I'm back again! I know, two posts in one day is totally not my norm, but I just had to get a project done for the Papertrey Ink Design Team Favorites Inspiration Contest/Challenge before the deadline!

One of my favorite all-time, paper-crafting idols, who I admire so so much (and am secretly hoping to meet someday since we're both from the Chicago area), is Christina Kowalczyk. Her style is graphic, clean and simple. I think my style for the most part has evolved as a clean and simple style. Christina's artwork has been quite the source of inspiration for me, and I was thrilled when she joined the Papertrey Ink Design Team last year.

The goal for this is to use one of the designers' favorite cards from the past year and use it for inspiration for our own project. I couldn't decide which to use, so I combined ideas from two (the top two in the photo above). I used a gradient, like the first card, but stacked the Square Prints set like the second card. I felt it needed some more dimension or texture, so I added the large purple button in the center. Can I just say I LOVE the end result!!! I love challenges like these because it makes me think so differently and I come up with things that I probably would have NEVER done otherwise! I'd love to hear your feedback on this one ;) Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Valentine's Cards and More Valentine's Cards

I have a few more Valentine's Day cards to share with you. Like I said in my previous post, I could make Valentine's/heart cards all year long!

I decided to make some cards to send to Grandparents and an Aunt. No, I'm not talking about MY Grandparents or MY Aunt, but to my unborn babies' grandparents and aunt!! I haven't made this news public here on the blog yet, so I thought this would be a good chance to do so. My husband and I are expecting twin boys this spring! So I thought it would be cute to send V-day cards from them to our family (this explains the 'be my valentine' stamped twice)!

For all of these, I used the Papertrey Ink set Heart 2 Heart #3, and the sentiment is from the Fillable Frames #11 set. Enjoy, and hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved ones!

All You Need is Love - Valentine's Card

Just popping in real quick to share a lovey dovey Valentine's card. This is my FAVORITE holiday to create cards for....I can't get enough of hearts ;)

I used a PTI set called Heart 2 Heart #3, and the sentiment is from the Fillable Frames #11 set. I hope you can find some inspiration from my CAS card!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI - Heart 2 Heart #3, Fillable Frames #11 (sentiment)
Cardstock: PTI - White; Stampin' Up! - Cherry Cobbler, Kraft
Ink: Stampin' Up! - Cherry Cobbler; PTI - Classic Kraft
Other: Button - PTI; Sew Easy Tool & Embroidery Floss

Uniko Studio February Release & Blog Hop!

Good morning stampers! It's already time for a new release from Uniko Studio! I am showcasing two stamp sets today. The first is called Label Love: Birthday, and whatdya know, it's Uniko's first birthday today. The second is called Bright Butterflies. Make sure to read all the way down to the end of the post to find out how to enter for a chance to win the ENTIRE February 2013 Release! WOO!

The first card above is pretty self-explanatory. The second one uses both the solid and the polka dotted balloons. I stamped the kraft colored balloons first, leaving the bottom portion of the balloon cut off. Then the polka dotted ones were stamped on top. I wanted to just create a fun pattern that didn't necessarily look like balloons, and with the colors I used, it turned out kinda looking like Easter eggs, LOL! Oh well, I still like it. The top cardstock panel is popped up with dimensionals and a small strip of patterned paper is peeking out at the bottom.

The butterflies are heat embossed with white EP, and then I inked a sponge with teal ink and applied it to the white cardstock, leaving it to fade slightly at the bottom so the sentiment could pop on the white background. I added small black rhinestones on either side of the sentiment.

Along with the two clear stamp sets being released this month, there are FOUR new digital paper collections available as well! They include: Big Birthday Wishes, Bright Butterflies Additions collection, Classics Spring, and Eclectic Mix Spring. See the images below!

I hope you enjoyed my samples using the new goodies ;) Now, on to the details of the giveaway. All you need to do is participate in the Blog Hop and leave a comment on the designers' blogs! That means you have up to TEN chances to enter! So hop on over to the Uniko Studio blog if you are just starting out, or continue onto Ren-Yi's blog if you've already started the hop.

Uniko Studio
Aimes
Amber
Erika
Gayatri
Kerri
Nicki -------THAT'S ME!
Ren-Yi
Stacey
Feb Guest Designer - Deborah Frings

Supplies:
Striped Birthday

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Label Love: Birthday

Cardstock: PTI - Rustic White
Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Salt Air

Ink: SU - Sage Shadow, Groovy Guava

Other: Spellbinders Large Labels Die; Stampin' Up! Stripes Embossing Folder; Dimensionals

Pastel CAS Birthday

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Label Love: Birthday

Cardstock: PTI - White
Patterned Paper: Jillibean Soup - Blossom Soup

Ink: SU - Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Lavender Lace; PTI - Classic Kraft

Other: Dimensionals

Teal and Black Butterflies

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Bright Butterflies

Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Basic Black; PTI - White

Ink: SU - Taken with Teal; Staz-On Jet Black

Other: Sweet Stamps - White Embossing Powder; Black Rhinestones; Dimensionals

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop: Black Backgrounds

Hello and thanks for stopping by for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! I was really pumped about this hop when I saw the post about using Black Backgrounds and seeing all the gorgeous samples Nichole Heady posted on her blog. I made it a point to MAKE TIME to create a project for this. Sometimes we just have to do that, or we'll never get to it, right?!

So here it is, my take on a technique called Black Magic. I watched this video, and it really is super easy. All it really is is stamping with White craft ink on black cardstock, and once dried, just color in with colored pencils! I used one element from the Mat Stack 5 Collection to create the frame shape. The center flower is stamped in White ink on black cardstock and popped up using foam tape. For added interest, I added small dots of Liquid Pearls to the stamped images. The ribbon is the PTI silk ribbon (sorry for the horrid photo....not sure why the white is so washed out!).

Happy Stamping!!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI - Mat Stack 5 Collection
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! - Basic Black
Ink: Stampin' Up! - Whisper White Craft Ink
Other: Silk Ribbon - PTI; Colored Pencils; Liquid Pearls

Uniko Studio DT Blog Hop - Extra Time

*** I'm excited to announce that I have been promoted from the
Digital Design Team to the Design Team!! ***

Hello and Welcome to the Uniko Studio Design Team Blog Hop! This month we are revisiting a stamp set that was released back in February 2012 - Extra Time.

If you've arrived from Kerry's blog, then you're right on track. If you just happened to find me here and would like to start at the beginning, please visit the Uniko Studio Blog to get started. I HIGHLY encourage you to check it out because Beverley is giving away an Extra Time stamp set!! Who doesn't love free stamps?!?! :D Below is the full list of participants.

Uniko Studio Blog

Aimes

Amber

Erika

Gayatri

Kerry

Nicki   -------------------------- That's Me!

Ren-Yi

Stacey

If you have not seen this stamp set, here is a preview with all the images included.

When I look at this stamp set, I immediately think of a masculine theme, therefore more muted, earthy, manly colors. Well, I LOVE color, so I had to mix it up a bit. In the card above, I created a background pattern using the timecard stamp. The three clocks featured are matted against dark brown cardstock and popped up with dimensionals. Finally, I stamped the sentiment with a dark brown ink.

Here's the more masculine card I was talking about ;) On kraft cardstock, I stamped all the different clocks using a white dye inkpad. The featured clock and sentiment is embossed with silver ink and popped up with dimensionals. A few small buttons add a little extra interest!

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my creations! I hope you're enjoying the hop, and now it's time to head on over to Ren-Yi's blog!

I'm also entering these cards into the Make Your Own Background Paper Challenge in the Moxie Fab World! It's a fun challenge, so I urge you to enter something!! :)

Supplies:
CARD 1

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Extra Time

Cardstock: PTI - Soft Stone, White; SU - Chocolate Chip

Ink: SU - Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip; Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Pumice Stone

Other: Dimensionals

CARD 2

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Extra Time

Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Kraft, Basic Black

Ink: Sweet Stamps - White Dye

Other: SU - Silver Embossing Powder; Marvy Uchida Round Scallop Punch; PTI - Buttons; Dimensionals

Uniko Studio November Release & Reveal

Hello everyone! It's time for the Uniko Studio November Release & Reveal! There are a whopping 16 new projects being released today, and you'll definitely want to check them out! A new feature being added during this release are Digital Cut Files for your digital diecut machine. This month's release is all about Christmas and Winter. There are really a lot of fun digital papers to choose from--you'll see I used a variety of them on my cards below. To see the other design team members' projects, visit the Uniko Studio Blog for the links to their blogs.

**Make sure to read all the way to the end of this post. There is info on how to earn a chance to win some free goodies :)

Papers used from the Classics Christmas pack and 'Tis the Season

Papers used from the Eclectic Mix Christmas pack. Thank You clear stamps from the Label Love: Thank You set.

Paper used from the Eclectic Mix Christmas pack, and the Holly Jolly was cut from the paper in the 'Tis the Season pack.

TIP: If you are new to using Digital Files to create cards, I want to share something that I learned works well. I am very new myself and this time around I printed the patterned paper files on the color laser printer at work on regular printer paper. Then, depending on how I was going to use them, I either cut out the paper and attached to the cardstock like I would regular patterned paper you buy at the store. Or when using diecuts, I first adhered the paper to a piece of cardstock to give it more stability, then diecut it together. That resulted in a perfect diecut piece!!

This is only a small sample of all the wonderful things included in the UNIKO STUDIO NOVEMBER RELEASE!! Head over to the Uniko website to see everthing. Make sure to also visit the Uniko Blog for a chance to win Label Love: Christmas and ALL the Digital Products released this month!!

Uniko Studio Super FREE Saturday!

Hello everyone! I have my DT debut project to share with you for the Uniko Studio Super FREE Saturday. On the last Saturday of every month, Beverley is so kind to offer a new Digital Stamp Set and Coordinating Digital Papers, free for anyone to download! This month's theme is called Ho Ho Ho - Let it Snow! To see the other design team members' projects, check out the Uniko Studio Blog for the list of their blogs!

I created this card entirely in Photoshop using the Digital Stamps and one piece of the Digital Paper. The black stitched ribbon is a piece that came from the Bright Butterflies Additions set, and the rest of the elements are from the Ho Ho Ho set. To give it an extra special "pop", I added Stickles to all the snowflakes and the tops of the ornaments and under each "let it snow" sentiment. As usual, the picture doesn't do the sparkles justice ;)

Click on the image to see more detail in the sparkly snowflakes!