Bee or not To Bee Blog Hop

Happy Monday!

Did you know it's World Bee Day today.

And to celebrate there's the 2019 BEE or not to BEE Blog Hop!

The purpose of this blog hop is to support bees and to raise public awareness of the importance of bees and apicultural products.
Check out the official World Bee Day website too, it's full of interesting information about these amazing little insects.

There's also an amazing line up of sponsors for the Blog Hop ..... check these out

As you can see Uniko is one of the Blog Hop sponsors, and Bev has invited the Design Team to join in too.

I've made this cute little card using the Uniko Bee Happy Clear stamp set, paired with the Pinstripe Background Block

I stamped the honeycomb heart, heat embossed it in gold and then coloured the honeycomb using ZIG markers

I stamped the bees with a black ink, and again coloured with the markers adding a touch of sparkle to their wings with a Clear Wink of Stella pen

Part of my sentiment has been stamped onto the card and heat embossed .....

with the otther half stamped onto a snippet of yellow cardstock, and attached underneath

I stamped the pinstripe, using a black ink, onto a strip of yellow cardstock, attached it down one side of my cardblank, and then finished off with a few splatters of gold ink.

As you hop on through you'll find lots of Giveaways along the way .....

Bugaboo Stamps, $12 Gift Certificate to the Store

Clearly Besotted Stamps, £15 Gift Certificate to the Store

Create a Smile, 50€ Gift Certificate to the Store

Gerda Steiner Designs, $15 Gift Certificate to the Store

Hannah Rosengren Studio, Bumble & Honey Bee Patch

Honey Bee Stamps, $30 Gift Certificate to the Store

Jane’s Doodles, $50 Gift Certificate to the Store

Kitty Bee Designs, 1 Digital Image of winner’s choice

Lawn Fawn, $25 Gift Certificate to the Store

Mo’s Digital Pencil, $5 Store Credit

Newton’s Nook Designs, $25 Gift Certificate to the Store

Paper Smooches, ’Bee Mine’ Stamp Set and ‘Bees’ Dies

Power Poppy, $20 Gift Certificate to the Store

Pretty Pink Posh, $25 Gift Certificate to the Store

STAMPlorations, $20 Gift Certificate to the Store

Sue Hastead of Tanglemouse Cards, Pretty Pink Posh ‘Bee Friends’ stamp set

Uniko, Clear Stamp Set (in stock) of winner’s choice

Your Next Stamp, ‘Honey Bee’ stamp set

Milka is also giving away Jane’s Doodles ‘Daisies’ stamp set to one lucky winner.

That's 19 prizes to be given away to 19 winners ..... WOW!!!

The Giveaways are open Worldwide (+18) and for a chance to win, all you have to do is hop along all the blogs of the participating designers and sponsors listed in the Blog Hop list and leave a comment on each blog (22 stops).
After commenting on them all, return back to Milka’s blog and add your name to the InLinkz.
Please make sure to read the Blog Hop details, terms and conditions, Giveaway rules and privacy policy which you can find on Milka’s blog post below the InLinkz.

The Blog Hop closes on May 31st 2019  at 23.59 CEST.  Winners names will be announced on Milka's Blog on June 3rd 

Here's the full Blog Hop list ......

1. Milka Gubo

2. Alexandra Suta

3. Alice Huang

4. Amy Tsuruta

5. Donna Mikasa              

6. Kathy Curry

7. Ksenija Rizova

8. Larissa Walgemoed              

9. Neha Bhatt

10. Nonni Niskanen

11. Samantha Mann

12. Sonja Kerkhoffs

13. Tina Pavlovic                             

14. Valentina Bizjak

15. Gerda Steiner Designs (sponsor)

16. Honey Bee Stamps (sponsor)

17. Lawn Fawn (sponsor)

18. Newton’s Nook Designs (sponsor)

19. Paper Smooches (sponsor)

20. Pretty Pink Posh (sponsor)

21. Uniko (sponsor) 

22. Your Next Stamp (sponsor)

Milka Gubo (InLinkz – return after commenting and add your name to InLinkz)

Happy hopping folks!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and Happy World Bee Day!!

(Fingers crossed this post goes live on time.  Hubby and I have been up in the Scottish Highlands and we're currently on our way home to the Isle of Man.   We've had a fab few days surrounded by the most amazing scenery, eaten delicious food, and had the odd dram or two, but more about all that later.

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:

Stamps: Bee Happy; Pinstripe Bckground Block (Uniko)

Inks: Versafine ink, Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Delicata - Golden Glitz (for the splatters)

Other: Gold Fine Detail Embossing Powder (WOW!); ZIG Brush Markers, Clear Wink of Stella pen, yellow cardstock

Reach for the stars ......

Happy weekend .......

I hope you're having a good one.
It's time for a quick reminder about this month's CAS Stencil Challenge.
Our host for May is the lovely Sue, and the theme is a real fun technique for you to try ....... Stenciling over a Coloured Background

There are lots of ways to try this technique ....... use your stencils over coloured cardstock or pretty patterned papers.  Create your own coloured backgrounds using inks or paints and then stencil over the top ..... it's a great way to use up all those pieces that didn't quite turn out as we had hoped!
Or stencil over one of those mop up pieces of card that we all have a stash of  The list is endless.  Just remember to keep your designs Clean And Simple as well as following the theme.

I've used a piece of black cardstock here that's been sprayed with the new Distress Oxide Sprays, and then stenciled over the top using a white paste.

I simply spritzed the black card using the Oxide sprays and left it to dry.

These sprays are fab .... and they work so well on dark cardstock.

Once the ink was dry I took the Shooting Stars stencil and used a white aste through the design.  Whilst the paste was still wet, I sprinkled the stars with a fine crystal glitter to add some sparkle

I stamped and heat embossed the word 'stars' using a silver embossing powder

and stamped the rest of my sentiment onto a snippet of white card, and attached it using foam pads.

To finish off I added a sparkly die cut star.

There's still plenty of time to enter this month's challenge.  Check out the CAS Stencil Blog for all the details, along with more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.  We also have our lovely Guest Designer Michele with us again so be sure to pop by and say hello.

Thanks for popping by ........ enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Reach for the Stars (Uniko)
Inks: Distress Oxide Sprays - Picked Raspberry, Mermaid Lagoon (I think!); Versafine; Versafine Clair - Nocturne 
Others: Black cardstock; Silver Embossing Powder (WOW!); Shooting Star stencil (Funky Fossil); White stencil paste; crystal glitter 

Happy Birthday Bev! .......

Welcome to Tuesday ......

It's a special day today.  The lovely Bev from Uniko is celebrating her birthday!!

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday dear Bev

Happy Birthday to You!!! 

It's not just any old birthday ..... it's a big one!  I don't think she'll mind me telling you ..... it's the big 4 0!!!!
To help her celebrate her special day the Uniko Design Team have gt together and we're having a Surprise Birthday Blog Hop ..... whoo hoo!!

Happy Birthday hun ....... hope it's a good one!

I'm not sure how Bev is feeling about turning 40 (I know I wasn't happy when it was me!!) so I thought I'd keep my design CAS, and make the number a little understated ......

Inlaid into the stamped image ......

Gold shimmer ink to stamp with, coloured using ZIG Markers,  and a few little crystal drops to finish

I know Bev has received this, because I gave it to her at the weekend when I saw her at Port Sunlight.
If you would like to join in and wish Bev a Happy Birthday ..... just design a card and add it to the linky on the Birthday Blog post on the Uniko Blog ...... she'll love it!

Speaking of Port Sunlight we had a great day on Saturday.  The weather was fab, the ferry crossing was perfectly calm (both ways) and the shopping was fun.  I even came back with money in my purse which was a bonus!

It was so nice to see everyone, it's just a shame we don't get more time.

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.
I'm off to the craft room now.  It's a short week for me this week, so I need to get move on!
Hubby and I are having a few days away ....... we're on the boat again on Thursday and then we're off up to Scotland I think.  Let's hope this nice weather holds.
Speaking of the weather, did I mention that hubby had bought himself a little present?  He's bought himself a telescope.

It's a bit bigger than I imagined ..... my hubby never does anything by half!!!

Anyway, as you can see it's all set up ...... well almost.   Apparently, you have to align it using the stars so that the telescope knows where it is, you can then tell it what you want to look at, and it will move around to view different parts of the sky ...... makes sense, I suppose!  Well ...... since it arrived we haven't had a clear night ..... and the thing's just been sat in the lounge.  That was until Saturday. 

The Isle of Man is known for it's dark skies and where we are there's not much in the way of street lights etc., it's all countryside around us so, on a clear night the sky is full of stars.  When I got home around 10ish the house was deserted.  I eventually found him, on the patio, with the telescope, looking at the moon!  Bless him .... my little stargazer!  

Cheerio until next time .....

Products used:
Stamps: Happiest of Days (Stampin Up!)
Inks: Delicata - Golden Glizt
Other: Number dies (Stampin Up!); ZIG Brush Markers, Crystal Drops (Nuvo)

A quick reminder for the Craft Stamper challenge .......

Happy Friday .......

It's almost the weekend again.  It's a special one too ... if you're a crafter that is, and in the Port Sunlight area on the Wirral.  It's the Happy Stampers Spring Festival tomorrow and I've got my ticket!!

Yes, I'll be up at the crack of dawn to meet the girls and then we catch the early morning boat sailing across to Liverpool (fingers crossed it's not a bumpy ride!) 
It's a long day, but well worth it ..... and so much fun!
The whole day will be spent chatting, and catching up with friends.  There'll be craft shopping, and coffees.  Lunch out, followed by more shopping. Afternoon tea, no doubt with cake, and possibly a bit more shopping before heading home on the evening boat!  I'm ready to go!

Before all that though,  it's time to remind you about this month's Craft Stamper challenge
As always the theme is Anything Goes ...... as long as there's actual rubber stamping on your project somewhere.
The prize this month, for the Challenge Winner are these amazing stencils from AALL & Create ..... aren't they fab!

Don't forget we have two winners each month, the other is the Design Winner, chosen by the DT, and they get their work published in the magazine.  Find out all the details, along with the challenge guidelines over on the Craft Stamper Blog

Speaking of stencils, I've been having fun with some brand new releases from Sweet Poppy Stencils.  There's new stencil designs and ....... for all you Game of Thrones fans, a brand new Dragon clear stamp set.

I've used one of the stamps to embellish my altered notebook.

This little notebook started out with a plain and simple kraft cover. 
I added some colour to the front and back covers using Distress Oxide inks in various shades of green, and a little bit of Aged Mahogany here and there.
I then used one of the new stencil designs, and the Translucent Stencil Medium to add the texture

Whilst the paste was still wet I sprinkled over some fine crystal glitter and then left it to dry.

I stamped the dragon eye twice, onto white cardstock and used Distress Oxides to add some colour.

I fussy cut around both of them, and cut out the actual eye from one. Using foam pads I layered the two together and gave the green eye a coat of Crystal Glaze

Once the stencil paste was dry I sponged over the top with a black ink.  The stencil paste acts as a resist, so the black ink only settles in between the scales.  I wiped off all the excess leaving the stencil dsign to show through ....... the green showiung through the stencil paste with the black in between

I attached the eye onto the front of the notebook and added a sentiment from the Dragon stamp set underneath

The little banner that it's on is from a set of sentiment stamps by Avery Elle that has a matching die which makes it easy to cut out.

Here's a quick look at the whole finished cover ......

Are you a Game of Thrones fan? We're all GoT mad here. 
Will you be staying up until 2am on Sunday/Monday to watch the latest episode on Sky Atlantic?  We might ..... we'll see.  If not, we shall be getting up early on Monday morning so that we can watch it before hubby goes to work! 
Don't worry, if you're not a fan there's only one more episode left after this weekend!!!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day and have a lovely weekend.
And if you're off to Port Sunlight, enjoy the day ..... spend loads!  See you there.

Cheerio until next time .....

Products used:
Stamps: A5 clear stamp set - Dragon (Sweet Poppy); Banner Bits (Avery Elle)
Inks: Distress Oxide inks, Verrsafine Clair - Nocurne: Versafine
Others: Small notebook; Faux Dragon Leather Stencil, Translucent Stencil Medium, Fine Crystal Glitter (Sweet Poppy); Crystal Glaze (Nuvo); Gold embossing powder (WOW!);