Uniko July/August 2023 Release - Introducing...Mid Century Modern Christmas

Good morning

It's Day Two of the introductions for the new release from Uniko. 

Here we have another set which is a great add-on set for the Mid Century Modern series...Mid Century Modern Christmas.

I'll get straight to it with my first make...

I began by stamping the tree three times, masking to be able to stamp behind.  And I also used one of the shapes from the Mid Century Modern Shapes Stencil to add the shading under the trees.  The trees were coloured with Copics and I then stamped the large sentiment from the set and finished with the stars atop the trees.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Christmas
• Stamp: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Shapes
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink - Pumice Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics

And for my second card I combined the set with a stamp from the existing Background Builders Winter Wonderland set...

I stamped the snow from the Winter Wonderland set in VersaMark and heat embossed in white across the top of a die cut panel of kraft cardstock.  I then stamped the tree, the parcels and the star from this new Mid Century Modern Christmas set and also heat embossed these in white.  I added a little white colouring using water and a white Inktense pencil, then added the dots on the parcel using a white gel pen.  The sentiment is from another new set which will be introduced in a few days time.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Builders Winter Wonderland; Mid Century Modern Christmas
• Ink: VersaMark; Derwent - Inktense White
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Spellbinders - Nestabilities Classic Ovals

I hope you're enjoying these introductions.  There will be plenty more over the next few days.  Please do pop over to the main Uniko blog, here, for more inspiration from the rest of the team

The new products will be available to purchase from the Uniko website from 6 August at 9.00am BST.

I'll be back with more inspiration tomorrow using a fab new stencil.

Micro Bead Wreath of Hearts

Good afternoon

I'm back this afternoon to share the last of my 2021 Christmas card makes.  Apologies that the selection was a little limited this year, that will teach me for leaving them even later than I usually do!

This will also be my last post of this year as I'm back to work tomorrow.  As you will have seen in my recent posts, I've also decided to step down from all the challenge blog Design Teams I've been part of for many years.  Hopefully this will give me the opportunity to put my spare time to better use and be able to craft more, without having the other commitments and deadlines that come with being on challenge blog Design Teams.  Hopefully it will be something I could reconsider in the future, it sure was fun.  I still remain a member of the Skull and Cross Buns Design Team and will introduce and showcase Emily's products when she needs me.

Ok, back to my final Christmas card, and this was the one I made for my other half...

To make it a bit more masculine I began with a die cut panel of kraft cardstock.  I used the same technique as my previous trees card which used micro beads...I inked through the stencil with Distress Ink first and then cleaned the stencil before spreading translucent paste through it over the inked image and then sprinkling on the glass beads.  This was then left to dry completely before adhering the panel to a white card base.  And yes, it's the same sentiment again!  It was on my desk so it got used for pretty much every Christmas card this year!  I heat embossed it on a black die cut strip.  To finish, I die cut a bow from red glossy mirri cardstock and adhered this to the top of the wreath.

Materials used:

• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Altenew - Featured Sentiments Die Set; The Greetery - Fit to be Tied
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Circle Around
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Simple Script
• Ink: Distress Ink - Rustic Wilderness, Pine Needles; VersaMark
• Embossing Paste: Sweet Poppy - Stencil Dimensions:Translucent
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster White
• Cardstock: Neenah - Desert Storm; red mirri card from stash
• Accents: Sweet Poppy - Clear Glass Micro Beads

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards - Game #205 - Christmas

Happy Little Stampers - December Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers - December Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

NBUS - Challenge #33 - The Greetery bow die and the wreath stencil are new to my stash

CHNC - Challenge #574 - Anything Goes Christmas

Uniko - Challenge #68 - Celebrate (Reds and Greens)

STAMPlorations - December Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

I just love the online crafting community and want to say thank you all for your support and encouraging feedback throughout this year.  It's so great to know that I can provide lots of inspiration, and gain some back too!

So, all that's left to say is...

Less is More Challenge #457 ... and some news

Good morning

It's Saturday and time for a new challenge over at Less is More.  The Design Team will be taking a short break throughout December so this will be the last challenge of 2021.

...and it is with a heavy heart that after six and a half years (how is it that long?!!!) I have decided to step down from this fabulous challenge Design Team.

After a few weeks as a Guest Designer, I joined the team in May 2015 (Challenge #225!), creating alongside the wonderful Chrissie, Sarah and Anne.  I had the pleasure of meeting these gorgeous ladies at a Craft Retreat a few years ago organised by our amazing Kylie, and later met the lovely Sharon, who has been running the challenge brilliantly in the most recent years.  They are all such great friends and will continue to be beyond Less is More.  And, of course, not forgetting my other LIM teamies past and present, I've learned so much from a fantastic bunch of CAS designers so I'm sending a huge thank you to all of you.

I won't be disappearing, I just feel like I need to have some time without the commitments and deadlines of a Design Team.  I would like to find more time to use my stash and just play!  

Ok, enough of the sadness, here's the info for the new challenge...

Image by monicore from Pixabay

Here's my card, I think you can see how I was inspired by the photo!

I began with a die cut panel of kraft cardstock.  I then grabbed some paper that has been in my stash for many many years, I think it was part of a bigger kit.  The red paper is shimmery and has a kind of jacquard pattern/print on it.  I used a stitched die to add the dash lines and then cut into a couple of strips.  I then used a bow die set and cut this from the same paper.  I die cut some pine needles from white glitter cardstock and a little tag from white card and stamped the sentiment.  It was then just a case of positioning and adhering.  I originally wasn't going to add the tag as the 'ribbon' already displays the sentiment but I think the tag finishes it off nicely.

You can see the design of the paper a lot clearer in this photo...

Materials used:

• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Paper Smooches - Dots and Dashes; Frantic Stamper - Small Solid Bow; Marianne Design Creatables - Petra's Larix Larch; MFT Die-namics - Blueprints 26 (tag)
• Stamps: The Greetery - Budding Beauties Winter
• Cardstock from stash

Thank you so much, LIMettes, for all your support and encouraging comments on my designs for Less is More.  Clean and simple is the style I love and I also love how this challenge has taken so many of you out of your comfort zones to try CAS designs.  

So this isn't goodbye, I'm sure I'll be a participant of LIM as I always have been since I began this blog xx

Honey Doo Crafts - May 2020 Release - Cherry on Top

Hi guys

I'm back tonight to share a couple more sample makes using another of the new stamp sets from Honey Doo Crafts.

And if you missed Amanda's Facebook live earlier this evening where she was sharing all the new products and samples, you can watch it back over on their Facebook page, here.


Ok, these are my cards using the new Cherry On Top stamp set...

I began by stamping both the image and sentiment in VersaMark ink on kraft cardstock but only heat embossed the sentiment at this stage.  VersaMark ink leaves a tone on tone watermark of the image.   Next I coloured in the cupcake by painting with a mix of Honey Doo mica powders and water.  These create a lovely shimmery effect.  Once dry I then re-stamped the cupcake in VersaMark (by leaving the stamp in my MISTI I was able to stamp in the exact same spot) and then heat embossed in white.  The panel was then popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Cherry on Top
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White
• Mica Powders: Honey Doo Crafts - Berry Red, White Opal, Purple Topaz, Green Emerald
• Cardstock: Neenah - Desert Storm

For this next card I used the Cherry on Top stamp again, and some other existing Honey Doo products...

The cupcake was stamped in black and coloured with ProMarkers, I then fussy cut this out.  I used some stitched dies to create a frame and also used the Honey Doo Encircle die and laid a section behind the frame and adhered them all together.  I then added some patterned paper to the card base and popped the frame up on 3D foam.  The cake was then adhered over the top and a stamped sentiment strip added to finish, this sentiment being from the Honey Doo Just in Case stamp set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Cherry on Top, Just in Case
• Dies: Honey Doo Crafts - Encircle; Clearly Besotted - Frame It; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Sentiment Strips
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Patterned Paper: Hot Off The Press - Floral Cardmakers Ultimate Pack (years old!)

Thanks so much for visiting, I'll have more samples for you tomorrow.

(AD - some products kindly gifted for design team purposes)

Good Luck in your New Home

Hi guys

Today I'm sharing a card I was commissioned to make for a friend a few weeks ago but I forgot to share it here.

It's very similar to card I made two years ago, here.  I just changed up the colours and added a cloudy backdrop.

I die cut a piece of watercolour card with a stitched rectangle as I wanted a textured background.  This was then ink blended with a cloud stencil.  I die cut the houses from kraft cardstock and adhered it along the base of the panel.  I then cut a tiny section using the same die, from coral cardstock, and die cut the heart from it and adhered it in place.  I finished with a sentiment which was made up from three separate stamps.  The 'in your' part of it was from a stamp saying 'good luck in your exams' so it just required a little masking.  Thankfully I catalogue all my stamps using Evernote which made finding the sentiment I needed so much easier!  The card was finished by popping the panel up on fun foam onto the card base.

Materials used:

• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Happy Little Stampers - Village Die (retired); Lawn Fawn - Hearts
• Cardstock: Kraft - Neenah Dessert Storm; watercolour card from stash
• Stencil: MFT - Mini Cloud Edges
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Brush Sentiments; That's Genius
• Ink: Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass; Versafine - Onyx Black

Thanks so much for visiting.  I hope you're all keeping well and keeping yourselves occupied at home.  I actually have a week off work this week so hoping to find more crafty time.  See you soon :)

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Daisy May and Fleur

Hello again

I'm back to share a couple more cards using more products from Honey Doo Crafts.

Don't forget, you can see these stamp sets, and a lot more, over on Hochanda this coming Friday, 12 July at 10am and 3pm.

So, for these two I've been playing with two floral sets called Daisy May and Fleur, and also used sentiments from other sets in the Honey Doo range too.

First up is Daisy May...

This set features a lovely daisy image and I've stamped it a few times around the edge of a kraft cardstock panel and then heat embossed in white.  I then coloured the petals by watercolouring with Inktense pencils.  I used a wet paint brush to take colour from the tip of the pencils and added to the card, as it's not watercolour cardstock I didn't want to overload the surface with water, and with this technique it keeps the colours opaque.  The plan was to also colour the leaves but I loved it just as it was with the blue and white so I heat embossed a sentiment and popped the panel onto the base using fun foam.  To finish I embellished with a few iridescent jewels.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Daisy May, Birthday Sentiments
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Watercoloured with Derwent Inktense pencils
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Jewels: Clear Iridescent mix

Challenge entries:

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - The Earth Laughs in Flowers

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #34 - Pretty Pastels

STAMPlorations - Summer Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #139 - Inspired by Words

Next up I used the Fleur set and paired this with a sentiment, also from Honey Doo, and one of their stencils...

I made a circular mask using a scrap of thin cardstock and blended through the aperture with Distress Oxide Ink.  I then added the stencil and blended through with a darker shade.  I simply stamped the flowers and leaves from the set through the aperture.  After removing the mask I manipulated the sentiment stamp to follow the curve of the circle and stamped in black.  I loved the simplicity of this design so called it done :)

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Fleur, Daffodils (sentiment)
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Honey Doo Crafts - Mesh

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #349 - CAS

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - CAS

I'll be back to share more with you tomorrow, have a lovely evening :)

Less is More Challenge #399

Good morning

It's new challenge day over at Less is More.  For the next fortnight we have a Theme challenge for you with lots of scope, here is the cue card...

As it's a new month we also have a new sponsor for you which is the awesome Skull and Cross Buns, so by playing along in our challenges will put you in the running for our monthly prize for July!

We also have a fabulous Guestie joining us this week and I'm sure you'll know her as one of our regular participants at Less is More, the super talented Viv, who was our May winner.  She has a stunning card to share for this challenge so please do pop over to her blog to take a look and say hi.

I've had this last week off work and the weather has been glorious which is pretty rare when I book a week as holiday, so I've been out and about making the most of it, so much so that I've only had chance to make one card for you this time I'm afraid.  I'm on the Design Team for Skull and Cross Buns so when a little package of new goodies arrived from the lovely Emily I wanted to use one of the new stencils on my card project.  

So here it is...

I've not seen any other animal print stencils before so just couldn't wait to have a play with this one!  I began by using the large balloon edge die to cut a corner from some kraft cardstock. I then blended some Distress Ink in from the edge to give it some depth and then blended through the stencil with black ink.  I tied some twine around the balloon and then adhered the die cut using fun foam onto the upper corner of my card base, cut from linen cardstock.  I then used three shades of pigment ink and, using my MISTI, repeatedly stamped 'celebrate' to create an ombre effect.  The remaining part of the sentiment was stamped below in black ink.

Materials used:

• Die: MFT - Blueprints 26
• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Leopard Animal Print Stencil
• Cardstock: Neenah - Dessert Storm; linen cardstock from stash
• Ink: Distress Ink - Tea Dye, Black Soot; Versa Color - Sand Beige, Pinecone, Charcoal; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Paper Smooches - Sentiment Sampler; Avery Elle - Party Animal
• Twine: Hemptique - Earthy set

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - Summer Theme & Sketch Challenge - Stamp and Anything Goes

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - AG CAS

Thanks, as always, for stopping by.  I hope you can join in our Celebrations challenge, the linky is open until 19 July, so plenty of time for you to pop your entries into our gallery :)

Rustic Kraft and Lace Wedding Invitations

Hi there

Today I'm sharing some wedding invitations I was commissioned to make, which is why I was fairly quiet with posts throughout January as I was working on these behind the scenes.

Now, I can't take the credit for the design of these invitations as the Bride-to-be forwarded me a photo she found online of roughly what she wanted.  Unfortunately, I don't know the origin of the photo, and of course if I did I would give credit to the creator.

That being said, I did need to spend a fair amount of time working out the dimensions of the folder and the individual card inserts, and then fitting the text to fit each of the printed cards.

Here they are...

Each invitation comprised an ivory backing card, a folded kraft pocket with lace wrap, an Invitation card in ivory, an RSVP card in kraft and an 'If You Wish' card in ivory which was a poem written by the couple.  Each of the cards were slightly different depths so they didn't overlap within the folder.

I finished them off with a printed 'You Are Invited' die cut tag secured and tied with some jute twine.

There were invitations for the day and the evening, the only difference being the wording on the invitation card and the RSVP.  Other than that they were identical. (Wording obscured for confidentiality purposes)

The lace ribbon held the kraft folder closed and this in turn was adhered to the ivory backing card, so the individual card inserts fitted snugly inside.  Each invitation was supplied with an ivory envelope.

These were a bit of a challenge for me, and not what I normally make as a lot of printing was involved and no stamping.  My little inkjet printer worked just as hard as me, and I was really pleased with the finished result, and the happy couple were thrilled with them :)

Materials used:

• Cardstock and lace purchased online but unknown brand
• Jute twine from stash
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Tiny Tags Die Collection

Challenge entry:

Inkspirational - Challenge #180 - Text

Thanks so much for visiting.

Shifted Stencilling

Hi guys

I saw a new challenge over at Inkspirational this morning which is to make a card in ten minutes or less!  I find one of the quickest ways to make a card is to use stencilling.  This card took me 8 minutes 56 seconds!

I've been meaning to ink up this new stencil from Skull and Cross Buns for a few weeks so today it received its first inking.  You can check out the full range of their stencils, here.

This one creates such a fabulous background design and I chose to do shifted stencilling on this card, I love the shadow effect...

On a panel of kraft cardstock slightly smaller than the card base I first inked through the stencil with white pigment ink.  After cleaning the white ink off the stencil I then shifted it up and over slightly and blended with three colours of Distress Oxide ink.  I gave it a blast with my heat gun to dry the ink and added a little anti-static powder to the centre so I could stamp and heat emboss the sentiment in white.  I then popped the panel up on fun foam.  I love the way these Distress Oxides blend on kraft cardstock, they're still very new to me so I'm still experimenting :)

Materials used:

• Kraft cardstock:  Neenah - Dessert Storm
• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Decreasing Circles Stencil
• Ink: Hero Arts - Unicorn; Distress Oxide - Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon; VersaMark
• Stamp: Skull and Cross Buns - Congrats Script Font
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White

I'm also linking up at the following challenge:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #302 - Make Your Mark


Thanks so much for popping by.