Quick and easy cards using Sweet Poppy Stencils new release ........

Happy Sunday to you ......

I hope you're enjoying your weekend. 

It's been a real blustery week here on the island ...... blowing a right old hoolie most days!  Luckily it's been a quiet week for us so, I've spent most of it cosy and warm, in the craft room.

I mentioned last weekend that Sweet Poppy Stencils have had their first new release of 2022 this week.  Brand new stencil designs and gorgeous new stamps ...... if you love your florals then this new collection might just be a must have!  If you haven't seen it yet then check out the New Products section on the Sweet Poppy website, everything is on there, and a bit of a heads up, Lucy will be on the TV with the new release on the 18th of February I think it is.  I'll keep you posted on that one.

If you do love your Sweet Poppy florals, then the gorgeous new Oriental Cherry Blossom might just be for you.  It's a nice big stencil, with so many possibilities.  Just think of all the pretty colours you could use but, it also looks fab when you keep things nice and simple

A smooshed background using Distress inks ....... I think this was actually a clean up piece, which I found in my bit box!  I simply stenciled the design over the top with black Versafine Clair ink (Nocturne), applied with a sponge, building the depth and intensity of colour up gradually.

Once the ink was dry, I used sparkly gel pens to add some highlights ...... gold to draw around the flower heads and silver for the centres.  The sparkle is so hard to catch on camera but trust me, it's there.

A few splatters of gold paint onto the background ......

and a simple heat embossed sentiment to finish it off .....

If you like a more elegant, clean and simple look then this stencil is perfect ......

Stenciled with a grey ink, using a brush this time for a softer look, and I took the image off the edge just a touch.  Even though it's a large stencil, you don't always have to use all of the design.

  

I added some shading to the flowers with a coloured pencil, and detail to the centres using a gold gel pen

Heat embossed the sentiment in gold,  and splattered with gold and silver inks to finish off.

Don't just keep your stencils for the front of your cards ...... make the insides pretty too!

That's just one of the new release stencils, I'll be back to show you some more soon.

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Cheerio until next time .....

Supplies

Stencils: Oriental; Cherry Blossom (Sweet Poppy Stencils)

Stamps: Sentiments from Sweet Poppy Stencils A5 stamp sets 

Inks: Distress Inks for smooshed background; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Archival Ink - Shadow Grey; Delicata Metallic inks - Silvery Shimmer, Golden Glitz

Others: Gold and Silver sparkly gel pens, Versamark ink; Gold embossing powder (WOW!); Grey Polychromo pencil (Faber Castel)

Wishing Uniko a Happy 10th Birthday ........

Happy Friday ........

I hope you've had a great week.  Any plans for the weekend?  It's looking like a quiet one here, thank goodness!

I am celebrating another birthday though ...... 

Uniko is 10 years old this month ....... WOW!!!  

Happy Birthday Bev and the team!

In true Uniko style, celebrations are going on for the whole month of February, so check out the Uniko Blog for all the details, and maybe even join in the birthday fun.

If you've been following my blog for a while you'll know that I had an amazing two years on the Uniko Design Team, as one of their Brand Ambassadors.  It was so much fun, working with the Uniko range of  stamps, and stencils.

You can imagine how thrilled I was when Bev asked me if I would like to join in the 10th Birthday Celebrations, along with other past DT members, for a fun feature on the blog during their birthday month.  

Of course I said yes! so today it's me on the Uniko Studio Blog for the CASE Yourself feature.

The task was ....... to choose a favourite make from my time on the DT (hmmmm .....not an easy decision), and then CASE it using a newer Uniko product.

It took a while but,  in the end I chose this one ......

A pretty all over design, made for Uniko's Birthday back in 2020 ...... it was the colours in this one that caught my eye.

I do love an all over design, quick and easy when it's just a single stamp but,  it's a look that is so easy to do with individual stamps.  Florals work extremely well .......the ones I used for the card above are from the stamp set Kindness Blooms

However ....... I did go for the easy way for my CASE'd card .......

I decided on the same colour combo, florals again, and of course that pretty all over look.

The border around the edge gives it a real clean, and up to date look I think.  I did this by using low tack masking tape around the edges of my card, BEFORE I did any inking or stamping.

With the tape in place, I used a blending brush to apply a little Distress Ink around the edges of the tape, just to define the frame a little

The floral design is the pretty Background Blocks stamp - Layered Modern Floral  A lovely background stamp that I've actually stamped twice, to fill the card ....... masking tape still in place by the way!  

I used Distress Oxide ink for the flowers, and my MISTI, so that I could build up the depth of colour.

The leaves are also from the same stamp set and are cleverly laid out so that when you position the stamp correctly, all the leaves are in the perfect places ....... clever or what!

I finished off with a sentiment, stamped on a simple die cut circle, just to make it stand out a little. I also added a few gems here and there for a touch of birthday sparkle!

Once everything was finished, I carefully removed the masking tape from around the edges and Voila! .... one framed piece.

I really love how this turned out, and just think of all the different colour combinations that could be done, the possibilities are endless.

Thanks again to Bev and the team ..... it's an honour to be part of your 10th Birthday celebrations.

Congratualtions on such a fabulous milestone ....... here's to the next 10 years.

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend.

Why not join in the birthday celebrations too!

Cheerio until next time ......

Supplies

Stamps: Layered Modern Floral,

Inks: Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade; Distress Oxide Ink - Salvaged Patina, Squeezed Lemonade (for the sentiment) Versafine Clair - Nocturne; 

Other: Self adhesive gemstones; Small stiched circle die; Low Tack Masking Tape

CAS Mix Up Challenge ........

Happy Tuesday .........

Well, that's January done and dusted ......... welcome to February!

A new month means a new challenge from CAS Mix Up.  

I have to say, February's theme is another first for me ....... I do love a good challenge and I'm alswyas happy to try a new technique!   

Chosen by Susan, our host for this month, the theme is ..... Faux Cloisonne. 

Hmmmm ...... sounds interesting.

If it's all new to you too, then check out the CAS Mix Up Blog.  On there there's a lovely message from Susan explaining a little bit about the technique, and you'll also find links to some great video tutorials too.  I watched them all before I made a start! 

So, according to Wiki, Cloisonne is ....... an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold.

One of the craft worlds ways of achieving this look is to use glossy magazines, or patterned papers, along with gold heat embossing ...... sounds good to me.  

I'm all for recycling although, glossy magazines are not something I buy these days.  The only magazines I have are my journaling/craft mags., and I'm not cutting into those!  

I did however find a copy of one of our motorhome magazines which was perfect.

I stamped and heat embossed my butterflies onto the magazine page ........ being careful not to have the heat tool too hot!

I then fussy cut around the butterflies ...... I do love the finished look.  Ansd what a great, quick and easy way of adding colour to stamped images.

I arranged the butterflies on a piece of navy cardstock and once I was happy with the layout I stamped and heat embossed just butterfly antennae ........ this saves having to fussy cut around them, far to fiddly for me!

I attached the 'cloisonne' pieces over the top, added a sentiment and a few gold ink splatters.

To finish off, I heat embossed the top and bottom edges of the card, using an embossing pen and a ruler to get the straight edge.

I really enjoyed playing with this technique, I hope you give it a try too.

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

Cheerio until next time .......

Supplies:

Stamps: Bigz - Butterfly 2 (Inkylicious); Everlasting Happiness (Altenew) for the sentiment

Inks: Versamark ink; Delicata - Golden Glitz for the splatters

Other: Old magazine page; Gold Embossing Powder (WOW!); Embossing Pen (WOW!)

Brand new from Sweet Poppy Stencils ........

Happy weekend ........

I hope you've had a nice week and that you're enjoying your Sunday.

If you're a Sweet Poppy Stencils fan then you've probably seen that the first release of 2022 went live on their website at the start of the week.  If you've missed it, then check out the link below to see the fabulous brand new stencil designs and, some gorgeous new stamp sets.  

https://sweet-poppy.com/product-category/new-products/

I've been busy in the craft room, playing with the new designs, so over the next week or so I'll share some of the samples I've made.  If you follow the Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils Facebook page then you may have already seen some.

There's something for everyone I think in the new collection ...... gorgeous background designs, beautiful apertures/frames, stunning florals and, one of my favourites .... the new Tree of Life Circle

At 140mm x 140mm it's the perfect size for creating cards but, from the minute I saw it I thought it would make a gorgeous piece of artwork to frame ..... what do you think?

Really easy to do, some simple mat and layering and you have a beautiful piece of home decor.

I placed the stencil on a piece of white cardstock, and gently sponged gold metallic ink though the design.  I added a little bit of Gathered Twigs Distress Ink here and there to add some shading

I then stamped the two hearts in red, and made it look as though they were hanging from the tree using a black fine liner.

I added the perfect sentiment from the Sweet Poppy stamp set Friends (the hearts are from the same set) and then framed the finished piece, first by edging the design using a gold leafing pen,

and then matting and layering with black and white card.  A box frame from that well known, inexpensive homeware store that we all love turns it into a beautiful piece of home decor.

It's been a busy week here, what with birthday celebrations starting it all off, Burns Night on Tuesday at our favourite restaurant and then this evening we've got friends coming round for a poker night.  We've ordered shushi too which means I don't have to cook which is even better.

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

Cheerio until next time ..... 

Supplies:

Stencils: Tree of Life Circle (Sweet Poppy Stencils)

Stamps: Friends A6 stamp set (Sweet Poppy Stencils)

Inks: Delicata Metallic Ink - Golden Glitz; Distress Ink - Gathered Twigs; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Adirondak Dye Ink - Cranberry

Other: Black Fine Liner pen; Black and white cardstock, Gold Leafing Pen; White Square Box Frame

More Silver and Gold for the CAS Christmas Card Challenge .......

Welcome to the weekend! .......

This one is going to be pretty much like last weekend ..... more birthday celebrations!  I told you January was a busy month!

It's been a busy week too ..... most of it spent in the craft room, working with a new release coming soon, from Sweet Poppy Stencils.  New stencil designs and new stamp sets ...... you're going to love it! I'll be back with lots more details on that soon.

I did make time to play along at CAS Christmas again, before the challenge closes on the 24th  ....... well, all my festive stamps are still to hand so it would be a shame not to use them!

The theme is Silver and Gold ....... I love this combination!  Perfect for all sorts of cards, but works so well for festive designs ...... not easy to photograph though!!

I used the pretty Christmas Circlet from Penny Black ....... stamped and heat emobssed in gold, slightly off the edge of my card.

I then used a sparkly silver gel pen to colour in the leaves on the wreath, and Paperartsy's Gold paint for the berries ..... so pretty

A few gold paint splatters ....... to use up the paint ........ and a simple Christmas sentiment stamped in gold, inside the wreath to finish off.  

So clean and simple but very elegant I think ........ will definitely be making more!

Here's another very quick and easy card, and about as CAS as you can get .......

Stamped in silver and gold inks, and a tiny die cut star on the top ...... done!

Again, another one perfect for batch making!

More birthday celebrations this weekend, it's Chris's turn on Monday.  Won't be quite as busy as last weekend ......... this one was 30!!!!

There was lots of food and wine ...... dry Janaury was put on hold for the weekend!

At least I didn't have to cook .......

Things were a little quieter on her actual birthday .......  a meal out at our favourite place.

My little girl is growing up!!

Thanks for popping by ..... I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Cheerio until next time .......

Supplies

Stamps: Christmas Circlet (Penny Black); Berry Sprays (Woodware) for the Merry Christmas sentiment; Eclectica stamp set ELB10 - Lin Brown (PaperArtsy) for the tree;  Scribbly Christmas (Tim Holtz) for the Season;s Greetings 

Inks: Versamark; Gelicata Metallic ink - Golden Glitz, Silvery Shimmer

Others: Gold Embossing Powder (WOW!); Sparkly Silver gel pen; Fresco Finish Chalk Paint - Gold (PaperArtsy);