Tuesday 25 November 2014

Deep Joy

Hello there!

I'm bringing you a make today which I did a couple of months ago on a crafty retreat, I photographed it all ready to post and then forgot all about it!

I used Doodlebug Christmas papers from last year, A Purple Onion Owl, A Mama Elephant Tag and a Lawnfawn alpha. Another mishmash of companies but I like to try and make the most of what I have.

Coloured with Distress markers and the sentiment is coloured with promarkers


Posting this card has reminded me I really must get out my distress markers again!

Thanks for visiting!

Nikki x

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Say it with Numbers

Hello Hello!

I am playing along with the Lawnscaping COUNT ME IN Challenge this week and this is what I made...


I was really inspired by this beautiful card by Cristina at My paper Secret

I created a mask using post-it notes and a large number template I've had knocking around in my stash for ages. I used the negative mask to stamp through the smaller images from the Beep Boop Birthday set. The positive mask was then paced over the stamped images with the negative offset slightly over the top so that I could lightly pounce over a slight shadow with distress ink to make my number more 3D.

I then used the the larger images and dies from the same set to create the robot and the Happy Birthday speech bubble.

A bit of matting and a few staples to embellish and the card was done!

Hope you like what I made today, thanks for looking!

Friday 14 November 2014

Make the day Special with Mama Elephant

Ho Ho Ho....Merrrrrrry Chrrrrristmas!

Actually I feel rather anxious every time someone mentions the 'C' word, I'm so behind on gift buying I hardly bear thinking about it!

There's no better way to keep the butterflies at bay than by creating though is there? Even if it is a Christmas card *wink*

I was so inspired by these gorgeous little Mama Elephant penguins I had to have another play this time using Colour Options 1 from the Make the Day Special Challenge this month.


Seriously, how long was it going to take before one of these little guys ended up atop a cupcake?! I like to think he's about to fall off any minute and his little friend has already taken a tumble!

The frosting on the cake it all glittered up but you know how hard it is to take a sparkly picture! I decided to have a go anyway because the card really is so much prettier with a bit of sparkle...

As this is a Holiday Card I would like to make this my second entry the the Mama Elephant and me Challenge as well

Thanks for visiting!

Nikki

Wednesday 12 November 2014

P..P..P..Pick up a Penguin!

Hello!

I'm sharing a card I made for the Mama Elephant and Me Challenge this month Holiday Cards and Tags


I decided to combine both aspects of the challenge by placing a tag onto a card...

I used distress inks over a Simon Says Stamp stencil and die cut with an ME tag. I popped up the ME Penguin on his little iceberg using foam tape and also some little glossy accented stars. I then placed the whole thing onto a bokeh effect panel stamped in 2nd generation distress inks and gold acrylic paint...the paint didn't work so well so for more sparkle I embossed the greeting in gold and put on a ME dainty bow in gold glitter!

I wasn't sure where this card would end up going when I first started it but it turned out OK I think!

Thanks for visiting today!

Nikki x






Wednesday 5 November 2014

October Card Chain Challenge Reveal!

Hello there!

Late again...in my defence I have been busy chasing around after children over half term and collapsing in a heap in the evening with the remote control dangling limply from my wrist!

This is my card I sent to Shannon using the September SSS card kit...


I've yet to receive mine so I still have something to look forward to recieving in the mail!

If you would like to get involved in next month's challenge please visit THIS post for more details.

Thanks for swinging by!

Nikki xx

Sunday 19 October 2014

Kissmas Cutie

Hello!

It's pretty late so I'm gonna keep this short. I was out with my friends last night and after a few cocktails and a LOT of dancing (OK a LOT of cocktails...) I'm thinking I'll just cut to the chase...

I made this card for the Mama Elephant and ME challenge which this month is Anything Goes!



So much cuteness all in one card! The chevron background is embossing paste coloured with green and red ink, the image is coloured with distress inks everything and put together with ME creative cuts.

TFL!

Nikki xxx

Friday 10 October 2014

Lawn Fawn Hedgehugs Slider card

Well Hello there!

Have you ever had the idea for a card and then had to purchase the stamp set in order to make it happen? I'm guessing I'm not the only one, lol!

Fortunately I didn't have to spend and absolute fortune as Hedgehugs by Lawn Fawn is only tiny. Small, but perfectly formed in my opinion!

I wanted to join in with two challenges this week, Make the Day Special's monthly which is to try out a new technique and the Lawnscaping challenge which calls for patterned paper on their cards.
This is what I made

Now I'm guessing that if you've read the title of my post that you know what kind of card this is, but it's no fun unless you can see it in action right? So.....drumroll.....this is my first attempt at blogging a crafty video! And yes, it's AWFUL but if you knew how long it had taken just to get to this point of awfulness you'd forgive me, I know you would, and you might even say, "You know what Nikki? That video ROCKS!"

So I'm not going to mention the various types of devices attempted, the number of times shot on said devices, the convolution of setting up those devices with zero equipment, etc, etc and ETC! Nope...not mentioning it at all...I'm just gonna let you watch it...

I thank you for not sniggering too much, at least not within earshot anyway!

If you didn't watch it (and I can't say I blame you) here's another pic of my card which gives away exactly what's hiding under that big pile of leaves...

And if you hadn't already guessed, my never before tried technique is making a slider card, not making a video of it!

Thanks for 'bearing with' today!

Nikki xxx



Friday 3 October 2014

September CCC

Hello!

I'm a little late on the Card Chain Challenge september reveal, but better late than never!

I really enjoyed taking part in this fun challenge and will definitely have another go this month, interested in the deets? Go HERE.

This is the fun and fabulous card I received from Dotty Jo, I happen to know I am 100% responsible for the Mama Elephant image that appears on the card, just call me Mrs Enabler! ;)


This is the card that I sent to our wonderful host Deborah. It incorporated all the elements of the challenge: sketch, colour and theme. This is not a requirement but I really enjoyed the extra little stretch it took to design this card.


I hope to see a few more names I recognise on this month's sign-up, go on, give it a try!

Happy Crafting!

Nikki x

Thursday 25 September 2014

I Love Winter

Do I love Winter? I love fresh Snowfall, crisp frosty mornings, snowball fights and snuggling up infront of an open fire with a milky hot chocolate. I love the anticipation of Christmas, all the seasonal socialising that goes on and Christmas lights on all the houses.

I hate a frozen car in the morning, Christmas shopping and cold feet.

On Balance then, I think I must love winter but not as much as I love summer, sorry winter...

This little Owl loves winter, adores it. Look at his face! His little feet kicking up the snowdrifts! His Hat! He's got loving winter written all over him, see?


I was totally inspired by the colours on Colour Throwdown this week and then I looked for a Sketch, and found one on CAS(e) this Sketch.


I got out my embossing paste again, my wallet is wincing at the thought of all those extra stencils I'm just going to have to buy at some point, but I'm resisting, for now...

I'm looking forward to a crafty retreat with my online friends this weekend so hopefully I'll have lots of cards lined up to post when I get back.

Have a great weekend!






Tuesday 23 September 2014

Might as well face it I'm Addicted to CAS...

Lol, I wonder if I went back through my Blog Posts, how many of them would be a play on a song or title?!

I'm playing along with Addicted to CAS today, the codeword this time being 'Cuddly'


I've been missing my super-detailed, super-cute stamps recently so this was the ideal opportunity to break them out.


How cute is this Purple Onion Squirrel?! I loved colouring him in with my distress markers.

I used lots of different companies' products (arrgh my head is exploding with the correct grammatical representation of this... companies? company's ?...) The Alley Way background stamp, Mama Elephant tag die, WS9 sentiment banner stamp and die, Lawn Fawn Journal card die & PPs, I like to spread myself around, lol!

I had fun making this, hope you had fun looking at it!

Nikki x

Friday 19 September 2014

Christmas Critters

Hello there!

I'm going away for a few days so I just want to sneak this card in before I go. Made for the latest Lawnscaping Challenge, Critters!


Boy, I threw a lot of techniques into this one card, inlaid die cuts, partial die cutting, embossing, masking, distress inking, did I miss any? Ha Ha, here's a look at my card so you can decide for yourself...


That's all from me (because I really should be packing) have a great weekend folks!

Nikki x

Thursday 11 September 2014

Hippo Birdie to You!

Popping in to share a not-so-quick make I started last night and finished this morning.

The card is for my Niece who's favourite colours are electric blue and mint. The gold is pure indulgence on my part!


I broke out the distress inks to colour my images today, I used to use these ALL THE TIME when I was into fussy & frilly cards (Magnolia - need I say more?! - they're a very unloved part of my stash now, I sold quite a few but I have quite a few more I can't bear to part with!)

I'm not too sure about the stamped background, perhaps it should be a lot more subtle...hey ho!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Nikki x

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Just Because...

Just because I got new stash today and couldn't wait to play with it...

Just because a crafty friend is having a tough time and I want her to know she is in my thoughts...

Just because my brood are all in school/nursery...

Just because I'm avoiding housework!

Just because I can...


I am playing along with the LOVELY Darnell this month please visit here for the challenge and to meet this amazing lady who singlehandedly seems to be bringing the whole crafting community together with her fab and funny Blog...My NBUS is Mama Elephant Up and Away Stamps, Mama Elephant Creative Cuts Basic Set, Ranger Texture Paste (fisrt time ever using embossing paste, LOVE!)

The rainbow stencil is from the SSS March 2014 card Kit and is also NBUS! (Really? March!?)


Happy Crafting!

Nikki xxx


Thursday 4 September 2014

Paper Piecing with Mama Elephant

Hey there!

You can tell the kids are back at school can't you? 2 posts in one week!!

I am playing along with 2 monthly challenges today, Make the Day Special are running a sketch challenge and Mama Elephant are asking for paper-pieced thank you cards (Oh Bother, after uploading the challenge pic I have just realised my schoolgirl error... no prizes for guessing what it is!).


I only have one ME stamp set at the moment and when I looked at it I must admit I nearly quit before I even started, paper-piecing those dinky little images was not going to be easy! But I persevered and ended up being delighted with the result. It's the first time I've tried a cloudy background for my images and was totally inspired by this card by Torico.


I used my lawn Fawn grass border die to cut 2 borders, one of card and one of fun foam, I love the extra dimension the foam brings to the card but to tone down the green a little I added a vellum banner embossed with an Avery Elle Happy Birthday Thank you sentiment *wink*

The images which were masked first to create a cute little scene are paper-pieced with Lawn Fawn Hello sunshine PPs, that little guys onsie with the moon and stars on it is so cute I WANNA DIE!!!! Ha ha =D

I have some more ME stamps on order, I'm hoping they'll arrive before the end of the month so I have a chance to re-enter the ME&Me challenge again this time following ALL the guidelines *rolleyes*

Until next time!

Nikki XxX

Tuesday 2 September 2014

One Layer Challenge

Hello there!

I'm still recovering from the surprise of being a Retro Sketches Rockstar, Lol!

I bid a bittersweet farewell to my two eldest at the school gates this morning, I think they were ready to go back and reconnect with all their friends, summer holidays are great but the boredom does start to set in. That is of course unless you are a #supermom and you have a timetable of #superfun activities that not only entertain but educate and enrich their super-perfect lives which is then plastered all over facebook/blogland and makes me feel #superguilty!

*sigh* I am not a supermom....

So, where was I? Ah yes, blogging about a one layer card I made for the Lawnscaping Challenge this week.


So, what did I do? Well, I stamped my bee (Hello Sunshine) first masked both it and a section of my card which I then blended over distress inks. A few splashes of water to create a bit of texture and the panel was complete. I then heat-embossed a white trail behind the bee (Science of Love) and coloured him with promarkers. I stamped the sentiment from #awesome underneath. Then I thought it would be fun if my bee was following something so I added another one flying of the page. As a final touch I rounded off one corner.

Here it is!

Thanks for reading today!

Nikki xxx

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Getting a Textural Feelin'

*Snigger*

It's taking me a long time to back back into the swing of things hobby-wise but if I keep on at it eventually I create something I feel pleased with.

There's nothing better than hitting the challenge blogs for a bit of inspiration and it certainly takes some of the thinking out of the process too.

I was inspired by two challenge blogs this week Retro Sketches and Lawnscaping.


Here is my card...

I followed Sketch #128 which also happens to be the current Retro challenge. I added texture to my card for the Lawnscaping Challenge by lifting the edges of the PP, adding a jute die cut star and a few dimensional dots on the cute Yeti (I just love this guy, he's so versatile!) and on the sentiment. Can you spot the glitter on the little stars too?

Thanks for looking today, hope you like my card =)

Nikki x



Saturday 9 August 2014

Back from my Hols

I am indeed back from my Summer Holidays and ready to Blog!

I notice my last post was at the end of June, I have not been on Holiday since then more's the pity, but here I am back in Blogland with a new card to share from.... dah dah DAAAHHH! ... a different stamp company, Mama Elephant to be precise. Their last release had such an adorable set called In My Heart, it had to be mine!

Their current challenge is to use water colour on your card, so after a few attempts at water colouring clouds with not much success , I watched a few You Tube Vids and managed something resembling a skyscape...


My camera seems to have picked up a lot of the ambient background colour (ooh get me!) so it doesn't look quite so yellow IRL but hey... not bad eh?!

I used Dylusions inks to water colour the background and promarkers to colour my stamped image.

Here is a link to Mama Elephant & Me's current Challenge


Thanks for visiting today!

Nikki x



Friday 27 June 2014

A Few cards with Simon Says

Hello Hello!

I made a few cards with some of the recent Simon Says Stamp card kist recently and I thought I would share them with you here.

I've really been trying to use those kits but sometimes they're just to pretty to break into!

Here's one with the May 2014 Kit

And another with the June 2014 Kit

Hope you like them!

Nikki x

Tuesday 24 June 2014

More Stars and Stripes

Hello hello!

I saw a very cute star-shaped card on Blogland the other day and so I decided to have me a go.

It's quite a mini card because my star dies aren't very big but I managed to incorporate some stripes (this is my second entry for the Lawnscaping challenge) and a few trendy bits such as sequins and neon. I think the neon trend in crafting has gone rather quiet recently and you will not believe how big my pot of glitter is, so I'm bringing it back! Lol!

I even managed to pick up some glitter and shine on my camera!

Here is my card


Thanks for looking today!

Nikki xxx

Friday 20 June 2014

Stars and stripes

Hello there

I'm joining in with the Lawnscaping Challenge again this week which is to incorporate Stars and Stripes into your projects.


I wanted to make a little card to pop in with a return of some duplicate items I got sent by mistake recently. You've got to support those small businesses who provide all that lovely stash to play with, we wouldn't want them closing down now would we? Far too much of that happening at the moment, more's the pity =(

This is my card

I really wanted to have a go at no lines colouring after seeing a fab tut on the Lawn Fawn blog recently, I'm quite pleased with how that cute little ducky turned out!

Thanks for looking today!

Nikki x

Monday 9 June 2014

A Lawn Fawn Teacher Card

Good Afternoon!

Wow, it's so dark and dismal here right now, we are experiencing some really heavy showers and all the lights are on in the house, the clouds are so black!

As a result I have struggled to get a decent picture of my card for the lawnscaping challenge this week.


I used the new-to-me Science of Love set from Lawn fawn to make a teacher thank you card along with the banner tag from the stitched Journal card set and sentiment from #awesome. The hexagons are heat embossed along with the sentiment and the little calculators face (I used my embossing pen to do this, I was surprised it still worked, it must be atleast 7 years old!)

Wanna see?

Thanks for visiting today!

Nikki xx








Tuesday 3 June 2014

Card Sketch with Make the Day Special

Hello!

My Lawn Fawn obsession continues as we head towards father's day on June 15th so I decided to get ahead of the game by making a few cards for all the fathers in my life.

For the first one I used the challenge sketch from Make the Day Special and was inspired by this fabulous mini card from Vanessa's Blog. She really does make some gorgeous cards!

The second was for the last Lawnscaping challenge 'Distress it' but I didn't ever get round to entering it.



My post is short, as is my time but I will be back soon with another Lawn Fawn card (natch!) for their latest challenge x

Nikki x

Friday 9 May 2014

Hand stamped background Birthday cards

Hello there!

Are you ready for some more Lawnfawn loveliness? Well I hope so 'cos that's what you're getting!

This week's Lawnscaping challenge was to create your own background. Well, I enjoyed it so much I did it twice! My DS2 has been invited to a birthday party this weekend so I made 2 cards because the party is for twins.

I started by stamping a chevron border to make a continuous pattern then layered the cute banners from the birthday tag set over the top and coloured them in, I also did some inking around the edge of my stamped panel. I used the same method for both cards and just changed up the designs slightly, I hate to do the same card twice so it's a good job the twins are not identical!


It's a shame you can't see the sparkle on the unicorn, I used stickles for her horn and heart and sakura clear glitter pen on her mane and tail. There's no glitter on the yeti, I don't think boys 'do' glitter unless they're spreading all over the living room ;)

I would like to enter my cards for 2 challenges

Make the Day Special a colour challenge (I used orange, blue and grey)
Lawnscaping make your own background Challenge

Thank you for looking today!

Nikki xx