Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Stencil Techniques Trio

Hi guys

I'm over on the Uniko blog today with some inspiration using stencils.  You can find all the details of how I made these over on the blog, here.

So I've got three different techniques for you using three different stencils from the Uniko range.

Using Pigment Powders and Water

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Flower Power #5
• Stamps: Uniko - So Much
• Ink: Brusho - Orange, Brilliant Red; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Using the Ghosting/Watercolour Lifting Technique

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Stylised Floral
• Stamp: Uniko - Simply Said
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

Reverse Stencilling

Materials:

• Stencil: Uniko - Flower Power #1
• Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Blocks
• Ink: Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Jewels: Ice Cube Mix

Thanks for taking a look, hopefully these have given you some creative inspiration.  I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Crafty hugs

Less is More - Challenge #439

Hi there, Happy Saturday!

It's new challenge day over at Less is More and we're back with a Recipe challenge this time.  

 

We're looking for any kinds of inking, used in a clean and simple way .

It's been a while since I did the ghosting technique on a card and it's one of my favourite techniques.  I've also added quite a few new stencils to my stash in recent months so wanted to use one here...

I began by die cutting a small stitched rectangle and I masked off around all the edges before blending the area with three shades of Distress Inks.  Although Distress Oxides also react with water, I much prefer using the original Distress Inks for this technique.  I laid down my stencil over the inked area and spritzed with a fine mist of water, keeping the spray quite far away.  I then lifted the stencil away and blotted with a paper towel to lift away the colour.  Once completely dry I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white, using an anti-static powder tool first.  Before adhering in place on the card base, I scored one line, as if continuing the line of the sentiment design.

Materials used:

• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Ink: Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch; VersaMark
• Stencil: Funky Fossil - In a Spin
• Stamp: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Sayings
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster White

Challenge entries:

My Time to Craft - Challenge #453 - Stencil It!

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #401 - Make Your Mark

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #193 - Shapes

Happy Little Stampers - March Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

NBUS - Challenge #24 - (New stencil)

STAMPlorations - March CAS Challenge - Anything Goes

If you need more inspiration for this challenge, please do pop over to the main LIM challenge post where my teamies are sharing their projects, and if you click on their individual links they may have even more to share.

Thanks so much for visiting, have a wonderful weekend.

Skull and Cross Buns - July 2020 - Selection Four

Hi there

I'm back this morning with my final few sample cards using products by Skull and Cross Buns.

The new stencils, as well as some of their existing best sellers will be showcased on Hochanda at 9am tomorrow, Friday 3 July 2020.  And don't forget, if you're unable to catch the show live, you can watch it later on catch up via the Hochanda website.

Ok, first up I've used the already available Crafting Is My Super Power set...

I cut a rainbow of different coloured cardstock strips, some smooth and some textured, and adhered them to a paper background.  I then stamped lots of the images from the set in Versamark and heat embossed in white.  Next I used a mix of dark grey ink and water and used this to add some splatters to my card base for a little background interest.  I matted the panel onto some black cardstock and adhered it diagonally to my card base and trimmed away the excess.  The card was finished with a stamped sentiment, also from the same set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Crafting Is My Super Power
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Hickory Smoke
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White

Next up is the new Rainbow Pattern stencil...

I ink blended some cardstock with Distress Inks then, with the stencil, used the ghosting technique to spritz with water and blot away some of the ink.  Once dry I die cut the panel, stamped the sentiment from the Quirky Sentiments set and die cut three cloud apertures to make shaker windows.  3D foam was added to the back of the panel and then sequins trapped inside.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Rainbow Pattern
• Ink: Distress Ink - Broken China, Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Skull and Cross Buns - Quirky Sentiments
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Clearly Besotted - Cloudy Days
• Accents: Little Things From Lucy's Cards - Fairy Lights Shaker Mix

I've used the stencil again here, combined with the already available I Believe in Unicorns set...

For this card I attempted the stencil faux monoprint technique.  I tried with both Distress Inks and Distress Oxides and neither worked as well as I'd hoped, Jennifer McGuire makes it look so easy!  I inked up my background then stamped and heat embossed the images from the set in clear embossing powder.  The next step is to spritz liberally with water, and sandwich the stencil between the wet inked piece and a clean piece of cardstock before running through your die cutting machine.  As well as some of the ink transferring to the clean piece, the stencil also then leaves an impression.  The ink didn't transfer well with either attempt so I think I'll try again with different cardstock next time.  Once dry I die cut the panel and matted it onto some purple cardstock before adhering to the card base popped up on fun foam.  I then stamped a sentiment strip using the same stamp set.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Rainbow Pattern
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio; VersaMark; Versa Color - Lavender, Petal Pink
• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - I Believe In Unicorns
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

Ok, below are the four new stencils which will be available, together with details of the show...

Thanks so much for visiting, I'll be back on Saturday morning with details of the next Less is More challenge.

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

Skull and Cross Buns - July 2020 - Selection Three

Good morning

A couple more makes today using Skull and Cross Buns products.  Don't forget, their products will be showcased on Hochanda on the 9am show this coming Friday, 3 July 2020.

Ok, the new stencil I've used today is called Elongated Triangles...

For this first card I used low tack masking tape to create a border on my card base as well as some random strips in different directions.  I then laid the stencil over each exposed area and blended through in bold ink colours, with each section having the stencil pattern in a different direction.  I then removed the tape and stamped the various sentiments from the Quirky Sentiments set and the star from the Planner Banners set was stamped in silver.  A simple but striking one layer design.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Elongated Triangles
• Ink: Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch, Peacock Feathers; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Silver
• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Quirky Sentiments, Planner Banners

I used the same Elongated Triangles stencil here, but with a masculine theme...

For the top panel I ink blended the background with three shades of Distress Ink then used the ghosting technique, which involves laying the stencil over the panel, spritzing with water and then blotting away the colour from the exposed areas.  Once dry I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die and stamped the sentiment from the Quirky Sentiments set.  I adhered the panel, offset over a black panel onto the card base before finishing off with some stamped elements from the Planner Banners set.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Elongated Triangles
• Ink: Distress Ink - Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Ground Espresso; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Pinecone, Charcoal
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

Thanks as always for taking a look.  I'll be back with my final samples tomorrow morning, ahead of the show on Friday.

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

Less is More Challenge #417

Good morning

It's new challenge day at Less is More and we're back with a theme challenge.  Here's our cue card...

We have a super talented Guest Designer joining us for this challenge, Helen of Helen's Craft Haven, who was our lucky February winner.  I do hope you'll can take a minute to pop on over to her blog to see her take on this challenge theme and say hi.


I have two sample cards for you this time, both with a wild flowers/foliage kinda theme for some reason, and also a bonus card as my second card turned into a twofer!

Here's card one, using a technique that I love, the ghosting technique, as this creates a delicate version of the image and generally out of focus...

On a piece of white cardstock I made a sunset blend of inks using Distress Oxides.  I then used the ghosting technique which involves laying a stencil over the top, spritzing with water and then blotting away the colour.  Once dry I die cut a section of it and popped it up onto another panel using a larger die from the same set.  After adhering to the card base I finished with a small black sentiment.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Oxide - Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: STAMPlorations - ARTlorations Bloom Silhouettes
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Stamp: Altenew - Thinking of You

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - April Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

Next up I used a stencil again, but this time grabbed my Brushos...

I've only tried this technique once or twice but it has lovely results.  I laid a stencil onto some watercolour paper and very gently sprinkled a mix of Brusho powders, very sparingly, into the gaps in the stencil.  Without moving the stencil I then spritzed a mist of water over it, which activates the pigment powders.  I then carefully removed the stencil and left the image to dry completely.  I trimmed a section of it down and mounted it onto some teal cardstock. Before adhering to the card base I stamped a sentiment flag vertically to look like a tag when the panel was adhered along its edge.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Bay Leaf
• Ink: Brushos - Emerald Green, Turquoise, Leaf Green; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Flag It
• Cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #384 - CAS

And my 'twofer' is made from the remaining part of the Brusho panel.  This one doesn't follow the Less is More guidelines as there isn't really enough white space but I thought I'd share it with you anyway in this post.  Materials used here are as the card above, with the addition of a stitched die by Create a Smile.

Challenge entries:

Fab 'n' Funky - Challenge #476 - Birthday



Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you'll join us for this 'out of focus' challenge.

And in the meantime, please do stay safe :) xx

Happy Little Stampers March 2020 CAS Challenge

Good evening

The March CAS Challenge has just gone live over at Happy Little Stampers.  I think this one will create a wonderfully diverse gallery this month, here's the cue card...

There are so many great crafting techniques, I really didn't know which one to choose!  In the end I decided on the Ghosting Technique as it can create a totally different look when using stencils.

Here's my sample card...

On a piece of white cardstock I blended a background of three colours of Distress Ink.  To create the ghosting effect I placed my stencil over the top and then spritzed with water.  After removing the stencil I then blotted with kitchen paper which lifts and removes the colour.  Once dry I die cut the panel with a stitched circular die.  Next I stamped the sentiment onto a die cut strip before also cutting one edge with the same circle die.  The stitched edging was then lined up when adhering the strip to the inked circle.  To finish I created some score lines on my card base before popping the circle up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Dusty Concord, Broken China, Evergreen Bough; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Funky Fossil - Round in Flowers
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Double Stitched Circle Stax; Stitched Sentiment Strips
• Stamp: Altenew - Beautiful Lady

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - March Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes




Thanks so much for visiting.  This challenge, along with all the different Happy Little Stampers challenges (some of which are yet to commence), will run until the end of the month so there's plenty of time to play along.

Honey Doo Crafts - October 2019 Release - Selection One

Hi guys

I've been busy behind the scenes recently making sample cards for the latest release at Honey Doo Crafts.  I'll be sharing lots of samples over the next week, ahead of their next showcase shows on Hochanda TV next Thursday, 24 October 2019.

The new release includes more fabulous florals that Honey Doo Crafts do so well, some autumnal themes, Christmas sets, sentiments and also some great new stencils.


Ok, first up is a card I made using new sets, Stars and Stripes and Pumpkin Corner...

I loved the design of the flowers in the Stars and Stripes set the minute I saw it and because the flower has only four petals I knew it would work well for a repeated background.  With a bit of measuring and a ruler and a pencil I set down some guidelines and then repeatedly stamped the same flower.  Once the stamping was complete I erased the pencil lines and coloured the images with ProMarkers.  To finish, I simply heat embossed the sentiment from the Pumpkin Corner set in white on a strip of vellum, wrapped this around the panel and adhered the panel to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Stars and Stripes, Pumpkin Corner
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Vellum from stash

Challenge entries:

Always Fun Challenges - Challenge #132 - Monochrome

Sweet Stampin' - Autumn Colours/Harvest

For my next card I've used the Stars and Stripes flowers again but to create a completely different look, and the sentiment from the Retirement set...

I stamped and heat embossed the different sized flowers from the Stars and Stripes set onto vellum, coloured them on the reverse using Zig markers and then fussy cut them out.  On the card base I masked two edges and ink blended with some green ink just to ground the design.  I then layered up the flowers, arranged and adhered them to the base and popped in behind a few die cuts from the previously released Feathered Flourishes die set, also cut from vellum.  To complete the card, I used a fancy rectangular die cut, inked up the edges to match the ink blending on the base and stamped the sentiment from the Retirement set.  This was then popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Stars and Stripes, Retirement
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Cracked Pistachio; VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
• Vellum from stash
• Dies: Honey Doo Crafts - Feathered Flourishes; Spellbinders Nestabilities - Reverse Wonky Rectangles

Next up I used just the leaves from the Stars and Stripes set together with the Autumn Changes sentiment...

On a strip of vellum I stamped and heat embossed the leaves from the Stars and Stripes set in white.  I die cut a panel using a stitched rectangle die, masked a vertical section slightly wider than the vellum strip and ink blended this in autumnal colours before wrapping the vellum around and securing on the reverse.  I then stamped the sentiment called Autumn Changes using my MISTI, repeatedly stamping in varying colours of pigment ink to co-ordinate with the inked section.  The panel was then popped up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Stars and Stripes, Autumn Changes
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Frayed Burlap; Versa Color - Bamboo, Umber, Topaz
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Vellum from stash

Challenge entry:

Stamping Sensations - October Challenge - Trees/Leaves/Autumn

Next up is another autumnal themed card using new Autumn Colours and Pumpkin Corner...

I stamped the main image from Autumn Colours onto a white die cut cardstock panel and again on a scrap of cardstock, this one then heat embossed in copper.  I ink blended over the embossed image with Distress Inks before die cutting with a circle die.  The circle was then lined up over the main image and popped up on 3D foam.  The panel was matted onto a brown piece of cardstock and onto the base, and the card was finished with a heat embossed sentiment from the Pumpkin Corner set, and again die cut with a circle die.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Autumn Colours and Pumpkin Corner
• Ink: Versa Color - Bark; VersaMark; Distress Ink - Peeled Paint, Carved Pumpkin, Frayed Burlap
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Copper
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Hero Arts - Infinity Circle Dies

My final card for this first post used the new Palm Leaves stencil and the Autumn Changes sentiment...

I used the ghosting technique for my background here.  I die cut a cardstock panel then ink blended with Distress Inks before laying the Palm Leaves stencil over the top, spritzing with water and then blotting away the colour.  This panel was popped up on fun foam then the Autumn Changes sentiment was stamped and heat embossed in gold on some brown cardstock die cut with a fishtail die.

Materials used:

• Stamp: Honey Doo Crafts - Autumn Changes
• Stencil: Honey Doo Crafts - Palm Leaves
• Ink: Distress Ink - Fired Brick, Brushed Corduroy, Forest Moss, Crushed Olive; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax

I hope you're loving these new products.  There's lots more that I'll be sharing over the next few days, I went a bit crazy and made lots of samples this time!

The shows will air on Hochanda TV here in the UK on Thursday 24 October 2019 at 12pm and 4pm. (Sky 673 / Freeview 85)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

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

Skull and Cross Buns - Hochanda Showcase Selection 4

Good morning

Just a quick reminder that Skull and Cross Buns will be launching on Hochanda TV here in the UK this afternoon at 4pm (Sky 673 / Freeview 85).

I have a few more makes to share with you, using some of the products which you can see in more detail during the show.

Here's the first...

For this one I've used the ghosting technique with the Honeycomb Hexagon Large Stencil.  To create this effect I blended Distress Inks in two yellow shades from the corner and faded it out.  I placed the stencil over the top, spritzed with water, removed the stencil and then blotted away the colour with a paper towel.  After die cutting the panel with a stitched rectangle die I then stamped the bee and its trail from the Spring Motifs set and the hello from Quirky Sentiments.  I coloured the bee and added some shimmer to its wings before popping the panel up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Wild Honey, Mustard Seed; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Honeycomb Hexagon Large Stencil
• Die: Create a Smile - Double Stitched Rectangles
• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Spring Motifs, Quirky Sentiments
• Accents: Coloured with ProMarker; Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen - Clear

Next up I used the same Honeycomb Hexagon stencil but using a different technique...

This time I gently inked up the corner area of the stencil directly from the ink pads, spritzed with water and then laid the stencil over my panel.  Once dry I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.  I used a honeycomb die to cut the opposite corner and inked up the card base behind.  I wanted to incorporate one of the acrylic elements from the range so I decided to turn this card into a shaker by die cutting an aperture from the top panel, aligning the 'life is sweet' embellishment from the Retro Sweets Embellish! set and adhering this to the card base, then creating the shaker, trapping some co-ordinating jewels in the shaker window.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Honeycomb Hexagon Large Stencil
• Ink: Distress Ink - Wild Honey, Mustard Seed
• Dies: Create a Smile - Double Stitched Rectangles; Tim Holtz - Mixed Media; Spellbinders - Classic Rectangles
• Accents: Skull and Cross Buns - Retro Sweets Embellish! set; Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Jewels (Lemon mix and Cherry mix)

Challenge entry:

Always Fun - Challenge #126 - Shaker Cards

After a long day of crafting, the next card was the last one I made on that particular day.  I wasn't going to share it as it's a bit busy and quite frankly, I think I was losing my mind...it's a bit bonkers!  But it's quite fun so here it is... lol

What's the best thing to have at a tropical party?  Quite clearly, a flamingo with a pineapple on its head!  I don't know what I was thinking, this isn't my style at all, but I wanted to showcase the stamp set and the fun embellishments that co-ordinate with it.  The card base was stamped around the edge with leaves from the Tropical Party set and the flamingo scene stamped and coloured where the aperture would be.  I die cut the panel with the stitched window and stamped the sentiment in black.  Once adhered in position I then finished by adhering the acrylic elements from the Tropical Party Embellish! set.

Materials:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Tropical Party
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Rectangle Peek-a-boo Window
• Ink: Altenew - Pinkalicious, Moss, Parrot, Lagoon
• Coloured with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils
• Accents: Skull and Cross Buns - Tropical Party Embellish! set

Thanks so much for looking.  If you're unable to watch the show, don't forget, you can watch it on catch up over on the Hochanda website :)

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