The Brother's Grin

Hiya!

Another quirky kit DT layout for you to look at today. I was so pleased when I saw the flip side of the snowflake Studio Calico PP was a nice christmassy red. I had been hoping to scrap this 2011 picture of my OH and his brother with the kit because I had the title all figured out and you can't photoshop Santa hats! I would also like to credit this tutorial over on Scrapfriends for the inspiration for my page.

With the scrummy Theresa Collins woodgrain as my base I laid out the basic design of the page before I decided where I wanted the ink splats. I put a mark where I wanted to splat and then removed the basic layout before applying any ink. I used bingo dabbers to make mine but you can use distress ink stains too. I added a few drips of red to tie in the red paper. As you can see I'm very into layering at the moment and I was able to use up lots of scraps as the photo is quite small.

Love this banner technique, I think it will appear a lot on my layouts as will the star burst punch! I'm also lucky enough to own a badge maker so I'm able make to flair badges of my own design, so much fun!

I placed the camera veneers over the ink splats as I think it helps them standout on the page. I adhered one of the Echo Park journal cards to a Kraft tag and made a pocket behind the photo mat for my journalling.

As a final touch I added a Kraft die-cut man icon with pop dots and the rest of the snowflake trim. To make the title I used the mini letters from the Twinkle Twinkle kit as well as the duotone alpha.

That's it from me today but I will be back soon and this time it will be with Twinkle Twinkle which I really can't wait to get my teeth into :)

Bye for Now! Nikki xxx

Mum & Me

Hello Everyone!

As promised, I'm back with another offering from the Northern Lights main Kit. I really wanted to show how this kit doesn't have to be for winter layouts and I had the perfect photo to demonstrate. It was taken in the summer of 1974 when I was only a few days old. Check out Mum's funky glasses!

For this layout I started with a sketch as I am playing along with the UKS challenge too this week. First I misted the cardstock with Lilac & Aqua and placed the distressed PPs over the top cutting the centre out of a few of the large doilies to make a ruffle along the bottom. A few die-cut banners form the base for the title and one of the EP journalling cards cut in two add more dimension & layers.

To form the mat for the photo I used the Pizza-box packaging, ripped and brushed with white acrylic. You might also be able to spot the TC 'Now & Then' tab which is actually the name of the paper range fussy cut from the bottom strip of the paper. A little more fussy cutting of the 'Pops of' paper made a cute bunting style border embellishment.

To make a flower you need 2 large and 2 slightly smaller die cut glitter organza circles. Make sure your 'sandwich' goes 'plate','die','organza','THIN CARDSTOCK', 'plate' or the Organza won't cut. With each circle, wave your heatgun carefully over the top until it starts to shrivel & curl slightly. Too much and it shrivels up to nothing! You'll need somthing to hold the circle in place too, I used a wooden coffee stirrer. When you have 4 curled circles glue them together starting with the large circles and place a gem in the middle for the centre. I also backed the flower with a little circle of pale blue felt to help the white of the organza stand out more, but you could use paper instead. They didn't as long to make as you would think and I got such a sense of satisfaction when I finished. Why don't you have a go? they would look so pretty on a wedding layout!

Thank you for coming to visit, I hope you found this post informative and I will be back soon with more from Quirky Kits. Will it be Northern Lights or Twinkle Twinkle? Decisions, decisions, Lol!!

Nikki xxx

Larking about with Northern Lights

Hiya!

It was my great honour to be asked to be the November/December guest designer for Quirky Kits. This is my first layout using the main kit 'Northern Lights'.

It's been a few years since I went skiing, but this picture of myself, my sister and our ski instructor has been patiently waiting for exactly the right papers to put with it!

I started with the Fig swirl cardstock and randomly scraped and dotted white gesso with a credit card all over it, including the edges. I then had lots of fun cutting, distressing and placing all the lovely PPs I had chosen to go with my photo

I popped a small doily and the small bag behind the photo and made a pennant look like a banner with a bit of folding. I placed a journalling card inside the bag which explains how the instructor told us all stand in a line for the group photo, and just as the shutter went, he pushed us all over! No wonder we are all laughing our heads off!

I cut another journalling tag in two and poked it in between the layers and wound single strands of the embroidery floss around my fingers to create thread circle embellishments.

I cut some of the triangles out of the ILS 'Pops of' PP and placed the photo inside. I used a paper ribbler and bracket border punch to create the Kraft border behind the PPs and to finish stamped some little snowflakes in lemon acrylic paint.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my layout, I certainly enjoyed making it! I will be back with more from this lovely kit.

I would like to enter this layout into The Studio's 'Lots of Layers' Challenge

See you soon!

Nikki xxx

Inky, Arty, Ambitious!

I think those 3 words acurately describe my latest layout!

I totally fell in love with the sketch at Scrapfriends this month. It turned out to be a lot more challenging than I thought it would be, but that's OK, it's good to be challenged every once in a while. To make things even more difficult for myself I was determined to use an only very recently aquired skill, machine stitching. My heart was pumping as fast as the sewing needle! but it came out pretty well.

See what you think...

An eclectic mix of papers for an absolutely gorgeous and fun subject, my lil' halloween batkid, Sam xxx

I used lots of diecuts so I would also like to enter my Layout for this month's Studio challenge

Thanks for visiting! Hope to be back soon with more...

{hugs}

Nikki x

See me at the NEC!

Hiya!

Phew, it's been a busy week or so with a half-term caravan holiday, halloween and our annual bonfire party. To cap it all, just before the holidays my friend asked me to make a few pieces for the company she works for as she is exhibiting at the NEC. "Don't worry" says she, "the deadline's a while off so you've got plenty of time." So when I casually texted her on Monday asking when she needed the stuff by I was somewhat panicked when she replied she needed them for set up on Wednesday at the Crafts for Christmas show!

Cue 2 frantic evenings feverishly colouring, cutting and creating and this is what I managed to rustle up... (PHOTO HEAVY)

The company makes frames and other products that are just brilliant for putting your own stamp (or whatever your paper persuasion!) onto and could be used for gifts or personalising your craft space..

The products here are the mouse mat, coaster, notes block, penholder and ruler, prettied up with Graphic45 and Stampin up products...

A closer look...

Some frames joined together with ribbon and decorated with Squiggle stamps and Cosmo Cricket PPs

One of my fave magnolia stamps made into a 'shaker' hanging ornament

Magnolia minis on fridge magnets and keyrings

So if you're at the NEC this week why not pop over to the framecraft stand, say hello to Maria (the loud one with pink in her hair :D) and say Nikki sent you... ;)

TFL!

Nikki xxx

Double Trouble

Hiya!

It's me again with another scrapbook page to share. I find following sketches is really motivating me to scrap at the moment and I found one from The Studio that I wanted to give a try.

I got to use up some leftover PPs from past Quirky Kits too, everything on this LO is Quirky except for the paint and thread!!

So here's a look at what I made...

I tried a new technique by concertinering (is that even a word?!) some tissue paper and then sewing over the top, I like the effect but it was a bit fiddly!

Many thanks for taking the time to look at what I've done, if you like what you see please comment and let me know!

BBS, Nikki xxx

Definately a Big Deal to me...

Hello all!

I know, I haven't been around much, I have been busy though, playing with paper and glue that is!

I'm all about the scrapbooking right now, after returning from my first retreat with some of my online friends from UKS. I had such a fab time, made a few layouts, tried some new techniques and generally indulging this wonderful hobby to the max!

This latest make isn't from the retreat though, I couldn't resist the latest Quirky Kit this month, such gorgeous papers and accessories. As soon as it dropped through my letter box I couldn't wait to create.

And this is what I made...

I love this picture of Adam, relaxed and smiling and having some good, wholesome fun!

I hardly needed to dip into my stash at all to make this Layout, just a few buttons, twines and inks but the rest is all deliciously Quirky!

I followed the sketch for the ScrapFIT workout #78 and would like to enter their challenge this month. Great sketch and some inspiring DT work that really got my juices flowing!

Hope you like what you see, thanks for looking! :)

Nikki xxx

Another Smash page

Hi there!

I'm back with another smash page to share. I suppose I'm not keeping to the true ethos of smashing as I just seem to be creating mini scrapbook layouts. But as the blurb says, " Your life, your stuff, YOUR book." so I guess it's 'allowed', lol!

I'm managing to use lots of unloved scraps and stash in the process which can only be a good thing. I'm also having fun playing with the secondhand instax mini I got off eBay. It was fairly cheap, less than £20. The film on the other hand is another matter, I definitely don't want to take too many dud pictures with it!

Enough chatter though, here's my page...

 

 

Lol, see what I mean about the mini scrapbook page?

I'm so glad you stopped by to have a look, hope you like what you see!

Back again soon with...who knows what!

{hugs}

Nikki xxx

Edit: oh my word, it took me so long to work out how to post the full pic on Blogger through my iPad... Still managed it now though, yippee!,

Posted with Blogsy

Smash Page

Something a little bit different from me today...I know, I'm such a style chameleon! If only the same could be said for my fashion sense, lol!

I'm also using a blogging app from my iPad for the first time so I've no idea how this post is going to turn out until I publish it. I'm rather excited however I suspect this excitement may give way to disappointment, time will tell!

So anyway, back to my smash page, I'm using the Orange folio and this is page 1...

There are 10 facts about me written on the tag behind the pic, height, weight, likes, dislikes, that type of thing.

Depending on how this turns out I may be back later with more details,

Thanks for reading

Nikki xxx

Edit: oooo! It worked! Me likey!

Posted with Blogsy

One Layer

this was a quickie card so I might as well make it a quickie post!

I had an idea to do a back to school card with a sort of abstract blackboard and a very fed up looking stampotique image. My eldest isn't a school fan! Mind you he wasn't a an of the card either, especially when I suggested the image represented him!

There are a few things I would do differently if I were to make this card again but I'm sharing anyway because I had these challenges in mind when I made it...

Simon Says Stamp and Show - No Rules
Top Tip Tuesday - One Layer Card
Stampotique Designers Challenge - One Layer Card

TFL! xxx

Cutie Pie

Hey All! :)

I have another card to share today. I discovered Sureya's Art through another fabulous blog (thank you Mary J for introducing me!) and it just had me itching to colour. This image is called 'cutie boyz 01', and he really is such a cutie pie!

Unfortunately in my haste to get ink to paper I made the classic schoolgirl error of not matching my inks to any PPs in my collection (or any collection in the whole world for that matter!). So when it came to putting everything together it was quite a challenge. One I got a certain sense of satisfaction at meeting though, know what I mean?

I would like to enter this card for the following Challenges...

Dies to Die for - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Chocolate Coffee Cards - Emboss
The Pink Elephant - Create your own Embelishment
Pile it On - Cuddly Critters

GiveBig Boy

Hello All!!

I'm back after spending a wonderful couple of weeks in France on the fabulous Cote d'Amour in Britanny. We had such a lovely time with friends and family and were so lucky with the weather.

Catching up on my reading list I was delighted to find Krista over on Saturated Canary had generously added more freebies to her blog. Even better there was a boy image to play with too, perfect for my little brood of dudes :D

This card was pulled back from the brink of disaster so many times I'm suprised it managed to make it onto this blog at all, I'm pleased that it seemed to turn out Ok in the end though, what do you think?

I coloured 'BigBoy' (as I affectionately like to call him, although I can imagine a few innappropriate websites popping up giving him a name like that!!) with promarkers. I used Crate Paper PPs from a few different collections and distressed the hell out of the circle mat with sprays, a distressing tool & good ole crumpling. The mat is camouflage PP but it's hard to tell from the pic. A few diecuts, a bit of twine, some stickers and a stash busting brad (MUST. USE. HOARDED. STASH.) and we're good to go!

I'd lke to enter this card for the following challenges...

No Matter Which - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Delightful Challenges - Punches & Dies
Fussy & Fancy Friday - Orange, Lime & Citrus

More Dylusions, more tags...

Hiya :)

I have some more tags to show you today, I just felt like messing about & seeing what I could come up with. So I got a couple of tags and used Dyan's method to lay on my base of Dylusions and got to work.

I decided to work on a theme, can you guess what it is?

The lack of sunshine in what is supposed to be Summer here in Britain at the moment is utterly lamentable, so this is me, lamenting it.

Because I was playing, I took elements of the above tag that I particularly liked and made another one...

I'm particularly loving the twinkling H2Os (remember them?! I bought mine about 5 years ago, just the one set, in VERY bright colours, & guess what? hardly used them, glad I kept hold of them now though!) over the top of the inked flowers and the use of correction tape under the stamped sentiment, an idea I got from Julie over on Notes on Paper

Finally, because i had a tag left over from a previous make and a few leftover bits on my craft desk, I made this...

Yes. There it is, the sun, in Texas or Nevada or somewhere, being lovely & hot and sunny and NOT HERE :(

So yeah, my last tag is from leftovers, pretty cool huh? Well I think so anyway!!

Oh, and Dyan if you're designing any more stamp collections, can I have cacti & raindrops please?! Ta!! ;)

Thanks for sticking with, hope the sun is shining on you!

Nikki xxx

Quick Dylusions Tag

Hiya!

Just a quickie post as I've been playing wih my dylusions inks & stamps and stencils for this weeks Simon says Stamp and Show challenge.

I threw all sorts at this, mica powders, embossing powders, you name it, Lol!!

Hope you like it!

TFL!

Nikki xxx

Out of the box stampotique

'Allo 'allo!

Urg! Rain rain go away! Seriously. I'm not one to moan about the weather but my patience is being sorely tried. It's beyond a joke now. I'm on holiday in a few weeks and I'd really like it to brighten up by then. Thank you.

Okay, so on to my latest make!

It's a "little clip holder to keep my scraps of super smooth together for testing out pro-marker combinations" phew! that's a bit of a mouthful, if anyone comes up with something a bit pithier do let me know ;)

Essentially it's a clothes peg sandwiched between two die cut labels. Wanna see?

Front

Back

In Situ

I had loads of fun with this, it took a few days to make because I had to think about how I wanted it to look, it didn't quite end up the way I originally intended and *whisper* I think I like the back better than the front!!!

I used stampotique stamps & lots of scraps from the depths of my stash, I also had a go at colouring my own seam binding, it went a bit muddy...

I would like to enter this for the Stampotique "Out of the Box" challenge & the Simon Says Stamp Challenge "Make a label or ATC"

Thanks for looking, hope it's not raining on you too!

drip drip

Nikki xxxxx

Canary Love

Howdy Peeps!

I'm back with another gorgeous Saturated Canary image which I have made into a birthday card for a special little girl who turns 2 this month.

I had to dig deep into my stash to find some red, white & blue PPs to meet the current challenge, so much so I can't even remember who made them! What I can tell you is that I made my first ever Scrapbook page I posted on UKS way back in 2009! I wish I could tell you the name of the range, it's going to really annoy me until I find it out! If I do I'll edit to add...

So, on to my card, coloured with promarkers again with a little bit of distress ink to add detail.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges...

Saturated Canary - Red, White & Blue
Crafting for all Seasons - Patriotic/Military/fireworks
Simon says Stamp - Patriotic/sporty

Saturated Canary Card

Hiya!

I'm totally feeling the creative bug at the moment and long may it continue! There's so much inspiration out there it's difficult to know where to start so I decided to make something just for ME! I'm currently completely in love with Saturated Canary and luckily for me there are a few truly beautiful freebies that artist Krista has so kindly provided for us to play with. This one is called 'Boobies' and was drawn in support of breast cancer but in this case the pink ribbon has been removed from her T-shirt because it is a birthday card.



Was bowled over by the Ribbon Girls Colour challenge & based my card on their inspiration pic.

I have used polka dot PPs and pinched butterflys so I would also like to enter my card for the Fab n Funky polka dot challenges and The Stampin'for the weekend 'Bugs & butterflies' challenge.

I coloured with promarkers and fine details were added with distress ink.

Thank you for looking at my card :)

Mort had a line-up

Howdy Peeps!!

I know!! Two posts in one week! I daren't even whisper 'welcome back, Mojo' incase I scare it off again!!

I've been looking forward to the next stampotique designers challenge, such inspiring cards from the DT and with such fun images! I was really pleased that my card came together so easily, and suprisingly quickly too. (Well for me anyway, I am a tortuously slow crafter!) It's not often that a card in my head translates so easily to paper!



I stamped up Mort first using a stamp positioner then masked them all off. I sprayed and spattered Inkilicious sprinky Capri Blue over the top of the images and abstract foliage underneath in tumbled glass. I then used a digital number stamp in broken china & the barcode stamp in chipped sapphire. Mort was coloured with distress inks and the sentiment is computer generated with my new favourite font, Kiddy DB!!

I would like to enter two challenges this week

Stampotique Designers Challenge (obvs!!) "Twins" (Use the same stamp multiple times)
Simon says Stamp & Show "Anything Goes"

Thanks all so much for looking,

Speak to you soon!

Nikki xxx

Fathers Day Digi Freebie

Howdy Peeps!

I'm quite excited to show you this card today, I'm quite proud of it you see. Not because of any radical design or detail I grant you but because of what I did with the digi.

And what did you do? I hear you ask, well...

Firstly I played on my photo editing software to turn my monster's smile upside down (I needed a grumpy monster you see, for reasons which will become obvious when you see the card!) and then... I made my own digi stamp!! Oh yes fellow bloggers, that Father's Day sentiment is made from my own fair hand, no small feat for someone as technically challenged as I! My final triumph is that at long last I have worked out the difference between images, layers & selections on my software...Yay!! :D

So, without further ado let me show you my card, I doodled bags under his eyes and hairs on his stomach to make him look even more like my beloved...lol!!



For the freebie Digi in its unaltered state go to Pollycrafts here such a shame they've closed down, but then I've noticed a lot of challenge blogs have done so recently. For lovely clear instructions on how to write text in a circle go here. But if you want to use mine feel free, it's quite small so you may need to resize it to suit...



There are a few fathers day challenges on at the moment so I would like to enter my card for the following

Cards for Men - Fathers Day
One Stop Craft Challenges - Fathers day
Dream Valley Challenges - For that Special Guy

Also...

Incy Wincy Designs - More than one Digi
Craft your Passion - Anything Goes

I hope you like my card, and if you did please comment, it makes me happy! :)

{Hugs}

Nikki xxx

Still doing cute...

Hiya!

Yes, I'm still doing cute, at least for the time being anyway. I think little girls cards should be all pretty & sparkly & cutsie, don't you?

This one is for a friend's daughter whose party we will be attending on saturday, I volunteered to make the cupcakes. I'm a bit worried about how the icing will turn out, I haven't really tried piping before!!

Anyhoo... here is the card, using the very first digi stamp I ever bought... it's a favourite of mine for that very reason, not least because the proceeds of the stamp went to a very special cause which you can read about here



I would like to enter this card for two challenges

Sweet Stampin' would like to see your favourite stamp this week...
and Top Tip Tuesday would like sparkles

Thanks for visiting and {GREAT BIG HUGS} with extra frosting if you comment too!! ;)

Nikki xxx

Bright one for the Boys

Hello!

A card today...

I wanted to have some of the base cardstock showing through the inked layers this time, I quite like the 'white bits' - funny how the same can't be said when applied to sunbathing!! (of which I have been doing rather a lot lately)...

The splats are bingo dabbers, Sam brought home a splattery picture from nursery recently, "How did you do that?" says I... Cue a trip to the poundshop the very next day, lol! Yes, I know you can do it with distress stains, but I haven't got any of them, and bingo dabbers? Well, no prizes for guessing how much they cost!

I'm entering this card for two challenges

Simon Says Stamp & Show - One for the Boys
Stampotique Designers Challenge - Bright Colours

So thanks for visiting & {GREAT BIG HUGS} with a cherry on top if you comment too!!

Laters!

Nikki xxx

Dylusions Tag

Boo!!

Yes I'm back, with another tag no less, still trying to perfect my inky background techniques & playing with my lovely dylusions stash!

Had lots of fun with this, of course I am heavily influenced by the hugely talented Dyan and Kate Crane which I imagine is fairly obvious lol! I will put this onto a card blank later for a special friend's birthday, she is indeed a 'Top Chick'!!

I am entering my tag for the challenge this week at Simon says Stamp & Show which is Anything Goes.

"...you gotta ask yourself, do I feel lucky?"

Well do ya?

I was doing a bit of research before adding the wording to this weeks tag & came across lots of inspirational words about luck. I'd thought of the Dirty Harry quote first but soon discovered it's so not how I remembered it!

I also smiled privately when I read, "I'm not lucky, I deserved it." said by Margaret Thatcher. I can just imagine those words coming out of the Iron Lady's lips!

I settled on Samuel Goldwyn however, short, to the point & so so true!!

I've used my Octopode Factory Lion again, this time sporting the St Patricks day freebie kindly provided here.

I'd like to enter this tag for the following challenges

TOFF - Boys will be Boyz
Crazy 4 Challenges - Green

Everything but the kitchen sink...

Oh my, I really went to town on this one!! You know how it is, there's something new you want to try & boy did I want to get my money's worth!!

Hmmm...having used 3 cliches in less than three lines of prose I think I'd better just reveal what's been floating my boat keeping me busy (is that one?) lately...

My set of dylusions stencils finally arrived so I've been getting inky & painty & quirky & generally having a whale of a time!! (oh God, make it stop...)

A selection of some of the products I used are included in the pic & the adorable lion image is a rubber stamp from the Octopode Factory...

Thanks for looking!!

Belated Valentine Project

*sigh* I had such good intentions for this little creation, stitched in a jiffy at the end of last week. I really did mean to post on Valentine's day, hoping to spread the love and all that...

Somehow half term got in the way though & several playdates & 'fun centres' later here I am, with a little bit of time on my hands, jus' bloggin' ma owl...

The pattern & tutorial are from Moonstitches & can be found here. I just increased the pattern image by 150% before printing to get an owl approx 10cm in size & I handstitched rather than machine sewed. And please do trust me, if I can follow the instuctions then so can you!!!

As usual I introduced the parents to the latest of my crafty endeavours & was somewhat indignant at my Pop's response... "It looks like 'My first sewing project!'" he grinned... Well, he was completely correct in that it is my first sewing project I suppose (apart from the bottle-top pincusion ofcourse, but we have agreed never to speak of that....)

Anyhoo, I have Quirky Kits Lite to thank for the materials to make this owl, both the heart fabric & white felt are from the kits with other bits from stash.

As always, thanks for looking, I hope to be back with another paper pretty soon!

{hugs}
Nikki xxx

Never in a month of Sunrays....

.... Did I think I'd pick up this blog again!

I think it's about time it got a bit of an overhaul, leave it with me... I'll get round to it eventually!

So lots of things have been inspiring me online, not least Julie Kirk's fab blog which is always such pleasure to visit & I felt the least I could do was join in with her Month of Sunrays & when the latest Quirky Kit Lite dropped through my letter box, it was clearly destiny!! (It's almost as if they know each other..!!) hee hee! ; )

So here it is... my lemon libation...my canary contribution...OK, OK I'll put down the thesaurus!!

There are loads of Scrappers out there using MME paper hearts at the moment and I fell in love with the LOs on Sarah Mullanix's blog so much that I well... shamelessly lifted the sketch & style... much to my annoyance I'm still failing miserably to find one of my own!!

So if you're still with me, thanks for reading, I'm sure I'll pop back at some point in 20 years when some of my children may have left home!