More calendar pages .......

Happy Thursday evening .......

At last ..... time to sit down and blog.
What a busy week it's been, and it's not over yet!  I've got this evening to myself though, hubby's out with work and I'm home alone.  So it's PJ's on,  catch up on some TV, and an early night I think.  There's been enough partying for me this week!!

First though, here's a little look at last weekend's workshop.  We did a couple more calendar pages, playing with simple masking techniques, lots of rubber stamping and a little bit of scene building using the gorgeous Lavinia stamps.

 
Page One ...... easy masking using Post It notes.  I went all floral for one of my designs ...

And Butterflies for the other ......

All coloured using ZIG Markers and a water brush ...... it was a very quiet afternoon at one point!

Page two ....... simple scene building.
I do love Lavinia stamps ..... I don't know why I don't use them more often.

It's so easy to create magical scenes, with a little bit of masking, a few Distress Inks and some of those gorgeous Lavinia fairies

Add in a bit of foliage, some flowers and of course a touch of glitter ......

Change the colours of your inks, and change the season ......

I did a little bit of faux bleaching on my design .....

I think everyone enjoyed their day.

As I said it's been a busy week.  On the craft side, there's been magazine stuff to do, new release samples for Sweet Poppy Stencils, a shopping list to put together for Port Sunlight at the weekend .... it's all go! 

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.
Time to put my feet up!

Cheerio until next time .....

Uniko New Release Design Team Blog Hop & Giveaway

Good morning!

Happy Sunday to you.
Well the wait is over ..... today's the day!!!  It's Release Day for the brand new products from Uniko.
And to celebrate, we're having a New Release Design Team Blog Hop & Giveway ...... yeah!!

To be in with a chance of winning the ENTIRE NEW RELEASE (thats 4 stamp sets, 2 die sets and 1 stencil) all you have to do is hop on through the Blog Hop and visit all the DT Blogs.  Leave comments along the way and that's it ...... easy!
You can find a full list at the end of this post or check out the Uniko Blog for more details.

Grab a cuppa and lets have a closer look at the new products.

There's four great new stamp sets ......

Two additions to the Background Blocks range ..... Mid Century Modern I and II

Use them with your favourite coloured inks to create funky backgrounds for your die cuts perhaps  ....

I've stamped the MCM II twice onto white card using Distress Oxide ink

Added a simpe white die cut ..... layered for added dimension

And finished off with a touch of glitter and the rest of the sentiment stamped.

There's the beautiful large background ......  Sketched Foliage

A pretty design you can use on it's own, or team it up with more from your Uniko stash ....

I've heat embossed in gold, over an inky background ......

and I added pretty little butterflies using one of the new release dies

One of my favourites next ...... Mid Century Modern Florals

This is a great set, with so many possibilities.

Create your own floral designs ....... all those possible colour combinations!!

I've gone for a nice summery look here ......

With a simple sentiment ......

And the little butterfly is made up from the two double leaf stamps from the set.

Next up, we have a new stencil design ..... Mid Century Modern

A great design for all those masculine cards ..... but, perfect for something a little more girly too

It looks so pretty in pink, especially with the added sparkle.

Another of those new die sets adds the sentiment .....

Speaking of the dies ..... there's the Englih Country Garden Butterflies ......

When used alongside the matching stamp set they're perfect for creating a floating frame card (I think that's what everyone's calling them!)

This technique seems to be everywhere at the moment ....... and it's so much fun to do.  You get two cards out of one ..... the outer frame

and the middle bit. 

Check back on the Uniko Blog later this month and I'll share with you how I made these. 

Last but definitely not least .... the BIG & BOLD Wish Die set

You've already seen the Wish word and shadow die  ..... here's the cute candle dies in action

I used the stamp set for the sentiment ........

And stamped the candles and then die cut them ......

Think how useful these are going to be!

I do hope you like the new release.   All the products will be available on the Uniko website from 9pm this evening (BST) ...... just check out the New Arrivals section.

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

Next stop on the Blog Hop is the lovely Lindsey. 

Don't forget to leave your comments to be in with a chance of winning the whole of the new release.  You have until midnight on May12th ......... happy hopping!

Bev

Jenny

Carol 

Izzy 

Jane 

Julie

Linda (that's me!)

Lindsey

Sarah G

Sarah P

Wiebke 

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:
Stamps: Mid Century Modern II, Sketched Foliage, Birthday Wishes, English Country Garden - Butterflies, Simply Said Blocks, Mid Century Modern Floral (Uniko);
Inks: Distress Oxides, Versafine Clair - Nocture; Delicata Golden Glitz
Other: Mid Century Modern Stencil, BIG & BOLD Happy Die set, BIG & BOLD Wish Die Set (Uniko); Crystal Glaze; Fine crystal Glitter, Glimmer Paste (Nuvo)

CAS Stencil Challenge .......

Hello there ...... I'm back again.

How's your day been? It's been lovely here ..... our Bank Holiday weekend has got off to a great start.

I've spent the day in the company of my crafty friends, working on more calendar pages.  We've had a great time, playing with simple masking techniques and easy scene building, using the gorgeous Lavinia stamps ....... more about all that later.

It's time to get this months CAS Stencil Challenge underway. 
It's hosted by the lovely Sue this month and it's another fun technique for you .....

Stenciling over Coloured Backgrounds ...... there's a few ways you can do this. 

Use your stencils with inks, or pastes etc.,  over pretty Designer papers, or even over those papers that are not your favourites but you don't want to throw then out .... we all have them!!
Why not stencil over one of those many inky backgrounds you have, made from all those mop up pieces of card perhaps.
Or ....... a really simple way is to just use coloured card, as I've done here.

I've used an off cut of coloured cardstock ..... a pretty pale green shade, and then stenciled over the top using Distress Oxide inks and the TH Mosaic stencil

I love how the Oxides still keep their colour even on the green cardstock.

I die cut a frame to fit over the top and then added a pretty die cut flower, coloured using Oxide inks

A sentiment stamped underneath ....

and a few touches of Crystal Glaze here and there, to add a bit more interest to the stencil design.

Now it's your turn.  Happy stenciling!

The rest of the Design Team have been busy, check out the CAS Stencil blog and see what they've created  And we've also got another great Guest Designer this month .........  Michele (from I Card Everyone) is joining in the fun.  Please pop by and say Hello.

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend.
We're off out again later ..... its Thai food tonight.  Well, I've been busy all day, so I'm not in the mood for cooking!

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:
Stamps: Heartfelt clear stamp set (Penny Black)
Inks: Distress Oxides; Verafine Clair (Black)
Other: Mosaic stencil (Tim Holtz); Crystal Glaze (Nuvo); Stitched Frame Die; Daisy Die (Penny Black)

Uniko New Release ...... Day 4 Introducing BIG & BOLD Wish Designer Dies

Happy weekend .......

Welcome to the final day of Introductions for the brand new Uniko release.
There's not long to wait now, the release day is tomorrow ...... Sunday 5th May, and all the new products will be available from 9pm (BST) on the Uniko website.

So far we've seen gorgeous new stamps, a great new stencil, and a pretty set of butterfly dies. 
Last but definitely not least ..... something else that you might just want to add to your shopping list .... another fab set of dies, that match a very popular, previously released, stamp set ......  BIG & BOLD Wish

It's a great little die set ..... not only do you get the word 'wish' you get a die to cut the shadow and, dies to cut the candle and the flame too!

I've used the stamps to create the background ..... coloring the candles using ZIG Markers

I then used the new dies to cut the word 'wish' one from the stamped piece of card,  and twice from plain white cardstock.
I inlaid one of the white words back into the stamped piece of card, added the second one on the top and then layered the one cut from the stamped card, matching up the design again.

I stamped the rest of the sentiment using more of the stamps from the set, and attached it above the die cut.
A layer of Crystal Glaze on the die cut word, and a few sparkly sequins add the finishing touches.

I should have waited a little longer before applying the Crystal Glaze ...... the ink has run a little and mixed with the glaze.  Won't make that mistake again!!!

It's been fun introducing this new release ...... but the fun's not over yet! 
Join me again tomorrow for more ideas and inspiration and join in the fun with the DT Blog Hop ..... there might just be a massive Giveaway too! 

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day, and have a great weekend.
I'm off to get ready for a workshop now ..... think I need a coffee first though.

Cheerio until next time ..... 

Products used:

Stamps:  BIG & BOLD Wish Clear stamp set (Uniko)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Other: ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers; BIG & BOLD Wish Designer Dies (Uniko); Crystal Glaze, Clear sequins

Uniko New Release .......... Day 3 Introducing Mid Century Modern Stencil

Good morning!

It's Friday ..... whoo hoo!!!  The weekend is here, and we've got a Bank Holiday on Monday so it's a nice long one.  Fingers crossed the weather stays nice.

Welcome to Day 3 of Introductions for the new Uniko release coming up on Sunday.  All the fab new designs will be available to purchase from the Uniko website at 9pm (BST)  How's your shopping list coming along?

Over the last couple of days we've seen the new stamps,  and one of the new die sets.  Today we have a new stencil design ...... meet Mid Century Modern

A real cool design which I think is going to be perfect for masculine cards, and kids designs.
It's the same design as one of the new Background Blocks stamps ...... but bigger! And as with all the Uniko stencils it fits a square 6x6 inch card perfectly.

I simply used my Distress Oxides through the design ...... looks great in the multi-colours

I added a few splatters using the same Oxide colours and added a dot of glitter glue here and there .....

The great thing about the Uniko range is that when new products arrivv they always work so well with all the previous releases.
Here I've paired the new stencil with stamps and matching dies from the Explosion range

Stamped using the Oxide colours and then die cut.  Attached with foam pads to add a bit of dimension, and a piece of folded acetate so that the WOW! moves

An added sentiment gives the finishing touch

Well there's still one more day of Introductions to go before we have the release day.
Don't forget to check out the Uniko Blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have been creating, and also pop by and say Hello to our lovely Guest Designer for this release ..... Jenny from Crafting in the Country.

Thanks for popping by ...... have a lovely day and enjoy your weekend.
It's International Sauvignon Blanc Day today and to celebrate we're off out this evening.  We're off to our favourite little place in town, Wine Down, for another of their fabulous tasting menus. Five delicious courses all paired with fine Sauvignon Blanc wines ....... cheers everyone!
I can't be too late home though .... I have a workshop tomorrow!

Cheerio until next time .....

Products used:
Stamps: Explosion, Explosion Additions and Birthday Sentiment clear stamp sets (Uniko)
Inks: Distress Oxides - Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
Other: Mid Century Modern Stencil (Uniko); Explosion Designer Dies (Uniko); Stickles Glitter Glue - Crystal