Odds & Soxlets

I was very lucky to be asked to be a guest designer for the fabby Odds & Soxlets blog - wow.... I love love love the little characters that Erica makes - I now have a few of these wonderful little characters keeping me company as I craft away.
Erica also has some fab digis - there are some free ones on there too!!!

Come on over and have a look - join in the fun on the blog and join in with some of the challenges.
This is the card that I made

I thought that this card would be perfect for my niece, especially as I had Erica make her a little sock money all of her own, I just know that Bethany will love it (both the card and the monkey!).
Let me know if you join in with us, I'd love to visit your blog to see what you make.

Happy craftin'
Nikki x

Fun with fimo

I love playing around with different mediums.... and for todays projects I used fimo and sculpey.....

I love the effect that you get and it's a great way to make very affordable embellishments too.
They are also very light so don't add to much weight to your card.

I added glitter to the edge of the snowflakes to give that little bit of sparkle to it all..... I just got to have some sparkle! lol

Nikki x

Urban butterflies

Here is the card that I want to share with you today, I made it using some of the fab new stamps that Do Crafts have out at the mo.

I love the gentle look that these stamps can give. They are very elegant.
I will be demoing these this weekend in Glasgow at Millers - make sure you pop on over and say hello if you are in the area.

Happy craftin'
Nikki x

Cracking Christmas...

I thought that this card was  a great little card to give to anyone this year... nice quick and simple to make and one that the kids or grand-kids could have great fun with too!

So whatever you are doing today - I hope you have a cracking time! lol - ok ok.... I'll stop the silly cracker jokes now!

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

My little froggie...

This is my latest quilling project that I made last weekend.
I love quilling and I have done it for years, normally just on cards or as an embellishment, but now I am getting into 3d projects too.

I had a lot of fun making this little chap for a friend of mine and I am now already thinking of other projects, so watch this space.
Let me know if you would like a little tutorial done on this and I can put something together for you.

He reminds me a bit of the little Smash advert alien....... ooh - I could make one of them if I have some silver quilling papers.......... lol

Have a very crafting day, whatever you are doing.

Nikki x

Using buttons challenge

I know I have been missing in action for a few days now (well weeks..... but who's counting....) sorry - things have been a bit hectic to say the least here and there is no sign of it getting any better for a while yet.....

I was very aware that I hadn't put anything up on here though, so I wanted to sort that out!! lol Thank you for bearing with me!

Here is my project that should have gone onto Sarah's challenge blog last week - another huge sorry for that one Sarah......

The challenge over on the blog was to use buttons, this is what I came up with.......

I love this image - it's so easy to adapt to the colour scheme that you want to use this year.
I have gone for a more traditional colour range with this one.

We would love to see what you make - come on over and join in with us!

Happy craftin'

Nikki x
(I will be back to normal with posting etc soon I hope - the tutorial list is still there and I am working on new tutorials as we speak - so please make sure you pop by again soon).

The little Robin...

I love Robins - they just make it seem really like Christmas.
Whenever I see a Robin, I think of my Grandad or of David.
This little chap just makes me smile, he's a Kanban topper that I bought a year or so ago.

I just had to add a little bling with the adhesive stones.
I've made quite a few 'blue' Christmas cards this year - that must be the colour I'm doing for my colour scheme this year - well that and purple. It just wouldn't be right if there wasn't any purple from me!

Keep an eye out next week for some tutorials coming your way. I've got an every growing list of them!!
If there is anything you would like to see a tutorial or project on then please just shout and I'll see what I can do.

Happy cratfin'

Nikki x

Always remembered

Today is a day were I always stop and think of all the people across the world who have lost their life in battle. I think of both sides - every life that has been lost is sad, no matter which side of the war they stand on.
They have all been someones son or daughter, someones husband or wife.... someones friend.
Today I stand in silence 11.11am on the 11th of the 11th 2011 - magical moment that only we can say we were a part of.... 11 11 11 11 11......

I pray that there would be peace, but the reality is that humans are so very cruel to our own kind.
Hopefully one day.........

I have stood at the war graves in France, the most moving tour David and I ever did. I was reduced to tears at the graveside of people I never knew. It was a life changing experience.
If you ever get the chance to go, please do.
We should never forget. But we must learn from it.

I think of you all and wish you peace in your own war and battle that you will face at some point in your life.

Nikki x

From blue to brown

 More stash that I've had on my shelf for a very long time - this year I'm having great fun finding (and using) all the wonderful stash that I bought ages ago and just never got around to playing with.

These cards form part of an order that I am putting together for my Nanna. I'll be off to visit her in the next week or so, hopefully the weather stays at least dry for us.

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

Quackers

All this Christmas card making is driving me exactly that.... quackers...... lol
I've had these papers and toppers for ages and just never got around to playing with them,
Here is the card that I want to share with you today......

I love paper flowers and these little beauties are new to my ever growing collection. Kris bought these for me (along with 140 odd others!). Another great deal from Ebay!!! 

It feels really odd making Christmas cards today, the sun is out and it is a wonderful day.
I hope you are having fun, whatever you are doing.....

Happy craftin'

Nikki x

Quilling fun...

Part of my kit from Do Crafts this loop was a basic quilling set.
Now I love quilling! There is so much that you can do with quilling.
What I will be showing at my demos though is the basics to get people started.

Here are some of the things I have made so far.....

Have a go - there is so much that you can do.
The snowflakes look really pretty as embellishment on your cards or scrapbook page.

Happy craftin'
Nikki x

Elle's challenge

This will be the last Elle challenge for this year - Helen will be taking a well earned break over the festive period to move into her new home and then hopefully have a rest!!!

So the final challenge over on the blog is a weather themed challenge.
Plenty for you to be getting inspired by at the moment then!!! The one thing we are never short of up here in Scotland is varied weather!!! lol

Here is my project that I created for the challenge,

I adore this little bear and all the adventures that he gets up to - hopefully there will be many more still to come!
In this one, Roger is out to play at kicking the fallen leaves.
I think he looks very smart in his wellies!

One of my favourite pastimes was kicking leaves.....

Hopefully you will be able to pop on over and join us in the challenge. It would be lovely to see you and I know that the DT would love to see your weather themed projects.

Happy crafting

Nikki x

Sarah's DT Challenge

Well another fantastic challenge over on Sarah's blog this week.
This week we have all been challenged to use more than one image - very cool!!!

I used this as the chance to have a good look at Sarah's brand new Tinseltown cd..... wow oh wow is it jam packed with images, embellishments and even complete projects for you to print off and create with.
Everyone from the beginner to the very accomplished crafter will find things to do on this - and what a great Christmas prezzie to give to someone!!!

Here is the card that I made for the challenge,

The shape for the card was on the project sheet too!
I just covered it with some WOW clear sparkle embossing powder (and WOW does it sparkle!!! lol)

I think these wee characters are great fun and I've got lots left over to make some more cards.....
Come on over and play along with our challenge - we would love to see what you can create.

Happy craftin'

Nikki x