Altered Advent Calendar

I'm so excited to show this to you! I've been working on it periodically for a few weeks now & I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. Over on UKS there's been a real buzz about these little calendars, so much so they're quite difficult to get hold of now. For anyone who's interested, these calendars are (were?!) available in Tescos at a fiver. They are ready-painted in bright primary colours, so to achieve the same look as mine overpainting will be required. I didn't bother sanding it down first though, a few coats of emulsion was all that it took.

The papers I used are MME but virtually everything I used for this project is available in the form of a kit from Crafts 4 Eternity & there's still loads left over for other projects too!!

I could have put loads of twiddly bits on the drawers & such but I think this project is in for a little rough handling! Already my nearly-four year old can't keep his hands off it, he really enjoys playing with the drawers & counting out the numbers & there's not even any chocolate in it yet!!

A closer look...


And a back view...


I do hope you enjoyed looking as much as I enjoyed making & I really look forward to reading your comments, leave me a link if you've made one too, I would love to see how other people have interpreted this item!!

Submitted to this month's Lets Get Shabby Challenge.

It's Belles n Whistles Blog Hop day!!!

Good Morning all & welcome to the exciting Belles n Whistles Blog Hop!! If you've arrived from Lil's Blog then this is good, you are well on the way to the chance of winning a fantastic prize, the full set Elisabeth Bell's newly released Christmas stamps!

However if by chance you have wandered here for another reason & would like to take part in the Blog Hop then please start HERE

This little beauty is called Gingerbread Corner, isn't she just so cute? An absolute dream to colour too...


And a side view...


with thanks to Tab who provided the inspiration & know-how to create this box!!

In order to be in with a chance of winning this stamp & the others you see on this hop simply leave me a comment and go directly to Rosette's awesome Blog it's that easy!

Christmas release II is available to buy from today & will be shipped at the beginning of next month.

And that's it!! Happy Blog hopping ladies (& gents?!?!) thank you so much for visiting,

{{{Hugs}}}

Nikki xxx

All wrapped up

Hi all!!

A gift box from me today, more of a prototype really. I was so inspired by Quixotic Paperie's challenge this week & couldn't wait to use kraft & red! Simon Says Stamp is looking for projects with animals which gave me the perfect excuse to play with "Jingle Bells" another fabulous image from Belles 'n Whistles Christmas collection I, with number II on it's way very soon - watch this space!!!

Roses on paper - Sweet November

Evening all!! Hope you are all well on this blustery day! I've been busy creating for Roses on Paper where the challenge this week is to make something inspired by the words 'Sweet November'. Well, this little image is so sweet how could I not use it? And I'm slowly adding to my Christmas card selection too although it's gonna have to be someone extra-special to deserve this little Rockin' around cutie!!

I played with my promarkers for this one too, I really love the clarity of colour you get with this type of medium but I think I need a lot more practice & a few more colours!!

The papers are Bo Bunny & the sentiment is computer generated.

Happy Wednesday!!

PS I'm getting sooo excited about an advent calendar I'm working on, it's coming together beautifully & I can't wait to show it off!! I'd love to work on it tonight but I'm going to the Pub with my darling OH but secretly.... I'd rather be crafting!!! Shhh, don't tell him!! :P

Oh Christmas tree...

I'm getting right into the christmas spirit now, I even managed to get in a bit of christmas shopping at the week-end. I'm never usually this organised, it must be the process of making seasonal cards bringing the time of year to the forefront of my mind which can only be a good thing!

And what better way to get in the mood than a christmas carol in front of the tree? This card is made up of 2 stamps both available from Belles 'n Whistles (Belle's Carols and The Christmas Tree) and are coloured with distress inks. A little glitter on the baubles, another handmade poinsettia and we're good to go! The DP is Basic Grey & I used Mirri-board! I haven't had that out for aaaaaages!!!

I used this week's sketch from Friday Sketchers, I love how it came together, a lovely simple layout making the adorable image the focus, just as it should be! The addition of glitter also means I can enter this card for Cute Card Thursday

I hope you like it :)

Ooh Looky Looky!!

Good Morning!! Well I'm feeling quite chirpy considering I was up into the wee small hours... My gorgeous Belles 'n Whistles stamps arrived yesterday afternoon & they looked at me pleadingly throughout the rest of the day until I got the children into bed & took them out to play!!

I was rather brave with my DP choices, not a single one from the same collection. The baubles are last years Basic Grey, October Afternoon for the music manuscript & I'm afraid I have no idea where the Christmas text DP came from!! 'Gingerbread Love' is coloured with distress inks & the poinsettias were created from a Craft Stamper freebie stamp (stamped on the reverse) with little snowflakes for the centre.

Thanks for looking & I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far xxx

An Announcement...

A few weeks ago I posted a card which I entered for the Roses on Paper Guest DT call. With hand on heart I truly never thought I'd be successful however sometimes things just don't work out the way you expect them to because guess what? I am very very proud to announce that for the months of November and December I will be a guest designer for both Roses on Paper and Belles 'n Whistles

And I'm champing on the bit to get started, there's such exciting stuff planned for you over the next few weeks & I need to be a part of it so watch this space for some creations using some gorgeous Belles 'n Whistles stamps with maybe just a little Magnolia thrown in (gotta love those Tildas!!)

*Yawn* I've just spent a very pleasurable few hours visiting my fellow teamies Blogs & I hope you get the chance to too, their work is just awesome (Lol!! I don't know where the US accent appeared from all of a sudden!) Shhh!! there's a blog hop on it's way...

Just Gorguss...

A simply embellished card for a simply gorguss girl tonight. I'm loving this colour combination too, she looks so pretty & feminine!

I have used the sketch from Create 4 fun, with stitching around the main image to qualify for Kraftin Kimmie & Quixotic Paperie's challenge & it's been a while since I entered the Simon Says challenge too which is 'Thinking of you' this week.

Ooh it's late so I think I'll leave it there for tonight, thank you all so much for looking I'm genuinely touched by each & every comment I recieve xxx

Back to normality

I've been laying low for the last week or so, most of my spare time being taken up preparing for our annual bonfire party saturday just gone. It was a fantastic night and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves, our best turnout yet (about 70 adults & 35 kids incase you were wondering!) & even better the weather stayed fine all night. However I think next year I shall be needing considerably more sausages & also be charging an entry fee [wink!]...

But now it's over, I can craft again, yipee!! This is my entry for the Crafts 4 Eternity challenge this week, using their sketch, punches & holly combined with Cute Card Thursday's call for primary colours. Out came little Henry again & are you impressed with my bling flourish? I am!! Another bargain from the discount store near me, 99p for 2 swirls!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed some pearl ones might appear someday!