[Uniko Studio] Challenge No. 14 -

We have a lovely challenge today on the Uniko Studio blog. Yep, still trying to get back into the swing of things and still being slow at making a card.

Photo Credit: Design Seed

And our theme this challenge is Clean and Simple. I completely bombed this challenge, but at least I sort of tried to follow the color palette.



I decided to whip out one of the newer Uniko Studio sets Big & Bold Wish. When the sentiments cover up the entire card, it become a nice focal point and I love that it will stand out so well. All we need is a die for that *hint hint Bev* to cut it out nicely.

To create a background I decided to stamp the candles in Versamark and clear embossed them. I then took some Inka Gold Turquoise metallic color, diluted it with water and decided to color the candles in. It behaves similar to water color when it is diluted, only that the color is metallic and shiny. After it tried, I also rubbed it down with some paper towel to polish to a shine. It's one of the special properties of this medium. See the shimmer?



I think one happy accident is that the clear embossed candles came out metallic and almost gold after applying the Inka Gold Turquoise. I also like how rocking the huge sentiment onto the ink pad and applying more on the top gives it a bit of an ombre effect. My purple happens to be a pigment ink.

One last "upcycled" item on this card is the tissue paper. It was lying around and came with a gift that I unwrapped, but thought I would use the gold stars in something sooner or later. So when I read the sentiment "Upon a Star" it gave me right shove to use it up. I accordion folded the tissue paper and the messily adhered it with some liquid glue.



I was thinking of running my sewing machine over the tissue paper portion, but turns out that my sewing machine is still packed away. So I better just let it be ;) Not as clean and simple as it could be, but still a fun card.

Please also check out the rest of the girl's cards and leave them a sweet comment or two. Remember you don't have to use all the colors - any or all as an inspiration.

Lastly, a few helpful things to remember:

• Challenge ends Oct 14th, 2014, 11:59p BST; Check back for the winners after
• Prize is £10 Gift Certificate to the random Winner & a Guest Design spot on our following challenge
• Three people will win a spotlight
• We would like you to use a Uniko Studio product; If you don't have any, check out the freebies here

I hope to see you play along, so that I can pop in on your lovely blogs! See you soon.

Supplies
Stamps: (Big & Bold Wish) Uniko Studio
Paper: (Fresh Linen, Plum Pudding) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin - No. 9 Spice Tin) Ranger; (Versamark) Tsukineko; (Eggplant) Mama Elephant
Embellishments: (Inka Gold - Turquoise) Viva Decor; (Creative Cuts - Femme Frames) Mama Elephant; (Stamp 'n Stuff Embossing Powder - Detailed Clear) Stampendous!; (Tissue Paper) recycle stash;

[Uniko Studio] September Revisited Blog Hop - Peace On Earth

Hello everyone! It has been forever since I have made a card. And it took me ever so long to come up with one. We won't ask how long, since it would be too embarrassing. With all this wedding-schmedding-palooza, I haven't really had a chance to get creative and I feel like the creative muse has left me high and dry - probably frustrated that when I did get hit with an idea, I never sat down to do it, or worst, not even write it down. Instead I just steamrollered on with my mass production craziness and kept telling her to leave me alone...Well serves me right. So just be gentle when looking at this card...:)

This month we are re-visiting a set, just in time to start thinking of the holiday (oh dear, another mass production in sight!) Peace on Earth. I love how this gem of a set is only $8 and has some great elements to make an arsenal of cards.

I decided to see if i could convince the branch to be a wreath. So I gathered up all the green inks that I have in my tiny ink collection and went to work.



I stamped a complete circle first, and then tried to find the right sizes in my Spellbinder Small Circle die to cut out a "wreath." Since I wanted this more for dimension, I knew I had to fill in the white space with a bit more green stamping. This is where all the shades of green came into. With a bit of offset here and there, some stamping off and then stamping, I was able to stamp onto the cut out circle as well as the base card stock.



I have a ton of sequins in my stash, so I thought it would be appropriate to pop them onto the wreath. The dove is embossed in gold, shaded with color pencil and Gamsol, and then popped onto the wreath. Any of the sentiments work quite well here, and I was debating about stamping it in the center or on the bottom edge of the card. Here the card again slightly angled so that you can see the dimension that the wreath gives this card.



Hope you feel inspired with some samples. Bev is going to draw a winner for this lovely stamp set or a gift card of equivalent value. You have until 11:59p BST September 25 to leave comments along the blogs. In the meantime, I'm sending you off to fabulous, amazing Taheerah. Here the whole list for easy navigation ...

• Uniko Studio Blog (Bev)
• Amber
• Erika
• Gillian
• N@ Ali
• Nicki
• Ren-Yi (you are here)
• Taheerah

I hope you like what you're seeing. Again, be gentle. I feel like a newbie, but hope to get back into the swing of things!

Stamps: (Peace on Earth) Uniko Studio
Paper: (Rustic White, Kraft, Basic White) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin - No. 6 Stick Candy) Ranger; (Versamark; Mememto - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko; (Shadow Ink - Forever Green) Hero Arts; (Creative Color - Mojito) Mama Elephant
Embellishments: (Creative Cuts - Femme Frames) Mama Elephant; (Embossing Powder - Gold) Ranger; (Sequins - Raspberry Red Satin) Neat & Tangled

Bev's Bouncing Baby Boys Blog Hop

Today we are celebrating huge huge huge milestone in dear Bev's, owner of Uniko Studio and sweet dear friend. She became a mum just a few days ago to two beautiful boy twins and we want to celebrate this momentous occasion with a small blog hop. So some of us design team girls have hijacked her blog ;)

So here is a card to wish the mum and dad all the best...

Josh and Ben are very, very lucky to have you both as parents. And I know you will be make an amazing mum. You are kind, sweet, loving, patient, and generous...and all of these qualities will the key ingredients to raising those boys!



Remember to get some sleep and enjoy every moment. I hear they grow up fast ;)



Here a list of the girls joining on the blog hop for easy hopping. 

• Uniko Studio Blog
• Amber
• Kerry
• N@ Ali
• Erika
• Nicki
• Gillian
• Ren-Yi

For all of those who love Bev as much as we do and want to join in on the fun, head back to the Uniko Studio Blog - because there is a link up for all of you join in and the link up will remain open for a month. We know everyone is getting back into the swing of things with school starting up and coming back from vacation, but you will have plenty of time to join in on the fun. Spread the word, too, while you're at it? :)