Crafting Buddies - Diamond & Pearl

Its Monday and I just remembered about Crafting Buddies

If you dont know what I am on about or why there are pictures of rats on me and my desk

Pop Here To Find Out

 I was sat in the conservatory today doing my friends wedding invitations

when my daughter brought her rats down

There are mother and daughter

Mother is very chilled its her sat on my shoulder in the first photo as I do some trimming

she is called Diamond 

Its also her next to the trimmer 

This is her daughter Pearl who like to run all over the place

she is not very good at sitting still

(like lots of youngsters!)

Although lots of people do not like pet rats

along with Guinea Pigs they are best pets that for children

as they are very easy to handle

We have quite a few different aniamal here so many I will have to show a different one each week

Have fun

Nicky

(Diamond & Pearl)

Feeling Green!

This card used a Bugaboo digi image - coloured with promarkers

The background paper has been embossing with a sizzix folder

The paper used is Core-Indications from docrafts

I have lightly sanded it to bring out the lighter shade from underneath

The paper behind the dragon is from SU

The image and mat have been cut with my nestabilitles

The ribbon came from a present and the button are from my stash

Part of the challenge was to use green which is not a colour I often use

This is for the following challenge

Catch the Bug - The sketch I followed they also wanted GREEN

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Being Cool!

This card uses an digi image from KennyK

She is coloured with my promarkers

The ovals have been cut using my nestabilites

I used sizzix embossing folder - swirls to create some texture

The ribbon and all the card is all from my stash

This card is for the following challenges

Secret Crafter - Sweet Treats

Speedy the Cat - Have food on your cards

KennyK - the sketch I have followed

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Birthday Boy

This card uses the digi image of Fluffy from Pollycraft

He is coloured with my promarkers and then I went over him with my blending pen

The patterned card is from a QVC kit that I brought ages

Its by Kanban as is the strip across the middle

The sentiment came from a docraft goodie bag

Rest of the paper is all from my stash

This is for the following challenges

Friday Sketchers - the sketch I have followed

Simon Says - Coffee and Cream

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Dreaming

This card uses a digi image from Mo's Digital Pencil

I have coloured her using my pastel pro markers

The dotty paper is from an old QVC kit

I cut the image using my nestabilities and the mat

The flowers were plain purple, pink & white card

I used a docrafts clear stamp thats suppose to make a cake but I like the swirls

I stamped it with my pink,purple and blue brilliance pearlize ink pads

Then used my one and only marianne flower die

I mixed the colours and stuck together using my glue gun

I finished of with the bow and the gems for a bit of bling

This is for the following challenges

Mo's Digital Pencil - Spring Colour & make your own embellishments

Cute Card Thursday - The sketch I have followed

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Crafting Buddies - Stig

Joanne has set up a blog to share the aniamals in our lives

'Crafting Buddies'

Pop over to visit some lovely animals

after noticing so many share our spaces with animals

This is my dog and its him who my blog is named after

He is called Stig

(his full name is Stig That was Dumped)

The is because he was found tied up unwanted and unloved

when he was about 6mths old

He is now 8 years old and is a brilliant crafting buddy as you see

This is him sharing the conservatory with me

The kids refer to this pose as 'dead dog'

I would like to assure you all he is very much alive even if a lazy lurcher

Which is where I craft when using my craft robo

Thanks for Looking

 x Nicky x

Birthday Alien!

This card uses a wonderful digi image from Pollycraft

I have coloured him with my pro markers and then used my blending pen to add some effect

The flower paper is a freebie from a magazine

The flowers and buttons came from a DoCrafts goodie bag

Sentiment was done on my brother labeller then fixed to a piece of the green card

This card is for the following challenges

Pollycraft Critters & Cogs - Colour your Critter in a favourite colour

Sketch Saturday - The sketch I have followed

Colour Create - to choose 3 fruits from the picture - apple,orange & banana

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x



WOYWW 90

ITS WEDNESDAY!!
That can mean only one thing a big hop around the world nosey at peoples desks

thanks to the addictive blog of Julia

If you do not know what I am on about pop over to

 Stamping Ground and join in the fun

Well as you can see not a lot happening on my workdesk this week

Theres a box that my daughter had some smellies in for Christmas

and its just the right size to store A5 card in - so I think I will look to change it first

These picture have been taken Tuesday but nothing as change as I am work all day Wednesday

In answer to some questions:

Yes I am pleased with my cordless glue gun although I do seem to be getting through batteries

My challenge book looks neat because I use off cuts of paper in my printer to print the sketches

then I trim them and stick them in (did warn you I was an OCD crafter)

And yes I am tidy everywhere not just my desk lol

Now this is why my desk has nothing on it as I am busy cutting out mats for my friends

wedding cards so I am in the conservatory with my laptop and craft robo

So you can see some folded card in the background

Some ribbon to make the bows

Next to the ribbon is a little pot with hearts I have already cut out on the craft robo

My cup of hot chocolate (I don't drink tea or coffee)

You can also see my can of spray mount as my craft robo mat is really past its best

I have printed some of the pictures and cut them using my nestabilities

Then because I like the mats to be a close fit (see OCD again)

I have used a template on the craft robo to cut the same shape just slightly bigger

Hence why my book of nestabilities is also on my table

Finally there is my challenge book as I was adding new challenges to it.

Below is a picture of an example of the finished invitation - the proper ones will have a smaller ribbon 

If you have taken the time to read all the way down to here thank you

and have a great week

We hopefully manage to get round everyone again but it does take me a few evening

x Nicky x

Old Enough to Know ....

This card uses another wonderful digi image from Kenny K

She is coloured with pro markers

The ribbon is cut from a jumper

The papers are all from my stash and I have had them ages

Pearls used in the corners

Flower were from ebay and I have glued them together

The top two have buttons as centres and the on the sentiment has a gem in the centre

Finished with a little lace at the bottom

Sentiment was done in word then cut out using a die

The sentiment say

"Its your birthday so your old enough to know...."

inside is says

"..that your parents had sex and thats why its your birthday!"

This is a card for my daughter friend from college

This is for the following challenges

Friday Sketchers - sketch I have followed

Pink Elephant Challenge - Buttons, Lace & Ribbons

Pollycraft - Pearls & Diamonds

My Time to Craft - Hats

Digital Tuesday - Use Punches

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

ABC Christmas - D

I am trying hard to keep up with some Christmas Challenges
so that I do not have a mad rush making Christmas Cards in November - so far so good!
This card uses an image that cames from Pollycraft

I have had him for a little while but never used him

I have coloured him using my pro marker

The striped paper is new and was from some blog candy I won and is by SU

The ribbon is from my stash and the swirly paper clip has been in my embellishment box for ages

This is for the following challenges

Sketch & Stash - sketch I have followed

ABC Christmas - D Double Trouble - 1 image, 2 papers & 2 embellishements

Passion for Promarkers - One for the Men

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Card for A Special Friend Fighting Cancer

This card is for a special friend Tyna who is under going treatment for breast cancer.

She has had one lot of treatment but has had lots of trouble with the line they use to give the treatment

In fact the hospital that fitted it gave her an infection and then she got a blood clot

So needless to say she is having a rough time of it lately

She has a good sense of humour and if I did not do something sarcastic she would be really worried

So for my card I have used the wonderful digi image of Stella and sentiment from Bugaboo

Stella is coloured using my pro markers

Then cut out with my nestabilities as is the sentiment

The Spring card was cut on my craft robo and then folded

I stuck a verse on the back of the card

The papers are all from my stash

This card is for the following challenges

Secret Crafter - Fancy Folds - did a spring fold card

Speedy the Cat - Black, White & 1 other colour - black/white/pink

Catch the Bug - Get Well Cards - For my friend with cancer

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x



Laptop Teen!

This card uses an image I have just brought from Mo's Digital Pencil

It reminds me of my DS

I have coloured him using my pro markers

Mounted him on the same card stock as I have used for the base card

The striped paper was from some blog candy I was sent

The red paper is from the papermania just for men pad

Buttons I have had in my stash for ages

This card is for the following challenges

Cards for Men - 1 Image, 2 Papers & 3 Embellishments

Mo's Digital Pencil - The sketch I have followed

Crafty Catz - One for the Men!

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Best Anti-Ageing Product!

This card uses a wonderful digi image from Kenny K

I have coloured her using the following pro markers

Pastel Yellow, Ivory, Tan, Caramel, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Putty and Satin

She is then cut out using my curved rectangle nestabilities

I have edged the card using my Brilliance Pearlized Chocolate ink pad

The mat she is mounted on was again cut using the same nestabilities

But I then put the mat through my big shot in a sizzix circle embossing folder

The circles at the edge were cut using again my nestabilities

The bow I made using my new little wooden bow/tassal maker

The little rose charm came from the works

The card everything is mounted onto is a shimmer card

Finishe with a ribbon rossett thing I made myself and topped with a button

Sentiment was printed in word and mounted

This card is for my Mother-in-law whose birthday is next Sunday

This is for the following challenges:

Pollycraft - Special Birthdays - My Mother In Law

Passion for Promarkers - Coffee & Cream - Colours Used

My Time to Craft - Circles - nestabilities and embossing circles

Digital Tuesday - Use Die Cuts - Nestablities
Simon Says - Make Your Own Embellishments - The Ribbon Rossett

Cute Card Thursday - Shiny Happy Cards - Shimmer Card and Metal Charm

Kenny K - R's - Ribbon, Rose and Rosette

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x



WOYWW 89

 If you want to get rid of the feeling of 'hump' Wednesday

pop over to Julia's Blog the Queen of Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday

On my desk this week is the start of a couple cards

As you can see I have not got very far

I have chosen my images and some card

Thought I would try picking the card and then colouring to match

I have even picked out some ribbon

 This shot shows the desk with my embellishment case on top

And yes my Naughty Nicky

Now lots of people have asked why I am know as Naughty Nicky

The reason is really because I have really grown up

and just like a kid I can be a little naughty and like to play tricks on people

(as well as my mind is often in the gutter!)

Well now you know - but dont tell anyone - some people think I am mature

lol

Not A Card!

This is for the challenge on Simon Says - Anything but a card

I needed a calender for my desk at work

So thought I would make one

The months were done in word using tables

Then simply cut out and mounted onto the spotty card

The image is from Bugaboo as is the sentiment

I printed them out then coloured them with my promarkers

Mounted them onto some plain pink card

They all think I am a little mad at work so I think they will like the senitment

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Ageing!

This cards uses one of the wonderful Gus images from Bugaboo

He is coloured with my promarkers

I then cut him out and mounted him on an oval cut with my nestabiliites

I used my smallest circle nestabilities to cut the scollops

For a bit of texture I have used my sizzix embossing folder

The sentiment I got of a daily calender I brought for 50p from the works

This is for the following challenges

Simply Create - Bold & Bright

Speedy the Cat - The sketch I have followed

Catch the Bug - Different Fold Card

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Smelling the Flowers

This is another House Mouse stamp

I have stamped him using Staz on ink and the coloured him with my pro markers

I then cut him out and mounted him onto the cream coloured oval and matted it with a red oval

These were cut using my oval nestabilities

The strips are just some of the card cut and mounted on to the base card

I added some little square gems that have been in my stash for ages

I finished with a sentiment and a little bow I made using the fork again!

This is for the following challenges

Colour Create - Chocolate, Strawberries and Cream

Sketch Saturday - The sketch that I have followed
Secret Crafter - Stamped Flowers

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

House Mouse Christmas

This is this months entry for Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge

The challenge was to use Pink/Red and dimension

I have used some of my Christmas House Mouse stamps

Coloured them using my pro markers

They have all been mounted using 3d foam

Then I used some embellishments on each card

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

My Valentine Baby

This card uses an image from Kenny K

I have coloured her using my pro markers

She looks like a cartoon of my daughter

The dotty paper came from a kanban kit I brought from QVC ages ago

The butterfly paper was given to me by a friend

The sentiment was done in word and cut using my circle nestabilities

The ribbon was from a jumper I got for Christmas and the charms were brought from the Works

This is for my daughters 17th birthday on Valentines Day

Should be safe to show it as she only looks at my blog when I show her something

This card is for the following challenge

Friday Sketchers - the sketch I have followed

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Love You All the Way to the Sky

This is a very simple card

I have used an image from Mo's Digital Pencil

Coloured them with my pro markers

Mounted onto a yellow mat

Used a piece of ribbon across the front

The star frame is a sizzix embosslet die

The little ribbon I made using a fork

An idea I picked up from one of the WOYWW blogs

sorry cannot remember which one

The senitment reads 'I love from the ground all the way to the sky'

This card is for the following challenge

Mo's Digital Pencil - Valentine in non traditional colours

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

Love In All Weathers!

This card uses one of my favourite Dottie & George images from

Charmed Crafts

I have coloured them using my pro markers

The green heart paper has been  in my stash for ages

The dotty pink and white paper was free with a magazine

I finished it with some flowers held together by a little green brad

This is for the following challenges

Dotties World - Valentines

Cute Card Thursday - Hearts & Flowers

Crazy Catz - Valentines

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

Love Me Love My Dog!

I have used a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil

She is coloured using my pro markers

The sentiment is one that I told my DH when he first met me

and seems to fit the image

The lace was yellow so I inked it to make it read

I was impatience so did not let the ink dry before I stuck it down

So I ended up putting some splodges on the image

So out came the flowers to cover them up

This is for the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Love with lace,buttons and bows

Passion for Promarkers - Let there be Love

Digital Tuesday - From the Heart

My Time to Craft - Hearts & Flowers

Pink Elephant - Be My Valentine

Pollycraft - Sketch I have followed and love theme

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

WOYWW 87

 Its that time of week again and if you are one of the few people who doesn't know what I am talking aboout

pop over the Julias Addictive Blog Stamping Ground and have a look

On my desk this week are a couple of challenge cards I have been working on

You can also see my new cupcake note book to write the challenges in

Better than wasting printer paper

And it matches my glass mat which by the way I love

 This shows the desk as I sit at it and you can see the cards I have made this week so far

The pictures have been taken late Tuesday evening as I leave for work just before 7am

One of the cards I have finished and can be seen in the here

As I have now shown you all the drawers of my little craft space

I thought I would show my little cupboard that sits in the hall

Its a computer cupboard but as I have a smart new laptop I dont of sit there

So I have my smart wireless printer sat at the top

Then on the shelve below is my white card drawer and my craft robo

The neat plastic folders are all our household bill etc

See its not just my crafting that is OCD

Have a great Wednesday will be popping around as many as I can when I get in from work

x Nicky x

Welcome Back

This card uses an image from Bugaboo

I have coloured her with my pro marker

Cut out the image and the sentiment using my circle nestabilities

Edged the image with Brilliance Pearlized Blue Ink Pad

The papers are all from stash

and finished with a little bling

This card is for a friend who is returning to work after being off for a few months

To welcome her back

This sketch is for the following challenges

Cute Card Thursday - Banish the Blues - Cards with Humour

Sketch Saturday - the sketch I have followed 

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

Time to Relax

This card uses one of the cute House Mouse Stamps

I have made this card for my mums friend who is retiring

The green papers comes from my stash

The yellow paper comes from the Papermania lemon sorbet pad

I used some off cuts of the lemon sorbet paper to make the flowers

Using my new Marianne Flower Die

The background to the flower was cut from plain white card stock

Off cuts of the green card were using to cut the leaves

The leaves have been raised slightly by using 3d foam

The Mouse was coloured using my promarkers
Then cut out as was the sentiment with my oval nestabilities

This card is for the following challenges

Colour Create - Lemon/Green/White

Speedy Cats - Self Made Flowers

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

You Hold My Heart

This card uses the lovely image from Bugaboo

I have coloured him with my pro markers

The ribbon down the centre came of a Christmas Pressie

The hearts I drew free hand and then cut out

Circle was cut by drawing round a small bowl then cutting out

This is for the following challenges

Digital Tuesday - Shades of Grey and One Colour

Friday Sketchers - The sketch I have followed

Catch the Bug - Anything Goes Project

Thanks for looking

x Nicky x



Monster Love!

This card uses a wonderful new freebie from Pollycraft

I have coloured him using my pro markers

Then added the goggly eyes

The circle was cut using my nestablitlies dies

The plaid paper was free with a magazine a friend gave me

The senitment came with the image

The heart paper has been in my stash for ages

I added a little of my red stickles glitter to make the heart pop

This card will be for my DH we do not really do much for valentines day

as it our daughter birthday and as I do not do soppy this works perfect

This card is for the following challenges

Sketch & Stash - Sketch that I followed

Cards for Men - Valentine/Love

Simply Create - Give your heart away

Simon Says - Love Is in the Air!

Crafty Cats - Tartan or Plaid

Secret Crafter - Valentine



Thanks for looking

x Nicky x

Brrrrr Baby Its Cold Outside!

This card uses an image from Pollycraft

She is coloured using my pro markers

Then some stickles glitter used

I edged the card using my blue Brilliance Pearlized Ink

I then used my Swirls and Stars sizzix embossing folder to add some effect to the top of the card

The paper used at the bottom with the swirls is from the DCWV Winter Stack

To finish I used a Papermania Sentiment Embossing folder

Then used the same ink pad to colour it

Distressed the edges by tearing it

This card is for the following challenges

Pollycraft - Brrrrrr Baby its Cold Outside

My Time to Craft - Flourishes

Passions for Promarkers - Use photo for inspiration - I took the colour of the sky

ABC Christmas - C - Clean and Simple Sketch I have followed

Thanks for Looking

x Nicky x

WOYWW - 86

Ok own up who stole last week???

I cannot believe it is Wednesday again and that means time for a nosey around blogland

Thanks to the Queen of the Desk Julia

If you want to know more visit

HERE

A few people have commented on my sign on top of my desk

its says 'Naughty Nicky'

My daughter made it for me at school when she was 12 for my desk at work

You can image the parents evening when I met the teachers and they all realised I was

'Naughty Nicky' lol

Most kids do their parents a painting -mine make a sign for my desk!

It did stay on my desk at work until I was made redundant last year, then it came home

and has never made it to my new work place

On my desk this week are some old fashion clothes peg

eclastic bands and my box of messy ribbons

This is Ciaras fault from the Ribena Room

I saw her wonderful ribbon storage and knew I had to sort out mine

So thats what I am up to at the moment

You can also see a digi image that will hopefully become my daughters birthday card

on Valentines Day

As I have now shown you all the drawers of my desk

I thought I would show some other storage I have for my craft stuff

This is in the conservatory

I brought it with some birthday money a few years ago from staples

Its just perfect for all my A4 papers

Being the neat and tidy crafter it drawer is labelled so I know what its inside

And down the side between the drawer and my glass cabinet you can just see two folders

These hold my decoupage sheet - which I dont like doing but my daughter loves cutting them out and sticking them together - then I use them - thats what I call team work

The other one holds all my sheets of acetate

Have a great Wednesday

x Nicky x