Steph x

Brand Ambassador Inspiration, Spinning Snowflake

 Good morning folks, Julie here with a bit of brand Ambassador inspiration. Today I'm embracing my inner Jennifer McGuire with a take on a spinning card I saw her make on You Tube. The snowflake on this fun card spins! So grab a cuppa and settle down, there are lots of photos and instructions to follow plus a very short video, if it works!

To start, I took the Sparkling Snowflake Designer Die and cut out one snowflake from holographic card, then, using a small circle die, cut an aperture in the middle.

 

The size of the aperture needs to be just slightly larger than a flat sided button. It has to be flat and not domed to allow the spinning action.

On a panel of blue card, slightly smaller than an A6 card base, I inked through the Let It Snow stencil with Chipped Sapphire DOx. This gives a subtle background for the star of the show! This was then glued onto an A6 white base card, leaving a white edge showing.

The greeting in the center of the snowflake is made up from sentiments from Doodle Flowers and a new Christmas sentiment set coming soon! Using some of the same blue cardstock, I die cut a slightly larger circle than the opening and heat embossed the sentiment with white EP. This was then mounted onto a circle of white card, I found in my stash!

To attach the snowflake to the spinning mechanism is so easy. Place the snowflake onto the inked panel, a little bit of low tack tape keeps the die cut in place, and carefully glue the button of your choice into the center, careful not to get glue on the snowflake. 

Once the glue on the button is completely dry add some to the top, again keeping it away from the snowflake, and add the sentiment.

Once the glue is dry the snowflake can spin to it's heart content!

Take a look.

So that's that, hope it encourages you to have a go, it's really simple but looks fab and it's fun!

Keep safe and keep crafting, 'til next time.

Friday Focus & a WINNER!

 Hello & Happy Friday! 

It's a soggy one here today & the perfect kind of day to spend in The Studio. I though I would do a Friday Focus post and give some love to another of the Uniko July 2021 Release stamp sets, before I announce the winner of the Release Day Blog Hop! 

I felt I neglected the Background Blocks Diagonal Stripes a little during the release, mainly because I misplaced a card I had made in the chaos, which I have now located - haha! So that is what I have chosen as my focus today.

Stripes are such a handy pattern for so many occasions and I think they can be paired with literally anything. From florals, to foliage, cutesy and more. 

Here is a look at the misplaced release card I had made...

I combined the diagonal stripes with the Stencil Tropical Leaf I, which I spent ages fussy cutting out after I had inked it in green and then added a sparkle embossing paste over the top. 

I finished the card with a sentiment from Simply Said Blocks III. I had some help from the Brand Ambassadors for the sentiments in this set, I think they are super useful and appropriate for the current times.

For my next card I was inspired by THIS card I made using the popular Background Blocks Horizontal Stripe.

This time I shifted the focal background block pattern and added in more of a second colour. I still used Pure Florals Cosmos and but the sentiment is from Doodle Flowers.

I love this Buttercup yellow from Concord & 9th, so it influenced my next card for today...

I was aiming for statement stripe and I think I achieved it! I knew after I had stamped the Background Block Diagonal Stripes that I wanted to used the BIG & BOLD Wish Designer Dies, but I did procrastinate for some time on the angle.

As you can see I opted to keep the wish level. The BIG! sentiment is from the coordinating BIG & BOLD Wish clear stamp set.

Lastly for today I went for something a little different and more of an experiment. I wanted a grunge look, aiming more to have less of a blocky feel, but although it turned out a little different than I had imagined, I went with it.

I applied Concord & 9th Mushroom ink to the stamp slightly and more to the centre of the stamp. I then used my stamp shammy to dab off the ink slightly. I really like the mottled effect and it picked up some of the aqua colour off the shammy from my second card! 

I finished off the card with some previously stamped and coloured flowers from Doodle Flower and Background Blocks Doodle Flower, but added in some leaves from Flower Power #6 for a more chunkier feel.

That's all the cards I have to share today, but before I go, how about a winner for the July 2021 Release Day Blog Hop! Thank you to everyone that took the time to hop along and leave a comment, they are truly appreciated.

Without further ado, the lucky random comment is...

Dee Earnshaw

26 JUILLET 2021 À 17 H 42 MIN

lovely designs!!! the first one is my favourite – love the colors

Congratulations Dee! Please email me at bev@uniko.co.uk no later than Sunday 15th August 2021 with your postal address to claim your prize.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Crafty Hugs

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Happy Valentine's Day

 Bonjour !

Izzy here with two cards for this Valentine's Day.

For my first card I combined the following products ...

 

I got inspired by the colours of the Colour Throwdown challenge and by the Time Out challenge photo inspiration.

First I stamped the background stripes block in black ink on a white card stock. I cut it and I foam mounted it on a white double card.

 Then I decided to make a gradient from pink to red when stamping the hearts. I fussy cut them and I glued them on the striped background. 

I finished by stamping the sentiment the same way, I fussy cut it and I glued it. 

For my second card I used :

 

For this card I got inspired by the sketch of A Place to Start challenge. I started with the background, using the stencil over a white card stock and blending distress inks. I flat adhered it to the fuchsia card base.

For the heart, I used a leftover of an alcohol ink panel that was still on my desk from a previous card. I stamped the heart with Versamark and I heat embossed it with Silver Pearl powder. I love how it lets see through the alcohol ink mouvement.

I die cut a label that I glued onto the stencilled background. Then I fussy cut the heart and I foam mounted it.

To finish, I stamped the sentiment in black and I glued some tiny hearts die cuts coming from the same Alcohol ink panel.

And since it's Uniko's birthday too, I couldn't finish this post without a birthday card ! For that I had fun using on the same card the products of the February releases of the last three years.

 

 

I kept the same shades of colour for this card. I placed the stencil on a double white card and I coloured with Distress inks. 

Then I stamped the flowers silhouette in black and I heat embossed with glitter powder. I also stamped the sentiment the same way and I cut it with the matching die. I used the sentiment die background on Vellum paper.

On this picture it is easier to see the shimmery of the black silhouette and sentiment.

To finish I glued the sentiment on the card and I added three sequins. 

That's all from me today. I wish you all a lovely day ! 

Thank you for stopping by.