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 Celebrating 13 Years - Introducing...Stencil Layering Bright Butterflies & Re-Introducing Bright Butterflies Clear Stamps

Hi there

More introductions today from the upcoming new release from Uniko.

Bev has used a previous stamp set as inspiration for this gorgeous new layering stencil set...Bright Butterflies.  And even better....she's bringing back the Bright Butterflies stamp set too!

These stencils create the most beautiful butterflies, three in total, together with additional design elements.

Here's my first card using the stencils, and I've used them here with stamps from the Happy Days and Just Because stamp sets...

I've used the stencils to create two different butterfly designs and then fussy cut them out.  On my card base I've stamped foliage from the two stamp sets in shades of grey and the sentiment in black ink.  The bodies of the butterflies are adhered flat to the card base and I've used narrow thickness 3D foam to adhere the wings and add a little dimension.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Layering Bright Butterflies
• Stamps: Uniko - Happy Days, Just Because
• Ink: Altenew - Puffy Heart, Hydrangea, Andromeda, Mountain Mist, Lagoon, Galactic Stream, Limestone, Industrial Diamond; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

And now my second card using the returning Bright Butterflies stamp set...

I began with a die cut panel and stamped the three butterflies in similar tones, but getting brighter from bottom to top.  I masked the lower and upper butterflies and stamped the cloud from the Sunshine and Rainbows stamp set.  I then used a stencil from my stash to ink blend the sun rays.  I finished by stamping the sentiment and flight trail from the set in black ink,

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Bright Butterflies, Sunshine & Rainbows
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Sunny Day
• Ink: Altenew - Blush, Coral Bliss, Ruby Red, Morning Frost, Warm Sunshine; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Scalloped Rectangles

For lots more inspiration from the rest of the team using these stencils and stamps, take a look at the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce two more products from this new release.

All the new products will be available from Friday 28 February 2025.

Have a great week.

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'.  The aim is to take inspiration from any card made by the other and make a Christmas card.

I had a great time scrolling through Michelle's Instagram feed, she has shared so many wonderful makes.  It was a gorgeously clean and simple card that caught my attention so I chose that one as my inspiration for this card...

I began by die cutting a panel with a diagonal stitched edge.  I then ink blended through a star stencil with two shades of ink.  I chose a pink and a teal green, fading out slightly in the centre as Michelle did.  I then simply stamped the holly image and the sentiment in black ink.  The panel was then adhered on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Die: MFT Die-namics - Inside and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Stencil: Efco - Stars
• Stamps: Watercolour Wonders Festive Collection (free set with Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine); Clearly Besotted - Brushed Sentiments
• Ink: Altenew - Pink Diamond, Volcano Lake; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

And here is Michelle's gorgeous card, I loved the simplicity of it...

I think you can clearly see how I CASED this one...an ink blended central shape, a linear stamped image and a sentiment.

  

I'm now off to visit Michelle to see which of my cards she chose to CASE.  You can find her post, here.

Thank you so much for taking a look and thank you once again to Michelle for inviting me to take part.  Why not take a look through Michelle's feed, she has had lots of crafty friends joining in so far and more to come.

CASEing cards is a great way to craft if you need a creative nudge, just remember to give credit to the original designer.

Uniko October/November 2024 Release - Introducing...Framed: Fairy Lights

Good morning and Happy Saturday!

It's time for the final introduction from the latest Uniko release, coming tomorrow.

Bev has designed another great stamp set to join the Framed family...Framed Fairy Lights.

Here's my first card where I've just used part of the stamp to create a window scene...

I stamped part of the fairy lights image onto my card base and coloured the lights with Copics.  I then stamped the illusion of a Christmas tree using a small foliage stamp from the Season of Beauty stamp set.  I die cut some purple cardstock to create a panel with an aperture, and then die cut the window frame in white and then adhered these to the card base to leave the lights showing through.  I finished with a sentiment which is also from the Framed Fairy Lights set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Framed Fairy Lights; Season of Beauty
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Cottage Ivy; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Clearly Besotted - Window Die

And for my second card I used the image in it's entirety, together with greetings from the set...

I simply stamped the whole of the framed image directly on my card base in Copic friendly ink and coloured in the lights with markers.  The sentiments were heat embossed in white on black sentiment strips.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Framed Fairy Lights
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Coloured with Copics
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Altenew - Featured Sentiments

As always, there's plenty more to see over on the main Uniko blog, here.  My fellow Brand Ambassadors have some lovely projects to share with you.

The whole release will be revealed tomorrow, Sunday 3 November 2024 at 9.00am GMT, and will also then be available to purchase from the Uniko online store, here. 

I hope you've enjoyed the introductions this week and please do drop by tomorrow to see the whole release.  There will also be a chance to win all these new goodies.

Uniko - Let's Have Some FLIPPIN' Seasonal Fun - Release Day, Brand Ambassador Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY

Good morning and Happy Card Making Day!

What a way to mark the end of the FLIPPIN' week....it's World Card Making Day AND it's release day over at Uniko.  The two new Ink & Flip Layering stencils are now available.

I made another card using the new Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb stencil and paired it with the cat from the Mid Century Modern Purrfect Day stamp set, and a couple of elements from other brands...

For the cobweb this time, I used ink through the first side then, once flipped, I used some glimmer paste.  Be sure to clean off your stencil straight away if using pastes, they dry quickly!  Once dry, I stamped the cat, the sentiment and the spider in black ink and then added the spider's thread using a silver pen.  These spiders are far too small for this design but it's all I had in my stash and my drawing skills are zero! :D 

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb
• Stamps: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Purrfect Day; Clearly Besotted - Simple Script; Card-io - Field Day
• Ink: Versa Magic - Oasis Green; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Paste: Nuvo Glimmer Paste - Moonstone
• Accents: Uniball Signo pen - Silver

So, let's now take a look at the two additions to the Ink & Flip stencil series in full.

Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb...

and Ink & Flip Layering Geometric Christmas Tree...

Aren't these great?  As you can see from the projects shared by the team, they can be used in so many ways.  Be sure to leave some comment love either on the Brand Ambassador blogs or social media.  You can find all the links over at the Uniko blog, here.

Make sure you have commented along the hop as Bev will be giving away 3 Ink & Flip Stencils of the winner's choice. Comments will close for the chance to win at midnight on Sunday 13th October 2024 BST, with the winner announced on Monday 14th October 2024.

The products are available from the Uniko store now, here.  

Thanks for visiting today.

Uniko - Let's Have Some FLIPPIN' Seasonal Fun - Introducing...Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb

Good morning, folks

Today it's the first of two introductions from Uniko.

Bev has done it again and come up with two new Ink & Flip layering stencil designs.  The second you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see but today we are introducing the new Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb stencil set.

I have two cards for you and on this first one I've used both of the stencils together with stamps from the Mid Century Modern Purrfect Day and Alphabet Outlined sets...

Although this is a one layer card it took quite some time to create.  I began by stamping just the eyes from the MCM Purrfect Day set and the letters from the Alphabet Outlined set in Copic friendly ink, coloured them in then stamped and cut masks for all the elements.  I then inked up the first flip stencil which creates the outer area surrounding the cobweb in a purple and blue/grey ink.  With the masks still in place I then inked through the central cobweb stencil in two shades of grey.  Once the masks were removed I added some Glossy Accents to the eyes.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb
• Stamps: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Purrfect Day, Alphabet Outlined
• Ink: Altenew - Nimbus, Ultraviolet, Limestone, Industrial Diamond; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Coloured with Copics
• Accents: Glossy Accents

And for my second card I used just the central cobweb stencil, along with stamps from the Alphabet Outlined set...

Here I inked through both sides of the stencil in the same shade of Distress Oxide on dark grey cardstock.  I then stamped and embossed the spider in black ink and clear embossing powder.  I finished the design by stamping the letters and heat embossing in white.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Layering Cobweb
• Stamps: Uniko - Alphabet Outlined; Clearly Besotted - In Print
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Lost Shadow; VersaMark; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss, Opaque Bright White

To see more projects and this stencil set in action my fellow Brand Ambassadors are sharing more makes over at the main Uniko blog, here.

This stencil set will be available to purchase on Saturday, 5 October 2024. 

I'll be back tomorrow to introduce the other new Ink & Flip set so please do pop back to take a look.

Pigs in Blankets

Hi there

Back with my final little batch of Christmas cards I made this year. 

I followed the same design as the Flamingo cards in my last post, but this time used another of my new favourite Clearly Besotted stamp sets, Pigs in Blankets.

Again, I made six of these in total, using all the images stamped twice...

All the pigs were stamped in black and coloured with Copics before fussy cutting them out.  I then prepped all my card bases.  I began with a strip of masking tape just below the centre and then blended the background with blue ink.  With the masking tape still in place I inked through a snow stencil with white pigment ink.

I used my MISTI to then position and stamp all the sentiments one after the other.  I sorted the pig images and worked out where I wanted them all then added some shading with a grey marker before adhering them in place with some glue dots.  Just a slim amount of dimension so they were still flat enough to mail.

On these cards I added some shimmer amongst the snowflakes and also in the shaded areas with a sparkle pen.

Here are all six finished cards...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Pigs in Blankets
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Snow Day
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Oxide - Salty Ocean; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics
• Accents: Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen - Clear

So there you have it, I've now shared all my 2022 makes.  Although I've been a lot quieter than usual this year, since stepping down from the challenge Design Teams, I hope I've managed to inspire you with some of my projects.

I'll be back next week with some new Brand Ambassador Inspiration from Uniko.

So, all that's left to say is, I wish you a

and all the best for a happy, healthy, safe and crafty 2023!

Crafty hugs,

Fa La La Mingo!

Hi there

More of my Christmas makes and I wanted to use one of my newest stamp sets, Fa La La Mingo by Clearly Besotted.

I made six of these in total, using all the images stamped twice.  These were fairly time consuming as I had to colour all the images and fussy cut them all out.

All the flamingos were stamped in black and coloured with Copics before fussy cutting them out.  I still need more practice with Copic colouring but as I was colouring feathers I think these look pretty good!  I then prepped all my card bases.  I began with a strip of masking tape just below the centre and then blended the background with blue ink.  With the masking tape still in place I inked through a snow stencil with white pigment ink.

I used my MISTI to then position and stamp all the sentiments one after the other.  I sorted the flamingos and worked out where I wanted them all then added some shading with a grey marker before adhering them in place with some glue dots.  Just a slim amount of dimension so they were still flat enough to mail.

As you've got to have sparkle at Christmas, I added some shimmer to the flamingos' hats with a sparkle pen.  Don't look too closely at the fussy cutting, not my best work when crafting to a deadline! :D 

Here are all six finished cards...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Fa La La Mingo
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Snow Day
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Oxide - Salty Ocean; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics
• Accents: Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen - Clear

Just one more bundle of makes to share, not too dissimilar to these.  I'll be back very soon.

Pearlescent Christmas Tag Cards

Good evening

More of my Christmas card multiples for you today.  

No stamping on these, just die cuts cut from pearlescent cardstock and jacquard-effect papers.  I made eight of these, four in each colourway...

When I make cards I usually start with a piece of cardstock and cut and fold it myself to create the card base but I have a small stash of cards and envelopes which I'm trying to make use of so these ivory pearlescent card bases were my starting point for these.

I've also had these Merry Christmas papers in my stash for as long as I can remember, they were part of a Christmas kit I bought about fifteen years ago!  They look like jacquard fabric and are kind of pearlescent so worked perfectly with these bases.  

The blue and pink version...

I die cut the tags from the patterned paper, and also the bows from a different shade of the same paper collection.  I used a spare card base to die cut the cabin landscapes and then used the bottom part of the same tag die to trim these down, before adhering together.  Before adhering the tags I added three vertical score lines to the bases, just to add a little extra detail.  The bows were then adhered to the top of the tags.

Here's the red and green version...

The process was exactly the same but here I used a poinsettia die to create the die cuts which were adhered across the tags.

The four landscape tag cards...

And the four cards with the poinsettia die tags...

Materials used:

• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Tag Along Die Collection; Poppy Stamps - Poinsettia Ribbon; Memory Box - Quiet Cabin Landscape
• Pearlescent cardstock and patterned papers from stash

Thanks for taking the time to visit, I'll be back soon with more.

Skinny Rainbow Trees

Hi there

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day yesterday, celebrating with your nearest and dearest.

I have no plans today so I'm just having a very chilled day at home so thought I'd pop on and start sharing my 2022 Christmas cards.  There was a point at the end of November when I really thought I wasn't going to be able to send handmade cards this year as I'd left it so late, but I knuckled down and made a few bundles of "quick to replicate" designs and was able to send all handmade again this year.

However, due to being so late and also the increasing price of postage, along with the Royal Mail strikes in the UK, I wasn't able to send any cards overseas this year.  So apologies to those of you outside the UK who usually receive a card from me, it just wasn't an option this year, unfortunately :(

Ok, onto my first design.  I made 24 of these in total and got a real production line going.  These took me about an hour and a half...

All four trees are on the same stencil but I inked up each two-toned tree separately, adding masking tape over the tree(s) beside it.  So I inked all the yellow/orange trees onto all the card bases first, before cleaning off, realigning and then inking up the red/pink trees, and so on.  Once all the trees were inked up I then stamped all the sentiments, using my MISTI for positioning and speed.

Something was missing....sparkle!  So I grabbed some glitter glue and added this to all the stars at the top of the trees.  

And there you have it, simple but certainly a merry and bright design in multiple!

Materials used:

• Stencil: Funky Fossil Designs - Skinny Trees
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Christmas Poinsettia (sentiment)
• Ink: Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin, Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Chipped Sapphire, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Thanks for taking a look.  I'll be back again before the end of the year to share more of my festive makes.

And I apologise for being so quiet in general this year, I hope to get back into more crafting again in 2023.

I'd love for you to pop back again before the year is out x