Color Hues #111

A new month and a brand new colour challenge from Color Hues. 

Sheri is hosting and has chosen a warm summery feel for her colours. Here's my take.

Coral is many things to different people but I went with the colours from Altenew's inks, Coral Bliss and Coral Berry for my take. They remind me of the paper thin petals of the wild poppies that are currently bursting into life in my gravel. I love poppies, so any excuse to paint them is to be embraced!

First off, I stamped the largest poppies from Altenew's Poppy Garden with their Limestone ink onto some MM paper for a no line effect. Then, I watercoloured the flower heads with a mix of Coral Bliss, Vineyard Berry and Coral Berry by smooching the pads onto an old dinner plate to create a palette and then adding some water. For the leaves I used a trio of Zig watercolour markers. The poppy centers were painted with the same markers in shades of black and grey. Another warm grey marker was used to give a little cast shadow to the petals.

I wanted to create a lattice for my blooms to sit on, so after looking through my stash, I settled on a Creative Expressions die and made a mini slimline card for a change. To assemble the card, I glued two of the lattices together and added them to my base, before adding the fussy cut flower heads and leaves. A simple foiled sentiment completes.

So which direction will these two new colours take you? As always the team and our GD have some fabulous inspirational makes, should you need it here!

Joining in over at:-

Nature

Too Many Candles

 Morning all, rather a damp Bank Holiday for a few of us but the rain was sorely needed to fill the water tanks and quench the parched ground. 

Anyway, it's time for a brand new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. This time our theme is perfect for masculine cards as it's:-

SHADES of BLUE

Here's my take.

I decided to use some DP in shades of blue from my scraps drawer to cut out a few candles with my MFT Birthday Candles die set, along with the flames cut from card scraps. I've had this set for ages and this is it's first outing so I will be linking up over at Darnell's NEBUS challenge!

I had this aperture panel floating around in my bits box, so before it got beyond use I decided to trim it down and frame my die cut candles with it. A die cut sentiment, sorry can't remember the brand, was added to my top panel before it was popped up on foam pads over my candles, which I'd previously glued to my base card. A very simple and easy to replicate design, just switch up the colours for a totally different vibe!

So what would you do? As always we look forward to seeing your MASCULINE makes in our gallery. The team have come up with some other ideas for you here, if you need them ;) .

Joining in over at:-

Happy 16th Birthday!

#824 AG

#74

 

CASe a Card and a GD spot

Morning. This is an early morning post for my GD spot at AAA Cards Challenge. I won the challenge a few months ago for this card. So here is my card for the latest challenge.

The theme for this challenge is Follow my lead, so basically it's a CASe of the inspiration card below.

I don't know if you have heard of Ardyth Percy Robb's LIMES concept to help with your inspiration.

L- List

     I- Include

     M- Modify

      E- Exclude

S- Spin

Here Sue's card is a graduation card, white on black, gold embossed edge, long sentiment, negative die cut and sentiment at 90'.

For mine I included the embossed edge, negative die cut, white on dark background.

I modified it by rotating 90', made the background dark blue and the embossing silver and made it a Christmas card.

I didn't really exclude anything.

For the spin I suppose I used an A6 side fold card.

On a panel of dark blue card, I stamped the snow effect with Versamark along one long edge. The stamp was a freebie many years ago so no idea what brand it is.

From a panel of white card I'd trimmed down to be slightly smaller than my A6 base, I cut out the NOEL using Altenew's lower case bold alphabet dies, leaving enough room for my strip sentiment from Uniko to be added below.

For more inspiration check back at AAA for all the details and thanks to the AAA girls for asking me to guest.

Spring/ Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop with Uniko

Good afternoon!

Uniko are proud to be sponsoring a prize on the Spring /Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop this year. Here is my contribution to the hop.

On a panel of Mixed Media paper, I stamped the coffee cup from I love Coffee, in rainbow shades before using the same shades to watercolour them. I used DIs in Candied Apple, Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers, Chipped Sapphire, and Wilted Violet. Once dry, I stamped the Uniko emblem from the set in matching ink. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with white EP, popped up on pads.

So what have some of the other members of the team been up to? Why not pop along and check them out, leaving some love along the way for a chance to win a £25 eGift code to spend on some Uniko goodies!

You have until Friday 30th May 2025 to comment.

 Bev

Izzy

Julie - me

Steph 

Vinita

All details of the hop can be found on the Uniko blog.

Happy Hopping!

Color Hues #110

Afternoon. 

Can you believe we already over halfway through May, the days are hurtling by. As it's the 16th of the month we have a new colour challenge at Color Hues. This time we have a very feminine duo, chosen by Karen, here's my take.

 

I'm back to my cute images with this card, using an old LOTV rubber stamp, Coffee Time, it was one of the first stamps I purchased from them, Harrogate Stamp fair I believe nearly 20 years ago! I've also used one of my go to sketches, combining an embossed panel and some DP. I first used this layout way back in 2014 according to my records but can't be sure where I found the sketch! It's been modified over the years and adapted, probably a Sketch Saturday originally!

Copic pens are not great for choice when it comes to purple tones, so the bulk of this plum element is the card, but I did find a scrap of NitWits DP for the background that matched the theme. I used V01, 12 15 and RV34 for the plum, the nearest I could get to the red purple I think was needed and a selection of pinks in the RVs 10, 11, 13, and 14.

After fussy cutting the image, I set it to one side to make my base for it to sit on. From a panel of A6 white card, I cut a circle out with a die and then ran it through a large dot EF, brand unknown! On an A6 panel of plum card, I cut a slightly smaller circle to provide a frame inside the white panel, looks a bit wonky in the photo but it is just the angle. Both these were cut down to reveal the base card and a hint of the purple before gluing together. The DP panel was added to my base card, then the top panels on pads. My coffee drinking friends were then added, foam pads to left the top half off the DP and glue at the bottom and a Uniko sentiment completes.

So what ideas will you have for the new colour pairing? As always we love seeing your makes in the Color Hues gallery but should you need more inspiration, then why not check out the rest of the team and our GD here.

Joining in over at:-

Favourite Sketch and Why?

I like the simplicity of the sketch as well as it's versatility, male female, cute, graphic. The circle aperture makes a nice change from a circle die cut with which to frame the image. What ever your take this sketch works, just change the image, EF or colours and you've got a different look! Here's one I made 10 years ago for a bloke.

Patch and Puss, It Takes Two

Morning, time for a new challenge from Cardz4Guyz. 

This time our theme, chosen by Jolanda is:-

USE THE SKETCH

Here's my take.

 

This is a digi from LOTV which I've combined with some scraps of DP and some red card to create the design. The digi, Patch and Puss It Takes Two, was coloured with Copics and mounted on red card to leave a thin mount showing. This was repeated with the 2 panels of DP, NitWits and the sentiment, MFT, was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with white on a small panel of the same red.

Using the sketch, I added all the layers to an A6 side fold white note card and voila!

So now it's over to you, we're looking forward to seeing your MASCULINE takes on the sketch, which you can rotate or flip as you wish. 

To see what the rest of the DT at CArdz4Guyz have made check out the blog here.

Joining in over at:-

Happy birthday!

Uniko BA Non Release Blog Hop & Giveaway plus Facebook VIP Challenge

Morning all. Hope you are making the most of this sunny weather. Lovely as it is, we are in sore need of some rain to replenish the water butts, ponds and to give the garden a good soak. We should have been heading over the tops to visit our granddaughter, and her mum and dad of course, but the OH and I have been struck with a lousy cold and were not up to the travelling, nor would it have been fair to inflict it onto them. Hopefully we can get over to visit them soon. 

As there isn't a release this month from Uniko, the BAs and Bev are sharing their favourites from the 2025 releases so far. This is quite a daunting task choosing from the array of fabulous stamps and stencils but I eventually plumped for Spring Botanicals Primrose. 

I'd seen a few images online over the years of strips of coloured card under outlined stamped images and when I saw that this month's challenge over at The Flower Challenge was to feature spots or stripes it was the perfect opportunity to try my hand.

On an A6 panel of white card, I glued a few strips of yellow and green cardstock at an angle. Then using a really old Go Create die, must be nearly 20yrs old, I die cut a central section. The same die was used to cut another frilly panel from fun foam and both die cuts were then glued together. The original panel was glued to an A6 white note card and the die cuts added into the opening. 

I stamped the primroses onto vellum with Versamark and heat embossed with white EP before fussy cutting the image. Using the flower centers and leaf ribs, I added glue to secure the posy onto the raised panel, adding a sentiment from Originally Organic Flower Garden. A couple of Glossy Accent dots complete the design. 

That's all from me but why not pop along to see what the rest of the team have chosen to showcase from the 2025 releases. Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a £25 eGift certificate.

  Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie - me

Steph 

Vinita

Over on FB Uniko is encouraging you to share your birthday themed makes with our VIP challenge with another chance to win. So why not pop along there and link up your makes.

Joining in over at:-

Color Hues #109

Afternoon folks, it's a new month, can you believe it, so we have a brand new colour combo for you at Color Hues. Here's my take. 

This was a tricky one for me to be fair, all I could think about were daisies and Leeds Rhinos colours!

I have used this colour combination before to make my friend Jenny's birthday card, including the obligatory rhino, but it is nearly a year 'til I need another one, so wanted to do something more floral as I've not done that for awhile. After a lot of stash searching I remembered this set I had from Sizzix which creates ATCs but you can always make a card by adding an ATC to a base card, can't you?

The blue is from a Gelli plate pull that was in my stash from a while ago and the die cut panel was simply cut from white card and the centers coloured with a Zig marker, sentiment is HLS. A very simple and easy make, once I found the die set!

So what will you make of the colours, looking forward to seeing your makes in the gallery. If you need more inspiration please check out the rest of the team and our GD here.

By the River

Good morning. Are we really near the end of April, where it that month go? Anyway it's time for a brand new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. This time we would like to see your masculine take on the theme of:-

A BODY of WATER

So, that means anything that refers to the sea, a river, lake or perhaps even an aquarium! Here's my take, not sure if he's by a pond or stream, your guess?

The official title of the image is By the River by LOTV, one of my first purchases from years ago.

To start, I stamped the little chap, then cut an aperture for him to sit inside. I used partial die cutting, slipping the circle die behind the image so that just the arc was cut. You can just about see where I cut the  panel to allow this to happen. Once coloured with Copics, I added a scrap of NitWits DP to the back then stamped my sentiment and added the whole to an A6 base card. The water was the hardest element to colour, you have to keep your strokes parallel or it looks like the water is moving up hill!

So where will the new theme take you? We are looking forward to seeing your takes in our gallery and if you need more inspiration please check out the rest of the team at Cardz4Guyz. 

Joining in over at:-

#786 Birthdays

Uniko April Release Day Blog Hop and Giveaway

Good morning, hope your weekend is going well.

Today marks the full release day for Uniko's April release and as per usual we having a Blog Hop and GIVEAWAY!!

Simply leave some love along the way for a chance to win!

So buckle up, grab a cuppa and join me for some more release inspiration, then hop along to visit Bev and the rest of the BAs.

First off I've used the 2 small solid butterflies from Butterfly Serenade to create this.

Butterfly Serenade Clear Stamp Set £11.50

Copyright Uniko Ltd 2012 - To Date

www.uniko.co.uk

I chose some of my favourite colours and CASed a card of mine from way back. 

To create my opening for the sentiment, I cut a large butterfly mask using English Country Garden dies, then stamped the coloured butterflies around it. Removing the mask I stamped a sentiment. I had planned on using the larger sentiment from the set but couldn't fit it into the opening made by the mask, so used one from Originally Organic, stamped a couple of times in the darkest plum from the butterflies. The finished panel was going to be kept as is but after stamping I put it to one side which happened to be over the envelope from my daughter's Mother's Day card which I'd saved. It looked so pretty I decided to cut the panel down to reveal the thin pink edge!

Next up is a card using the Ink n Flip Delightful Diamonds and the spray using Flower Fusion stencil, which I fussy cut out.

Stencil - Ink & Flip Delightful Diamonds £4.50

Copyright Uniko Ltd 2012 - To Date

www.uniko.co.uk

Stencil - Layering Flower Fusion £13.75

Copyright Uniko Ltd 2012 - To Date

www.uniko.co.uk

I found a card mask in my bits box which had rounded corners but was the correct size to create my central panel on the base card. Using the Delightful Diamonds stencil, I inked through the stencil onto a white A6 base card with Salty Ocean DI. 

The large daisy in the stencil reminded me of a very old daisy punch I had and I wondered if it would fit, so had a play. The punched daisy was coloured using the stencil which left the white collar in the center which I really liked and no fussy cutting involved!! The punch is a yellow Woodware one, 11/2" diameter, if you're interested. Unfortunately the rest of the spray had to be cut freehand. Each element was shaped using a ball tool before adding to my base card which I'd stamped the sentiment from Organic Flower garden.

Speaking of which, here is the second panel I mentioned on Wednesday using Originally Organic Flower Garden.

Originally Organic Flower Garden Clear Stamp Set £11.50

Copyright Uniko Ltd 2012 - To Date

www.uniko.co.uk

This panel was created the same way, using masking fluid but I spritzed water over the MM stamped panel before sprinkling some Brusho over and adding salt. This technique really does require good masking as Brusho powder gets everywhere!! 

Once the panel was dry I brushed off any loose powder before removing the masking fluid and watercoloured the blooms. A simple frame stamped with a sentiment from the set was added on pads over the trimmed down panel on a linen effect base card.

And finally I have this card using Spring Blossom layering stencil and the outline stamps from Organic Flower Garden.

Stencil - Layering Spring Blossom £10.75

Copyright Uniko Ltd 2012 - To Date

www.uniko.co.uk

The background was created using the stencil and a grey palette and the central panel was created using colours. A bit of fiddling around using a mask to identify the correct area to be used, before cutting it out. I softened the coloured panel by running the blending brushes used over each element and stamped the made up sentiment as before. The panel looked a bit bare so I stamped the blooms in a no line ink and used Copic to colour the large one and the stencil and DI for the smaller. All were fussy cut along with a few stencilled leaf clusters.

So that's all but for some more fab inspiration please check out the rest of the team below, leave some love and you'll be in the running for a £25 e gift card, the winner of which Bev will draw randomly from all comments on Monday 5th May 2025.

  Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie - me

Steph 

Vinita

Happy hopping!!

Joining in over at:-

 

Spring

Introducing Layering Stencil Spring Blossom

In our final day of intros for Uniko's April release we have another layering stencil for you, welcome Spring Blossom!

Here are a couple of ideas for you.

To start the design process, I first stencilled over an A4 panel of white card, then cut it into 2 A5 panels. Here's the first idea I had.

I had the remains of a white die cut A5 panel from earlier in the week, so decided to use it to make the card. I wanted a sentiment to follow the line of the die cut, so used the long sentiment from Pure Florals Cosmos and bent it to fit before stamping. A stamped bloom from Organic Flower Garden was inked with the same DIs as the panel before cutting out and added to the die cut panel. I used the stamped version as it is slightly larger than the stencilled one and gave more impact. A couple of green leaves were fussy cut and added under to complete the top panel. I thought it needed a little something to contrast with the two panels, so added an inked curved trim to match the edge of the die cut. This was then added over the inked panel to create the card front.

Next is this design using the other A5 panel made using the stencil.

This is very simple. I just cut my remaining A5 panel at about 2/3rds and marked the base card where the edge would come before stamping the bold Happy Birthday which is a mix of MCM Christmas and MCM Everyday Sentiments in silver EP a couple of times. The panel was then glued down and the leftover glued beneath, trimming away the excess.

Wondering what the rest of the team have come up with, then why not check them out below.

  Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie - me

Steph

Vinita

See you back here tomorrow for the full release and blog hop!

Joining in over at:-

Introducing Originally Organic Flower Garden

Morning.

Another day of introductions for the Uniko April release. Hope you're loving these new stamps and stencils because I am!

Today we focus on one set from the Originally Organic group featuring some fab little stems and blooms plus a cute new font for the sentiments.

Here's my first idea using the stencil from yesterday and the larger flower outline, there are two, and the stem.

On a panel slightly smaller than my base card, I inked through the stencil with Salty Ocean DI, feathering out my inking to get the desired effect. Next I stamped the stem, followed by the largest outlined flower. I coloured the bloom with black marker pen to create a silhouette but decided to keep the leaves open. My sentiment from the set was stamped and the panel popped up on foam pads.

My next card is one of a couple I made from stamping onto MM paper, when I first got my stash, more of the other later in the week!

For this panel I stamped and heat embossed with white EP. When cool, I added some liquid masking fluid to the flowers and leaves and left it to dry. If you are very careful by using EP you could get away without masking but it is easier this way. 

Using my water colours, you could use DIs smooshed onto a suitable surface, I wet the stamped panel with plain water then painted a wash of blue across the top half and green across the bottom. Before it was dry, I added some rock salt crystals to the bottom half and left it to dry thoroughly. Once it was, I swept the salt into the bin to reveal the pretty pattern where the water/paint had been absorbed by the salt, clever eh? I think it looks a bit like tiny wild flowers in the grass. The masking fluid was then removed and the flowers and leaves were painted in with more watercolours. 

I cut a frame for the little scene by die cutting a rectangle from a panel of white card, smaller than my base card, stamping the same sentiment in black before gluing the MM panel to my base card and popping the frame up over on foam pads.

Enough from me, why not check out the rest of the team here to see what they've been up to?

  Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie - me

Steph

Vinita

So that's all for today but pop back tomorrow to see an other intro from the Uniko April release.

Joining in over at:-

April AG, no option

Use a stencil

Birds, animals, flowers, nature

Clean and Simple or Fussy and Fancy

I'd choose clean and simple nearly every time, as I find the simple no clutter style lets the image sing. Also I find it difficult to add layers and fussy things up, the end result always look wrong to me!