Tuesday 28 February 2023

Introducing Spring Botanicals Crocus

Morning all and welcome to the first of my introductory posts for the Spring release at Uniko. Previously Bev has launched Snowdrops, Tulips and Daffodils as part of the Spring Botanicals series and this year Crocus has been added to the stable! When I got my hands on the new set I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. 


We had a few days of warm weather last weekend and it brought out the flowers from crocus bulbs I planted in the grass to naturalize and was inspired to replicate the look of the purple against the green of the grass.
I've previously done water colour versions of the tulip and snowdrop sets so why not a crocus one!
After stamping the image with Altenew's Limestone ink on watercolour paper, I used some rubber masking fluid to mask out the image then taped it firmly onto a board with masking tape when dry. Lots of water and paint was then flooded onto the panel, Cadmium Yellow and Prussian Blue being the main colours and let the magic begin. I tried to keep the darker colour on the right hand side of the image, lighter to the top and left, but I wasn't top hung up as watercolour often has a mind of its own! Before the paint was dry, I added some crumpled up clingfilm and left it to dry, then removed the film to create an interesting background. I just love the freedom this technique gives you compared to using say a stenciled background, the clingfilm gives you all the random texture without all the stress, it's different every time you do it too.

Don't rush to remove the masking fluid as any wet paint will smudge onto your clean image, so check first! Once the masking was removed, I washed a mix of Prussian Blue and Purple Lake onto the petals and a mix of Cadmium Yellow and Prussian Blue for the leaves and stem. The papery bit at the bottom of the stem I coloured using some very dilute Raw Sienna, the stigma is Cadmium Yellow and a touch of Vermillion and left to dry.
After removing the masking tape, I attached the finished panel to a 5 x 7 base card and stamped the sentiment from the set in black.
So what do you think? Why not check the rest of the team to see what ideas they've come up with?

Bev

Julie - that's me



See you tomorrow for another introducing post. 

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Stencilled background or freestyle?
I just love the freedom this cling film and watercolour technique gives you compared to using a stenciled background, it gives you all the random texture without all the stress, it's different every time you do it too.

Monday 27 February 2023

Uniko 11th Birthday Release Sneak Peeks

Morning all. It's sneak peeks day for the latest release at Uniko. 

 First up, a new addition to the Spring Botanicals series...

Next some more Spring season sneak peeks...







Next the last clear stamp set of this release...




And how about a new stencil which coordinates perfectly with the sneak above AND others already released...



Intrigued? Well pop back tomorrow at the same time to see the first introduction of the release!

Tuesday 21 February 2023

Judo Boy

Good morning all. The weather has been unseasonably warm these past few days, so I've been getting out and doing a bit of overdue weeding! It was far too wet earlier in the month but I almost forgot to make my card for the latest challenge at Cardz4Guyz, so it was a bit of a rush job, using up some bits and bobs from my stash to create a card that fits the theme of:-

SPORTING CHANCE

The image I found in my to colour box and the DP and linen panel was in the scrap box, also using a favourite layout to make this.


The digi is LOTV, Karate Kid and was coloured with Copics before being fussy cut.  He could also be a Judo Boy, which fits well with the current challenge at Seize the Birthday to use your initials, JB in my case! The scrap of DP, NitWits, was added to an A6 base card and the linen panel added on pads after I'd stamped the Uniko sentiment and heat embossed with white EP. To finish, I added the image to the card on pads, also adding a few movement marks that were lost in the fussy cutting.

So where will you go with the latest theme? There are lots of ways you could go and the rest of the DT have some more ideas if you are stuck, over on the blog.

Joining in over at:- 

 

Thursday 16 February 2023

Color Hues #58

Afternoon folks. We're mid way through the month already, so time for a brand new colour combo at Color Hues. Here's my take.


I decided to use my new layering stencil from Altenew, Hill Blossoms with this bright combination of colours.
I love lime green, it represents the fresh shoots of spring, fresh and vibrant. Cyan is a little trickier so looked it up and the dictionary says it's a green blue, made by splitting white light! I do remember the old TV test card where the primary colours were overlapped to make white, now I think about it!

To start, I took an A6 panel of white card and stencilled the first layer of the stems and foliage over it with Altenew's Bamboo ink. I then went in with the second layer using Altenew's Parrot, then blended the first layer again with the Parrot to intensify the colour. My blossoms were inked using 3 of the Sweet Dreams set from Altenew and the centers with a touch of Industrial Diamond. 

To complete, I added a Uniko sentiment on a layered circle of grey card over white and more grey.
So where will these fresh colours take you? We'd love to see your creations in our gallery at Color Hues. If you need more inspiration there's loads over on the Color Hues blog from the rest of the DT as well as our GD.

Joining in over at:-


#47

Thursday 9 February 2023

Using the Little Stamps, Birthday Candles @Uniko

 Morning, I'm sharing a card I've made for a Brand Ambassadors post over at Uniko. Uniko are celebrating 11 years so I've another birthday themed card using a couple of small stamps from the Big and Bold Wish stamp set. Here's the card but all the details are on the Uniko blog here.


Tuesday 7 February 2023

Splattered Heart

Morning all. Today sees a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. Our theme this time is appropriately for the time of year -

A VALENTINE FOR A MALE

I always find, if in doubt, go down the CAS route for a masculine card. So with the help of a few challenges and new stash, I came up with this.


I treated myself to some new bits and bobs the other day including this cute mouse from Anita Jeram, Be Creative Mini stamp. 
I'd seen a few ideas using this painting mouse, so decided to combine the challenges from JUGS, Inkspirational and CAS on Friday. I cut my own stencil using a heart die and the ink splatter die from Tim Holtz and Sizzix which I inked through onto a panel of white card. The colours at JUGS lead me to select Kitch Flamingo DI to create the splatter heart, the mouse was stamped and coloured with my Zig markers, along with a little bit of the DI for the brush. My panel of card was cut using a Hero Arts Rounded Rectangle and mounted onto Kraft before adding to an off white note card. The sentiment is from another Anita Jeram set, Snuggle Bunny, embossed with white EP.

So where will you go with your Valentines? We'd love to see them in the gallery this week at Cardz4Guyz, where you'll also find some more masculine inspiration from the rest of the team.

Joining in over at:-


 

#250 Ink Splatter

Wednesday 1 February 2023

Color Hues #57

 Good afternoon. A new month begins, so it's also time for a new colour combo from Color Hues.

Here's my take.

I made this card for my son's partner's father's wedding way back on New Year's Eve, it's a design I've used before here, but Alex thought it was perfect for her Dad and Karey's nuptials. I used Altenew's Rose Flurries dies and their large alphabet ones to create the design. 

I find cutting the elements from white card allows me to get the range of colours needed, without hunting through my stash of card, often with disappointing results. I never seem to have the right colours!! This time I used a selection of Copic markers including R24, 22, 02 and YR02 for the coral coloured flowers and BG90, 93, 96 and 99 for the sage green foliage. The letters are mounted on white fun foam, which I edged with Altenew's Coral Berry ink first, on a 5 x7 white card base. The stamped congratulations is from a Sugar Pea set and the tiny sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh.

So where will these new colours take you? We'd love to see your designs in the Color Hues gallery this time. There's lots of fabulous inspiration from the DT and GDs over on the Color Hues blog if you need more ideas.

A few months ago I was contacted by Lori at the Turner Syndrome Foundation to see if I was interested in her card auction to raise funds for this worthy cause. I joined in last year so decided I would join in again, this time I was a little more organised! The auction is taking place on her Instagram account @mulchlady6, so why not pop along and join in and help raise some sorely needed funds. There are some fabulous card makers taking part including Sandy Allnock and Jennifer McGuire.

Happy Birthday Uniko!

 Good morning peeps! A new month dawns and also it's the 11th birthday of the wonderful Bev starting the Uniko brand! Today the Brand Ambassadors are celebrating with birthday cards in a Linky party.
Here's my contribution using the Balloon Bash stencil and BB Nautical Stripes, along with a sentiment made up of elements from Wild and Birthday Sentiments.



I've use a rainbow of DIs to stencil in the balloons and a white gel pen for the hi light. The BB Nautical Stripes was stamped a couple of times along a scrap of card using Memento Tuxedo Black, I really must get a reinker or a new pad as it's looking rather faded here.
The stencilled panel was trimmed down and the HAPPY from Birthday Sentiments added with white EP. The birthday part was stamped on a piece of black card and embossed with the same EP. It was trimmed down and added under the HAPPY, the black and white strip added to the bottom of my base card and the stencilled panel added on top to complete.

Want to take part in the Birthday Card Link PartySimply create a birthday card using Uniko products and share it using the linky at the bottom of the main Uniko post
Need some more inspiration then check out the rest of the team.


There is plenty of time to join in on the fun.
The deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) on Tuesday 28th February 2023.

 Prize - £25 eGift Certificate 
Party Rules
Use Uniko Products Only*.
No back linking. Linked cards/projects must be new.
Maximum Enteries 3 Per Person.

*If you don't own any physical Uniko products you are welcome to use THESE FREE Uniko Digital images to create your card. 
Don't use social media or have a blog to upload your card & link from? 
No worries. Just drop Bev an email  at bev@uniko.co.uk titled Uniko 11th Birthday with a photo and I will upload for you.


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