CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

Hi there

My lovely crafty friend from across the pond, Michelle Lupton has invited me to join her once again in her CASE Me a Christmas Card Series.  I'm so happy to be part of Michelle's series again.

CASE can either stand for 'Copy and Share Everything' or 'Copy and Selectively Edit'.  This year, the series features ten creative hops in October - two on YouTube and eight on Instagram - where we’ll CASE cards from fellow crafters.

So, to join us, make your own unique Christmas card inspired by someone in the hop, upload it via Inlinkz on @michelle_lupton ’s blog (link in Michelle’s IG profile), and you could even snag a prize from one of our awesome sponsors. Just look at this line up...

Or leave a comment on the stops on the hop (either on IG or on YT)! It's all about sharing ideas, connecting with other cardmakers, and sparking your creativity for the holidays!

I was inspired by Beth Opel, here's her gorgeous card...

I was inspired by the monochrome design, the embossed background with the white accents and the bows.

And here is my festive take, using Beth's card as the inspiration...

Beth embossed her background using pink cardstock and used white ink to highlight the raised elements. I started with white cardstock and inked up the background part of this festive embossing folder with dark green ink, thereby leaving the raised parts white. I too added a white sentiment on a die cut coloured background, mine being on a tag which I ink blended to match the background. And I added a white die cut bow cut from white glitter cardstock.

Materials used:

• Embossing folder: Spellbinders - 3D Pine Cones & Berries
• Ink: Altenew - Evergreen; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Dies: The Greetery - Fit to be Tied; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Eat Drink Be Merry

The full list of my fellow crafters on this particular Instagram hop is as follows:
@michelle_lupton
@pocono.pam
@little.finn.crafts
@tinstar05
@craftyneet - THIS IS ME
@bopels
@hannelie.bester
@joy_in_a_jar
@thealtcardmaker

Thank you so much for taking a look and thank you once again to Michelle for inviting me to take part.  
CASEing cards is a great way to craft if you need a creative nudge, just remember to give credit to the original designer.

Uniko September 2025 Non-Release Brand Ambassador Blog Hop & Giveaway!

Good morning!

Uniko have another blog hop and giveaway for you this month.  Bev is currently having a well-earned break so there is no new product release this month.  

However,  Bev has challenged the team to choose a product from any of the 2025 releases to date, to give it some fresh love and to share our projects in this blog hop.

By commenting along the way, you could be the lucky person that wins a £25 eGift code to spend in the Uniko store.

I chose the lovely stamp set, Originally Organic Flower Garden...

This stamp set was released back in the Spring so I decided to use it again and put an autumnal spin on it.  I simply stamped the image in Copic friendly ink and then coloured using autumnal shades for the flowers and leaves.  I stamped the sentiment below in black and then framed the image using a rectangular scalloped frame die cut.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Originally Organic Flower Garden
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Coloured with Copics
• Die: Time for Tea Designs - Smile Inverted Scallop Frame Dies
• Cardstock from stash

Be sure to leave some comments on the Brand Ambassador blogs or social media.  You can find all the links over at the Uniko blog, here.  Bev will randomly choose a winner of the Gift Card on 29 September 2025.

Thanks for visiting today and please do visit my fellow Brand Ambassadors, not only to comment, but I'm sure you can find some crafty inspiration from them.

Uniko August 2025 Release Day

Good morning!

It's Release Day over at Uniko and I'm here to reveal the whole release and share another card.

Here's the final card I made, using the new Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves stencil...

The stencil is intended to be inked up and then flipped over sideways.  I changed things up and flipped it vertically to create a really interesting design.  So this was super simple and quick to make, I inked up the turquoise and blush shades first, then flipped and inked up the ochre and navy.  I then finished with a greeting from the Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments set on a die cut oval.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves
• Stencils: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments
• Ink: Altenew - Aqualicious, Pink Pearl, Yellow Ochre, Dark Night; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Dies: Lil' Inker Designs - Stitched Ovals

So, now to reveal the new products in full.First up are the new stamps, starting with Background Builders Mid Century Modern...

Background Blocks Bauhaus...

Background Blocks MOD Circle Builder...

Background Blocks Swiss Dots...

and finally the new stencils, Layering Retro Stripes...

and Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves...

I love this release, such great designs and many to create quick cards too.  The products are available from the Uniko store now, here. 

Be sure to leave some comments on the Brand Ambassador blogs or social media.  You can find all the links over at the Uniko blog, here.  By commenting along the hop you're in with a chance of winning a £25 eGift Certificate to spend in store.  

Thanks for visiting today and for your lovely comments here and on my socials.

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Stencils Layering Retro Stripes and Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves

Happy Saturday

It's the final day of the Uniko August Release introductions.  The entire release will be revealed tomorrow at 9am BST and will then be available to purchase via the Uniko online store.

We're showcasing stencils today...Layering Retro Stripes which is a five stencil set, and Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves.  Both of these products have a retro vibe, like the rest of this release.  I think you'll agree that Bev's design skills have been amazing with these new products.

I'll start with the leaves...

Now, I didn't actually flip the stencil when making this card.  There are so many ways you can use it.  Firstly I inked up the beige and green leaves then, instead of flipping it, I cleaned the stencil and just moved it so that the leaves were below the ones I had just inked.  I then inked up the teal and orange leaves.  I then grabbed an image from the Mid Century Modern Florals set and stamped those in grey.  A greeting from the Bauhaus Blocks set, embossed in white on a black die cut strip finished the card.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves
• Stamps: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Florals, Bauhaus Blocks
• Ink: Altenew - Sand Dunes, Teal Cave, Autumn Blaze, Forest Glades; Versafine Claire - Morning Mist; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Sentiment Strips

Now for the fabulous retro stripes, and I paired these with a greeting from the Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments set...

I decided for this I wanted the sets of stripes in different coloured gradients.  These stencils are super easy to line up but I had to mask sections to do the different colours on each stencil.  My Altenew inks are in sets of four so I had to try to find a fifth colour that would work, I think I've done ok here.  The two lightest blues look the same here but the inner colour is a touch lighter so I think it works ok.  I trimmed the panel down slightly and mounted it onto a frame in creamy beige.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Layering Retro Stripes
• Stamp: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments
• Ink: Altenew - Dark Night, Nimbus, Cloudy Sky, Misty Morning, Polar Bear, Marigold, Snapdragon, Chamomile, Sunray, Buttercream; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Cardstock from stash

Aren't these fab?!  You can see how the other Brand Ambassadors have used these stencils if you check out the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow with a reveal of the full release.

Thank for visiting, as always x

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Background Blocks Swiss Dots

Good morning

More from Uniko this morning and it's the introduction of a stamp which I think will be super useful in any crafter's stash - Background Blocks Swiss Dots.

I have two cards for you today, one using the stamp as a background and another using it as the main focal point.

Here's the first and I've used it with the floral image from Pure Florals Cosmos and a greeting from Organic Blooms...

I began by stamping the Cosmos on a white cardstock panel and colouring with Copics.  I then masked the image before stamping the background dots in a gradient of three shades of aqua/teal.  I then stamped the greeting in black ink before matting and layering onto some co-ordinating lilac cardstock, flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Swiss Dots, Pure Florals Cosmos, Organic Blooms
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Altenew - Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics
• Cardstock from stash

For my second card I made the dots the focus and added a sentiment from the Simply Said Blocks II set...

On a die cut panel I started by stamping and heat embossing the dots in white.  I then masked around the rectangle and ink blended with three shades of Distress Oxides, the dots resisting the ink.  I then wiped over the design with a soft cloth to remove any excess ink on the dots.  The panel was adhered flat to the card base and I then stamped and cut out the sentiment and finished with some co-ordinating enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Swiss Dots; Simply Said Blocks II
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Oxide - Kitsch Flamingo, Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Limeade, Blue Jean and Bubblegum Assortments

To see more projects using this versatile stamp, pop on over to the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce the final two products included in this release.

All the new products will be available from this coming Sunday, 10 August 2025 at 9am BST.

I hope you're enjoying these showcases and would love you to pop back tomorrow.

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Background Blocks MOD Circle Builder

Hi there

What do you think of the introductions so far?  Personally, I'm loving all the retro makes!

So, onto day three of the Uniko August introductions and there's another addition to the Background Blocks series...Background Blocks MOD Circle Builder.

You might recognise this design as it already exists in stencil form.  It has a main design block as well as some additional elements.

For my first card I've built up my design using just two of the additional elements in the set...

I'm so pleased with this one as I didn't plan it out at all, I just picked out some colours and began stamping with one of the circle quarters and then a few accents with the striped image.  The sentiment is from the Bauhaus Blocks stamp set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks MOD Circle Builder, Bauhaus Blocks
• Ink: Altenew - Marigold, Pumpkin Pie, Lagoon, Mountain Mist; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

And my second card, another one layer...

For this card I used the main block in the stamp set but masked off some parts just to leave these central blocks.  I simply stamped in black ink and coloured with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from the Mid Century Modern Frames set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks MOD Circle Builder; Mid Century Modern Frames
• Ink: Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics

For lots more inspiration from the rest of the team using this stamp set, take a look at the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce another of the new products.

All the new products will be available from Sunday 10 August 2025 at 9am BST.

Thank so much for visiting.

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Background Blocks Bauhaus

Hi there

It's day two of the Uniko August release introductions and today the team are showcasing a new stamp in the Background Blocks series... Background Blocks Bauhaus.

It's a great design for those quick makes. 

Both of my cards today I've paired with greetings from the Bauhaus Blocks stamp set.  Here's the first...

I simply stamped the image in the top left corner in Copic friendly ink and then randomly coloured the shapes with four shades of Copic markers.  The sentiment was stamped below in black ink.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Bauhaus, Bauhaus Blocks
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics

My second card involved a little masking...

I stamped each separate column in a different shade of yellow/orange ink from dark to light, carefully masking off the other columns. I then coloured the shapes with co-ordinating shades.  I wanted to create a different look without the shapes having a darker outline.  I think it creates a really great, and different, look to the same image.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Bauhaus; Bauhaus Blocks
• Ink: Memento - Cantaloupe; Altenew - Orange Cream, Autumn Blaze; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics

Don't forget to take a look at the Uniko blog, here to see how the Brand Ambassadors are using these new products.  You'll find lots of great inspiration.

All the new products will be available from next Sunday 10 August 2025 at 9am BST.

I'll be back to introduce another of the new products tomorrow.