Tuesday 22 December 2015

Saturday 19 December 2015

Joyeux Noël

Seasons Greetings! Thanks so much for taking the time to visit.

I have some other Christmas posts ready but may not get them published, though I expect everyone is mighty busy now anyway with Christmas preparations. I received more injections to my neck yesterday so my online time must be very curtailed.

This pretty image is taken from a paper napkin available here. Isn't she lovely.


Following the Servietten Technique I seperated the top layer of napkin and glued it to white cardstock using Ranger multi-medium matte. Once completely dry, die-cut and embossed the image using a Marianne Design die. Sprinkled on a pinch of white Frantage and stencilled some stars using a Heidi Swapp stencil. Coated the stars with clear rock glitter before the paste dried. Rubbed silved gilding wax to die-cut edge and burnished it well with cloth.

The lowest layer has been embossed with a Sizzix music folder. Again gilded the edges silver. Cut a round doily in half and adhered to base layer. Die-cut some glittery silver paper with Memory Box 'Star of Wonder', Memory Box 'Elegant Scrollwork' and Magnolia 'Sprawling Ferns' dies and arranged on card. Die-cut little stars from this glittery paper using offcuts from a Sizzix Triplits balloon die so some of the stars are white and some silver.

Added lace trim and tinsel trim to the left and placed a Swarovski crystal on star. The berries are by Magnolia and I've added some white stamens from stash too. Stamped the Joyeux Noël sentiment using a Stempelglede stamp set. Finally, sprayed some seam binding to a matching shade of blue and affixed. C'est ça!

Hope to pop around blogland in another couple of days. In the meantime, enjoy the happiness of this season and Stay Calm!

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
We Love Vintage - Vintage Children
Simon Monday Challenge - Just a pinch (of Frantage)
Anything But Cute - You've got Happy Mail
Scrapy Land - Holidays (Use a die brand carried by Scrapy Land)
Scrap & Craft - Anything Christmas
Inspiration Journal - Tis The Season
ABC Christmas - Y is for Youngsters
Sparkles Challenge - Die Cuts for Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Merry Christmas
Alphabet Challenge - V for Vintage

Monday 14 December 2015

A Victorian Christmas

Greetings from a dark and drizzling Dublin - the reason for awful shadows in picture. Thank-you for visiting, especially during this busy Christmas countdown.


I've used papers from the lovely Prima collection 'A Victorian Christmas'. Placed the robin in a faux layered nest and then magnified him with a Prima Memory Hardware Antique cloche that was rather tricky to photograph. The holly branches are cut using Creative Expressions 'Holly Sprays' die. All the holly has been glittered. Edges are variously inked with Prima chalk edger and Stickles 'Memory Glass'. The outer edge is torn in places and Prima lace trim 'Snow' is placed beneath the tears. I've also done a little random stencilling using Finnabair white crackle texture paste - it's meant to represent some snow swirling around a weary looking Santa! The banners (cut with MFT Fishtail Flags die) are coated with Glossy accents to highlight them and then edged with stickles. Added 'berries' with a Waco pearl pen. Finished with a copper star atop tree.

Thank-you so much for stopping by and warmest welcomes to those who have recently signed up to follow.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Prima - 12 Days of Christmas (Day 1 'A Victorian Christmas' and memory hardware)
Anything But Cute - You've got Happy Mail
Craft for the Craic - Christmas Cheer
Frilly & Funkie - Tis The Season
Scrap & Craft - Anything Christmas
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Die Cuts for Christmas
Country View Challenges - Create A Scene
Simon Monday Challenge - Just a pinch - I've used tiny amount of crackle paste
Inspiration Emporium - Tis The Season

Saturday 12 December 2015

Shhhhh! Look who's inside!

Hi there, I hope your weekend is going well. A quick post today ...


Papers: Pion Design 'Christmas in Norway' and 'Silent Night'
Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'Window' and 'Mini Reindeer'. My Favorite Things Borders - 'Scallop' and 'Mini Scallop'.
Stencil: Memory Box 'Tiny Snowflakes'. Texture paste has been glittered with clear rock whilst still wet.
Other: The window was painted with cream DecoArt paint and liberally frantaged with both cream and white embossing enamels. One deer is painted with clear crackle and the other has been glittered with clear rock candy. Little jingle bells adorn their necks. I've painted an Idea-ology snowflake cream, dabbed it with red stickles and placed a red swarovski crystal in centre. Punched some 'foliage', glittered it and lined along base. Punched little snowflakes and gave them pearl centres. Completed with addition of red sparkly trim.

Wishing you a lovely weekend and very many thanks for stopping by.
Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:

Pion Design Challenge - Christmas Wishes - Inspiration photo below











Scrapyland - Anything Goes - Use a die brand Scrapyland carries
Frilly & Funkie - Tis The Season
Inspiration Emporium - Tis The Season
Craft For The Craic - Christmas Cheer
Dies R Us - Christmas
Scrap & Craft - Anything Christmas
Sparkles Christmas - Die Cuts for Christmas
Little Red Wagon - Snow Much Fun
Anything But Cute - You've got Happy Mail

Tuesday 8 December 2015

Matching sleigh for 'Cosy Little Christmas'

Hello! It's lovely of you to stop by. Thanks so much for all your kind comments on Christmas house in my post below. I've now made a matching sleigh and deer to complete the set.



Papers: Pion Design 'Christmas in Norway'
Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'Prancing Deer', Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'Sleigh Ride'. (Made the deer and sleigh cardboard centres for reinforcement. Painted some corrugated cardboard cream and adhered it between sleigh sides for centre of carriage).
Stencil: Wendy Vecchi 'Vintage Quilt' - not seen very well but the 'ground' is stencilled and sprinkled with lots of clear rock glitter
Other: Idea-ology Tree that has been sprayed with various golds and whites to make it match the house. Deer are harnessed to sleigh via Idea-ology screw eyes. Distress Dry Glitter 'Clear Rock'. Stickles 'Gold' and 'Mercury Glass'. Gesso and Snow-Tex. Woodware tiny snowflake punch. 'Metal' part of sleigh is gold embossed. Tinsel, pearls, gems and bells from stash.

We've had awful rain and wind in these parts over recent days so I hope this post finds you well and warm wherever you are based. The warmest of welcomes too to the lovely people who have signed up recently to follow, it's great to have your company.

Have a super week,
Nicola

I wish to enter sleigh to the following challenges:

Pion Design December Challenge - Christmas Wishes.
Here is the inspiration photo, why don't you give this a try, there's a wonderful prize on offer that I was lucky enough to win last month

Live & Love Crafts - Sparkle
A Vintage Journey - Vintage Christmas
Frilly & Funkie - Tis The Season
Scrapyland - Anything Goes - Use die brand that Scrapyland carries
Country View Challenges - Create a Scene
Dies R Us - Christmas
Scrap & Craft - Anything Christmas