Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Originally Organic

Morning all, 

Steph here today and for this month’s Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration post I wanted to use something with a matching die so I chose Uniko Originally Organic stamp and die bundle. 

The main stamp in the set is so beautifully intricate and I thought it would be nice to team it with contrasting backgrounds using Uniko Background Blocks Diagonal Stripes, Horizontal Stripe and Rays. 

For each card I stamped, coloured and die cut the Originally Organic image and on a different piece of card I stamped the background block. I die cut the Originally Organic flourish from the background block and inlaid the coloured image before adding a sentiment. 

All three work really well with the background blocks. I think the last one is my favourite. 

While I was clearing up my desk I then realised that the ‘waste’ pieces cut from the backgrounds above looked really cool so I stamped them with the Originally Organic flourish. I didn’t feel the need to colour them as the had the colour from the BB stamp. I kept these cards very CAS, and happily made another three very quick cards.

A very productive craft session and I’m pleased I was able to make three more ‘bonus’ cards and not waste any papercraft bits!

Much love

Steph x

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Birthday Celebrations

Birthday celebrations you say?! 

Why yes! You may have noticed that it’s Uniko’s 11th Birthday this month so my Brand Ambassador Inspiration post is all about birthdays and Uniko (I have used the Uniko colours as well as products). 

So firstly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNIKO! 

Make sure you haven’t missed the Birthday Linky Party from the 1st of the month. And check back here on the Uniko blog for the next two Saturdays to be in with a chance of winning some Uniko goodies! 

So for my first card today I used Uniko Balloon Bash and Uniko Background Blocks Party Confetti stamp sets.

Secondly I have used Uniko Big and Bold Happy stamp and die set, stamping and die cutting the large ‘happy’ sentiment. 

Finally I have used Uniko Balloon Bash stencil teamed with Uniko Big & Bold Happy stamp and die set. This time just die cutting the sentiment without stamping it.

Hopefully these have put you in a party mood! There have been already been lots of birthday celebrations on the Uniko blog but make sure you keep checking back as Bev and the Brand Ambassadors have lots more lovely birthday celebrations to come. 

Much love

Steph x

Brand Ambassador Post : English Country Garden Butterflies

 Hi there!

Hannelie here today with a trio of butterfly cards !

It's been a while since I tried a new technique. I tend to stick to my usual ways. Time to do something about it...  I'm talking about print making with die cuts! So easy with a fun watercolor look! I will definitely do it more often in the future.

Card #1

Card #2

Card #3

All together!

I used : 

• English Country Garden Butterfly stamp and die set
• Pure-florals-cosmos stamp set (Sentiment on second card)
• Simply-said-blocks (Sentiment on the third card)
• Zig markers and die cuts to make background 'prints' following THIS tutorial
• Versafine black ink
• Misti
• Rhinestones and pearls
• Foam squares
• Circle die cut as a mask on the third card

Thank you so much for popping in! I hope you'll leave here feeling inspired to try something new (to you) !

Hannelie

Have You Seen?

Happy Monday. 

Today I am sending you some happiness, good health and sunshine wishes your way. I know that all around the world we are struggling to deal with the craziness of everything. Stay strong, listen to your government guidelines and spend some time creating to take your mind off it all.

I thought I would pop by to tell you about a Uniko feature in the newest issue of Die-Cutting Essentials that came out on Thursday.

I am super excited to share a little peek at the feature I did for the magazine using the newest Uniko Designer Dies Kindness Blooms collection. This collection of dies coordinate with the previously released Kindness Blooms clear stamp set and were released last month during our 8th Birthday celebrations.

This is my favourite card I made for the feature. One because it was super fun to make and two it shows most of the dies in the collection AND it also shows how the tiniest die in the collection can be used in a different way to create a fun background.

Yes, I really did use the tiny circle die to die cut all those individual holes in the background! I've also used both the solid flower die combined with the detail loopy flower die combined with the coordinating stamps. All the details and instructions for this card can be found inside the magazine. You can buy the magazine online HERE.

I've not managed to create anything new with this clear stamp set just yet, but I hope to this week if time allows. However, I did receive this beautiful card through the post this past week from a lovely customer, Anne S, who is clearly enjoying combining the stamps and dies.

It makes my day to see customers and friends finding enjoyment and creativity using the products I design. It inspires me to create and gives me new ideas of how to use them! It delighted me even more to receive this prettiness in the mail, which I will display in the studio. Thank you Anne :)

One last thing before I sign off for the day, it's been a long one as I've not been sleeping well these past few days. Like most I am sure with all that is happening and on our minds.

Paper crafting, stamping, die cutting and making hand made cards is a wonderful therapy and distraction to all that is going on. So I thought that whilst Post Offices remain open here in the UK I would give you all a little discount code to use to treat yourself to something from the Uniko store.

Use Code happyspring10 during checkout.

Plus, with receiving the news yesterday that Happy Stampers Festival will not be going ahead at the end of April I have a lot of inventory and I am in need to create some space in the studio!

Thank you in advance for your support and custom. Each and everyone of you is truly appreciated.

Stay safe & well.

Crafty Hugs

Brand ambassador inspiration : Big and bold wish

Hi there!

Hannelie here with some inspiration focusing on Big & bold wish stamp set and Designer dies : big & bold - wish collection .

I combined the Big and Bold :Wish stamp set and designer dies with Background blocks : stars .

The sentiment phrases in the set really make it so versatile! You can use it with the birthday candles in the set to create a birthday card, or with the reference to stars, you can create a wish-inspired card by combining it with star images or embellishments like I did on today's card !

I stamped the star background on a piece of card stock and layered it on black card stock showing off a small border.

I used gold glitter paper to die cut the sentiment and layered it on a black shadow. The die cut 'wish' was popped up with foam dots for dimension. I used my silhouette cameo to cut out the 'upon a star'' and adhered it on the large die cut sentiment.

I finally added the 3 large golden flat back embellishments.

I love combining different sets to create different themed cards!

Thanks for popping in to take a look at my card :)

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday and wonderful week !

Hannelie

February Release Showcase by Rahmat

Hi everyone Rahmat here.

I was away during the Feb release, so I am showcasing the release today.

I have 5 cards where I have combined all the stamps, die cuts and stencil.

I stamped the flowers and leaves in pink and grey and used the coordinating diecuts. Arranged the flowers and stamped the sentiment above to finish off.

I have used printed card base here, used the diecuts from the previous card, and used the stamps from the big happy set to stamp around in random

I used CrafTangles liquid watercolors to crest the Bg and then used green ink to stamp the Graffiti, used inlaid die cut technique to add the black die cut sentiment.

I used the stripes stamp and the freebie together here for this card. Since I saw this image on the DT blog, I was looking forward to convert it to a butterfly and I am very happy that I did. I used CrafTangles liquid watercolors to watercolor the flower and leaves.

I used the distress oxides hickory smoke and worn lipstick to ink the stencil, edged the panel with a glitter strip and added the flower and sentiment in Altenew ink.

        Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate your kind  feedback :) Have a great day!
                                                                     

June 2018 Design Team Blog Hop WINNER!

Hey!

Thanks for stopping by today, I'm here to announce winner of the June Design Team Blog Hop. Random.org helped me select a lucky comment from all those left along the hop and chose...

Ksenija @Sweet Kobylkin11 June 2018 at 17:14

Jane, that was a surprise as I've been scrolling down watching your CAS cards... Boom! An explosion. The 3rd card is so unusual for your style, and I really like it  - Sweet Kobylkin

Congratulations Ksenija! Please email me at bev@uniko.co.uk no later than 1st July 2018 to claim your prize.

Before I go, how about a card...

I am super duper excited to have a debut feature in the NEW issue of Practical Publishing Die Cutting Essentials magazine, with this little number along with a few others.

The feature is all about creating cards for men and focuses on the recently released and popular Designer Dies Explosion! Collection, along with the coordinating clear stamp sets, Explosion! and Explosion! Additions.

Here is a look at the first page of the feature in the magazine and another of the cards...

I can't wait to receive my copy in the mail! The magazine is available for purchase now and I hope that you enjoy the feature if you get a copy ;)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hugs

NEW Originally Organic Designer Dies!

Hey!

Now if you follow me on Social Media and your are signed up for the Uniko Newsletter (sign up located at the lower right of the website homepage), then you will already know about these NEW Designer Dies available NOW on the website HERE! 

Ever since the Originally Organic Designer Dies landed on my desk I have been itching to give them a proper test run ;) Luckily tonight the beans were playing ball and fell asleep with hardly any messing around! 

Here's how I decided to use them...

One of my favourite images from the Originally Organic clear stamp set is this swirly foliage and the NEW matching die has made me fall in love a little bit more! 

I think what I love most about this stamp is the delicacy and elegance it has with the swirls. The matching die is simply fabulous and keeps these details perfectly once die cut. 

I started by die cutting the image partially overlapping my mat layer, making sure to keep hold of all the pieces. 

I then placed my die cut layer and base card inside my MISTI stamping tool, placing the corresponding stamp in place to then stamp the image in Altenew Industrial Diamond ink. I then used a small selection of Copic Markers to colour the image. 

Once I had finished colouring and stamped the sentiment I adhered the die cut layer using foam adhesive, making sure to piece together and adhere the smaller pieces.

This is all I have to share tonight using these new dies, but I can assure you that you WILL be seeing more of these dies in action over the coming days too! 

Until then, thank you for stopping by this evening.

Hugs 

CAS Colours & Sketches #215

Hey!

It's time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches and this month Patricia is our hostess and this week has another wonderful colour combination to inspire us all.

A fun combo don't you think? I'm not a huge fan of Rich Razzleberry so it daunted me a little, but this is what I came up with...

I was inspired by the new challenge over at AAA Cards HERE, which is to use die cuts and I was especially inspired by CC&S teamie and AAA Cards member Jane with THIS card created for the challenge.

Hopefully you can tell I was inspired by the die cut frame idea?! So, I used my Stampin' Up! Stitched Framelit dies to create the square frame and then dusted off Uniko Flower Power #7 to stamp the stem and flower. 

After assembling my card I decided the flower needed a little more interest and stamped it again and fussy cut it out. I adhered it using foam adhesive like the frame and added an enamel dot to finish it off. The sentiment is from Simply Said.

Anyway, thats all from me, but be sure to check out all the Design Team inspiration HERE on the CAS Colours & Sketches blog and I hope to see you in the gallery :) Challenge End Time: 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time/11:00 p.m. London U.K. time Monday, March 28th, 2017

Hugs

Supplies:

Uniko Clear Stamps Flower Power #7 and Simply Said

Ink: Stampin' Up! Old Olive and Pacific Point. VersaFine Onyx Black

Card: Stampin' Up! Thick Whisper White and Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Stampin' Up! Stitched Framelit Dies, Enamel Dots and Foam Adhesive.

CAS Colours & Sketches #182

Hey!

This month over at CAS Colours & Sketches we have LOTS of fun challenges in store. As it is the summer months we are taking it in turns to be a hostess for the week. This week our hostess is the lovely Jane.

Jane has come up with this awesome sketch HERE and seen below for you to try...

I had SO many ideas for this sketch, but limited time this week to make a card. This is how I ended up using the sketch...

I had some previously stamped and die cut elements on my desk left over from previous projects a couple of weeks ago, so I put them to good use on my card! 

The flower blooms are from Uniko's Flower Power #2 and I have used the Rock N Roll inking technique to stamp them. The leaves are from Natures Treasures II and the sentiment from Simply Said. The doily is a Papertrey Ink die cut. As usual I have added a good covering of Wink Of Stella to my flowers and leaves ;)

I hope I have inspired you to give the sketch a go and join in on the challenge this week. Be sure to stop on over HERE and check out what the rest of the CAS Colours & Sketches DT have done using the colours and I hope to see you in the gallery.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:

Stamps: Uniko Flower Power #2, Natures Treasures II and Simply Said

Ink: SU! Summer Sun & Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise and Bermuda Bay. Lucky Limeade VersaFine Onyx Black

Card Stock: SU! Whisper White & Sahara Sand

Accessories: Wink Of Stella, Papertrey Ink Die and SU! It's My Party Enamel Dots

Playing catch up...

Hey & Happy Weekend!

I've been 'playing' catch up over the last couple of days experimenting and trying as many of the techniques and ideas that the Stretch Your Stamps 2 online card class have been sharing and inspiring us with over the past 12 days! I'm still behind on some of the days, but when I saw Julie Ebersole's wreath hello card on Day 9, I just had to give it a go...

I used Uniko Studio Natures Treasures I and Background Builders: Vines for this card, along with my Avery Elle inks & the Mama Elephant 'hello' die.

It was a little tricky to cut the inside of the wreath out, but once I'd made a start it didn't take too long! I decided to mount my panel onto a card base with foam adhesive and the 'hello' is secures either end on the reverse of the panel and left hanging free! I'm super pleased with how it turned out and I can see myself making more of this type of card & replacing the die cut with a stamped sentiment.

Ahhhh, weekends how I love thee! Today is going to be spent relaxing & maybe a spot of creating, only 15 days until 'Bean Day', I need to make the most of it!! I'll be back tomorrow with the WINNERS and Top 3 from the Uniko Studio Challenge #12 'Anything Goes'. Until then, thank you for stopping by today :)

Supplies

Card Stock: White (Boyes) SU! Real Red

Ink: Avery Elle Lemon Grass, Orchid & Cherry. SU! Pear Pizzaz

Stamps: Uniko Studio Background Builders: Vines and Natures Treasures I

Accessories: Mama Elephant 'hello' die & Foam Adhesive