Getting creative and inky fingers

Peole often ask me about where I craft..... I am lucky enough to have a room these days that I call the study, but Kris always says to me 'Mum, be honest.... when was the last time you studied.......? It's a craft room'.... lol
Ok, it is.... but it was always called the study when David used it so the name just kind of stuck.
I love my little room - watch this space for a you tube video showing you the room.....
I look out onto the Pentland Hills -what a stunning view! In all types of weather I could just watch out the window for hours...... soooo easy to get distracted!
I love creating and you will often find me up in my room night and day.
Here are my desks at 6am this morning (again I am lucky, I have 2 desks) - they are there .... honest

This is desk one..... it has the stock I am working with for the up-coming demos this weekend..... sample making like there is no tomorrow on the cards today!

 This is desk two... it's the one I work on and has the view of the hills..... it's always busy but at the moment it's a bit manic.... you can see some of the things I am working on at the mo...

 Anyone who knows me, knows that I just love to stamp and colour in.... I also have a new love for digi stamps! Perfect for those of you who don't feel confident stamping or don't have the storage for stamps.
I love the way you can resize the stamps time and time again......
Anyway, here are some of the stamps I am working with at the moment...... they are all available from your local Do Craft stockist...... the loop changes and goes live this Saturday!!!! (But if you are lucky, your local shop may already have their stock out!)

I'll be back soon to show you some of my samples.....
Back to work for me now though...
Happy craftin
Nikki

Write a blog post showing me what your desk looks like - leave a comment here and I will pop on over for a peek!

Boofle Donkey comes to play

This is one of my sample cards for the new Do Crafts loop that is just about to start.
Meet Boofle Donkey.....

I coloured him in using the new Artiste vintage pens (from Do Crafts).
Isn't he just adorable!
Lots more to show very soon.......
I have 2 demos this weekend........
On Saturday you will find me in Craftworld, Hillington and on Sunday I am back at Millers in Glasgow.
Both shops will have the new goodies from Do Crafts.... so many lovely Christmas ranges just waiting for you to get creative with.
If you are in the area of any of these demos, make sure you stop by to say hello.
Happy crafting
Nikki x

I know for a lot of you, this is the bank holiday weekend and that means trips away and sunshine.... well..... up here in bonnie Scotland, we don't get the bank holiday..... of the sunny weather today - it's freezing and very very wet.... just to be different! lol
A lady at the school I work at saw a card I made for another lady and she wanted one very similar.... This is the card I made (I can show you it now as it's be given)....

 I do like making cards that are a different shape. It's a great way to use up some of that every growing pile of scrap paper that all crafters seem to collect!
Today's plan is
1. answer some of the massive pile of email - check!
2. tidy the kitchen and steam clean the cooker - check! (I love my new steam cleaner!!!!)
3. make a start on my birthday invites for Feb next year - check!
4. take the dogs for a long walk - waiting for the rain to go off....
5. start the samples for this weeks demos - check!

Oh how I do love a list! I just love when you start to see things getting ticked off!
What would you have on your list today?

Have a craft filled day!
Nikki x

A little birthday card

Wow - time has just flown by this summer and I suddenly realised that I need to get making some more birthday cards - my box is nearly empty!
I have been so busy making demo samples or commission cards, that I completely forgot to make some for me! lol
Here is a little card that I made for my box...

 And a few close ups for you....

My new demo kit should be with me today, exciting times!!!!
I love getting the new kit - spreading it all out and getting inspired!
(Who am I kidding - I love to play!!!)...
Hope you all have a craft filled day..
Nikki x

Tick tock

This has got to have been my favourite stamp for the last demo loop over at Do Craft towers...... I love love love it!
I adore the clocks background and I've used it for a lot of projects - both male and female..... all you need to do is change the colour and hey presto! A girly card or a boys card....
The embossing folder is the ruler one from the 'Happy Days' collection.
This was a quick thank you card that I made..

It's back to my normal working hours this week. I can't believe that that's the summer holidays over and now it's all back to normal!
WOW - talk about time flies!
Hopefully the wonderful people at BT have now fixed my phone lines, so everything should be back to normal very soon! It's amazing how just a few days without the techno bits was soooo strange....
Nice in some ways but really horrible in others....
Whatever you are up to today - have fun!
Happy crafting
Nikki x

Good luck Ryan

This is another commission card that I have been working on over the weekend (more to follow)....
It's for a little boy, Ryan, who is off to start a new school very soon.
This is the card I created for him....

The owl image is a copyright free image from the internet. I just printed him off and got colouring.....
I gave him googly eyes, well, just because you have too!
I love the way the card turned out.

The sentiment was created on my laptop - inked and then glittered.
It's a great way to add that personal touch - I always love a card that has my name on it!

This week I'm going to take part in some challenges - I'm blog hopping to find some, then I'll create and leave you a link to the blogs so that you can come along and play too!

Happy crafting.
Nikki x

Bethany's card

My niece had a birthday earlier this month.... and this was the card I made for her....

I love being able to add names onto cards - I wish there were lots more really good rubons available.... Do you know of any?
I using a lot of the papermania cardstock stickers too - they are great for making a card just that little bit more special and unique.

Back again later with some more makes to show you.....
Happy crafting.
Nikki x

My first trip into You Tube ...

For a long time now I have watched lots of videos on You Tube but never completed one...
Here is my first attempt...... I am still editing it, at some point there will be music and better lighting.... it's a work in progress...



Emma, from the Creativity Club, challenged us all to create a video about why we liked the Creativity Club... this is my take on it...

I plan to ask Santa for a camcorder so I can improve my videos and even do some video tutorials.....
Watch this space!

Happy crafting
Nikki x

Feeling blue - day 2.... lol

Same butterfly die but last time I used mirri board - this time I was commissioned to make a 'blue' birthday card for a friend of my Nanna.
Here is what I came up with...

The leaf swirl underneath the butterfly is another die that I just had to have! lol
It fell into my basket, eeehhhmmm, when I was at my last demo in Inkspot.... (along with a couple of others)... oopsie...
I do love it though.
I love the fact that so many of the dies emboss as well as cut - it gives a lovely finish.
Over the next few days I will be working on some crafty projects for some challenges.... the ladies in the Crafting Cafe over on Facebook have given me quite a few to be doing!!!
I do love working with a theme or challenge - really gets you thinking...
Watch this space to see what I create - I will link to the challenge with every project I create.
Happy crafting
Nikki x

Feeling blue...

but not in a bad way!
This was a photo that I took just the other day.........

This was the sky over my house - isn't it just amazing! What a stunning shade of blue..... so inspiring.....
I had been asked by a friend to make a silver wedding anniversary card for her to give to a special friend and using the sky as my inspiration - this is what I came up with...

This butterfly die is one of my favourite, I just love the detail on it.
I also love the embossing folder that is in the background....... I made another blue card for another commission too, but I'll show you that another day (the photos are still on my phone! lol)
I'm off to brave the Edinburgh Festival with Kris today - I think I must be mad!!!
Be back later on to see what you have all been up too....
Have a craft filled day x
Nikki xxx

The girls turned 18...

These cards were commissions that I was asked to do for last weekend (so I'm guessing that it's safe to show them to you now)....
Both these girls are friends who were sharing their birthday party.
I hope they liked the cards...

 

 

Ahhhh to be 18 again.............. erm no thanks...... my next birthday is my 40th and I can't wait!!!!
I'm just loving the thought of being in my 40s......
Back soon to show you more of the crafty things that I have been up to and a tutorial or 2.
Happy crafting
Nikki x

In honour of the Olympics and all our wonderful athletes

Here are a selection of cards I made using the Do Crafts 'Best of British' range.
I love these little bears and the papers in this collection are just great for soooo many projects.

I have really enjoyed watching the Olympics and I am really looking forward to the start of the Paralympics. Only a couple of weeks to go!
I know one of the torch bearers and am really excited about that as well! I will show some photos when I can.
On another note - I had some really good news about a family event today.... I'll need to get making a card for it.... and as soon as I get the ok to share with you all, I will....

Back to the creative board I go.... happy crafting!
Nikki x

From this weeks demos...

Wow - work has been a tad manic over the summer - but I have to say I've been loving it.
It has meant there just aren't enough hours in the day to fit everything in though!
Everything starts to go back to normal next week so will be able to blog a lot more then.....

Here are some cards from the demo last weekend.....

I think one of my favourites has been the white embossed one with the butterflies on it.... the only problem is working with white on white is really hard to get a good photo of!
Never mind.... lol... you get the idea.....

Have a great crafty day - whatever you get up to xxx
Nikki x

Getting inky fingers...

I do love stamping - I love most forms of crafting, but I have to be honest.... I always seem to come back to inky fingers and stamping!
I think it's because I just love to colour in!
Both of these cards were made using some of the latest stamps from Do Crafts and they have been coloured by my favourite Papermanis watercolour pencils.
I am really loving them!!!! You can get so many different effects with them.... and it's a lot easier than most people think! They are very forgiving...

It'd been a very busy week for me this week.... Tomorrow I am finishing some of the projects that I will be demoing at the Do Crafts demo in Inkspot, Hamilton on Saturday.
Lots to show you there.... if you can't make it to the demo, I will show you some of them here next week.
Off to bed soon I think.... back again tomorrow.
Nighty night crafters....
Nikki x

Yay - a blog post.... finally!

I know.... I know.... MIA again!
Sorry - things have just been a bit mad this summer - lots of working, demo prep and then demos.... adn do you know what...... I have loved every minute of it!
What have you all been up to?
Here is one of my crafty makes from my demos this month. (sorry about the pic but the lighting is terrible tonight)...

 A few close ups for you

The goodies I used are from the latest ranges from the Creativity Essentials from Do Crafts...... I love the pocket watch stamp.
It's great for cards for the men in your life but I wanted to colour it in blue and purple to show that you can make it look very feminine too.
I'm going to be making something similar at my demo this weekend - but this weekend I will be adding some yummy beads from the wonderful Cousins collection..... I'll share next week after the demo...
Off to bed for me soon - got another very busy day tomorrow....
Back again soon.
Happy craftin'
Nikki x