Uniko 14th Birthday February 2026 Release - Introducing...Ink & Flip Layering Retro Flowers

Good morning and Happy Friday!

I have the final introduction of the new Uniko release which will be launching tomorrow.

And it's another Ink & Flip stencil set...Ink & Flip Layering Retro Flowers.  This design is so fun, I think you're going to love it.  The first time I saw it I was immediately getting the wallpaper image vibes from the Mr Men books.  Not exactly the same as those flowers only had four petals but hopefully you can see where I'm coming from!  

I paired this design with a sentiment from the Birthday Sentiments stamp set...

I wanted my background to have some colour so I chose a pale green cardstock and then used Distress Oxides to ink up the design, as they are opaque.  I first inked up both sides of the flowers and then when I did the centres, I decided to stop after doing the first half and left the remaining flower centres green.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white on a strip of vellum which was wrapped around and adhered on the reverse.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Ink & Flip Layering Retro Flowers
• Stamp: Uniko - Birthday Sentiments
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concord, Mermaid Lagoon, Villainous Potion; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Cardstock and vellum from stash

Please do check out the Uniko blog, here where you will find lots more inspiration from the team.  I'll be back tomorrow for the full release reveal so would love for you to stop by.

All the new products will be available from tomorrow, Saturday 28 February 2026 at 9am GMT.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Uniko 14th Birthday February 2026 Release - Introducing...Background Blocks My Favourite Colour is Rainbow

Hi there

I have another introduction from the upcoming Uniko release for you.

Today the team are showcasing another new Background Blocks addition...Background Blocks My Favourite Colour is Rainbow.

I kept this one super simple...

I simply stamped and heat embossed the sentiment and images from the stamp set and heat embossed in white, before letting the emboss resist technique do its magic, blending four shades of Distress Oxide to create the six rainbow shades.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Backgound Blocks - My Favourite Colour is Rainbow
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Oxide - Squeezed Lemonade, Tumbled Glass, Kitsch Flamingo, Festive Berries
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster

The team are sharing lots of products showcasing this new stamp set today, which you can find over on the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce the final stencil set of this release.

All the new products will be available from Saturday 28 February 2026 at 9am GMT.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Uniko January 2026 Release - Introducing...Block Party Love

Hello and Happy Friday!

It's the final day of introductions for the latest Uniko mini release.  Remember to come back tomorrow to see the reveal of the release in full.

The final product of this release is a large stamp and a new addition to the Block Party collection....Block Party Love.

I used the stamp as is for this card, apart from one little adaptation...

...I made it into a shaker!  I used textured coral cardstock as my main panel and stamped the image first in a light ink.  I coloured a few elements of the image with Copics and then placed the panel back in my Misti, the stamp still in place, and restamped and heat embossed in white.  I love this cardstock colour but didn't have any that was smooth so was worried the embossing wouldn't look great, but I actually like the textured effect now.

Then came the tricky party.  I fussy cut out the heart in order to make a shaker window.  Added the acetate and foam on the back and then filled the shaker window with tiny hollow pink hearts.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Block Party Love
• Ink: VersaMark; coloured with Copics
• Embossing Powder: Wow - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Sprinkles: Hollow Hearts Coral

I hope you've enjoyed the examples this week using the new products.  All the new goodies will be available from the Uniko store tomorrow, Saturday 31 January 2026 at 9am GMT.  I'll also have one more example for you tomorrow and you can, of course, always find more links and information over at the Uniko blog, here.  

Thanks for looking.

CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

Hi there

My lovely crafty friend from across the pond, Michelle Lupton has invited me to join her once again in her CASE Me a Christmas Card Series.  I'm so happy to be part of Michelle's series again.

CASE can either stand for 'Copy and Share Everything' or 'Copy and Selectively Edit'.  This year, the series features ten creative hops in October - two on YouTube and eight on Instagram - where we’ll CASE cards from fellow crafters.

So, to join us, make your own unique Christmas card inspired by someone in the hop, upload it via Inlinkz on @michelle_lupton ’s blog (link in Michelle’s IG profile), and you could even snag a prize from one of our awesome sponsors. Just look at this line up...

Or leave a comment on the stops on the hop (either on IG or on YT)! It's all about sharing ideas, connecting with other cardmakers, and sparking your creativity for the holidays!

I was inspired by Beth Opel, here's her gorgeous card...

I was inspired by the monochrome design, the embossed background with the white accents and the bows.

And here is my festive take, using Beth's card as the inspiration...

Beth embossed her background using pink cardstock and used white ink to highlight the raised elements. I started with white cardstock and inked up the background part of this festive embossing folder with dark green ink, thereby leaving the raised parts white. I too added a white sentiment on a die cut coloured background, mine being on a tag which I ink blended to match the background. And I added a white die cut bow cut from white glitter cardstock.

Materials used:

• Embossing folder: Spellbinders - 3D Pine Cones & Berries
• Ink: Altenew - Evergreen; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Dies: The Greetery - Fit to be Tied; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Eat Drink Be Merry

The full list of my fellow crafters on this particular Instagram hop is as follows:
@michelle_lupton
@pocono.pam
@little.finn.crafts
@tinstar05
@craftyneet - THIS IS ME
@bopels
@hannelie.bester
@joy_in_a_jar
@thealtcardmaker

Thank you so much for taking a look and thank you once again to Michelle for inviting me to take part.  
CASEing cards is a great way to craft if you need a creative nudge, just remember to give credit to the original designer.

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Stencils Layering Retro Stripes and Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves

Happy Saturday

It's the final day of the Uniko August Release introductions.  The entire release will be revealed tomorrow at 9am BST and will then be available to purchase via the Uniko online store.

We're showcasing stencils today...Layering Retro Stripes which is a five stencil set, and Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves.  Both of these products have a retro vibe, like the rest of this release.  I think you'll agree that Bev's design skills have been amazing with these new products.

I'll start with the leaves...

Now, I didn't actually flip the stencil when making this card.  There are so many ways you can use it.  Firstly I inked up the beige and green leaves then, instead of flipping it, I cleaned the stencil and just moved it so that the leaves were below the ones I had just inked.  I then inked up the teal and orange leaves.  I then grabbed an image from the Mid Century Modern Florals set and stamped those in grey.  A greeting from the Bauhaus Blocks set, embossed in white on a black die cut strip finished the card.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Ink & Flip Mid Century Leaves
• Stamps: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Florals, Bauhaus Blocks
• Ink: Altenew - Sand Dunes, Teal Cave, Autumn Blaze, Forest Glades; Versafine Claire - Morning Mist; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Sentiment Strips

Now for the fabulous retro stripes, and I paired these with a greeting from the Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments set...

I decided for this I wanted the sets of stripes in different coloured gradients.  These stencils are super easy to line up but I had to mask sections to do the different colours on each stencil.  My Altenew inks are in sets of four so I had to try to find a fifth colour that would work, I think I've done ok here.  The two lightest blues look the same here but the inner colour is a touch lighter so I think it works ok.  I trimmed the panel down slightly and mounted it onto a frame in creamy beige.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Layering Retro Stripes
• Stamp: Uniko - Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments
• Ink: Altenew - Dark Night, Nimbus, Cloudy Sky, Misty Morning, Polar Bear, Marigold, Snapdragon, Chamomile, Sunray, Buttercream; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Cardstock from stash

Aren't these fab?!  You can see how the other Brand Ambassadors have used these stencils if you check out the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow with a reveal of the full release.

Thank for visiting, as always x

Uniko August 2025 Release - Introducing...Background Blocks Swiss Dots

Good morning

More from Uniko this morning and it's the introduction of a stamp which I think will be super useful in any crafter's stash - Background Blocks Swiss Dots.

I have two cards for you today, one using the stamp as a background and another using it as the main focal point.

Here's the first and I've used it with the floral image from Pure Florals Cosmos and a greeting from Organic Blooms...

I began by stamping the Cosmos on a white cardstock panel and colouring with Copics.  I then masked the image before stamping the background dots in a gradient of three shades of aqua/teal.  I then stamped the greeting in black ink before matting and layering onto some co-ordinating lilac cardstock, flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Swiss Dots, Pure Florals Cosmos, Organic Blooms
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Altenew - Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Copics
• Cardstock from stash

For my second card I made the dots the focus and added a sentiment from the Simply Said Blocks II set...

On a die cut panel I started by stamping and heat embossing the dots in white.  I then masked around the rectangle and ink blended with three shades of Distress Oxides, the dots resisting the ink.  I then wiped over the design with a soft cloth to remove any excess ink on the dots.  The panel was adhered flat to the card base and I then stamped and cut out the sentiment and finished with some co-ordinating enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Swiss Dots; Simply Said Blocks II
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Oxide - Kitsch Flamingo, Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Limeade, Blue Jean and Bubblegum Assortments

To see more projects using this versatile stamp, pop on over to the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce the final two products included in this release.

All the new products will be available from this coming Sunday, 10 August 2025 at 9am BST.

I hope you're enjoying these showcases and would love you to pop back tomorrow.

Uniko Christmas In July 2025 - Reveal, Release, Brand Ambassador Blog Hop and Giveaway!

Good morning!

It's Christmas in July release day over at Uniko and I'm here to reveal the whole release and share another card.

Here's the final card I made, using the new Ink & Flip Snowflake Pattern stencil...

For this one I used the stencil on the diagonal on a die cut panel and only inked up two rows.  For the first row I used Distress Oxide in Saltwater Taffy and then heat embossed with a pearl embossing powder.  Then I flipped the stencil and inked up the remaining snowflake halves with embossing paste.  I heat embossed the greeting from the Most Wonderful set (apologies, I think this set is now retired) on some co-ordinating cardstock and inked around the edges with the same Oxide ink.  The panel was then adhered flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Snowflake Pattern
• Stencils: Uniko - Most Wonderful
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Saltwater Taffy; Versamark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - White Pearl
• Embossing Paste: Nuvo Glimmer Paste - Moonstone
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

So, now to reveal the new and reintroduced products in full.

First up are the new stencils, this first one being the fab new Layering Christmas Bauhaus Blocks...

Next up are the two new Ink & Flip stencils - Christmas Tree Pattern and Snowflake Pattern...

Now onto the stamps and first we have a couple of new additions to the Background Blocks collection, Merry Christmas Scramble and My Favourite Colour...

and finally, the final set to complete the Flower Power collection, Flower Power #12...

So, lots of fab new products to kick start your festive creativity.  The products are available from the Uniko store now, here. 

Be sure to leave some comments on the Brand Ambassador blogs or social media.  You can find all the links over at the Uniko blog, here.  By commenting along the hop you're in with a chance of winning a £25 eGift Certificate to spend in store.  You have until Sunday 3 August to get your comments in before all the Christmas in July 2025 winners are announced on or around the 6 August 2025.

Thanks for visiting today and for your lovely comments here and on my socials.

Uniko Christmas in July 2025 - Introducing...Background Blocks My Favourite Colour

Hi there

Another introduction for you ahead of the new Uniko release coming on Thursday this week and it's a new addition to the Background Blocks series - Background Blocks My Favourite Colour.

Who doesn't love Christmas lights?!  This stamp creates a brilliant focal point for your Christmas cards and looks fab with techniques on both light and dark colours of cardstock.  The team have some great examples over at the Uniko blog, here.

Here's my sample card...

I initially stamped the image using a pale ink before colouring all the bulbs using three shades of Copic markers.  Once complete I placed the card panel back into my MISTI and re-stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed in a platinum shade.  I then trimmed the panel down slightly before matting onto a co-ordinating shimmer cardstock panel and then adhered onto the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamp: Uniko - Background Blocks My Favourite Colour
• Ink: VersaMark
• Coloured with Copics
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Platinum
• Cardstock from stash

There's one more stamp set to introduce tomorrow before the release will be available to purchase from Uniko from 9am BST on Thursday 31 July 2025. 

Thank you as always for stopping by.

Uniko Christmas in July 2025 - Introducing...Ink & Flip Christmas Tree Pattern and Ink & Flip Snowflake Pattern

Hi there

It's day three of the Uniko introductions from the Christmas in July release.

And today the team are showcasing two new additions to the Ink & Flip family...Christmas Tree Pattern and Snowflake Pattern.  These are standalone stencils which will help you to create quick and fun Christmas backgrounds.

First up, here's my sample card using the Ink & Flip Christmas Tree Pattern stencil...

The stencil creates half of the trees, with a vertical split, and then you flip it to complete the trees.  I used four colours of Distress Oxides here.  I inked up the first side using Iced Spruce fading into Pine Needles, then the flip side using Mowed Lawn fading into Rustic Wilderness.  I then heat embossed the large Merry onto vellum and fussy cut this out, then heat embossed the rest of the greeting in gold on a white strip, both of which I adhered on 3D foam.  These were from the Big & Bold Merry set.  I finished with a single enamel star on one of the trees.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Christmas Tree Pattern
• Stamps: Uniko - Big & Bold Merry
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Iced Spruce, Pine Needles, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss, Metallic Gold Rich
• Vellum and enamel star from stash

And now my card using the Ink & Flip Snowflake Pattern, paired with a sentiment from the Background Builders Winter Wonderland set...

Placing the stencil on the diagonal, I inked up through the first side of the stencil with Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide, before flipping and inking through with Shaded Lilac.  I then die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.  I then stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in silver before adhering the panel flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Ink & Flip Snowflake Pattern
• Stamp: Uniko - Background Builders Winter Wonderland
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silber
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

Be sure to check out the Uniko blog, here where you'll find many more projects from Bev and the Brand Ambassadors  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce another of the new products.

All the new products will be available on Thursday 31 July 2025 from 9am BST.

I appreciate you taking a look and hope to see you soon.

Uniko Christmas in July 2025 - Introducing...Background Blocks Merry Christmas Scramble

Hi there

Back for day two of the new release introductions from Uniko and today it's a fun new addition to the Background Blocks collection...Background Blocks Merry Christmas Scramble.

Here's my first card and I chose the emboss resist technique...

I began by inking up the image in VersaMark and then heat embossing in white.  I then ink blended the background using three shades of Distress Oxide ink to create a frosty vibe.  To add a snowy feel I splattered with some water droplets and then blotted with a paper towel which lifted away the colour.  I used a stitched rectangle to die cut from the inked panel and then adhered this flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Stamp: Uniko - Background Blocks Merry Christmas Scramble
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Oxide - Salvaged Patina, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster White
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

And now my second card, I embossed it again but this time in gold...

I stamped and heat embossed the image in gold in the top left corner of my card base.  I then ink blended down from the corner using two shades of Distress Ink, fading it out.  I'm not entirely happy with this one.  I ran out of my white cardstock and couldn't find the same brand again.  This new pack I bought is a lovely weight but obviously not as smooth as you can see from the ink blending.  It's great when using Oxides but not such a great result with dye inks.  I'll have to continue my hunt for A4 cardstock which is great for ink blending and Copic colouring!

Materials used:

• Stamp: Uniko - Background Blocks Merry Christmas Scramble
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich

Don't forget to check out the Uniko blog, here where my fellow Brand Ambassadors are sharing their fabulous makes.  You'll find so much more inspiration there.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce more from the release - in fact it's two new products tomorrow!

All the new products will be available from Thursday 31 July 2025.

Thanks for visiting.

Uniko Christmas in July 2025 - Introducing...Stencil Layering Christmas Bauhaus Blocks

Hi there

So, did you see the sneak peeks yesterday?

It's day one of the new Uniko introductions and it's all about festive goodies in this upcoming release.

We're kicking off with a brand new introduction to the Bauhaus series...Layering Christmas Bauhaus Blocks, which is a set of three stencils.  If you love the previous products in the Bauhaus series this one should be right up your street.

Here's my first card using the set, with a sentiment from the Festive Sentiments set...

Here I inked up the design using the three stencils, without building any further.  I used three shades of Distress Oxide ink here, I think Oxides and stencils work brilliantly together.  I kept this as a simple one layer card and nestled in the greeting from the Festive Sentiments set.

Materials used:

• Stencils: Uniko - Layering Christmas Bauhaus Blocks
• Stamps: Uniko - Festive Sentiments
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Iced Spruce, Lumberjack Plaid, Uncharted Mariner; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

For my second card I built the design to fill the entire card...

I chose a peach shade of cardstock for my card base and used three shades of ink, one of which was white.  I didn't want the background parts of the images to be white this time.  So I used two shades of Distress Oxide and a white pigment ink.  I inked up the initial eight blocks and then moved the stencil around to add the additional blocks.  I finished with a die cut sentiment strip, heat embossing the greeting which is from a new set we'll be introducing in a few days.

Materials used:

• Stentils: Uniko - Layering Christmas Bauhaus Blocks
• Stamp: Uniko - Flower Power #12
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Peacock Feathers, Saltwater Taffy; Hero Arts - Unicorn; VersaMark
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Embossing Powder: Wow - Opaque Bright White
• Cardstock from stash

For lots more inspiration from the rest of the team using this stencil set, take a look at the Uniko blog, here.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce another of the new products.

All the new products will be available from next Thursday 31 July 2025 at 9am BST.

I hope you'll pop back over the next few days to check out the other new products.

Uniko Christmas in July Brand Ambassador Inspiration - Scandinavian Christmas

Hi guys

I'm over on the Uniko blog today with some Christmas in July inspiration using two Scandinavian Christmas products.  I have included full details of how these were made over on the Uniko post, here.

The two products I have showcased are the Background Blocks Scandinavian Christmas clear stamp and the Scandinavian Christmas stencil.  

I have three cards for you with very different looks.  

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Scandinavian Christmas, Pattern Building Christmas Tree
• Ink: Altenew - Winter Lake; coloured with Copic markers

And another using the stamp...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Scandinavian Christmas, Festive Sentiments
• Ink: Altenew - Crimson, Nimbus; VersaMark; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

For my final card I used the Scandinavian Christmas stencil...

Materials used:

• Stencil: Uniko - Scandinavian Christmas
• Stamp: Uniko - Pattern Building Christmas Tree
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Candied Apple; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; Lil Inker - Stitched Ovals
• Accents: Signo Uniball pen - white

I hope you're enjoying Christmas in July this month, there's still lots more to come from Bev and the team.

Thanks for visiting today - happy crafting!

Take care