Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Three Ways with Pure Florals: Lily

Good morning

I'm over on the Uniko blog today with some floral inspiration for your Monday morning.

You can find all the information on how I made these cards over on the blog post, here.

First up, I left the image uncoloured and added colour and interest around it...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Lily, Simply Said Blocks II
• Stencil: Uniko - Party Confetti
• Uniko - Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress Oxide - Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold
• Other: Inkadinkado - Stamping Mask Paper

For the second card I used the negative mask which was left over from the same masking sheet...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Lily, Simply Said Blocks II
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress Oxide - Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral
• Some colouring using Copic markers
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Scalloped Rectangles
• Other: Inkadinkado - Stamping Mask Paper

Finally, a little spotlight colouring...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Lily, Simply Said Blocks II
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copic markers
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

Thanks so much for visiting today, have a wonderful week.

Uniko - Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Spring Botanicals Tulip

Hi guys

I'm over on the Uniko blog toay with my very first Brand Ambassador Inspiration post!

I'm sharing a trio of cards using the Spring Botanicals Tulip stamp set.  For full details on how I made these you can find the information over on that blog post, here.

For this first card the background was masked and the image coloured with ink blending...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Spring Botanicals Tulip
• Ink: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress Ink: Mustard Seed, Candied Apple, Forest Moss, Rustic Wilderness; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• Other: Inkadinkado - Stamping Mask Paper

For this next card I used very simple tone on tone colouring...

Materials used:

• Stamps - Uniko - Spring Botanicals Tulip
• Ink: Altenew - Wisteria; VersaMark
• Coloured with Copic markers
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

And for my third of this trio I left the image uncoloured and just added colour to the background...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Spring Botanicals Tulip, Large Background French Script
• Stencil: Uniko - Stylised Floral
• Ink: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet; Altenew - Industrial Diamond; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Other: Inkadinkado - Stamping Mask Paper

Challenge entries:

Card 1

Allsorts - Week 667 - Spring is in the Air

Stamping Sensations - March Challenge - Spring

We Love Stamping - March Challenge - Spring

Card 2

Sweet Stampin' - KISS! (keep it simple)

STAMPlorations - March CAS Challenge - Anything CAS Goes

Card 3

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #425 - Die Cuts / Stencils

Happy Little Stampers - March Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

NBUS - Challenge #36 - all new stamps and stencil

STAMPlorations - March Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for taking a look today, sending crafty hugs.

AD - some products kindly gifted for Design Team purposes.

Less is More Challenge #446

Hi there

It's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Less is More, but I'm sure some of you won't be excited to hear that we're back to the dreaded One Layer week! lol

And this time we want to see your one layer creations combined with...

Oooh, this one's a toughy!

Monogram isn't an easy theme and then combined with only being able to use the card base makes it much more tricky.  I was scratching my head for quite a while thinking about what to do and how to produce what I wanted to do for my DT card but, with a little forward planning I managed to create the vision I had in my mind.  Here it is...

I knew I wanted to use this sentiment stamp saying 'friends forever' which has been in my stash, well, forever!  I just had to figure out a way of creating the 'FF' behind it and I certainly don't have any alphabet stamps this large!  So I printed the 'FF' onto some fairly thin paper then drew around the letters on the reverse with a pencil.  Then I scribbled over the front to trace it onto a sheet of masking paper.  I tried to cut the letters out with a craft knife but the masking paper dragged a little so I used some tiny decoupage scissors to cut away the negative space.  The rest was pretty straightforward.  With the masking paper over my card front I ink blended through the letters with light pink ink then stamped the ditsy flowers and leaves, keeping the colours fairly pale.  All that was left to do was remove the mask and stamp the sentiment.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Stacks of Wishes (sentiment); Wplus9 - Happy Wishes (tiny images)
• Ink: Distress Ink - Spun Sugar; Altenew - Sea Breeze, Soft Lilac, Minty Mint; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Other: Inkadinkado - Stamping Mask Paper

Please give this challenge a go, with a little forward planning it's not as difficult as you first think.

Less is More Week #322

Hi there

After taking a break for a couple of weeks I'm back playing along with my teamies at Less is More today and as we're at the beginning of another month it's the turn of our Colour challenge.  And this time we want to see...

And for the month of April we have a fab new sponsor which is

Lili of the Valley

I have three cards to share with you this week and for my first card I chose pastel yellow, green and blue...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped a background using VersaMark, applied some white embossing powder but then brushed off around the edge before heating so there were no hard edges.  I then watercoloured within the pattern using three colours of Distress Inks.  A simple Happy die cut and a white embossed sentiment strip finished the design which was popped up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Kaiserkraft - Morocco; Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Wplus9 - Happy Trio

Challenge entries:

Fab Friday - Challenge #109 - Sketch (turned from portrait to landscape)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

For my second card I used a stamp by our April sponsor, Lili of the Valley...

I kept this one really simple by stamping the image onto a panel of Strathmore Bristol smooth cardstock and then watercoloured using Zig markers.  A sentiment was stamped alongside in black and the panel was popped up onto a card base made with the same cardstock so there was no variation in colour.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Lili of the Valley - Flower Arranging; Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Watercoloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #353 - Just Add Critters

Alphabet Challenge Blog - B is for Bunnies

And I went for a one layer card for my third design, using pastel pink, lilac and mint shades...

I stamped the abstract images, all from the same stamp set, to create a horizontal strip background.  I then overstamped with the bold sentiment in black, and re-inked using the MISTI to create a bold, sharp impression.  That was it, super simple.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circles and Dots; MFT - Brushstroke Birthday
• Ink: Altenew - Mountain Mist, Soft Lilac, Rose Quartz; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entry:

CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge #170 - No Dies Allowed

Thanks so much for visiting today.  If you have time please do take a moment to check out my teamies' personal blogs as there will be lots more inspiration there too.

Geometrics at Less is More

Hi there

There's a new challenge just starting at Less is More and this week we are back with everyone's favourite (ehem!) One Layer week.  This week we are looking for a...

Geometric Pattern

I've got three samples for you this week so let's get to it.


I was going to share this first card over on the LIM challenge post but my teamie, Sarah, had used the same stencil and also paired it with a bold sentiment, funny how our minds work on these challenges!  So, here it is...

I started by masking off the two bottom corners forming triangular areas.  I then laid my stencil over the top and blended three colours of Distress Ink.  I then removed the masks and stamped the sentiment...easy peasy!

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Abstract
• Ink: Distress Ink - Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: MFT - Brushstroke Birthday

Challenge entries:

One Layer Simplicity - Challenge #26 - As You Wish April

AAA Cards - Game #61 - Stencilling
CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge #168 

Triangles again for my second card, this time being the facets of a gemstone...

I won this lovely heart stamp over at Kimberly's blog a while ago and this is the first time I've inked it up.  I stamped it in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with clear powder, created a mask and then blended Distress Inks within the shape, so the ink resisted the embossed lines.  The sentiment was simply stamped below.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Neat & Tangled - Heart of Gold; Wplus9 - Strictly Sentiments
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Try to Resist

I thought I'd go with circles for my final geometric pattern and created this unisex card...

All the circle and dot designs are from the same set, stamped randomly using inks in neutral colours.  I then chose the birthday sentiment, also with a dotted pattern, and stamped it below.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circles and Dots; Clearly Besotted - Happy Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Laurel Leaf, Umber, Chateau Gray, Polar Blue, Sand Beige; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Happy Birthday

So there you have it, nothing very difficult or scary about one layer cards.  The most difficult part was the masking of the heart.  Please pop over to my teamies' personal blogs if you have time as they have some super examples for you this week.  And we would, as always, love to see your creations in our gallery this week.

One Layer with a Flourish

Good morning

Saturday morning at 8am can only mean it's time for another new challenge over at Less is More.  Our sequence of challenges has whizzed around again so this week we are back with our One Layer challenge and the theme is...

Flourish

I've got two cards to share with you this week, here's the first.  And with February not far away I thought I'd go with a Valentine's Day theme...

I started by stamping the flowery flourish off the top edge of the card base with black ink.  I then found a stamp which co-ordinated perfectly and used part of this to create the vertical line of dots to suspend my die cut heart which was cut from a scrap of deep red cardstock.  I then added some Wink of Stella for some shimmer, stamped the sentiment along the top edge and finished by adding some clear smooth gemstones to the centres of the flowers.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Modern Flower Flourish; Penny Black - Salutations (line of dots); Clearly Besotted - Happy Anniversary
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Cardinal
• Die: Lawn Fawn - Mini Hearts
• Accents: Wink of Stella - Clear; Smooth gemstones from stash

Challenge entries:

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #157 - Anything Goes (option - CAS card)
CASology - Week 179 - Simple

I chose a coloured card base for my second card...

I stamped the flourish and butterfly in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I love that the butterfly also has flourishes on its wings!  I coloured in the butterfly with ProMarkers to add a touch of tone on tone detail.  I then simply finished with a sentiment stamped in green ink and some glitter enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Flowers for Design and Beautiful Butterflies; MFT - Peaceful Wildflowers
• Ink: VersaMark; Versa Color - Evergreen
• Embossing powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: ProMarkers; Glitter Enamel Dots from stash

Challenge entries:

Passion for ProMarkers - Challenge #327 - Monochrome (little use of ProMarkers but they are there!)
House of Cards - January Challenge - Embossing and/or Color Inspiration (I chose embossing here)

One layer cards are fast becoming one of my favourite types to make, I don't know what I was so afraid of before.  My teamies are sharing some great projects this week, if you get the chance please pop over to their personal blogs, I know they will appreciate your visit.  I can't wait to see your creations in the gallery this week.

Bye for now!

Just for You, Friend

Hi there

As promised, I'm back to share another card with you today.  This one was made for a fab friend of mine who loves pink, glitter and butterflies, so I included all of these on her card!

I started by stamping the flourish on the card base.  Next I stamped the butterfly using 3 inks, I use the little cube ink pads so it's not to difficult to pinpoint where you want the ink.  This was then die cut using the corresponding butterfly die.  I placed the butterfly on the card base, not yet fixing it permanently, so I could curve the 'just for you' stamp to follow the curve of the wing and stamp onto the card base.  Next I added some wet glue to the flower centres on the card base and added some fine glitter, and then did the same with the butterfly wings.  Once dry I popped the butterfly up on 3D foam and finished off by adding the 'friend' word die.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Modern Flower Flourish; Clearly Besotted - Flight of Fancy and Sweet Little Sentiments
• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Flight of Fancy and Friend Word Die
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray and Petal Pink; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Glitter: Stampin' Up - Stampin' Glitter Dazzling Diamonds
• Cardstock from stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - July Challenge - Stamps and Glitter

Charisma Cardz - Challenge #15 - Anything Goes

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes Birthday

Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 245- Butterflies

Ok, that's all I have for now.  I have this week off work so I'm going to spend today clearing the housework so the rest of the week is mine!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, whatever you're up to - hopefully something more fun than housework!