Celebrating 12 Years 🎉 Uniko Birthday Inspiration

 

Hello & Happy Weekend! 

I'm here today with some more birthday card inspiration. I've been creatively itching to ink up the Block Party Birthday clear stamp. So today I did and created two fun shaker cards inspired by Uniko brand colours.

For my first card ink blending Oceanside, Carnation and Aqua Sky inks. It's hard to see in the photo's, but I then stamped the Block Party Birthday over the top in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with WOW Clear Sparkle embossing powder.

I then created a full shaker and finished with Balloon Bash and the Happy Birthday sentiment from Floral Vines. I've adhered these using foam adhesive.

For my second card I again heat embossed the Block Party Birthday using black ink and Stardust EP. I added the Uniko brand colours using alcohol markers.

With the background being more visible and prominent I decided not to embellish the full shaker card. 

That's all the creativity I have to share today, but I also want to say, don't forget the 12th Birthday Discount on all orders. Simply use the code BIRTHDAY12 during checkout 😃 I hope you will join myself and the Brand Ambassadors tomorrow for the party of the year!

Crafty Hugs

12 Days of Christmas Inspiration & Giveaways - Day 6

                              

 

Hello & Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Inspiration & Giveaways - Day 6

Every Friday, I will have a new Christmas themed card or project to share with you, along with a video showing how I made it. Plus, if you watch the video you will find out what the giveaway is and how to enter for your chance to win 😊 All the videos are HERE on the Uniko YouTube Channel.

In todays video I am giving fresh creative love to one of Uniko's unique concept stencils, Ink & Flip Christmas Star.

I've been wanting to create a shaker card using the star for a while, but being out of acetate for the standard shaker window card, it pushed me to try the full shaker cards using old thin acetate packaging.

I love how easy it was to create the shaker, a lot less time consuming with the foam tape on traditional shaker cards taking the most time! 

Be sure to head on over to YouTube HERE and watch me make a new version of the card, showing how the ink & flip stencil works AND this fun style of shaker card.

I hope you enjoy the video and don't forget you need to watch to find out about the giveaway and how to enter to be in the chance of winning. If you have any festive requests for upcoming 12 Days Of Christmas videos, please add them to the comments here or on any of Uniko's social media.

Crafty Hugs

Happy September & a Winner!

Hello & Happy September!

I am finally back in the studio after a busy start to the month. September is always a little chaotic with the Beans birthday and back to school, which was today.

So apologies for my absence these past couple weeks here on the blog and social media. It was lovely to take some 'downtime' with these two and my husband and enjoy the end of summer. 

But now I am back it is full steam ahead for some new products and a busy month of October with two Crafterama/Stamperama shows, Lincoln 1st October and Bedford 22nd October. PLUS there is the Uniko Stamping Retreat on Sunday 8th October! 

Anyway, before I get to the awaited winner for the July/August Release, how about another card using some of these products...

I've had this card finished for a while, I just needed to take photos of it, which I did this morning with the glorious sunshine coming through the windows. 

As you may remember the newest Background Block Art Decoratifs Christmas pairs beautifully with the previously released Background Block Art Decoratifs. Which I have done here.

I didn't actually use a lot of the new block, just the tree fussy cut out! But I had this idea to create a shaker card and add the tree as an embellishment focal point. The sentiment is from Simply Said Blocks Christmas.

My shaker choice was some Stampin' Up! Silver Glass as that was the only Christmassy one I could find at the time.

Ok, so enough talk. Let's get to the winner. I enlisted the help of the Uniko Brand Ambassadors to each select a commentor from across social media whose comment stood out to them. I then put the 6 names into a random generator and the lucky comment is...

Nicole G

Please drop me an email at bev@uniko.co.uk with your postal address and I will get your goodies in the post to you.

Thank you to everyone that commented and made this release one to remember. Now I had better knuckle down and get a bit more done before it's time to collect the Beans from school! 

Crafty Hugs 

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Clean and Simple with Metallic Accents

Good morning

Anita here and today I'm sharing the style of cards I love to make the most...clean and simple.  I thought I'd add some metallic elements and for both cards I've focused on Uniko dies.

 

I'll get straight to it and first up is a shaker card.  Often shakers can be thought of as quite fussy cards but they really don't have to be.  For this one I've used a die from the Designer Dies Passiflora Collection as my starting point...

I started with a die cut panel and used the leaf die from the collection to create an aperture for my shaker.  Before creating the shaker I stamped a sentiment from the Birthday Wishes Clear Stamp Set and heat embossed in gold.  On the card base I masked off a section where the aperture would be positioned and ink blended with three shades of Distress Oxide ink.  I then created the shaker by adhering acetate to the reverse, surrounding the area with foam tape and then trapping a mix of sequins in autumnal shades.  The panel was then adhered to the card base on more 3D foam tape.

For my second card I used the Flower Power #1 Clear Stamp Set and a die from the co-ordinating Designer Dies Flower Power #1 - #6 Collection...

On a white die cut panel I die cut the flower head to create an aperture and then stamped the stem/leaves and the sentiment.  I adhered some textured gold cardstock to the reverse of the aperture.  Then using the die cut, I stamped onto it using VersaMark ink and heat embossed in copper.  This was then adhered, offset, over the aperture.  The panel was then adhered to the card base on 3D foam and I added a single black gem to the centre of the flower.

I really wanted to go back to a true clean and simple style with these and I hope you've got some inspiration from them.  Now I need to shift my focus from autumn to Christmas as time isn't slowing down and I've not even started...yikes!

Enjoy the rest of your week and sending crafty hugs,

 

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Dies, Stencils & Stamps

 Bonjour !

It's Izzy here with two inspiration cards that I'm combining with the current challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More where it's all about Stencils and/or Dies.

 As I used Uniko products to make my DT cards, I wanted to give even more love to my Uniko dies, Stencils and Stamps. 

For my first inspiration, I went with a shaker card. I get inspired by the Dream Factory challenge where it's about Stardust movie.

I started with the background blending purple and dark blue distress inks to make the sky. Then I used the star galaxy wave from the Reach for the Stars set that I stamped and heat embossed with clear glitter embossing powder. 

Then I used the Seeing Stars stencil and with a white pencil, I drew the stars onto the background. And to give more shine, I speckled with a brush a mix of water and Perfect Pearls. Then I stamped and white heat embossed the second part of the sentiment that comes from the BIG & BOLD Wish clear stamp & die bundle.

I die cut (x3) a frame in white card stock and I glued an acetate sheet on the back to make the shaker card window. I put some tiny stars sequins on the background then I glued the window on top. In a white glittery paper, I die cut the Wish word from the BIG & BOLD Wish clear stamp & die bundle and  I glued it on the window.

To finish my card, I stamped with purple ink two stars from the Background Builders: Seeing Stars set. I  heat embossed them with clear glitter embossing powder, then I filled the blank with a gold gel pen before adhering them on the card.

With the end of year being in a bit more than two month away, I made my second card with one of my favourite stencil from Uniko : In the Forest.

On a watercolour card stock, I played with some Brusho powders. On top I stamped the swirling snowflake wave and the sentiment from the Snowflake Serenade set. Once everything was dry, I used the stencil In the Forest with Versamark ink and I white heat embossed the trees. 

To finish my card, I flat adhered this panel on a double white card. In a white glitter paper I die cut the Sparkling Snowflake and I glued it on the card.

Now here is a sneak peek of the card I made for the Addicted to Stamps and More challenge, still using Uniko dies, stencil and stamps...

I hope that my cards inspired you to go and play with your Uniko products and to come and play along at Addicted to Stamps and More.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a fabulous day !

Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Background Builders: Seeing Stars

 Hi everyone,

Steph here with another Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration post and today I am using the Background Builders: Seeing Stars stamp set.

It’s been a while since I inked this lovely set up and today I’ve made three completely different cards to show just how versatile these Background Builders sets are.

My first card is one for the children and a pocket shaker card. I’ve used a combination of large and small stars to create a background which I have given a watercolour wash and coloured with alcohol markers. I secured the acetate on three sides at the back of the stamped panel before adding the sequins and beads. I then closed off the fourth side and attached to the card blank using foam tape. All sentiments used on these cards are from the Uniko Anniversaire Arts Decoratifs stamp set.

With my next card I have tried to create the look of a parcel by using the long star stamps in a crisscross and adding the large stamped stars to mimic a bow or topper. Finally I have added a tag with the sentiment.

For my last card I kept the design simple but added Wow! Fab Foil for a touch of luxury. I think the teal looks great against the dark grey card. 

Hopefully I’ve given you some ideas to go off and ink up a Background Builders stamp of your own. There are a number of shapes available now the range so the possibilities are endless.

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Studio DT Inspiration...Balloons Shaker

Hello,

Carol here, warmly welcoming you to my Uniko Studio DT showcase, where I bring out a few of my Uniko Studio products to give them some extra love.  

I've noticed, as I'm sure many of you have, a trend of balloons - stamps, dies, stencils - appears to be popping up everywhere. So...as one *very* influenced by trends *grin*, as well as by a number of designers who balloon cards are blowing me away, I decided to follow suite, in creating a relatively simple stenciled balloons shaker birthday card. Nothing fancy-schmancy, but hopefully a design that will bring a smile...

Sentiment: Birthday Wishes

Stencil: Balloon Bash

Distress Inks, Studio Katia sequins

Nothing fancy-schmancy, but hopefully a design that will bring a smile...especially to those of you who find balloons as uplifting as I do! 

~carol

Gerbara Shaker

Hello friends Rahmat here.
I am up with a shaker card today for Inspiration.
Please watch the video to see what was used and how it was made.

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

Sweet Baby...

Hey & Happy Monday!

I do hope that your week has started well?

Mine started EARLY, 5:45am to be exact, all thanks to a little bean that decided it was time to get up and was refusing to go back to sleep even in mummy and daddy's bed. He was shortly joined by his brother and they were demanding breakfast! There is one thing I've learned with these beans and that is when they are hungry, they are HUNGRY! 

Anyway, onto some baby talk (nope, I am not pregnant and nor will I be anytime in the future!) a CCAD college friend of mine Abbie, who also did some work experience with Uniko back in 2013 recently (8 weeks ago) had a baby boy... Rory James Paul. 

Yep, I am a super bad at taking this long to make a card :( but here is what I made in the end...

Of course I had to give Sweet Baby a dust off and ink up AND no surprises really that I made a shaker card too ;) I had planned on sharing this card on Friday and to link up at last weeks Less is More challenge, but I simply ran out of time. Story of my life at the moment!

Short and sweet tonight as I've still a few emails to catch up on and this mummy needs some sleep! Thanks for stopping by and see you tomorrow for my CAS Colours & Sketches card.

Hugs

CAS Colours & Sketches #218

Hey!

Oh my, these days & weeks are certainly flying by! I think I'm finding them to pass so quick as my days and evenings are filled to the brim ;)

My days are spent entertaining and occupying two crazy beans! They are proper little boys, loving playing outside and getting dirty now the days are getting warmer and dryer ;) Though they are pretty good the majority of the time and play well together, so I do get the 'odd' moment to get things done. You can guarantee that if I get any kind of 'work' out to do they want me for something! So, I have been 'trying' to get it done once they go to bed, which occasionally has been a challenge :(

Hence the time I do get has been spent on getting new products ready for release on 6th May, which is the day I will be at Happy Stampers Festival in the Wirral (Liverpool) - YAY! Are you planning on coming...? I'd love to see you if you are :)

Anyway, I did find a little creative time to make todays card using hostess sketch for this weeks CAS Colours & Sketches challenge HERE and seen below.

And this is how I decided to use it...

For some reason I *really* wanted to make a shaker card and in my head I had forgotten about the vertical strip on the sketch! So, I adapted my original idea of how I was going to make the shaker but still got to make one! 

I purposefully didn't include a sentiment on the sketch as sometimes cards just don't need one on the front. Though the little square on the sketch could easily be where a sentiment could go or be placed. I decided to make a Spring card inspired by the current AAA Cards challenge HERE. 

I chose the solid flower from Flower Power #2 which is a modern Blossom flower design and paired it with a couple of leaves from Natures Treasures. I stamped them in colours to match the pretty pastel sequins in the shaker, which are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I hope that I have inspired you to play along this week and if you need a little more inspiration, be sure to head on over to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog HERE to see what the amazing Design Team and Guest Designer have created using the colours.

I look forward to seeing you in the gallery & have fun!

Hugs

A Look Back At 2016!

Hey!

Welcome back to another 'Look Back At 2016! This year has been an amazing year for myself personally, but it has been a fantastic year for Uniko. We have had 5 fabulous releases, with 16 new clear stamps sets lining the Uniko HQ shelves. 

I don't know about you, but to me this year has almost passed by in a blur! With that in mind I thought it would be nice now the main seasonal festivities are over and as 2016 draws to a close, to take a look back at Uniko's 2016.

Today, I am taking a look back at the April 2016 Release and giving some fresh inky love to Celebrate With Cake and Fun Flowers clear stamp sets.

First up I have a shaker card using Celebrate With Cake...

I seem to have a 'thing' for shaker cards when I use this set ;) I had some Stampin' Up! Designer Paper on my desk, left over from my CAS Christmas cards HERE. I decided to put some more of it to good use, instead of sitting and admiring it!

I used my MISTI tool again to line up and stamp the top and bottom of the cupcake and used Copic Markers to colour it in. The sequins are a mix of Stampin' Up! collections and the the 'happy' die cut is from the Hello You Thinlits Collection also from Stampin' Up! which has a good smothering of Clear Wink Of Stella. I then used the Papertrey Ink Banner Die to stamp the birthday sentiment onto, which is from Simply Said.

Next, I was inspired by THIS card created by Jennifer McGuire to create my next card using Fun Flowers. 

Again I put my MISTI tool to good use to stamp the layers of the flowers. I still require a little practice for the flower centres! 

I used my Zig Clean Colour Brush pens to colour the flower which is fussy cut and adhered flat to the card. I love the vibrancy of the Zigs just used as a marker and I now have another thank you card to send :)

So, that's a quick look back at the April 2016 Release, I hope I have given you a little inspiration to dust off these sets if you have them ;) There is a small amount of 3 of the sets in stock on the website and I have planned some restocks to arrive in January.

I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I will be taking a look back at the 2016 June Release. Until then, thank you for stopping by.

Hugs