Uniko Natures Treasure II Dies Reveal, Release and Giveaway Blog Hop

Morning all, 

I hope you have enjoyed the Introductions by the Uniko Brand Ambassadors this week. Today we are revealing the Natures Treasure II dies in full and showcasing some more ways to use them, with or without the Natures Treasure II stamp set. 

For my first card I used the dies with the co-ordinating stamp set and only partially cut the leaves by lining up the cardstock and dies 'sandwich' with the edge of the cutting plate. This removed the pressure from the 'sandwich' and didn't cut past the line I wanted to stop at.

I die cut the leaves first then stamped them in a darker ink (you could also use versamark ink for the same effect) as I thought it would be easier to line up the stamps in this instance than try to line up the dies. I then die cut the panel using a rectangular stitched edge die and heat embossed the sentiment from the Uniko Big & Bold You stamp set. I then adhered this to the card front using foam pads but you could also die cut the leaves straight from the card front instead which would look really good.  

For my next card I wanted to show how the dies work just as well without the stamp set.

I made a cascade of leaves down the left hand side of the card and added a simple sentiment from the Uniko Everyday Love stamp set for a quick and easy make. 

Don't forget to hop over to the Uniko blog and also join in with the Brand Ambassador blog hop. Leave some love along the way and you could be the winner of a lovely Uniko prize. 

Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie

Steph - that's me!

Vinita

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Die Release Introduction - Natures Treasure II

Hi all, 

Welcome to a special Uniko die release where we are introducing Uniko Natures Treasure II dies. These can be used as stand alone or teamed with the Uniko Natures Treasure II stamp set. 

Here I have stamped and die cut the leaves and fronds in two shades of green. The darker green I have layered onto the card front before laying a rectangle of card with a circle die cut aperture over the top. I have them added the lighted green leaves and used another rectangle on top but this time with a larger die cut circle aperture. Finally I have stamped the sentiment using Uniko Everyday Sentiments stamp set.

Izzy is also up today introducing these new dies so make sure you head over to her blog to check out the fantastic inspiration on offer. And don’t forget to visit the Uniko blog to see the fantastic introductions from the rest of the Brand Ambassadors over the last couple of days. 

Much love

Steph x

Uniko April Dies Release

Hi all, 

Here at Uniko we are doing a small release featuring one die set. You may be able to identify the co-ordinating die set from the sneak peek! 

Hmm, can you guess what it might be?! Visit the Uniko blog each day this week to see the fabulous introductions by the Brand Ambassadors following which will be the official release on Saturday to coincide with the Stamping Together Festival at Port Sunlight.

Much love

Steph x

Papercraft Challenges #93 - Spring

Morning all, 

I am delighted to let you know that I have joined the Design Team over at Papercraft Challenges. 

I am very excited to get on and introduce my first challenge post to you so here is my card for Challenge #93 - Spring.

Spring is definitely a time to start eating ice cream! I chose to reflect the lovely Spring colours that are popping up in the garden too from the beautiful purple hyacinths to the wonderful pink tulips. I’ve even spotted some blue grape hyacinths on my walks around our village too. 

This digital image was kindly supplied by Mirtillamente Craft Shop and the winner of this month's challenge will be entitled to two digital stamps of their choice and a spot as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

So head on over to the Papercraft Challenges blog where you can see the other wonderful creations from the rest of the Design Team and you can join in the fun! 

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Coffee

Good Morning, 

Thanks for joining me today with my Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration post. For this month I have chosen to use Uniko Block Party Coffee Love stamp set. 

I first stamped in brown (coffee) of course! I like the combination of teal and lime green so I set about colouring the different areas of the stamp with these colours and a little more brown. To bring out the colours I die cut and layered the stamped image onto brown and then teal card. 

Using the same stamp I wanted to create a different effect so I stayed monochrome and used tones of grey along with some grey woodgrain patterned paper. With this card I also stamped and fussy cut the banner and coffee cup raising them up with foam pads, although it's hard to see this from the photo.

Which is your favourite? Leave me a comment letting me know and if you are inspired to get this lovely large block party stamp out to play with. 

Much love

Steph x

The Male Room Challenge #173 - Stencil and / or Dies

Hi All, 

Welcome to this month's challenge at The Male Room. This month we have the theme of Stencil and / or Dies. 

I hadn't made a card using just dies in a while so that what I opted for. 

I used large alphabet dies from Concord & 9th and added cute button die cuts in the same colour to create a baby boy card. Once arranged onto white card I layered the panel onto blue woodgrain patterned paper to complete my CAS card. 

Will you choose stencils, dies or both for your masculine make? Share your creation with us over at The Male Room Challenge #173. 

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Feb / Mar Release In Review

Hi all, 

Due to the various postal issues around the globe, some of the Uniko Brand Ambassadors did not receive their Uniko Feb / Mar goodies in time for the introductions and release day so we are doing an end of month 'Release in Review' so they can join in. 

I chose to use the wonderful Uniko Spring Botanicals Crocus stamp set again because it's just so lovely! I also loved the way Bev mixed it with the other Spring Botanicals stamps here so I decided to do the same. I don't have as much patience for masking as I do for fussy cutting (despite it being a fairly similar process!) so I stamped and fussy cut my florals before arranging them on to a card front stencilled using Uniko Quilted stencil. I like the sentiments on the Uniko Spring Botanicals Daffodil stamp set so I used those here. 

My next project is a recreation of the Easter bunting I made during the introductions as I have been asked to make some for my great niece! This time I used the Uniko Hoppy Easter stamp on patterned papers to change it up a bit. 

I hope you liked my little review of the Uniko Feb / Mar release and don't forget that there is lots more fantastic inspiration from the rest of the Brand Ambassadors on the Uniko blog hop (as well as a GIVEAWAY!)

Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie

Steph - that's me

Vinita

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Luck of the Irish

Good morning! 

I’m here today with my Uniko Brand Ambassador Inspiration and since we are close to March 17th, St Patrick’s Day, I thought I would do some ‘luck of the Irish’ Good Luck cards. 

For my first card I used the ‘lucky black cat' from the Uniko Purrfect Day stamp set. For added luck the cat has a four leaf clover stamped using small hearts from the Uniko Flower Power #3 stamp set. 

My second card uses the luck at the end of the rainbow. For this I used Uniko Rainbows & Clouds stencil inking the different colours with a very small blending brush. I inked up an extra cloud, fussy cut it and added it to the end of the rainbow with another four leaf clover.

Finally I used Uniko Background Builders Hearts stamp set to make a clover and stem. For the background I used Uniko Scattered Polka Hearts stencil and die cut into a hexagon, just because! For all the sentiments I used the newly released Uniko Everyday Spring Sentiments set. I was very pleased to see the Good Luck sentiment included in this font!  

Hopefully I've given you some inspiration for some Good Luck cards or even some St Patrick's Day celebration cards. Let me know what you think by leaving a lovely comment.

Much love

Steph x

Uniko's 11th Birthday Reveal, Release, Brand Ambassador Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY!

Hi everyone, 

Welcome to Uniko's 11th birthday reveal, release, Brand Ambassador blog hop and GIVEAWAY!

Spring Botanicals Crocus

These beauties took a little while to colour and fussy cut but I think the final result is worth it. It’s hard to see from the photo but this is a floating frame which really does look quite impressive with the beautiful large crocus heads. 

Hoppy Easter

When I saw these cute bunnies I immediately wanted to make them into bunny shaped cards! They are quite small as the whole stamp set is A6 in size but honestly it just makes them cuter! 

Up & Away and Everyday Spring Sentiments

Quite often when I look at the component parts of a stamp set I see how it can be used in different ways and for me the hot air balloons in this set made me want to create a fantastic large floral bloom! The sentiments from the new Everyday Spring Sentiments set matched perfectly too.

Cloud 9 Stencil

Earlier in the week I mentioned how well the Up & Away stamp set would work with the Cloud 9 stencil so I created this card to prove it! 

Falling Hearts Serenade

For this card I had the great idea that I would attempt to mirror stamp the image and create a full heart…many attempts later and I gave up with the mirror stamping…clearly not a technique I’m cut out for! In the end I lined up each individual element on the left hand side and stamp and heat embossed them one by one. Yes, I’m that insane! Looks good though I think. 

Everyday Love Sentiments & Bokeh Layering Hearts Stencil

I love the font style of this set and teamed up with Uniko Everyday Sentiments, Everyday Spring Sentiments and Christmas Sentiments you really do get a very useful group of mix and match sentiments for many occasions.

Unfortunately I don’t have any inspiration images to show using the Bokeh Layering Hearts but I do know they are going to be just fab! The hearts have been sized to fit within each other and also to work with other heart stamps in the Uniko range such as Big & Bold Love.

So that’s the lot! It’s always great to find out which release items have captured your heart so do let us know. Be a bunny and hop over to all the Uniko Brand Ambassador’s blogs to leave some love and be in with a chance of winning a £30 eGift Certificate to spend in the Uniko store. 

Anita

Bev

Julie

Steph - that’s me

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Feb / Mar Release Introducing Falling Hearts Serenade & Everyday Love Sentiments

Good Morning! 

Thanks for joining us on the Uniko Feb / Mar introductions. Here we have Falling Hearts Serenade and Everyday Love Sentiment stamp sets which work together beautifully. 

The Falling Hearts Serenade is a large swirling stamp but here I have used a part of it that looked like half a heart to me! Stamped and die cut into a heart it works perfectly.

My second card uses the whole stamp and it is repeat stamped several times. The roses made me think of Beauty and the Beast so I went with a yellow theme. This time I teamed it with the Everyday Love Sentiments. 

Pop over to the Uniko blog and check out the fabulous makes by the other Brand Ambassadors. Absolutely don't forget to come back tomorrow for the full release, Brand Ambassador blog hop and GIVEAWAY! 

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Feb / Mar Release Introducing Up & Away and Stencil Cloud 9

Morning all, 

Two very exciting Uniko introductions to make today and they are a perfect pairing or can be used separately as I have done.

First up (oh dear, I’m doing it again!) is the Up & Away stamp set featuring beautiful hot air balloons. Here I have teamed it with the Uniko Rainbows & Clouds stencil.

Next we have the Cloud 9 stencil which of course is a perfect match for the hot air balloons but I chose to use it with the Uniko Raindrops stencil and stamped the clouds from the Up & Away set along with a mixture of same font sentiment sets.

So have these items blow you away (oh gosh, I'm just not stopping!)? Head over to the Uniko blog and check out the beauties created by the rest of the Brand Ambassadors. 

Much love

Steph x

Uniko Feb / Mar Release Introducing Hoppy Easter & Everyday Spring Sentiments

Morning everyone. 

Welcome back to our second day of Introductions on the Uniko Feb / Mar release. Today we have two stamp sets to show, Hoppy Easter and Everyday Spring Sentiments. 

Firstly with the Hoppy Easter set I couldn't help but make some Easter bunting and of course my girls are looking forward to putting this up at Easter!

The Everyday Spring Sentiment set is in the same font as the Christmas Clear Sentiments, Everyday Sentiments and the Everyday Love Sentiments (yet to be released on the Uniko website) so they are super versatile and lots of mix and matching can be done.

Make sure you bunny hop (!) over to the Uniko blog and see the great makes by the rest of the Brand Ambassadors and leave some love. Be sure to spring (!!) back tomorrow for more introductions...sorry I can't seem to help myself! 

Much love

Steph x

The Male Room Challenge #172 - Sketch

Morning All! 

Who fancies a sketch challenge? You do?! Oh good, because that's what we have this month with The Male Room challenge #172.

 

I really like this sketch but I found it tricky to create the pattern without simply stamping or die cutting some diamonds. I wanted to try and be a bit more creative as I do tend to just carbon copy when it comes to sketch challenges! I did have a couple of failed makes that I just wasn’t happy with and finally I decided to try and line up some tool stamps to create this:

Now, granted, you have to search for the pattern but it is there! I did my best with the stamps to recreate the sketch pattern. I’m really excited to see what you come up with. Definitely pop over to The Male Room blog because the Design Team have really bowled me over with their creativity on this one…hence my three attempts to push myself and be more creative!

Much love

Steph x