Keep It Simple

This is the first challenge over on the new challenge blog for the Crafty Bloggers Network.....
And this is my card for the challenge......

The embossing folder is one of the new ones from Do Crafts - I love it!!!
The flower and violet embossing powders are all from WOW, I love them too!

The card front shimmers violet as the light hits it.

It would be great if you could come on over and join us.... you'll find us over here.....

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

Pizza Box

I've had a few emails over the past few weeks asking for me to create a pizza box tutorial - so here you are!
Remember that you can resize the pizza box to any size you wish - just use the template I have created as a guide.

 I created this using an A4 piece of cardstock. On the long end I scored at 2.5cm - 12.5cm - 15cm - 25cm & 27.5cm.

Then turn the card around so the narrow end is at the top and score at 2.5cm - 12.5cm & 15cm.

I've used a purple pen above so that you can see my markings.

 Cut out your scored shape. Again, use the photo above as a guide.

Now cut down all of the lines (only as far as the first line) on both of the long edges. I have snipped off a little extra on these sections to create little tabs.

 Fold over on all of your scored edges and stick down the tabs that you created on the previous step.

 This is what your box will look like when it is closed.

 Now you want to create your topper for your box.

 When it's finished and you are happy with it, glue it into position on your box.

You can see here, that just as a finishing touch, I created a little finger hole - this makes it much easier to open and close the box.

Well I hope this makes sense to you all - good luck with the boxes (these are great little boxes for jewellery etc).
Let me know how you get on.

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

An Autumn walk

I love this time of year - it reminds me of being a little girl and walking along with my Grandad (one of the most special people in the world) kicking the leaves and laughing.
Then of a time where David and I walked hand in hand kicking the leaves and watching the dog run wild through the leaves.
When was Kris was little - collecting the fallen leaves to create a picture, picking up conkers and kicking the leaves................ can you see a pattern here! lol

The colours of everything at this time of year are so pretty and I still love to kick the leaves.
This is what Daisy and Dylan (the mad pupsters) and I found on our walk yesterday - isn't it just beautiful!

 These are the trees at the back of my house, the field is full of fallen leaves now.

 The copper colour of the leaves as the sun hits them is amazing!

 Walking through the woods there is so much to be inspired by.

Moments after I took this picture, the sky filled with ducks and geese flying in the V shape.... winter is on it' way...
I love the way that these photos have turned out - I took them with my mobile.
Hopefully the sun is shinning wherever you are today and you can get to go out and kick some leaves about too (you know you want to!)...

Enjoy your weekend.
Nikki x

Odds & Soxlets Challenge

Over on the Odds & Soxlets blog they have a Halloween challenge with free digi stamps and papers for you to use. You will find them over here..

I love Erica's little characters - and even better..... she makes them into 3d sock puppets. I've bought a few of them as prezzies for this Christmas, but to be honest I don't know how I am going to give them away!!! They are sooo cute......

This is the project I made,

 I decided that I would do a little treat bag.......

I embossed the pumpkin and bats to make them shine, and the bats are on little strips of acetate so that they bounce up and down.

Happy Halloween to you all - enjoy your weekend!

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

I'm a Springy Mummy.....

I have 2 mad springer spaniels.... Daisy and Dylan..... they are both little rescue pupsters (rescue doggies have so much love to give).
They give wonderful cuddles and oh the secrets they could tell.
I thought that as it's Sunday, I would use today to show you some pics of them.....

Daisy is the one at the top of the picture, Dylan is the soppy lump at the bottom of the picture.

One of Dylan's favourite things is to have a ball. He will bring it to you - he won't give it to you but he does love teasing you with it. He loves to play with the ball outside - he would have you throwing it for him all day!

And this is Daisy. She is the little princess of the family.
She sits and watches the world go by at the living room window, although if I am crafting then she is upstairs with me - one of her favourite places is on a doggie cushion under my desk. Bless!
She adores Kris and will following him all around the house.
I'd love to see pics of you furbabies.... make sure you leave me a comment so that I can come on over to your blog to have a look at any pics you might have.

Have a fabby Sunday x

Nikki x

Enchanted Christmas

This is a wonderful range - it's one of the newest ranges from Do Crafts that is out now!!
I love this Santa, he reminds me of Dumbledore......
The decoupage and papers are both from this range.

I added the roses and then glittered them, just to add some details.

There are stamps to go with the range too.

Happy crafting
Nikki x

Misting challenge

Over on Sarah's challenge blog the challenge for the DT this time was misting.....
As we are close to Halloween I thought I would do a fun little Boo card....
This is what I created....

I created the background using different misting sprays, then when that was dry I added the cobwebs.
Just for fun I added googly eyes and then finished using the Boo element from Sarah's halloween collection....

Boo!
Nikki x

It's National Heros day....

So who would be your hero?
I know there are many people in my life who I am so lucky to know and who inspire me every day, but there is one person who really is my hero.....
He has inspired me since the day he was born - he turned my life around and was my reason for living.

Whenever the going got (or gets) tough he was the reason I got up to face another day.
My wonderful son!

Kris and I are very very close. He has my mad sense of humor and is as wacky as me too.
I love how independent he is but yet he still tells me every day that he loves me. He's never afraid to give me a cuddle (and I always need a lot of cuddles!).
He has given me strength when I thought there was no more to be had.
We have so much fun together - he is one of my best friends.

 

So here's to you son.... I am so very proud of you.
You really are a hero to me xxx
Love you lots (like jelly tots!) lol

For two special little girls

A friend of mine asked me to create name plates for her two very special grandchildren.
These are what I came up with

I really like them.
I just have to hope that my friend likes them (she will get them this weekend)..... and much more importantly - I hope her grandchildren like them!

Nikki x

** Edited bit**

To create these, I bought 2 picture frames from the local B&M store (they cost £1.30 ish) bargin!!!
Then I created the letters (freehand drawing) on a selection of papers from my stash.
These were then layered onto textured cardstock and 3d glossed over the top. Glitter was added around the edge.
While I was waiting for them to dry I created the back panels by cutting up scraps of paper and gluing them to the back plate. Pen detail was added to finish this layer off.
I fixed the letters into place and dotted some adhesive gems around them.
Once the frames were all put back together I added some little butterflies to the outside of the glass.
All finished!
Thanks for looking x

Spooktacular!!

I had a wonderful demo in Howdens, Inverness this weekend. I still have a sore side from laughing so much.
One of the projects I made was this spooky card.......

What you need......
green, black, orange and white cardstock (I used Papermania textured cardstock)
white alphabet stickers (I used Me To You alphabet stickers)
a fine black pen (I used a Papermania black pen)
parenthesis nesting dies
small circle punches
3d foam pads
tacky glue

How I made it........
1. cut a medium sized parenthesis from green and black cardstock.
2. cut the black with a grass edge (use the above picture for inspiration). Add to the green parenthesis using foam pads.
3. punch out 2 white circles and one green circle.
4. cut the green circle in half and fix into position on top of the white circles. Add to your monster.
5. add detail to your monster using the pen.
6. position your monster to the top half of your card.
7.add your wording to the bottom section of the card.
8. finish your card by adding a pen doodle border to edge of the card.....


Let me know if you make any as I would just love to see them!
Happy craftin'

Nikki x

Hollywood Blog Hop

Hopefully all goes to plan and this pop will have popped up at the correct time! (I'm away at a demo in Inverness today).
Gill is hosting another fabby blog hop.
If you want to start from the beginning go on over to Gill's page - here....
If you are already in the hop you will have come over from Linda's page - here....

Our theme for the blog hop is 'Hollywood'
So this is the card I put together for it.....

I had a lot of fun making the card - it's not a topic I would have gone for normally, but it's good to stretch yourself as a crafter every now and then to see what you can come up with.
I hope you like it.

Now to continue on with the hop..... your next stop is on Rachel's page - you will find that here.....

Thanks again for joining us.
Let us know if you make a Hollywood themed card so that we can pop over and have a look.

I'm a butterfly

and a very sparkly one at that!!!
Last night I was doing a demo at Dobbies for their charity evening......... they had face painting sooooo......
I just had to get mine done! lol

I have to say that I was the only 'adult' to get done, but anything like that and I'm first in the queue..... lol
I don't think Kris knew where to look - but you'd think after 21 years he would be used to me embarrassing him.....
It was a shame that I had to wash it off, although there is still glitter everywhere!!

Off to Inverness today for the demo there tomorrow.
See you there if you are around.

Happy craftin'
Nikki x

A Christmas tag

I had great fun creating this little tag for the latest edition of the Do Crafts Creativity magazine.

 I created a triple embossed embellishment for the top of the tag.

 Then to make the flowers co-ordinate with the rest of the card, I dipped them in clear ink and then embossed them in gold too.

I am really getting into creating different shaped cards.
They are all like mini pieces of art - and if you don't want to use them as a tag then you can use them as a topper for your card or scrapbook page.

Have a go - I know you'll love it!
Happy crafting
Nikki x

Spooky....

It's time for another challenge over on Sarah's challenge blog.
I made this card using some of Sarah's papers and a digi stamp. I loved this little chap.

Come on over and visit the blog and play along with us (you will find the link over on the side bar).
Happy crafting
Nikki x

World Cardmaking Day..... blog hop...

Come on over and join in the blog hopping fun!!
If you started the blog at the beginning then you will have started at Gill's blog and hopped over a few blogs until you got to Pam's blog right before mine......

Here is my card to help celebrate this wonderful event!

 

this card is also for the new challenge over on the Elle blog....

Thank you for popping over and visiting my blog - to go on with the hop you need to pop on over to Becky's blog.

This blog hop is going on over the next week so make sure you pop by and have a look... A lot of crafting will be getting done this week.

Remember to let me know you have made a card and I will pop over to your blog for a look.
Happy crafting xxx