Altered snowflake decoration

Have been working on this inbetween looking after a poorly infant & organising family gatherings...

I bought the snowflake from Hobbycraft & covered it with crackle paint, then brushed with gold acrylic & glitter round the edges & stamped a few snowflakes with brown chalk ink. Tilda was coloured with distress inks, her wings & star glittered & then she was triple embossed to give her a glazed, vintage look. A bit of matting. lace, ribbon & flowers later...

And here it is...


Oh my :( the terrible photo I took shows hardly any of the details I described, it has so much more depth IRL... I will really have to try & take a better picture, maybe tonight when the fairy lights come on (they're on a timer - blame my OH!!) it will sparkle a bit more....

So that's all from me & if this is the last time I post before the 25th.... Merry Christmas Blogland!!!!!

{hugs}

Nikki xxx

A Sparkly Snowman

Hurrah!! For the first time in over a week I haven't had to defrost the car before the school run! My phut-phut does not like cold weather, the locks freeze, Jack Frost visits the inside of the car & the heating's packed in... blimmin' marvellous!

As I'm sure you can imagine, I have NOT been keen to venture outside unless absolutely necessary!

So to keep myself occupied I have been happily absorbed in colouring in & creating another batch of cards. This Magnolia Snowman is soooo much cuter than the other ones released more recently, at least that's my opinion! I bought him at the beginning of the year & he's been stroked lovingly over the months until the time came to use him...


My adorable Snowman has been coloured with promarkers with a few touches of glitter to make him SPARKLE. I have used freebie Kaisercraft PPs & a new snowflake punch which annoyingly is virtually no bigger than the cuttlebug snowflakes die I already own, it's a good job it wasn't that expensive!

I am entering this card for a few challenges listed below...


A Spoonful of Sugar - Christmas!
Passion for pro-markers - Anything goes
Sketch & Stash - Challenge 50
Just Magnolia - Sparkle

Thanks for looking! :)

{Hugs}

Nikki

Which one's your favourite?

When I saw the LotV Challenge this week I knew straight away which image I was going to pick as my favourite although I must confess I have quite a few 'favourites' from their gorgeous collections over that last couple of years!

Baby's 1st Christmas is just sooo adorable though, I snapped it up within a few days of it's release & I'm so glad I've been finally able to ink him up!



Another clean & simple card from me, trying to keep the 'bellies to a minimum for ease of postage & as this is another batch of 4 I didn't want to make it overly elaborate.

I love my new ekSuccess punch, I hope to get loads of use out of it. I don't think I could do without punches...or buttons...or Kraft...or lol I could go on!!!

Thanks for taking the time to comment on my work, I love to know what people think :)

Brrrrr! it's SO frosty here - mind how you go!

S'no problem...

Well what a difference a week makes!!

The snowy weather came as a big suprise for me and I certain never expected it to be this bad. Fortunately I do not live in a badly affected part of the country. I hope those of you who are lost underneath a big snowdrift have plenty of heating & supplies (craft & food!!) to keep you going!! :)

I have been playing with my promarkers again this week & I enjoyed colouring this Tilda, I even did blond hair! (I never do blonde!!) I followed the sketch from this week's Just Magnolia Challenge & chose non-traditional colours in keeping the totally papercrafts challenge. Can you tell I was inspired by the weather for the card theme? ;)

Not quite sure this card worked as a whole on the end though... nice elements, shame about the end result - Lol :D

Another batch of 4 finished though...really ought to start thinking about sending them now!!!



Thanks for visiting!

{Hugs}

Nikki xxxx

Long time no speak!

Gosh, it has been a long time since I last posted anything here...

You know how it is, life takes over for a while & suddenly a month has flown by without even noticing!!

I have had a little time to play though, in between the annual bonfire bash, expecting my 3rd bambini & Christmas shopping...

This LoTV cutie is 1 of a batch of 4... I think this little bear is so, so gorgeous & suprisingly quick to colour too, especially with promarkers...I bought him last year so he's an old image but one I think I'll use again & again. My papers are new, bought last week from my local craft shop infact!

I'm going for the Clean & Simple with a (I hope!) scandinavian twist at the moment - so much quicker! Lol!!



I hope you enjoyed my card :)

Thank you for looking!

Nikki xxx

Card entered for Passion for Promarkers Blog Hop which runs until December 7th

Also entered for LoTV Glitter & Glitz Challenge as both Teddy's star & Santa hat are glittered to within an inch of their lives (although why this does not come across in the photo, I just don't know...*sigh*)

An Autumn Birthday

Evening all :)

It is my pleasure to share another card with you today, I can't believe it! Two in one week!

This is a belated birthday card actually, I've been almost as rubbish at remembering birthdays as I have at making cards recently, I forgot my Mum's (I know - unforgivable!) & my niece's... dear Lord, shoot me now!!!!

Must try to do better & ensure I write birthdays on next years calendar!

As this is an autumny card I have entered it for a couple of Autumn challenges from PaperPlay & Wee Memories... However By the Cute & Girly are still hoping for an Indian Summer - Lol!!

I have used lovely Hanglar stamps, some ancient Sassafrass PP & yet more inspiration from the talented Anna...

Many thanks for looking & taking the time to comment on my work

{Hugs}

Nikki

Birthday Wishes

Yay!!! I managed to fight my way out of the "Mists of No Mojo" just long enough to put a card together for my partner's niece...

I have to confess to relying very heavily on the creativity of someone else to get me started though & can take no credit at all for the design of this card!! the kudos of which belongs to Anna, her cards are so cute & have some gorgeous details. Thank you so much for the inspiration hun!!

This card is entered in the Stampin' for the weekend Challenge - Shabby or vintage

Thanks for looking!

{hugs}

Nikki xxx

School tomorrow!!

Just wanted to share a couple of pics of my eldest in his new scool uniform, it's his first day tomorrow & he's been hyper all day today with excitement!!

The agreement was we'd take one smiley pic for Mummy & one cross pic for Adam,

haven't had time to photoshop them or anything so apologies for poor quality

Suffice to say I have now ironed out the creases in his trousers & sweatshirt... once I could prise it off him, he wanted to wear it all day!!

Will be back with some cards soon... I have been a very mojoless crafter of late but I coloured in a Tilda today & will try to put her on a card while I'm watching BNTM :)

Ciao!!

Nikki

A Card for Ruby....

A wonderful friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Monday so I have been busy making an extra special card to celebrate, I do hope she likes it...



I've been itching to use this Magnolia cutie since I got her at Easter, I never did get round to making any Easter cards, Lol!!

I also got to use my new Doohickey lace border which I'm happy to say works brilliantly in my bug!!

I wanted this card to have a pretty vintage feel to it so I've distressed & inked most of the edges & I seem to have tipped an entire bottle of stickles over it too, which I bet doesn't show up in the pic!! The papers are BG porcelain & the pink gingham PP I've had for ages so no idea who's that is!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges....

Just Magnolia - Vintage
Basic Grey - Gingham
Stamp Something - Something Flowery

Thank you for looking!!

{Hugs}

Nikki

Donkey smiles across the miles...

Hellooooo Blogland :)

Wow! I'm loving this weather... hope the sun is shining on you today too!!

The card I'd like to share with you today is for Michelle who, as you're probably already aware, had a terrible accident which resulted in the loss of an eye, this is what her friends have to say over on A Spoonful of Sugar...

"We would like to share some sad news today, some of you may already know from her blog, our design team member Michelle had an accident about two weeks ago, which has left her with the loss of her right eye and a long road of recovery ahead. In an effort to cheer her up and raise awareness for what happened to Michelle we are holding a card drive in her honor. We have many generous companies and individuals helping us with this special card drive and we hope you will help too!

We are asking that everyone please create a card in dedication to Michelle and mail it off to her. We would love nothing more than to flood her mailbox with well wishes from around the world. Michelle has shared so much of herself on her blog and in her design team work and this is a just a small way for us to give back to her.

****************************************************************************
Two of Whimsy Stamps lovely Artists Melissa Jenkins and Ann Vento have teamed up together to bring us a very special donkey image and matching sentiments, these are all available to download for free from the Whimsy Stamps store page."

What a kind & generous thing to do, how could I not take part & spread a little happiness in the direction of someone who really needs a smile right now? This touched my heart especially because my Grandfather lost an eye when he was a child, he had a glass eye which he kept in a glass of optrex next to his bed at night...



And how adorable is this Donkey?! I really enjoyed making this card even though I'm a bit scared of digi!! I used promarkers to colour the image & I think some of my printer ink kinda got mixed in on the paler parts, I didn't think that was supposed to happen?!

I got all experimental & tried to create something a bit different from my normal style (which is?! - answers on a postcard please!) I used LOADS of glitter to edge all the layers, not that you can tell from the Pic!! & crackle paint on some edges too, all the papers are K&Co & the flowers are prima. Nesties used for the oval & label mat.

There are two buttons on this card, the little heart is shrunk plastic & the button flower centre is a clear button with K&Co paper stuck to the back

Which brings me to the challenges I would like to enter this card for today

A Spoonfull of Sugar - Card drive for Michelle
Creative Card Crew - To die for Challenge
Crafty Creations - Make your own button

Thank you so much for looking!

{hugs}

Nikki

Another box...

Hello Again...

I've recovered sufficiently from my Hanglar funk to finish another little box...!!

I used the same template as before but this one is embellished in more of a modern style



A look at the inside...




Tilda is coloured with distress inks & the sentiment is also magnolia, the paper is from Daisy Bucket; Perfect Harmony range. I have used a MS 'spooky fence' Border punch & a tiny butterfly punch I got from the NEC for £1!! The clouds are a dingbat printed onto Kraft cardstock with buttons & braid from stash. The stitches are stamped with timber brown staz-on.

I have entered this box for the following challenges...


Bunny Zoe - Nice & Girly

Papertake weekly - In Stitches

Pocket full of Posies - One for the girls

Thanks for looking :)

{hugs}

Nikki xxx

In mourning.... (not for the pic subject though!!!!)

Sob!!

My H&S stamps are gone :( :( :(

I've turned my craft room upside down & they're nowhere to be found... conclusion? My naughty little 18m has been in my craft drawers & posted theWHOLE of kit 4 in the wastepaper basket which was emptied & tipped last week, I've only inked up 2 of the images ****wail!!!!!!****

Could you forgive this face.............................................?


Hmmm....yes well I suppose you could......

If anyone see's 'em up on ebay lemme know....

I'm too depressed to create!!!!

A Pretty Box ....

Oh I do like making boxes! I've recently invested in a Scor Pal so I hope to make a few more... this box wasn't made with one though, I couldn't wait to get started after being so inspired by some beautiful projects online, in particular this by Kirsten...

I do hope she takes it as a compliment that I have kept so faithfully to her original design & huge thanks to her for posting the link for the box template :)




I haven't decorated the inside as this is more of a practice run & not really for anything as such... Mooching about on the web much earlier in the week I came across Hanna & Friends who were asking for boxes made using Spellbinders & that was it... my fingers started itching!!!

This box does use a spellbinder labels die but only for the closure so I'm not sure if it would've counted & as this is such a last-minute post I've missed the entry deadline anyway... Doh!

I'm not fussed though, just happy to share!!

Hope you like what you see :)

Til the next time,

Nikki xxx

Passion for Promarkers rediscovered...

Hello!

I don't know about you, but for me life feels good today - I'm not sure why! As a rule, life is generally good anyway but today it's extra good!! I've got enough to go round so if anyone wants some... I'm happy to share!!

And talking of sharing I made a card last night with one of my LOVELY new H&S stamps, I'm sooo happy they're available in the UK now, I check ebay constantly to see if any new kits are up - I'm very tragic - Lol!!!


To make this card I used sketch #103 from Friday Sketchers, Cosmo Cricket PPs (Early Bird), my SU! punch (again!) & the sentiment is Magnolia. The book text frame was made with Nestabilities & the border punch is Fiskars. My image was coloured with promarkers (the colours I used are pictured below) - Passion for Promarkers are offering some absolutely FANTASTIC prizes for their first Blogaversery this week with a theme of 'Anything Goes' which was a great incentive for dusting my pens off....

And aren't I glad that I did? I'd genuinely forgotten how much I enjoy using these & what pleasing results they provide - thanks to Andie for the inspiration & many congrats on your DT appointment hun!! xxx

So that's it from me today - thanks for looking at my work :)

Nikki xxxx

Just Magnolia

Afternoon all, it is a beautiful sunny day here in the midlands, I'm on leave from work & I should be sunbathing!!

Unfortunately my back garden is a building site at the moment, with builders still actually in it... I don't know about you but I just don't feel very comfortable exposing my wobbly bits to middle-aged men I'm only just on first name terms with!!!!

So regrettably (lol! I so don't mean that!) I've been holed up indoors creating, I fancied the Just Magnolia sketch challenge this week, and this is what I came up with...


Now, in my head this was going to be a lovely fresh feeling card with lots of zingy lime & turquoise colours but it's actually turned out looking a bit grubby to me, Lol!! Hmm, maybe it's a lesson learned that trying to vintage up retro PPs is never really going to work... must write that down somewhere...

Anyhoo hope you are all enjoying your mondays :)

{{{hugs}}}

Nikki xxx

Father's Day theme continued...

Good evening all!!

I am so pleased to be able to share another Father's Day card with you made with an adorable Lili of the Valley image I picked up at the NEC Stitch & Craft show...


The stamp isn't my newest piece of stash though, I am SO loving my new SU! Heart to Heart punch but I think I've got to think of a few more ways to use it, Lol!!

The PPs are BG archaic again & I've eked out the corrugated card from a cup holder a little further here too... the cute little fishy is a cuttlebug kids die from an alphabet set I've had for aaaaages. The embossed button border is also from cuttlebug & the sentiment is computer generated.

Image coloured with distress inks & I can't believe my glittering actually shows up for a change!! This card is from my 2 babies to their daddy, I think he'll be pleased with it, he loves fishing xx

Made using the sketch from this week's challenge at Sketch & Stash

Thank you so much for looking!

Nikki xxx

HAnglar StAnglar stamps on ebay....

Hi girls,

Just a quickie post to let you know kit 4 is available on ebay as of 17:41pm GMT

Good luck!!

Please wait

Image not available

Back in Blogland!!

Sheesh!! It's so good to be back!!

Nearly 2 months of crafter's block has kept me away, no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't summon up the energy to be creative. I really don't know how on earth some of you manage to create, post & comment daily. There should definately be some form of blog award for the huge committment it takes to run a successful blog.

As for me, I think I'll probably continue at my normal snail's pace until both the kids are at school!! Lol!!

How lucky did I feel when I managed to snag a whole HAnglar & StAnglar kit on ebay last week? And just in time for father's day too, I hope he likes the card I made. I wish I hadn't bothered with the stamping round the edges though, I don't think it looks right! I tried to blend it in a bit with some cinnammon stickles, which you can't really see in the pic, most of it ended up on my fingers!

The papers are BG Archaic, & I have used the MS spooky fence border punch & SU! Heart to Heart punch.

My card is entered for this week's Basic Grey Challenges.

Going round in circles!

Hello Blogland :)

I'm feeling very guilty about how badly I've been neglecting you but my energy levels are so low I'm wondering if maybe I should be taking iron tablets! Seriously, just getting to work in the morning is such an effort these days, I'm so glad it's sunny today, I think the winter has just been too long this year.

So it's taken me a few nights to complete this project using the sketch from Mojo Monday this week & the theme of circles from Cupcake Crafts. This card meets the 'Anything Goes' brief over on Lexie's creations too.

I used lovely wild asparagus papers & "Tilda Wrapped" coloured with Inkadinks & Distress. To make the background I masked off Tilda & sponged distress ink over the image & then overstamped with a text stamp using the same ink. I was inspired to use this technique by Dena's fabulous vintage card here.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my creation, please tell me what you think!

A card for Mum...

Hello! Blogging again after what seems like ages...there really aren't enough hours in the day for what I'd like to achieve... mostly because one of my main aspirations is just having a few hours to sit in front of the box & CHILL... it's my primary objective in life!!

However I managed to drag myself off the sofa and create something for Mother's day which meets the challenge over on Secret Crafter. The sketch is from this week's Sketchy Colors challenge.

The light is so dull at the moment isn't it? I couldn't even take a decent pic with a halogen lamp blazing about 6 inches away from the card!! Mind it's probably to do with angles or summink as to why it still looks so dark, I really know nothing about photography!

The cutest Sarah Kay image from Stampavie got an airing for a change, with papers from K&Co & a few paper flowers which also qualifies this project for the Totally Gorguss challenge.

Many thanks for taking the trouble to look & comment on my work,

Have a good day!

A sweet treat....

Another chance to win a Hangler Stangler stamp from Stamptacular Sunday Challenge this week which is to create a project that includes a sweet treat.

Janneke's DT project for the challenge was a cute teabag creation & as she helpfully posted directions to the instructions for making one I couldn't resist having a go myself. A couple of sachets of hot chocolate just about fit inside but there isn't a lot of room for anything else!!

I got to use lovely sugary colours & one of my favourite Tildas, I wasn't sure about the blue & orange at first especially as I didn't match the blue on Tilda's dress too well. But I think it works OK & I even had a go at some arty photography - I was inspired by Janneke here too - I love the effect she has used to create a border around her projects & may try this too - with permission of course :)

Thank you for looking at my project - I really appreciate your comments

Nikki xxx

Choose happy!!

Hi all!!

I would just like to share with you this little project that's been rattling around in my head for the past week or so. Made for the Magnoliaink competition with the theme of spring & a challenge to use your stamp in a different way. This made me think straight away of making a little door-plaque with an inspirational saying on it, & with my So Spooky Tilda stamp in mind I set about looking for spring-cleaning quotes.

There were a few I liked... "Please don't feed the dust bunnies!!" and, "My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance" but I needed something shorter. So the Japanese proverb I found was perfect, apt & most importantly...short!!!

So here she is, So Spooky Tilda all prettied up in pinks, I'm going to hang her on my door in the craft room & always remember that spring cleaning the heart is far more important (& interesting) than housework!!

Stamptacular Sunday!!

As I was browsing earlier this week I came across this adorable Tilda & somehow she just fell into my virtual shopping basket!! Whoever invented online shopping is an evil genius!!

I think I fell for her because she reminded me of a particular Hangler & Stangler stamp I've been lusting after but can never hope to own...

So imagine my delight when I came across the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge this week. Not only are they offering a fab H&S stamp as their prize (not the stamp - but beggers can't be choosers!!) but if your card follows their theme 'Love is in the Air' without using any hearts you get entered in the draw twice!!

Now I'm wondering if Tilda's antennae count as hearts... I hope not, I thought about covering them up but I couldn't bear to alter her - she's too cute!!

Tilda is coloured in distress inks & the paper is K&Co Wild Saffron, sentiment is computer generated.

Thank you all so much for looking,

Nikki xxx

Just because...

Oh I haven't been a very good blogger lately have I? I find it so difficult to find time to craft & this week has been no exception!! But here is something I managed to put together today (in between trips to the loo after DS2 kindly passed on his tummy bug to me - thanks poppet!!)

Sweetheart Tilda is sitting atop some ancient Daisy D paper & coloured with distress inks. I agonised for what seemed like hours about what embellies I was going to put on this & after trying about a hundred permutations of floral arrangements threw my hat in & left it plain!!

Photo looks a bit dismal, wish I hadn't photo-shopped it now - Hey Ho!!

TFL Nikki xxx

Calendar for 2010

Hiya!

Just thought I would share what's been keeping me busy these past few nights... I bought this calendar kit from Quirky Kits way back in 2009 when it first came out & the beautifully packaged pink box it came in has been staring accusingly at me ever since!! So I metaphorically rolled my sleeves up & delved in & y'know once I got going it wasn't that hard & I have to say I'm pleased with the result.

Unfortunately the kit is now sold out but there are others to choose from (and the rumour is a new one is due out fairly soon!!) & I do love them... I think they're eclectic & edgy... something I aspire to but may never achieve, Lol!!

The intention is to use the mini-book to record important moments through the year, things that I want to remember & look back on & hopefully it will become a record of treasured moments in 2010!

So, you've seen the cover, now for the inner pages...




I hope you enjoyed looking at this, a totally different approach to what I've been blogging in recent months but I'm still trying to find 'my' style...maybe I'll be able to write about it in my new book - Lol!!

Thank you so much for looking...

Nikki xxx

Layers... & a sketch

Made for my darling OH for Valentine's Day, this card fails to work on so many levels & yet I LOVE it!!!!

I don't know if it's that cheeky little mouse, the funky PPs or the fact that I managed to keep a steady hand throughout the entire perfect pearls undertaking... (& yes, I went a bit mad with the perfect pearls but when you're on a roll...!) I just like looking at it...I think it's definitely Henry :)

So this is for a couple of challenges... following the Quixotic Paperie sketch (oops... a bit late for that one!!) & using layers over on A Spoonful of Sugar

So that's all folks - hope you are keeping well & thanks for visiting!!

Nikki xxx

Simon Says...Shabby Chic

It's my eldest boy's birthday tomorrow so I've made him a card using the best little boy stamp I have seen yet from Squiggle Stamps - complete with sentiment too, I just love this image, cute but definitely not girly! Why oh why did I colour the balloon orange though? It should have been red *kneels on floor - arms upwards, outstretched and wails...."NOOOOOOooooooooooo!!"*

Ahem...sorry about that... I am entering this card for Simon Says Stamp shabby chic challenge this week, the camera doesn't pick it up that well but the paper is distressed - honest!!

Thanks for visiting...

Nikki xxx

Hot Chocolate...Mmmmmm!!

I got a coffee machine for Christmas and now I can make espresso, cappuccino & best of all, frothy hot chocolate, to my heart's content!!

So I was especially pleased to see that a few card challenges this week used this theme as the inspiration to make a card, the colours of hot chocolate are just yummy, marshmallow, cream & brown, it's making me want one just typing about it!!

This card, apart from the sentiment, uses stamps from the 2009 winter magnolia collection & I think it looks a little bare however this is deliberate because as soon as there's a big 'O' birthday to celebrate I'm going to whack it straight on the heart in great big glittery numbers!! Lol!!

So onto the challenges...

Simon Says Stamp & Quixotic paperie are both running with a Hot Chocolate theme...
Charisma Cardz are asking for cards in a pink, brown, toffee, cream combo...
Just Magnolia are asking for cards with paper pleating for their special monthly challenge...

Ooh it's so late, it's taking me soooo long to make cards at the moment I don't know what's up with me, so just a quickie post tonigh to I can get me some shut-eye...

TFL!! xxx

An Edwin Christening card

My Sister asked me to make a Christening card for her as she is going to be a God-mother, (again!! - Her friends must think she has exemplary morals!! Lol!) and here it is...


I kept it fairly simple as she wanted one in a similar style one I made for her a few years ago but my goodness how I've moved on since then!! So I felt a bit stuck at first because my current passions were conflicting with my old style of cardmaking but I think I've managed to reconcile the two to my satisfaction. (Although what my sister will think of Edwin I'm not sure!!)

The papers are K&Co & the sentiment is computer generated, the punch is Martha Stewart - not just for Halloween - Lol!!

Card submitted for Cupcake Challenge #72 who would like to see baby cards this week.

TFL!!

My 1st card of 2010...

Hellooo!!

And Happy New Year!! - Is it tragic that I was working on this card on New Year's Eve?! Well maybe so, but I was perfectly content in my little crafting bubble although I did pop outside at around midnight to watch everyone else's fireworks & chinese lanterns go up... Needless to say there will be another article in our local rag about 'UFOs'...

This is the first time I've given the Winter Collection Tildas an outing too, I must admit to being a little disappointed when I first got them, they didn't seem like a 'collection' at all but after taking a look at a few blogs and seeing the beautiful cards made with some of the images I've decided they're definately a 'grower'.

So inspired by these blogs & in particular the scandinavian style of crafting, ( have you seen this blog? - OMG Camilla, your work is amazing!!) this is what I came up with...


Lots of lace, distressing, some fancy flowers & a bit of play-doh stamped with a tiny heart to make a 'seal', Tilda is Coloured with distress inks - my favourite medium - and the sketch is from ICS.

So the challenges I'm submitting for this week are ICS, Roses on paper and Charisma Cardz who have a Blog Hop which runs until 6th Jan.

*Sigh*...after all the christmas crazyness it's good to be back to normality again, TFL!

Nikki xxx